Focused on Freedom

Well, my name is René, one of the pastors here at TLC. I'm so glad you're joining us, whether you're here live or watching on Facebook Live or over in the venue service. It's great to have you with us. You know, with Independence Day coming up later on this week, it is so appropriate that we are talking about freedom this morning, specifically spiritual freedom.

And I want to start us off by telling you a true story that I just love. 150 years ago, shortly after the end of the Civil War, this man, Colonel P.H. Anderson of Big Spring, Tennessee, wrote a letter to a former slave of his, this man Jordan Anderson. And Colonel Anderson asked Jordan to come back and work on the plantation again. Now, what had happened after the Emancipation Proclamation was that Jordan had moved to Ohio.

And when he got this letter, he responded just spectacularly by way of a letter that he sent to his former slave master. And it's filled with so much subtle sarcasm that it actually got reprinted in its day on the front page of the New York Daily Tribune and became kind of famous. And I want to read you just part of this. Remember, former slave to his old master, after his old master offers him a job back on the plantation. Watch this.

August 7, 1865. To my old master. Sir, I got your letter, and I was glad to find that you had not forgotten me and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again. I've often worried about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this for harboring rebels. Although you shot at me twice before I left, I didn't want to hear of your being hurt.

Mandy, that's his wife. Mandy and I have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. I served you faithfully for 32 years, and Mandy, 20 years. At $25 a month for me and $2 a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to $11,686. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back and deduct what you paid for our clothing and three doctor's visits over all that time, and the balance will show what we're entitled to. Please then send the money by express.

If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have a little faith in your promises in the future. Also, please tell me if there are schools there that my children can attend. My greatest desire is for them to grow in knowledge. Remember that. Say howdy to George Carter, and would you thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me from your old servant Jordan Anderson.

Isn't that great? Clearly, he had no intention of ever going back, right? But let me ask you a question. Has anyone ever received an invitation from their old slave master asking him to come back to work on the plantation and taken them up on it? In other words, has anyone ever been set free and then voluntarily walked right back into slavery? It happens every day. And it could be happening to you right now. Let's talk about it.

Grab your message notes that look like this. As we continue this series focused-- this is a verse-by-verse study in a book of the Bible that is called Colossians. It's in the New Testament. Today, our topic is focused on freedom. Listen, look up here for a second. The hallmark of what it means to be a Christian should be freedom, even though that's not what most people think about when they think of being a Christian, right? They think of restrictions. They think of religion. But the hallmark should be freedom.

I'll prove it to you. In his very first sermon, Jesus said, I have come to set the prisoners free. He said later, the truth will set you free. If the sun sets you free, you will be free indeed. And then the New Testament picks this up. The Apostle Paul says, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is what? Freedom. Say it louder. There is what? Freedom. It is for freedom. Christ has set us what? Free.

But have you noticed so many Christians are so far from free? Why is that if all these verses are true? Why is it that so many Christians don't look like Jesus? They look like the church lady, right? And maybe, maybe you remember when for you, your faith was fresh. And it was vibrant. And it felt liberating. And it felt like it was in bright colors. And now your faith feels dry and dull and black and white. What happened to you?

Well, that's what the second chapter of the book of Colossians in the Bible is all about. We've been working our way through this book about two weeks ago before Andrew McCourt's excellent message here. We saw how Paul says this in Colossians chapter 2 verse 8. See to it. Like, be careful that no one takes you captive.

And a couple of weeks ago, we saw that he uses an interesting word there for captive. It's used in other Greek writings to speak of kidnapping or plundering a house or robbery. He's saying, you've been set free. You have found freedom in Christ. Now don't allow your old slave masters to lure you back into slavery again.

And the Colossian Christians really needed to hear this quick review of Colossians so far. This was a letter written by this man named the Apostle Paul. He was a leader of the early Christians about 2,000 years ago. And he pens this letter to a small band of brand new Christians in a city called Colossi. This is near the coast of modern Turkey.

These people were Romans by culture who became believers in Jesus. But some teachers popped up in their church-- watch this-- who said basically, we are enlightened masters who can teach you spiritual secrets to get to the next level. You could put it like this. The belief system of the Colossians emphasized do more, more prayers. You've got to pray more, more fasts, more religious rituals.

