For July 6

Sermon Notes: It Only Takes A Spark

Intro: One of the distinguishing traits between humans and animals is the ability to imagine.  From there, we form thoughts and ideas. Ideas that lead to dreams. But dreams require action to overcome the obstacles opposing those dreams, to make dreams the reality that may even change the world. But it all starts with an idea, and takes a spark to get the fire of action started, as we sang in our Hymn of Preparation. 

​

I. Ideas and Dreams

A. Some ideas are just bad ideas,  Like chucking a rock at a low hanging hornet’s nest. (I speak from personal experience!).

Or, as a quarterback, taunting a lineman who is big, mean, with no

sense of humor.  (I also speak from personal experience!).

 Or, trick or treating on Halloween in a Mexican neighborhood, dressed like a piñata…No, I may be crazy, but I’m not that stupid.

B. Some ideas by dreamers may seem crazy to others, but when they are acted on, may be life changing.  People once thought if we were meant to fly, God would have given us wings, and so flying machines were considered fantasy.  Thankfully, Orville and Wilbur Wright had a dream, and on Dec 17, 1903 flew their gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane for 12 seconds, covering 120 feet.  Within 11 years, airplanes were used in combat by Germany and the US in WWI.  

C. Norman Larsen was tasked with developing a way to stop water caused corrosion on a critical component of Atlas missiles.  His idea of producing a chemical to displace water from a surface to prevent such corrosion led to action that failed 39 times, but was finally successful on the 40th try.  I doubt many of us have heard of Norman, but are very familiar with his idea, because today WD 40, short for Water Displacement, 40th try, is a household product.

D. Thomas Edison had many ideas that led to actions as a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents as well as many others in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.  He’s most remembered for the electric light bulb, first presented to the public in 1879, that could last 13 ½ hours.  His ideas sparked many attempts that were failures before they were successful, and they’re still being improved on today.

E. Ideas, by themselves, are just thoughts, perhaps even dreams, but only when someone believes in that idea enough to become an igniting spark of action, will that idea become a reality.  But, where do ideas and dreams come from?  Are they simply a product of our human imagination, or does God play a part in them? 

F. After being raised in the Pharoah’s courts, Moses discovered his Hebrew birth, and later killed an Egyptian taskmaster abusing a Hebrew slave.  Facing Egyptian punishment, he fled Egypt, tending his father-in-law’s sheep for the next 40 years.  But God spoke to Moses from a burning bush, telling him to go to Pharaoh, telling him to free the Egyptian slaves – the very powerful Pharaoh, who even knew Moses’ past.  It didn’t seem like a good idea.  But Moses went, and tells Pharoah to free the

Israelite slaves.  Pharaoh didn’t think it was a good idea, either. In fact, Pharoah made the slaves work even harder, making the slaves think Moses’ intervention wasn’t a good idea either.  God’s final plague overcame all those negative opinions and convinced Pharaoh to let the people go. But, after a short time, Pharaoh reconsidered, realizing release of Egypt’s slave labor force was a bad idea, and pursued the Israelites. Israel had come to the Red Sea and couldn’t cross it. With Egyptians bearing down on them, freedom seemed like a really bad idea – until the Red Sea parted, Israel crossed on dry land, and the Egyptians enemies were drowned.  No matter how bad the idea of Israel leaving Egypt to go to the Promised Land might have seemed, it was God’s idea – and ultimately a perfect idea.  Many times in the desert, Israel would complain, but God’s ideas always develop into plans that are excellent. 

G. When the people reached the Jordan river to enter the Promised Land, despite all their previous experience with God’s successful plans, Israel’s fears of the inhabitants led to them reject God’s plan to conquer the land.  Only Joshua and Caleb thought it was a great idea, but for the next 40 years, Israel chose to remain in the desert until God chose Joshua to be the spark igniting Israel to action, to follow God’s leading them to conquer the land He had promised them. 

​

II. Joshua 24:14-21

A. In our OT lesson, the dream of conquering the land realized, Joshua was old and ready to retire.  He had been the spark to take what many had thought was a bad idea and became God’s faithful leader to achieve that dream promised to Abraham centuries before. Now, addressing Israel, he sets before them the opposing ideas of serving the Lord, or accepting false gods. And the people choose to serve God. 

B. While I was the Facilities Director at Allegheny College, there was a laboratory building where students would use white rats in social science research for their graduation thesis requirement. Whenever I walked through the lab building, I would see students doing behavioral experiments ranging from rats in mazes, to studying the rats’ brains during decision-making processes. When not in their cages, it was common to see students with their tame research rats perched on their shoulders, or being held and pampered. In their cages, the rats would stick their noses through the mesh wire doors, with their paws grasping the wire mesh, like they were begging to get out. 

C. Unfortunately, every so often, a rat would escape the lab through an open door, into the adjacent parking lot, followed closely by pursuing students trying to recapture it.  But once that rat tasted freedom, it immediately turned vicious and would fight to the death when cornered rather than be recaptured.  The animal then had to be destroyed because it would never again give up that freedom.  No matter how well they were treated in the lab, freedom was worth fighting for, even worth dying for.

