Sunday, Oct. 29 was Reformation Sunday.  The actual day of the Reformation is Oct. 31, 1517; the day Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the door of the Wittenberg Castle.  It was a day that set many people free.  On this day Luther introduced people to a God that they had never seen or heard of before; a God of love and grace, not a God of wrath. 

But to this day we too often take our freedom for granted.  We have the freedom to vote, but we either forget or just plain don’t exercise this freedom. We have the freedom of speech, but yet too many people remain silent in the face of injustice.  We have the freedom of religion, but too many people don’t stand up for their faith.  We have freedom in Christ, but yet we live loose and recklessly, forgetting about the love God showed us in Jesus Christ.  We live as if we were captive to sin.  We don’t come before God even though we are free to do so. 

The following is an excerpt from my sermon for Reformation Sunday 2006 (for the whole manuscript go to my sermon blog link after Oct. 30):

"Jesus said to the Jews who believed in him ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the true, and the truth will make you free’" (John 8:31-32)

Let us pray:  Loving God, you gave us freedom through sending your Son, Jesus Christ to the cross.  But we have used that freedom to turn away from you, trusting in our own strength and wisdom.  Turn us back to you so we may see your unimaginable love.  Search for us as a shepherd searches for a lost sheep (Luke 15).  Welcome us back as the father welcomes the prodigal son(Luke 15).  Heal us so we may proclaim this freedom to all people; living for you alone.  Now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable to you, Oh Lord, our Rock and Redeemer, Amen!…

…"There is an old story that Abraham Lincoln went down to the slave block to buy a slave girl.  As she looked at the tall, white man bidding on her, she figured he was just another white man that was going to buy her and then abuse her.  He won the bid, and as he was walking away with his property, he said, ‘Young lady, you are free.’  She said, ‘What does that mean?’

‘It means you are free.’

‘Does that mean,’ she said, ‘that I can say whatever I want to say?’

Lincoln said, ‘Yes, my dear, you can say whatever you want to say.’

‘Does that mean I can be whatever I want to be?’

"He said, ‘Yes, you can be whatever you want to be.’

‘Does that mean I can go wherever I want to go?’

Lincoln said, ‘Yes, you can go wherever you want to go.’

The girl, with tears streaming down her face, said, ‘Then I will go with you.’ (Citation: Steve Brown, Preaching Today, #58)

That is my prayer for you; that you will go with God.  So go and enjoy a freedom like no other for "if the the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)  And you are free.  For Jesus paid the ultimate price for your life.  So where will you go?  Who will you go with?   What will you do with your freedom in Christ Jesus our Lord?  Praise be to God always and forever. Amen! -EDH-