Experience more. You've got to have more mystical religious experiences. Give up more. You've got to punish your body with strict self-denial and lots of rules. You could say their key word was more. Jesus is fine. That's great that you accepted Jesus. But now you need to do more to kind of get to the next level. And this happens to people all the time.

This is not, sadly, a lie that ended 2,000 years ago. This lie still prowls the hallways of every church, every home Bible study, every Christian bookstore. So common. I read a letter just last week from a man who said that when he was 18 years old, he went to a church. And he accepted Jesus. And he said, for the first few weeks, my faith felt so liberating. And he said, then the shackles went back on.

He said, my pastor taught us-- he just laid down the rules. There were all kinds of rules. Men couldn't have facial hair. Men couldn't do this. Women couldn't wear pearls. And some hair was too long. Some hair was too high. There were all kinds of rules. And then he said, the pastor explained to me when I accepted Jesus, all I had become was a candidate for salvation. But to reach the next level, I had to have the gift of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.

And he said, I tried for months to get it, but I couldn't. And he said, eventually, what happened was I walked away from Christianity for years, thinking that was Christianity. And he said, finally, I started coming back to church again and studying the Bible to see what the Bible actually does teach. And I realized that all that legalism, which was probably meant for good, he said, all it did was keep me in chains.

And when I read that, I thought, this is exactly what Paul is talking about to the Colossians. Paul's answer is, Jesus is enough. You have all you need spiritually in Jesus right now. And here's why this is so important. I can guarantee you, one day you will get, essentially, a letter from your old slave master. And through some book or some conference or some pastor you hear, you will be tempted back into the religious slavery that Jesus Christ came to set you free from.

And so you and I need to learn to recognize three common religious freedom killers. And yes, I said, religious freedom killers. I think people would be shocked at all the verses in the Bible warning of the danger of religion. And you're going to find these in Colossians chapter 2, starting in verse 16. We're just going to work our way through these verses. And this is so good. I hope you get this, because this is going to keep you free.

The first freedom killer that Paul talks about is what you could call traditionalism. Traditionalism. Now, this is not against traditions. Traditions can be very meaningful. Traditions can be fun. Traditions can be unifying. But let me ask you, can religious traditions ever become a poor substitute for an actual spiritual life? Of course they can.

Watch this. Paul says in verse 16, "Therefore, since you've been set free, do not let anyone judge you--" religious people love to judge other people, right? He says, don't let those religious people judge you by what? By what you eat or drink, for example. Let me ask you this. Do people in Santa Cruz ever judge other people for what they eat and drink? People on strict diets can be some of the most judgmental people.

But people who are on strict diets for religious purposes can just take the cake when it comes to judging other people for what they eat or drink. Paul says, don't let them do that to you. Or with regard to a religious festival, a new moon celebration, a Sabbath day, these are just examples he's giving of religious traditions. Like the Sabbath day. The Sabbath was meant by God to be one day a week that is a day of rest dedicated to God. That is a gift of grace from God.

But the Sabbath has turned into a subject of religious controversy for thousands of years. People judge other people on this all the time. What specific day are you keeping your Sabbath on? Saturday, Sunday, Monday, some other day? Well, I'm just going to judge you on that. Specifically, how are you keeping the Sabbath? Are you really resting? Are you doing yard work? I'm going to judge you on that.

Paul says, no, no, no. Don't let-- it's your responsibility. Or don't you let anyone judge you. Because all these traditions are a shadow of the things that were to come. The reality, however, is found in Christ. He's saying the traditions are meant to point us to the cross. You say, how? Well, let's look at the Sabbath, for example.

The Sabbath reminds us that God's not pro-exhaustion. God wants you to rest from your labor. And that's completely fulfilled in Christ. Because in Christ, I can rest permanently from my labors of trying to earn God's favor through my good works. Because in Christ, I'm saved by grace. That's powerful. That's beautiful.

But when people obsess on the tradition, they can forget what their tradition points to. It's kind of like this. When I was growing up, I really wanted a dog when I was a little kid. I wanted a German shepherd or a collie. What we got given to us was a French poodle instead. But I named the French poodle-- the stupidest name a French poodle's ever had-- the name that I was reserving for my German shepherd. I named my French poodle Black Shadow. Black Shadow.