D. American freedoms also resulted from experiencing freedom in a new land that became a dream of winning its freedom from England. Many felt it was a bad idea that the colonials, mostly farmers and merchants, could possibly defeat a world power to win their freedom. Some preferred to remain under Britain’s control for the economic advantages, despite the oppressive taxation without representation. Perhaps it was God planting the idea of freedom that sparked 56 delegates of the Continental Congress to prepare a Declaration of Independence, even though signing that Declaration of Independence would be like signing their own death warrants.

E, But their dream of freedom had sparked the fire of freedom that became too strong to ignore.  Too strong to be silenced by fear of death. Because ideas and dreams, like those of freedom, are far more powerful than the fragile lives of the men and women who give them voice.The Declaration of Independence was finally signed by all 56 delegates, the youngest signer being 26 year old Thomas Lynch Jr, and the oldest being 70 yr old Benjamin Franklin. In fact, of those 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence:

   5 were captured by the British and tortured before they died.

  12 had their homes ransacked and burned,

    2 lost their sons in the war.

    9 either died from war wounds or from hardships suffered in the war.

F, But the Declaration was only the igniting spark that set the Revolutionary war into action.  It would take five years of war, and the death of many soldiers and patriots to realize that dream of freedom. Patriots would die regretting they had only one life to live for their country, and others would shout “Give me liberty, or give me death”. But the Declaration was the spark that made the dream, and the taste of freedom so cherished they would rather die for it than lose it. 

G. Although this nation declared its unalienable right to freedoms, and fought for its freedom from Britain’s control, we violated those very principles by enslaving other humans. The consequences for that social injustice were felt in not only the Civil War, but in racial bigotry that still challenges the dream of freedom in this country.  When the dream of freedom becomes larger than the dreamers, actions become more important than personal safety.

H. Just as the dream of freedom led to the Declaration of Independence, which then became the spark that set off the Revolutionary War, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s declaring his dream of racial equality became a spark, further igniting strong civil rights movements to make that dream a reality.  His dream did not die on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel by an assassin’s bullet. His words of “I Have A Dream” continue to be heard and to inspire the dreams of freedom for all for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

I, When this nation declared its independence from England, it was the spark that ignited a war that would have to be fought to win the victory that would secure the nation’s freedoms. When other nations threatened those freedoms, America declared it would again fight to defend our freedoms. But when Jesus declared our independence from sin from the Cross, and by His Resurrection, won the victory over sin, it was a victory for all time, for all people.  It would never be fought again.  

​

III. Romans 8:1-11

A. Paul’s letter to the Roman Church tells us now there is no condemnation, no eternal death, for those who know freedom from sin in Christ Jesus. But those who still live according to the flesh, and have their minds set on what the flesh desires are hostile to God and cannot please Him. But to those who are in Christ Jesus, though our bodies are subject to death because of sin, the Holy Spirit opens our freedom from sin, and eternal life. Those of us who have found such freedom from sin, have found reality in this ultimate dream of spiritual freedom. No longer a dream, but Jesus’ declaration of freedom, and our invitation to accept His victory for our lives. The physical freedoms expressed in our Declaration of Independence, paid for with human lives, are more even more strongly expressed by Jesus’ Declaration from the Cross paid for with His Blood. 

B. The Holy Spirit is now the spark igniting our faith and allegiance to Jesus to declare His victory for our own lives. While Jesus may have paid the price for our sin, that’s not the end of our battle.  As Christians we fight a two front war for freedom.  Physical freedoms, the freedom to worship our God as we choose, and which then becomes the basis to pursue our spiritual freedom. 

C.  But what is our spiritual freedom worth?  Is it worth giving my life for – not necessarily in terms of life or death, but in personal sacrifice? While Jesus died so we each may be free, He died so that all people could be free.  Our spiritual freedom comes with an obligation to show much we value His sacrifice and our spiritual freedom, by our continuing actions. Taking time for regular worship, giving time and money for the Church to battle for the souls of others.  As Christian soldiers, we are responsible for our moral conduct, service to the community, extending a helping hand to others. As sung in the Battle Hymn of the Republic, as He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free. 

D. Yet, in this land of the free, our spiritual freedoms are in jeopardy.  We hear some claim we are no longer a Christian nation, and even the words in our Pledge of Allegiance, one nation under God, are being questioned.  Laws restrict prayer in schools, and even the mention of Jesus seems to threaten others’ freedom of religion.  

​

Conclusion: As we come to our Table of Communion on this 4th of July weekend, it is also our opportunity to share in a celebration of true freedom, freedom from the consequences of sin. Recognizing that it was paid for by His blood, symbolized by the juice, and His broken body, symbolized by the bread.  His table is free and open to all who cherish this freedom, who repent of their sin, and desire full relationship with our Lord.  Come now, as we share in this celebration of freedom, as brothers and sisters, beloved of our God. Amen