From the Pastor's Desk (July 2025)
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty
to captives and freedom to prisoners. ~Isaiah 61:1
Isn’t freedom wonderful? Sometimes we take it for granted, especially since it is something that we have experienced our entire lives. But there are smaller moments of freedom we experience along the way. In the past month, we have celebrated a young man who graduated high school. If Harry Markey is like me, that feeling of no longer having to go to high school and starting a new chapter in college was a sense of remarkable freedom. That became even more true after college graduation. But with that freedom came a sense of responsibility, and that is what so many of us (all of us at times) struggle with the most.
Freedom. It’s a concept we celebrate heavily in this country, with a plethora (if not a majority) of people having no concept of what true freedom is. Isn’t it significant that we were able to break free from British rule? Of course it is. Wasn’t it a major accomplishment when slavery ended and the many who had been poorly treated were set free? Without a doubt! Can’t we appreciate the freedoms we have in this country that so many others around the world don’t? I appreciate it as much as the next person.
But so did Israel. Incredible rejoicing occurred when they were cut loose from Egyptian bondage and slavery, and when they crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and when they were set free from 40 years of wilderness wandering, and when they became victorious in their conquest of the Promised Land…freedom after freedom after freedom. Yet Isaiah 61 had to be written to encourage a nation who had once again found themselves in bondage and exile – and it wasn’t for no reason they were there. They had no concept of what true freedom was, and didn’t use the freedom they had wisely – in a way that would bring honor to the God who had constantly provided that freedom.
It wasn’t until Christ came along that anyone could understand freedom at its greatest. Isaiah’s words to a captive Israel were but a prophecy of this, still centuries away from fulfillment. But even today, many people don’t know Christ, and therefore don’t know true freedom. The Apostle Paul helps us to understand why that is true in his letter to the Galatians. He opens the fifth chapter by saying, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. But what does that mean? Because we know Christ, can we literally do anything we want (even things we are called by scripture not to do)? Isn’t that what got Israel in trouble?
Paul later explains in verse 13: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather serve one another humbly in love. No greater paradox exists than when we assume that freedom means anything goes (including selfish, sinful acts), when the bonds of sin and its consequences are what we have been set free from.
True freedom in Christ means we no longer have to worry about the everlasting consequence and punishment of sin (that we all deserve). Jesus put Himself into the bondage of those consequences when he went to the cross. But on the third day, when He was set free from the tomb, all who believe in Him were also set free from the captivity of death, and new, glorious, and eternal life of true freedom awaits every believer. July 4 will always be a special day in America, but the day you gave your life to Christ will be the most precious Independence Day you will ever celebrate. Make sure such a day exists on your calendar, and if it does, give God thanks for that glorious day, and live the other 364 days of the year showing Him how grateful you are!
~Pastor Eric
to captives and freedom to prisoners. ~Isaiah 61:1
Isn’t freedom wonderful? Sometimes we take it for granted, especially since it is something that we have experienced our entire lives. But there are smaller moments of freedom we experience along the way. In the past month, we have celebrated a young man who graduated high school. If Harry Markey is like me, that feeling of no longer having to go to high school and starting a new chapter in college was a sense of remarkable freedom. That became even more true after college graduation. But with that freedom came a sense of responsibility, and that is what so many of us (all of us at times) struggle with the most.
Freedom. It’s a concept we celebrate heavily in this country, with a plethora (if not a majority) of people having no concept of what true freedom is. Isn’t it significant that we were able to break free from British rule? Of course it is. Wasn’t it a major accomplishment when slavery ended and the many who had been poorly treated were set free? Without a doubt! Can’t we appreciate the freedoms we have in this country that so many others around the world don’t? I appreciate it as much as the next person.
But so did Israel. Incredible rejoicing occurred when they were cut loose from Egyptian bondage and slavery, and when they crossed the Red Sea miraculously, and when they were set free from 40 years of wilderness wandering, and when they became victorious in their conquest of the Promised Land…freedom after freedom after freedom. Yet Isaiah 61 had to be written to encourage a nation who had once again found themselves in bondage and exile – and it wasn’t for no reason they were there. They had no concept of what true freedom was, and didn’t use the freedom they had wisely – in a way that would bring honor to the God who had constantly provided that freedom.
It wasn’t until Christ came along that anyone could understand freedom at its greatest. Isaiah’s words to a captive Israel were but a prophecy of this, still centuries away from fulfillment. But even today, many people don’t know Christ, and therefore don’t know true freedom. The Apostle Paul helps us to understand why that is true in his letter to the Galatians. He opens the fifth chapter by saying, It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. But what does that mean? Because we know Christ, can we literally do anything we want (even things we are called by scripture not to do)? Isn’t that what got Israel in trouble?
Paul later explains in verse 13: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh, rather serve one another humbly in love. No greater paradox exists than when we assume that freedom means anything goes (including selfish, sinful acts), when the bonds of sin and its consequences are what we have been set free from.
True freedom in Christ means we no longer have to worry about the everlasting consequence and punishment of sin (that we all deserve). Jesus put Himself into the bondage of those consequences when he went to the cross. But on the third day, when He was set free from the tomb, all who believe in Him were also set free from the captivity of death, and new, glorious, and eternal life of true freedom awaits every believer. July 4 will always be a special day in America, but the day you gave your life to Christ will be the most precious Independence Day you will ever celebrate. Make sure such a day exists on your calendar, and if it does, give God thanks for that glorious day, and live the other 364 days of the year showing Him how grateful you are!
~Pastor Eric
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