Well, Black Shadow was a great little dog. But she somehow could not understand the concept of pointing. Most dogs do get that. You point and they're off. Black Shadow could not get this. I'd throw a ball and be, Black Shadow, go get the ball. And you could see the little wheels turning in her poor little brain. My master is trying to tell me something, but I have no idea what it is.

She just focused on my finger and not where the finger was pointing to. And that's exactly what Paul is saying here. He's saying, don't focus on the finger. There's your memorable quote from the sermon. René said, don't focus on the finger. Because those traditions are pointing to Christ. That's the solution to this little problem. Remember the truth behind the tradition.

Again, please don't misunderstand me. I'm not against religious traditions at all. I love traditions. But traditionalism is making the tradition basically the sum of your religion. This is our religion, keeping all these traditions. Now, let me ask you-- look up here for a second before you think, I can't miss the blank on the next page. Look up here for a minute. Traditionalism. Can that only happen in traditional churches? Of course not.

There's all kinds of ways that people do this. It could be, unless you worship like in a stained glass window church with ancient liturgy, you're not really a classic good Christian. But it could be, unless you raise your hands and worship, you're not truly a spirit-filled Christian. You haven't reached the next level. Or it could be, unless you worship in a house church, you're not truly a deep Christian. You haven't reached the next level.

Or it could be, unless you worship in a mega church, you're not truly an outreach-oriented Christian. What's wrong with you? You care for the lost? You see, we tend to judge other people by whatever tradition we prefer. We tend to turn our preferences into priorities. We all tend to turn personal tastes into universal truths. And Paul is saying here, that is a way out of freedom and right back into slavery on the plantation of religion again.

And then the second freedom killer there on page two is mysticism. Mysticism. And that's when you think you have to have certain mystical experiences to really be a good Christian, like in Christian circles, speaking in tongues, or seeing visions, or being able to heal people with your prayers, or prophesying, or praying through until you receive some emotional feeling or breakthrough.

Now again, don't misunderstand me. Just like traditionalism versus tradition, there's nothing wrong with a mystical, beautiful, supernatural, emotional experiences. I'm not against any of those things. In fact, there have been times when I have, for example, felt such a closeness to God that I've just wept and laughed at the same time. It was so beautiful.

What's dangerous is when we turn our experiences into our focus. And we put on everybody that our unique experience needs to become the norm for everybody else. That leads back to slavery. Paul says-- and here's the way it worked out in the Colossia Church. This is kind of hard to understand, but track with me here. Don't let anybody who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize.

What's this about? Apparently, those teachers in the Colossian Church were saying angelic spirits were appearing to them. They were in visions, encounters, conversations with the spirits. And they were giving them prophecies for the church. Paul's saying, you know what? They've essentially moved from worshiping God to worshiping these angels, worshiping their experience.

And they're making these Colossians feel like if you don't have this experience, you are disqualified. You haven't reached the next level. You're not really a good Christian. Paul says, such a person, these kind of people, go into great detail about what he has seen. And his unspiritual mind puffs him up. They're puffed up with pride about their experience.

And he says, their minds puff up with idle notions. And I take that to mean whatever notion pops into their mind, they take that as a direct leading from God. Now, what's wrong with that? Paul puts it very bluntly. He says, such a person has lost connection with the head. Jesus, they're so inwardly focused on their own experience, they've ironically lost connection with Jesus, from whom the whole body supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews grows as God causes it to grow.

Notice the phrase, as God causes it to grow, as God causes it to grow. Listen, God may allow you to have special, intimate, amazing, mystical experiences with him, times when you just feel like you're just standing under a waterfall of God's love. But it's as God causes it to grow. He'll give that to you. You don't have to pursue some spiritual high.

See, the solution to this problem is worship the giver, not the gift. Don't strive for some sensation that somebody else has told you that they've experienced. Stay connected to the Savior. And if he wants you to have some special experience, he will. Don't worry about it.

Now, the third freedom killer is one I'm going to spend just a little bit more time on, because this one is the most insidious. This one is the most sneaky. You could call number three, moralism. Moralism is believing that strict morals are the sum of what it means to lead a good Christian life. You could call it rules-ism. If you don't do this sin and you don't do that sin, then that is what it means to be a really good Christian.

