| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"rhuff163" |
| Date: |
29 May 2006 11:45:10 PM |
| Object: |
About liberty |
Devotional Guide
For the week of May 28, 2006
MEMORIAL DAY
About liberty
To read the Bible in one year, today Read: 2 Corinthians 1-3
To Know:
³ And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout
the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee for you when each of
you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his
family.² (Lev. 25:10)
The Congregationalists aboard the Mayflower with those who arrived a decade
later aboard John Winthropıs flagship ³Arbella² had embarked on an adventure
in liberty. Liberty is in the DNA of the church. ³Proclaim liberty
throughout the land² was in the Bible before our founders inscribed on the
Liberty Bell. When Israel sinned, God revoked their liberties and sent them
as captives to Babylon. My father often remarked that hurting oneself had
one great advantage, it felt good to stop. When the Lord acted to help
Israel appreciate their liberty he did so by taking their freedom away for a
time. By such a loss they learned to appreciate liberty ever after.
Jesus came to liberate his people, In order to set his people free he needed
to remove the sin that cursed our bondage. Sin is our captor. Sin is an
alien nature. Because it is now our nature we cannot see it by looking at
ourselves. Sin seems to be the same as being human. We say, ³Nobodyıs
perfect,² A fish cannot detect water since it is the creatureıs natural
environment.
Congregationalists considered themselves called to make liberty real in the
church. Pastors served at the pleasure of the congregation. Monies were
voted by the fellowship. Neighboring churches fellowshipped with one another
but had no authority over one another. These Congregationalists translated
their principles into a governmental form. The election of leaders and the
authorization of representatives of the people at town meeting and in
legislatures grew out of these church principles. When our churches revive
the nation may follow our lead.
05306$-05306
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