Faith, Family, Freedom!
C. Hayden 7-8-20
I love the messages that we have been putting up on the Central Christian Church marquis the past several years. They have displayed messages that have been meaningful, relevant to our time and community, and brief enough to be seen by passing vehicles as they glance at our sign while driving to and fro each day. The current offering has been not only one of our briefest sermon, but oh so relevant and meaningful. It reads, “Faith, Family, Freedom”, and that is it. This communication is so simple, yet saying so much.
In these three words, we are able to capture the most important institutions and values of our day. And it is these institutions and values that have come under heavy attack in our country. The first word, FAITH, representing everything we know to be true about God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Faith also represents our connection with our God as the scripture tells us, “Without faith it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6).
The second word, “Family”, has also been under attack. Forces in our nation and world have been attempting to redefine the family for years, trying to erode the Biblical view of the nuclear family. Now we know that sometimes tragedy and death, sin and selfishness, can cause the creation of non-traditional families. God still loves them and God can still cause those families to thrive. But the ideal, God’s model has always been this: “For this cause a man will leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife and the two will become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5). When we try to downplay God’s model, when end up with a society that is forever redefining God’s Word.
Finally, the word freedom closes our marquis message. One of the most important of values cherished by Americans who often left their country of origin to come to a new land whereby they could freely worship God in “Spirit and Truth” as revealed to their own conscience. And freedom is so important to God, and coincidently, is also under attack! Galatians 5:1 says this, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” We have been set free by Christ so that we might be free in Christ! So as you are driving around Huntington over the next couple months and catch a glimpse of the Church marquis this summer. Don’t let any politician, or anyone else, try to take these things away from you. Remember those three words representing those gifts that God wants all to have, “Faith, Family, Freedom!”
Be blessed even more,
Pastor Chris