Now, here's the big problem with this. This is what most people think most Christians believe. Today, if you went out on the street in Santa Cruz and you asked most people out here today, what is it the Christians stand for? I guarantee you, most of them think it's a version of this. Most of them will just quote you a bunch of rules. And for good reason, because this is the way we come across.

A pastor I know got a tract a few years ago, just while walking along the street, and a well-meaning person had it in this. On the cover, here's the cover. It says, Jesus says don't. And you open it up, and on the inside, there's a list of 40 things you shouldn't do. Let me show you a few of them.

Jesus says don't. Don't have long hair. Don't wear pearls. I'm safe so far. Don't study anything other than the King James Version. Don't tell jokes or use clowns or puppets to explain the word of God. What? Don't say no whenever you're asked for money, probably especially from this guy. Don't join the armed forces. Don't join a union. Don't-- don't you feel your freedom just ebbing away listening to this list? And there's 33 more.

I want to show you some verses next, that honestly, these two verses, they're kind of the whole reason I wanted to do the whole book of Colossians. They're two verses that I think most people would be shocked to see in the Bible. They're verses that actually go against what the majority of people think Christianity teaches. So don't miss the shockwave, the insight that's packed into these verses.

Paul says, since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world-- and remember, we saw two weeks ago that means the quid pro quo, I do this to get that idea of the world, because now we're under grace. Why, as though you still belong to it, do you submit to its rules? Do not handle. Do not taste. Do not touch.

Now, if you're taking notes, I just want you to circle the word rules. And all the times it says, do not, do not, do not, do not. That is what most people think Christianity is all about. And Paul is saying, that's a distortion. This idea that all I got to do is tell myself, do not do that anymore, and I can change with my own willpower.

Paul says-- and I want to show you how in the next verse and a half he says, there's a few problems with legalistic rules. First, they don't last. They don't last. Verse 22. These are all destined to perish with use, because they're based on human commands and teachings, destined to perish with use.

Have you noticed how so many rules that maybe you were raised with if you grew up in a church seem awfully dated in just a few years? I was reading some Christian history. You may not know this, but one of the biggest arguments of the 19th century between two Christian groups up in Canada was over whether Christians should be allowed to wear clothes with only buttons or whether zippers should be allowed, and an entire denomination split over that issue. I'm not joking.

Now these days, who cares about that? That is exactly what Paul's saying in this verse. They don't last, and they don't work. That's the biggest problem. They don't even work. Don't miss this amazing verse. Here it is. This is just a stick of dynamite. Verse 23. "Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom." They seem very righteous. They seem very religious with their self-imposed worship. It's not really worship that springs from the heart out of love. It's self-imposed.

Their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body. But watch this phrase. They lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Did you catch that? Does he say they have some value? They have a little bit of value. They're useful in their place. No. He says they lack any value in actually restraining sensual indulgence. In other words, they lack any value in truly changing you.

I told you personally that I tend to be very guilt-oriented and legalistic when it comes to my faith. Everybody's got their thing, and that's the way I tend to go. This verse was one of the two verses in the Bible. The other one was in Galatians chapter 3. This was one of the two verses in the Bible that was like a key that locked open the chains of religious legalism that I was living in. He says rules don't change you. Why not? The rules actually focus your attention on the very thing you're trying to avoid.

Paul talks about this in Romans chapter 7 as well. Let me just give you one example. Right now, everybody try to do something in your imagination. Try super hard not to think of a pink elephant. Don't do it. Don't think of a circus elephant with its eyed painted pink. Don't think of a pink elephant. Don't think of a pink elephant. Now that I've mentioned that to you, there is no way to stop, right?

But listen, some of you are doing that very thing as you try to change your life. Don't smoke. Don't smoke. Don't smoke. Don't smoke. Don't drink. Don't drink. Don't drink. Don't drink. Don't look at porn. Don't look at porn. Don't look at porn. Don't look at porn. And you wonder why you can't stop. It doesn't work.

