The Emancipation Proclamation of Abraham Lincoln is 150 years old. Luke 4:14-30 is the timeless emancipation proclamation of Jesus. He announced that he came to bring deliverance from captivity. To be a captive reduces our humanity where free choice is very difficult. In it we are confined and held under control. A captive is kept from becoming his unique self. Jesus wants to deliver us from this oppression.
How can we be enslaved? Our liberty can be stolen by drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual addiction, materialism, excessive fearfulness, or peer pressure. These destroy our potential and positive life direction. In active discipleship Jesus can rescue us from self destruction.
Social and entertainment media can capture us. If we allow every waking moment to be consumed by face book, texts, e-mails, sports news, political stories and TV we have no time left for prayer, exercise, worship and Bible reading. It is an illusion that electronic media is more important than feeding our soul. At the 2007 Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Microsoft chairman Bill Gates said that his goal is to have our attention constantly, " Our ambition is to give you connected experiences 24 hours a day. The minute you get into the kitchen, look at that refrigerator, pick up that phone, hear the alarm clock tell you about traffic, whatever it is, we want you to have the information that you're interested in". We are offered an endless connection with a barrage of information over load. Even when I fill up the car there is a TV monitor on the pump that shouts latest news and sales pitches.
We can make room in our schedule to enhance and feed our connection to our Lord. The tech world can be used to serve our Divine Master if used wisely. It is a danger to be controlled by social media without being aware of it. The slaves President Lincoln addressed were painfully aware of their oppression. We can be enslaved to destructive ways without awareness we are on the road to destroy health, happiness, future and family. A reckless and careless life doesn't demonstrate liberty. A clueless and negative waste of time and potential brings despair. Jesus aks us to stay connected to Him so we can grow in freedom that brings us peace and joyful accomplishments.
For us to grow in freedom of positive purpose we need to stay close to God. Jesus warned that if we are not connected to His grace we will be as useless as a branch broken away from a life giving grape vine. "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine... apart from me you can do nothing". John 15:4-5.
After the slaves were freed by President Lincoln they learned quickly the necessity to work hard to stay free. We also must be vigilant to grow in the Lord's liberty. This is a life long journey to keep watch over our hearts that we do not permit ourselves to be mastered by love of money, the tech world, or the moral wildness of our society. Like Moses led his people from slavery to freedom our Lord yearns to deliver us from guilt, shame, and meaningless into a life of joy and fulfillment. He promises us, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8: 31-32. Do you believe you can be freed from the oppression of past guilt and failures? The Lord can lead you to true liberty if you will keep following His teaching. If we keep connected to our Divine Master we will not be enslaved to evil desires that war against our soul.
gives peace!
Great post, Cliff - joe
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