Sermon:
Freedom
Joshua 23:1-13
When in the course of Human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of natureˇ¦s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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.
Signed on July 2 and adopted in the Congress on July 4, 1776- The declaration of independence set free the 13 colonies of America from its rule by Great Britain.
Richard Stockton a Quaker from New Jersey was one of the 56 signers of that declaration. Stockton in 1758 helped to construct the Quaker Meeting house near his home Morven. Stockton was a prominent Lawyer and Landowner until the day that he signed that declaration. The English army routed him and his family from their home and he was imprisoned as a traitor to the crown. As a result of his harsh treatment, his health was broken. After his imprisonment he returned to the burned and sacked remnants of Morven and died their four years later at the age of 51.
His is only one of the stories of these 56 men- many others tell the same story of men who gave their life for freedom.
Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence . . .
5 were captured by the British and tortured before they died.
12 had their homes ransacked and burned.
2 lost their sons in the war.
9 either died from war wounds or from hardships suffered in the war.
Freedom my friends is never free.
In this book of Joshua were are given a history of Israelˇ¦s occupation of the promised land. God had brought this people out of slavery and into a Promised Land of freedom. But before Joshua died he left the people with this same stern warning that Freedom is never free-
There is a price for gaining freedom - But there is also a price for maintaining freedom- Thats what I want to talk with you about this morning.
Let me make something perfectly clear. You see freedom is not won or maintained by force of arms- by military arsenals- or by armies of men and women- Freedom is won and maintained in God alone- Great nations rise and fall upon the blessing and judgment of Almighty God- and that is what Joshua told Israel this day. (V12-13)
The Lord through Joshua makes clear that the price of our continued freedom is two-fold
1) The price is Devotion to God ˇV v6- Joshua reminded Israel that itˇ¦s continued freedom rested on itˇ¦s ability to follow God. If they were to turn from God there downfall would surely come-My friends that is true for us today-James Madison- 4th president of the US and one of the framers of the constitution ˇ§We have staked our future on our ability to follow the ten commandments with all our heart.ˇ¨ He knew as Joshua spoke so many years before him that freedom and democracy can only be maintained if men walk with God. You cannot write enough laws to govern a godless society. You cannot make enough rules to make moral an immoral nation. Often we look at our nation and become discouraged ˇV abortion, same sex marriage, pornography, violence,