Now Paul's not saying it's wrong to restrain sensual indulgence. Of course it's not. Sobriety is a virtue, right? Whatever it is that you need to be sober from. The problem is not sobriety. The problem is the do nots do not work. So what's the solution? Refocus on the Savior and not the sin you're trying to avoid. Refocus on the Savior and not the sin that you're trying to avoid.

You could call this the principle of redirection. It's kind of like when you are playing with a toddler. Let's say just like for example-- let me try to think of a toddler. Well, say-- oh, I know. My grandson Freddie. So the other day, a couple of days ago, Freddie was over at our house. And he became very focused on our cat, who you see here in this picture. He wanted a petter cat. He wanted to play with the cat. He wanted to talk to the cat. He wanted to dress the cat, obsessed with the cat. Only problem-- the cat was getting rather annoyed.

And so we had to get Fred to cool it. Now, telling a toddler, stop paying attention to the cat. That does not work. All he thought about was the kitty cat. And so we had to distract him, redirect his attention by handing him the one thing in the world that he loves more than anything else-- a TV remote. And as you can see, he was happy. The cat was happy.

And you know what? You and I are no different psychologically than a toddler. Now, that doesn't come as a surprise to some of you. But you're no different psychologically than a toddler. We need to redirect instead of just resist. You need to hand your brain something else to think about. And what's the thing that's infinitely fascinating?

Paul says in the next two verses, first two verses, verses of Colossians 3, "Since then, you have been raised with Christ. Set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above and not on earthly things." If you got your pen or your pencil with you, circle the phrases, "Set your hearts and set your minds." Change happens as I redirect my thoughts away from myself and I lose myself in the beauty of Jesus.

Now, let me tell you a story about something that I experienced this last week. Andrew McCourt did a great job in the pulpit last week. And he was preaching because for eight days, Laurie and I were on a vacation together, just the two of us. And it was unlike any vacation truly I've ever been on. Although Laurie grew up vacationing like this, we went on a road trip.

We drove through Utah and Idaho and Wyoming, up into Montana a little bit. Our final destination was Yellowstone, which was amazing. And for the most part, we went on small back roads. And I loved all the quirky little towns that we saw along the way. We did all these quirky little roadside stops, like we stopped at the Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho. And at this little town in Wyoming that proudly boasts, it has the world's longest arch made entirely of elk antlers.

You've been wondering where that is. Well, it's in Afton, Wyoming. We stopped at diners along the way that have not changed in 50 years. We ate at places that no one's ever heard of that boast they have world famous things, like world famous raspberry shakes. And notice in the sign the word famous is in quotes like for legal reasons or something. We're not really famous, but we're famous, right?

But one day we drove through Grand Teton National Park. And it was fantastic. How many of you have ever been to Grand Teton? Isn't that just amazing? I was fascinated, though, by the story behind this place. You might know Grand Teton owes its status as a national park to the Rockefeller family, the famous Rockefeller family. They owned almost all this land, and they donated most of it back to us, to the people, for use as a national park.

And like all national parks, visitors centers, little museums to help you understand the geology and so on popped up all over the place. But Lawrence Rockefeller, who was an ardent conservationist, was frustrated and concerned about the tone of all these visitor centers that popped up in the park because they were filled with displays that were just kind of full of words.

And their tone was very preachy, very didactic. He found their tone to be negative because all these visitor centers were trying to encourage people to protect nature, to be conservationists, to not litter. But what they did was they were all full of warnings about all the dire circumstances, always all about the problems, instead of about the beauty.

He was influenced by scientist René Dubois, who said this. This is a great quote. "If we continue to make choices for our future only in reaction to negative issues, such as pollution or overpopulation, our conservation will become increasingly dreary and meaningless. Instead, we must learn to be drawn toward the positive, toward beauty." That is a great quote, and that is a great first name. Very manly first name.

So Lawrence Rockefeller donated the last of the Rockefeller family's private holdings at Grand Teton, his own vast ranch, and built a new kind of visitor's center there. And I want to show you how this is so unusual. It has zero displays about all the problems we face. In fact, there's hardly a word on any display. Instead, for example, it has one big room filled with nothing but high-death screens with scenes from the forest and the mountains there.

As you can see, not a printed word in the entire room. So all you can do is to see the beauty. And you walk through this room, and then there's another big room that I can't show you because it's dark. It has nothing in it at all. Only audio speakers playing sounds from the forest. And so you just sit and hear the beauty.

