• Home
  • I'm New!
    • About Us
    • Location
    • Our Team
    • Connect Card
  • Ministries
    • Outreach >
      • PB&J Ministry
      • Pinellas Hope - Tent City Outreach
    • Prayer
    • Vineyard Kid City
    • Small Groups
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Euclid Heights Community Garden
  • Events
    • Upcoming
  • Giving
  • Blog
St. Pete Vineyard Church
  • Home
  • I'm New!
    • About Us
    • Location
    • Our Team
    • Connect Card
  • Ministries
    • Outreach >
      • PB&J Ministry
      • Pinellas Hope - Tent City Outreach
    • Prayer
    • Vineyard Kid City
    • Small Groups
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Euclid Heights Community Garden
  • Events
    • Upcoming
  • Giving
  • Blog

Happy Independence Day

7/4/2018

Comments

 
Picture
Hello SPV, Happy Independence Day! 

It seems only fitting that we celebrate our freedom from that mean ‘ol British Empire by stuffing our faces with food & blowing things up! Lol, seriously though, it is a good thing to stop & give thanks for where we live, what we especially love about this place called America, and what we ultimately want it to be/look like moving forward. 

Freedom is a mega theme throughout the scriptures. The Exodus comes to mind, obviously, but freedom is consistently mentioned in the OT & is all over the NT as well. Paul writes this to the saints in Galatia: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...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.” Gal. 5:1, 13‬

A few things jump out at me: 

1) We were made to be free, it’s in our very DNA which is why things like slavery, heavy-handed or manipulative forms of faith/religion, oppressive or abusive relationships, or totalitarian systems of government are such an affront to God & should be resisted. 

2) God in Christ Jesus has worked & continues to work for & toward our freedom. As much as I hate various forms of oppression & bondage, it’s considerably more heartbreaking when Jesus/Christianity is used to promote fear, control,  & oppression rather than true freedom. 

3) The heart of freedom is not meant to be a full-on license to do whatever you/we want. True freedom should flow out of love, humility, & service. That is true of us as individuals, the St. Pete Vineyard, the City of St. Pete, or the United States of America. May we never use this beautiful gift of freedom to invoke fear & oppress people but may the freedom we have in Christ actually look like Jesus in how we treat each other, worship, serve, & even in how we govern. 

May you continue to walk in true freedom. Much love, Chris. ​
Comments

    Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    September 2019
    August 2019
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    August 2014
    June 2013
    March 2013
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    Categories

    All
    Heaven
    Identity
    Jesus Goggles
    Robby Dawkins

    RSS Feed

St. Pete Vineyard Church
Sunday Morning Services at 11:05 a.m.  •  5000 10th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL  33703  
•  office@spv.org
  • Home
  • I'm New!
    • About Us
    • Location
    • Our Team
    • Connect Card
  • Ministries
    • Outreach >
      • PB&J Ministry
      • Pinellas Hope - Tent City Outreach
    • Prayer
    • Vineyard Kid City
    • Small Groups
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Euclid Heights Community Garden
  • Events
    • Upcoming
  • Giving
  • Blog