From Captivity to Freedom

Pre Communion

There are themes that run through the bible - Theme of salvation, second coming, grace, person and work of Holy Spirit etc. One of those themes is release from bondage. Jesus said, "I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly". God said to pharaoh - "Let my people go." Not a better job - or more security or better housing or feed - but God had a promised land. This is God's pattern and we see it as well in the life of Jesus Christ at the tomb -LAZARUS "Loose him and let him go" Blind man -deaf man - leprosy man - possessed man - all locked in the prison of their bodily affliction - Jesus entered their dungeon and set them free.

Paul was a religious man - another prison - which required that he as a rabbi strict obedience to the commandment -Thou shalt not kill - and who could stand and consent to the death of Stephan, a just man - and give his blessing to the murder - was total entrapped in the law. We would call it dysfunctional. But, Paul Met Jesus on the road, surrendered his religiosity to the Savior, and was set free spiritually. He said - "To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." He was free to live and free to die knowing that beyond the door we call death, is life everlasting in the presence of Christ.

But what about the person who is entrapped by drugs, or alcohol or some other entrapment. "Who the son sets free is free indeed. " What about those who are trapped by the fear of death. While we don't fear the matter of death, we are trapped by the lack of knowledge of the beyond.

Again Paul speaks to us,"Absent from the body - Present with the Lord." And to those trapped by a religious space which alienates us from brothers and sisters who also believe in a living God, but who are trapped by religious barriers.

In Ephesians 2 we read - "He Broke down the middle wall of partition that stood between us" and in the new testament days, people who were separated by walls of tradition, - Broke down the middle wall of partition that stood between us. We can become one as the Holy Spirit fill us with the love of Christ. It is God's will that we who have accepted Christ as our personal Saviour, be free to worship, free to fellowship, free to pray with and for one another. All one in Christ's love of Christ flows and overflows. We have something to share with others to prove that the love of Christ is real. Have something to share with others to prove that the love of Christ is real.

We all look forward to that day when we go to glory let us worship and be free as a foretaste - we sing, "When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, We'll sing and shout the victory!"

Next week we will celebrate communion together and will sing: "Here, O my Lord, I see Thee face to face." We can see nothing else.