And then you step out of this building, having had your senses tuned to see the sights and hear the sounds. And you tiptoe into the forest. And it's a powerful experience. Actually, I'd say it's a spiritual experience. You see people sitting and being quiet and almost crying. Now, it's the same forest that you walked out of to go into that building. But when you walk back into it, your experience is totally different.

And I have to tell you something. I left changed. I left more determined than ever that this kind of beauty needs to be preserved. I was more careful about my recyclables. I was much more careful about packing my trash. Without reading one single word about all the dangers and all the shoulds and do nots for hikers, I emerged more committed to conservation than ever before.

My behavior was changed. But do you see what was happening there? I was converted by beauty. And I see an exact parallel to what Paul is saying here. Look at this quote from René Dubois again, partly because I am so thrilled about another guy named René. I just have to put this in. I've got to work this.

But do you see that this is what Paul's saying about our faith? You could just change just a few words. If our Christianity is only in reaction to negative issues, such as immorality and fear, then our faith will become increasingly dreary. Instead, we must learn to be drawn toward the positive, toward beauty, specifically for us, the beauty of Jesus.

And our worship services, and our sermons, and your own private time that I hope you take in the Bible need to be like those rooms in the museum, where I just beheld the beauty of nature. We need to behold the beauty of Jesus. And then as we walk out into the world, having been sensitized and reminded to see Jesus, we begin to see Jesus in the world around us.

We see Jesus at work. We sense Jesus working in us. We see the image of God in everybody that we come across. And when that happens to us, our behavior is transformed by his beauty. So set your thoughts on things above, not on earthly things and everything changes. That's the bottom line. Let your heart be captured by Christ.

The way to avoid being recaptured by religious freedom killers is to let your heart be recaptured by Christ. Now, as we close today, I want you to look up here because I want to show you why this is even more important than you suspect.

This is not just about you. Remember the story I started with? What happened to that former slave who wrote his old master? Well, this historian did some looking around and found a census record. And I want to show you a picture of this. Do you see this? This is Jordan and his wife, Mandy, Amanda. And all the kids that are of school age are listed there in the census as attending school, which you'll remember was Jordan's great desire for them.

But it gets even better because here's a current picture of his great grandson, Jewel Wilson, with his wife, Estella, at their home in Dayton, Ohio. And do you see all the family pictures on the table next to their couch? Guess what? He says all the great, great, and great, great, great grandkids of Jordan Anderson all got great educations. And they all have great jobs.

Why? Because one ancestor, Jordan, refused to be lured back into a form of slavery. And here's my point. When you refuse to be lured back into some kind of legalistic, traditionalistic, religious captivity, when you stay focused instead on Jesus, that impacts generations.

We've all heard that younger generations are leaving the faith. I'm convinced many young people who are leaving the faith are really leaving these three distortions of the faith. So the all-time best thing you can do for your family, for your kids, for your grandkids, for the people in your neighborhood, for your Christian testimony is to keep your faith focused. On Jesus.

Let's go to him in prayer right now. Would you pray with me? With all of our heads bowed, let me just ask you a personal question. Can I be blunt and ask you, have you lost some of the freedom and joy in your Christian life? Do you remember how much fun it used to be? Have you got the spiritual blas? My guess is it's because you've fallen into one of these subtle traps.

Jesus didn't die on the cross, so you could keep rules. He died so you might have a transforming relationship with him. So in your heart, would you pray, Jesus, help me to be transfixed in awe and wonder by you again? Set me free from spiritual slavery. And maybe you've never taken that first step of faith, committing your life to Christ. I'd urge you to do it today. Why not?

Jesus said in his very first sermon, I have come to set the prisoners free, and that's what he's here to do for you right now. So just let Jesus Christ set you free from the guilt of sin, from the power of sin. Open your heart to him. Say, Jesus, say in your heart, Jesus, come into my life. I surrender myself to you as Lord and Savior today. You are awesome. Take all of me. Make me the person you want me to be. Change me from the inside out.

Father, thank you so much for your word. Thank you that it applies to our lives in practical, relevant ways. I want to thank you for the freedom that we can celebrate by your grace, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.