This weekend we celebrate our nation’s independence from England and we remember the bravery of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence who “with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence” mutually pledged “our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor” to the cause of freedom. Without the conviction and total commitment of these men to the good of others we would not have the nation and the freedoms we enjoy today. These men had a vision of a place called America. A land where people could live free and work hard to better their lives. And these 56 men were willing to sacrifice their finances, their reputations, and even their lives so that others could live free. Over 200 years later I wonder how many Americans appreciate what they did and would have been willing to commit their own lives, fortunes, and reputations for the freedom of people they had never met.
In a small way, these founding fathers remind me of a group of people who not all that long ago dreamed of a place called Twin Oaks – A church that anyone could come to and find freedom in Christ. A place where people could find freedom from sin; freedom from their past; freedom from legalism and man-made rules; and freedom from the self-righteous judgment of other Christians. Several years ago a small group of elders and couple of hundred members cared enough about the freedom of people they had not yet met that they were willing to sacrifice much of their meager “fortunes”; their reputations with those did not share their vision; and in many ways they committed their lives to this idea of a place where people could live free in Christ and breathe the fresh air of grace. Now more and more people find that freedom at Twin Oaks each year.
Here’s my question for you: How committed are you to the Kingdom of God and the vision of Twin Oaks and the cause of freedom in Christ? How passionate are you that many others continue to find that freedom here and around the world? Are you sold out to that cause? Are you willing to pledge your life, your finances, and what others think of you to see hundreds and thousands of people find freedom in Christ? If lost people were depending on you to open the doors to freedom and grace, would their dreams be realized?
This weekend I’d encourage you to thank God for our nation and its founders; thank God for the people who followed the vision God gave them of Twin Oaks; and evaluate your commitment level to the cause of helping people find freedom in Christ through the Kingdom and Twin Oaks. With each of us committed to that cause amazing things are in store for us.
