Verse for Meditation:

“… Christ has made us free…” (Gal. 5:1).

Sermon

God who is the source of liberation sets men free from the yoke of slavery and   weaknesses. Liberation Theology believed that the freedom that God gives is not only spiritual but also physical, mental, social, economic and political. All these can be seen in the Bible. The writings of the Peruvian Priest Gustao Gutiarrez through his book “The Theology of Liberation” influenced theology very much. This has branch of theology which has been casted basing on the teachings of Jesus related to the liberation from the suppressions in the fields of economical, social and political areas have opened door for other fields of new theologies. Thus the theology of Liberation originated in the Latin American Catholic Church in the 1950s and 60s finally became global in nature to the church herself. We hope that a God who sees our sufferings and hear of our cries will one day liberate us from our slavery and weakness.

1.    The appearing of the Liberator. Ex 3:1-10

People of Israel who were under the Egyptian bondage and slavery for 430 years cried out to God for liberation and freedom. God sent a liberator for them. Through the supernatural wonders and the powerful prophetic words of Moses, Israel was liberated. History of the first chapters of the book of Exodus remains as the first ‘freedom struggle’ in the history of human kind. “Let my people go” is the Divine voice that speaks even today to the church. God looked upon mercifully to the sigh and cries of the people and remembered his Covenant (Ex. 2:23-25, 3:10). God who appeared to Moses on the burning bush gave him the ministry of liberation.

2.    Liberation in the Ministry of Jesus: Lk 13:10-17

The Nazareth Manifesto of Jesus is very clear (Lk 4: 18, 19). Set the captives free, set at liberty those who are under intimidation, Preach the Jubilee year of the Lord-in all these places, liberation is echoed. Jesus healed a woman on a Sabbath who was sick for eighteen years. Jesus untied the bondage of sickness in her (Lk. 13:14). Christ’s character that unleashes all the bondages of evil is revealed here. Jesus makes strait the society that has become hunch-backed due to various reasons. Thus, those who were ‘not people’ become ‘a people’. Thus, inequality, suppression and marginalizing make people bent down. To the human society which is not capable of lifting its head, the message of liberation is inevitable.

3.    Live in liberation. Gal 5:1-12.

Many of the observances of the commandments became ritual and evil. Gradually faith has changed into superstitions. Many rules given with good intension became bondage. In such a situation we find Paul who shouts against it. Paul tells non-Jewish people even to forgo circumcision, which was considered as an unchangeable law. No rule should become enslavement. Only faith that transcends through love matters. For Christ has liberated us for freedom. Therefore, we should live in that freedom and celebrate that divine liberty. But this freedom and liberty showed not be misused for personal and physical achievements (Gol 5:13). Thus, Paul challenges us to enjoy the freedom that Christ saves from the riddles of   commandments and religion. We receive that through simple faith only. 

Prayer

Liberator God, Who always sees our misery and hears our cry, Set us free from the yoke of slavery and infirmities, so that, neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from Your love, Through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever more. Amen.

• Mathew and Antony got drunk from the toddy shop. These have removed their shirts before they started drinking. After drank full they started to beat each other. Mathew challenged Antony and walked out. As he was trying to wear his shirt he turned the front side to the back. On the way, he fell into a small stream, and was trying to come out of the mud. Antony who came behind him said in wonder “What happened to you?” As he helped Mathew to the side he saw his head turned back! Suddenly he turned his head; face the side where the buttons were!
•   A young lad shouted to the Pastor after the church service, “You are greater than Albert Einstein”. The pastor felt proud of it. About a week the pastor pondered his thoughts on the statement. He felt proud of himself. Next Sunday the Pastor asked the young man, “Why did you say so?” He replied, “Dear pastor, people understand only one tenth of what Einstein was speaking. But nobody in the world understands anything that you speak”.