Galations 5:1-7

Our nation has a declaration of independence penned by people who sought freedom. The American colonies of Britain had been treated as though they were a conquered country instead of being part of England. Our Declaration of Independence contains these words, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Thus, our Declaration is that God has made us to be free!

1700 years earlier, the apostle Paul wrote another declaration of independence. He wrote to the church in Galatia, where many in the church wanted to return to being Jewish…. Paul tells the church, “It is for freedom that Christ has set you free!” Paul declares that God has made us free!

But freedom is risky. It is risky to pursue it. For the colonists of America, it was worth the risk.

They’d had enough. Much of our Declaration of Independence is a list of grievances against the treatment the colonies had received at the hand of the king of England….

They are ready to fight for freedom…!

Freedom is risky. It is risky to posses it. After the American colonies won their independence from England the world watched, expecting us to fail—never giving us a chance. The history makers of the day called it “the grand experiment.”

1700 years earlier, Paul wrote to a people who had been given freedom—freedom in their relationship with God and thus, freedom in their society. Indeed for the Jews who made up the early church in Galatia, their entire culture and commerce revolved around being Jewish….

Before, they had relied upon observance of laws and ceremonies and feasts to make them right with God and therefore acceptable in society. Now, they had the sacrifice of Jesus, and their faith in him—something intangible….

And the Galatians wanted to return to the comfort of what they knew—wanted to circumcise themselves and rely upon the Law for their right relationship with God…. Do you think you wouldn’t…?

Freedom is risky. When the Israelites were set free from bondage to Egypt, one of the first things they wanted to do was return to Egypt….

Today, while so many people are embracing freedom in Iraq, there are also many who are fighting to return to bondage—it is all they have known….

Now, none of us are rushing out to become Jewish, but there is similarity….

Christ finds us broken and estranged from God. We are taking comfort in “rightness” that is found in what we do for a living, or how good we are in sports, or what our grades are like.

Jesus finds us placing our self worth in the things that we have—our home, our clothes, our friends….

We have our place within our tiny space in the world. It may not be quite as good as one person’s place, but it is perhaps better than another’s—and that gives us comfort….

We are like a bird in a cage that we have built for ourselves….

Paul is saying to us today, that Jesus throws open our cages and says, “Be free, child of the living God!”

Freedom is risky business. How will we do anything but stand in the open doorway of our cages with one foot in the comfort of familiarity and the other foot on the threshold of glory?

It requires faith in God and trust in each other.

I love the way that our country’s Declaration of Independence ends, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

I love the way that Paul’s declaration of freedom closes, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

A bird in its cage by itself may stand there forever. Joined by others, it soon learns to fly. Grounded in faith and soaring on our relationship of love/trust, we can all learn to fly like eagles! Step out on faith. Be supported by this community of faith. Reach your potential in relationship with God—soar like an eagle, the symbol of freedom.