In the last few years, we’ve recognized American Independence Day with thoughts from Josh Newell, executive director of Jesus Film Project®, and Elizabeth Schenkel, long-time missionary and screenwriter for Jesus Film Project media.
We’ve pulled those reflections together into a single article. We pray these thoughts will edify, inspire, and encourage you to consider the importance of freedom this Fourth of July.
Celebrating our independence from Sin
Contributed by Josh Newell
On this Independence Day, you don’t have to be a founding father to understand that true freedom is experienced in submission to a higher authority.
Recently, as my son and I were negotiating the newfound freedom that his driver’s license gave him, we both realized simultaneously that his rights would come with some restrictions.
It wasn’t just the Department of Transportation that set those stipulations. As a father, I wanted him to understand there were other limitations I established to ensure his safety. He could have looked at these rules as tyrannical rather than simply a declaration of love.
Today, a declaration of independence is enjoyed not just by Americans, but by all those around the world who hold to a higher authority than government systems. We celebrate the emancipation of our souls through the blood of Jesus!
So if we acknowledge our freedom, we must also acknowledge the dependence to which that freedom points.
We are accountable not just to an earthly system of government. Our ultimate dependence is in Jesus, “For in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily” (Colossians 2:9, English Standard Version) and in Him we have abundant life (John 10:10), and apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5).
Let’s celebrate this dependence! All earthly systems pale in comparison to the system of justice and peace that works for our good in God’s kingdom. As part of Christ’s body, we get to declare this true freedom and dependence all over the world.
Our freedom in Christ helps others experience emancipation
Contributed by Josh Newell
“The Lord has anointed me … to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Isaiah 61:1, New International Version).
Recently, I heard the story of new believers in a remote desert area who asked for help.
They said, “There’s a village close by, where 200 children are held and trained to sacrifice themselves in holy war.”
The followers of Jesus sent a rescue mission, under the cover of night, to bring those children to safety. The children were placed in the homes of new believers and learned of Christ’s great love for them through the film “The Story of Jesus for Children.”
Recently, a Romanian friend of mine reflected on the overthrow of the dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. He remarked, “We Romanians thought that we would have better lives through the overthrow of political oppression. We didn’t realize that we needed to experience spiritual freedom in its place. As a result, we are still imprisoned.”
I can’t think of a greater life’s work than “to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Today, just as in Isaiah’s time, there are literal prisoners in bondage (sometimes wrongfully held) who long for freedom. But Isaiah speaks of a deeper, more fundamental freedom, the liberation of the soul.
I’m grateful for what Independence Day symbolizes in our country. Americans overthrew an oppressive British rule, established a more democratic union while acknowledging that freedom comes not from government, but from God.
It is this freedom that we proclaim and celebrate, freedom not just from the tyranny of earthly rule and oppression, but from the heart condition, which holds every human heart in bondage. The way of Jesus offers a path “from darkness into His marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9.
The opportunity for us, as those who experience His fellowship, is to daily pursue opportunities to “throw off the sin that easily entangles,” live in that freedom and proclaim that same hope to others.
As we celebrate our political emancipation on July Fourth, let us remember our glorious, unrestrictive liberation because of Jesus’ work on the cross—and share that message to the world.
First of all pray
Contributed by Elizabeth Schenkel
Paul says, “First of all…pray!” Pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings. That is some rich prayer. Not just a simple saying grace over the burgers but getting on our knees and spending significant time in prayer. And for whom are we meant to pray? For all people! Not just for our families but for our neighbors, for those who might be perceived as enemies, for people in the red states and in the blue states. “All people” is pretty all-inclusive! And we are urged to pray for “kings and all who are in high positions.” Again, not just the people in high positions that we like, or approve of, or are not afraid of or suspicious of… we are urged by Paul to pray for the whole lot of them.
Why do we pray? We pray so that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way. We forgive, we beseech, we intercede, we give thanks for peaceful lives and somehow our praying is also part of our answer. God hears us and answers us. But also as we pray, we become more aligned with Him and our perspective on life and people is changed. Our heart beats with His.
May God bless America this year with more intercessors, with more followers of Christ who live out His heart, His mercy, His love in our families, our neighborhoods, our towns, and our cities throughout this nation. We pray to the Lord because we know that He is our hope. We pray because we know He hears us. Who has the Lord placed on your heart to pray for?
Elizabeth
Paul says, “First of all…pray!” Pray with supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings. That is some rich prayer. Not just a simple saying grace over the burgers but getting on our knees and spending significant time in prayer. And for whom are we meant to pray? For all people! Not just for our families but for our neighbors, for those who might be perceived as enemies, for people in the red states and in the blue states. “All people” is pretty all-inclusive! And we are urged to pray for “kings and all who are in high positions.” Again, not just the people in high positions that we like, or approve of, or are not afraid of or suspicious of… we are urged by Paul to pray for the whole lot of them.
Why do we pray? We pray so that we may lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way. We forgive, we beseech, we intercede, we give thanks for peaceful lives and somehow our praying is also part of our answer. God hears us and answers us. But also as we pray, we become more aligned with Him and our perspective on life and people is changed. Our heart beats with His.
May God bless America this year with more intercessors, with more followers of Christ who live out His heart, His mercy, His love in our families, our neighborhoods, our towns, and our cities throughout this nation. We pray to the Lord because we know that He is our hope. We pray because we know He hears us. Who has the Lord placed on your heart to pray for?
Celebrating true freedom
Contributed by Elizabeth Schenkel
We will never forget our arrival back in the United States after our first year of living in Central Asia. We landed in New York and hurried off the plane, eager to re-enter our home country and see our friends and family. At that time, the walls of the entry hall of Kennedy Airport were covered with the Bill of Rights. Honestly, we could have kissed them and the ground we walked on. It was such a relief to be back in a FREE country—a country where our basic human rights are guaranteed. Not a perfect country, by any means, but a great one.
After 16 years of living abroad, we moved back to the U.S. five years ago. This Scripture from Galatians expresses our burden for ourselves and for all American believers. Perhaps because we have lived in some of the most repressive countries in the world, we feel rather heavily the burden of responsibility that comes with freedom. It is our conviction that even as we celebrate our freedom, we need to ask ourselves how we are using that freedom.
Are we using our freedom of religion to talk about Christ by submitting ourselves to the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit day by day? We aren’t all evangelists by calling, but we are all witnesses of God’s good work in the world and in our lives. We don’t have to preach the whole Bible to people around us, but can joyfully take our liberty to share our personal journey of faith with anyone who will listen.
Are we using our freedom of expression to love the people around us? The political atmosphere is super-charged right now. We are free in the midst of that to love everyone, regardless of their opinions and convictions. Our freedom to express our own opinions, however dearly held, should never override our freedom to love… yes, love even our enemies.
Do you have any helpful ideas or good stories about sharing your faith in the past few months? How do you go about loving those who do not share your political and or spiritual convictions?
We have so much freedom here in the U.S. The apostle Paul tells us that we were called to be free. Let’s not use our freedom to indulge ourselves, but rather to be known as those who love others.
Elizabeth Schenkel
CONCLUSION
We hope these reflections help spur some thoughts of your own and point you to Christ, our true liberator. As Christians, we’re called to help the oppressed. So this Independence Day, spend a little time reflecting not just on your freedoms here on earth, but also those here who don’t have such freedoms.
You don’t want to miss our short film, “La Liberte’,” which explores the idea of freedom—and freedom in Christ. It’s only 5 minutes long, and this Independence Day is the perfect time to view it.
