Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
This July, our nation marks a significant milestone: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For two and a half centuries, Americans have looked back to July 4, 1776 as a day to remember the blessings of liberty, the sacrifices of those who came before us, and the responsibilities that come with living in a free society.
As Christians, it is fitting that we give thanks for the earthly blessings God has provided through our nation. We thank God for good government, for the protection of our neighbors, for the freedom to gather openly around His Word and Sacraments, and for the many men and women who have served faithfully in their various vocations for the good of others.
The Small Catechism teaches us to confess that our daily bread includes such gifts as “devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.” These blessings do not come from our own hands or because we have earned them. They come from our gracious Father who “richly and daily provides” for all that we need to support this body and life.
At the same time, July also gives us an opportunity to remember an even greater freedom.
Nations rise and fall. Governments change. Earthly freedoms, as precious as they are, can be gained and lost. But the freedom Christ gives is eternal. When Jesus speaks of freedom, He is not first speaking about political liberty. He is speaking to a world held captive. By nature, we are not free. We are bound in slavery to sin, death, and the devil. We may live in the freest nation on earth and still be enslaved by guilt, fear, pride, anger, greed, and unbelief.
That is why the Son of God came.
Christ did not win our freedom with a declaration written in ink, but with His holy, precious blood and His innocent suffering and death. He did not sign His name to parchment, but stretched out His hands upon the wood of the cross. There He bore our sin. There He defeated our enemies. There He purchased and won us – not with gold or silver – but with His own life.
And because Christ is risen from the dead, your freedom is secure.
You are free from the condemnation of the Law.
You are free from the accusation of the devil.
You are free to live as God’s baptized child.
Christian freedom does not mean we belong to no one. In fact, it means the opposite. As St. Paul writes, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We belong to Christ, and belonging to Him is the greatest freedom there is.
This also shapes the way we live as citizens. Because Christ has made us free, we are free to serve. We pray for our leaders. We love our neighbors. We seek the good of the communities where God has placed us. We use the freedoms entrusted to us not merely for ourselves, but in service to others.
So, this July, give thanks. Give thanks for 250 years of blessings in our nation. Give thanks for the freedoms we enjoy and for those who have worked and sacrificed to preserve them.
But above all, give thanks for the freedom that will endure long after every earthly kingdom has passed away – the freedom won for you by Jesus Christ.
For “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
In Christ,
Pastor Michael Manz