Sermon

Vision Series 2023

March 5, 2023 St. Paul's Anglican Church Chatswood - Sermons

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During the Song Dynasty of China, which began in 1960 AD and lasted until 1279,
Fan Zhong Yuen spent nearly 40 years as a noble scholar official.
He was appointed to be the prime minister over the entire emperor, but later demoted.
He firmly believed that governing officials were the first to worry the worries of all under heaven,
and the last to enjoy its joy.
And this and his reform ensured the Song Dynasty builds on the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty
and left a long-lasting impact on the philosophy of governing and management of a fast country like China.
A friend tried to persuade him to ease off on his reform and be careful about all the political enemy he has stirred up for himself.
And he replied with a poem with this line,
Better to ramassade and die than keep silent and live.
Bringing reform that would benefit all under heaven was so important to him that he was not free to keep silent.
Even though his speak up means demotion or death, but far better than keeping quiet and stay alive.
Today, people get into politics and governing jobs for what they can get out of it.
But Fan Zhong Yuen's idea for a government official is unheard of in modern society, in the East or in the West.
His realization of the limitation of his freedom is even a rare commodity of our current Western culture.
Fan treats liberty for the betterment of his countrymen.
On the other side, many Western people mix independence and freedom together.
Westerners consider themselves free and will protest like William Wallace at the War of Scottish Independence.
They may take my life, but they will never take our freedom.
Or Arthur Scott, one of the United States founding fathers, Patrick Henry,
give me liberty or give me death.
As both calls for their countrymen to break free of their motherland, England.
The same pride has echoed around many countries last few years.
As the world deal with COVID-19 and government restrictions,
people protest that no government or anyone should have the right to tell them what to think or how to behave.
Our modern view of freedom is one of autonomy and make freedom the highest value of human existence.
People define freedom as the absence of any limitations or constraints.
The fewer boundaries they have on their choices and actions, the freer they will feel.
As we carry on our vision series in looking at Jesus is all about life,
we will look at Jesus is all about freedom today.
I want to highlight four observations about modern view of freedom
and suggest two ways to embrace freedom.
Freedom is defined as doing whatever I want without constraint.
Freedom is defined as a way to make freedom.
Freedom is defined as a way to make freedom.
This definition will only work if there is only just one thing called freedom
that either you can have or do not have.
However, there are numerous freedoms at different stages of life journey
and no one can have them all.
We all want to be free from illness or sickness
and live long enough to enjoy a sustained loving relationship with family and friends.
However, if you like to eat wherever you want to
and it causes a problem with your health,
you will have to make an obvious choice to limit and change your eating habit.
Likewise, you pursue a career or profession to ensure an income
that allows you the freedom to choose your living standard and your lessons.
You will have to sacrifice innumerable other freedoms of time and money.
If you speak with anyone who has just started uni this year
or is finishing the course,
you will know firsthand what it is like to make those sacrifices.
Freedom is not what our culture tells us.
Genuine freedom comes only from strategically losing some freedoms to gain others.
You should ask which freedom is more important,
the more truly liberating.
At the same time, ask yourself,
who has sacrificially invested in your life
to ensure that you are not being unjust?
We are all products of a family and a community
that invests much time and love in us.
Much of it happened even before we can speak
or can now remember.
As a child,
when we become injured or sick,
or as we age,
our need and dependence on others increases,
making believing in an absolute individual autonomy
a cruel and unjust choice.
No one is ever only responsible for themselves.
We all share responsibility for and to others.
What John Donne wrote in his poem in 1624,
no man is an island and tire of itself.
Any man's death diminishes me
because I am involved in mankind,
still ring true today.
Modern freedom lives on the principle
that everyone should be free to live as they desire,
as long as they do not harm anyone else.
We no longer need to impose a set of moral rights or wrongs
on anyone if people abide to this harm principle.
The freedom of choice will become a self-correcting absolute
that guides living together without needing any value judgment.
Under this principle,
freedom is the only unconditional good and moral absolute of our society
that should hold a need.
Michael Kahneman of Harvard Law Society denies it as an empty concept
because it cannot stand alone.
It leads us first to define what good and thriving human life is
and agree on what harm is for it to work.
Whether freedom is good or bad
depends entirely on the particular substantive cause
on behalf of which freedom is involved.
Our challenge today
is not to follow the culturally dominant view of freedom from
without any definition of what our freedom is for.
We must also ensure we do not join the crowd
to perpetuate a publicly shaming people or groups
to press our moral beliefs about harm on them.
Freedom of choice cannot stand alone as a guide to a behavior
even with its full intention of not harming other people.
theologian Tim Keller
Tim Keller observed that
the harm principle is useless
as a guide and untrustworthy.
And he also warns
freedom as is widely collected in our society
is corrosive to humanity in general
and to enduring committed love relationship in particular.
He came to this conclusion
drawing on Jonathan Head's
work titled
Happiness
Hypothesis
Hey, right
An ideology of extreme personal freedom
can be dangerous
because it encourages people
to leave homes, jobs, cities, and marriage
in search of personal and professional fulfillment
thereby breaking the relationship
that were properly the best hope for such fulfillment.
His happiness research
confirmed the importance of strong social relationship
in strengthening the immune system
extending life
speeding up recovery from surgery
and reduce the risk of depression
and anxiety disorders.
Deep down
we all sense the need
to interact and intertwine with others.
We need the gift and take
we need to belong.
What would happen
if everyone ran off to pursue their freedom?
Family would fall apart
neighborhood association would collapse
and the erosion of voluntary
and selfish community
will necessitate
the soft tyranny
of a growing bureaucratic state
where individuals are powerless.
Being honest
generous
and public spirit
being faithful
to your spouse and children
will regularly infringe
on your happiness
and freedom.
However
a more robust
and cohesive government
is the only alternative
if anyone
protects their independence
and stops doing these things.
The harm
of emphasizing
personal freedom
above community
commitment
could eventually
be the loss
of liberty
and independence.
Too much
individual freedom
leads to increased
government control
over the whole group
because no one
is willing to sacrifice
for the better good
of the collectives.
Any
authorities
organizations
or institutions
that impose
rules and regulations
are often perceived
as an enemy
of freedom.
Christian
is often seen
as an arch enemy.
many people
reckon
Christianity
requires people
to recognize
their insufficiency
and turn their back
on their autonomies.
Autonomics
seemingly
happy life.
It stipulates
people
to be born
as human beings
who understand
their dependency
on something
more significant.
They consider that
as a great
infringement
on their freedom.
if that's
what you think
Christianity
is all about
let me encourage you
to scan
the Christianity
explained QR code
in front of you
and find out
the true meaning
of Christianity.
Christianity
being the
arch enemy
of freedom
is a case
of mistaken
identity.
You should give
Christianity
the benefit
of doubt
and find the truth.
the only thing
that generally
cannot coexist
with the contemporary
sense of freedom
is not religion
but our need
for love
and worship.
Keller says it well
there is no
greater feeling
of liberation
than to free
and be loved
well.
The affirmation
that comes
from love
liberates
your fear
and self-doubt.
it frees you
from having
to face
the world
alone.
Your friend
and mate
will be crucial
to helping you
achieve many
of your goals
in life.
In all
these ways
love
is liberating
perhaps
the most
liberating thing
but the minute
you get into
a love relationship
and the deeper
and more intimate
and the more
wonderful it gets
the more
you also have
to give up
your independence.
when you love
someone
you are not
free.
You will always
have the well-being
and the happiness
of that someone
on your mind.
You will think
of way to please.
If the feeling
and giving
are not mutually
reciprocal
the relationship
will become
exploitative
and you will feel
more trapped
wondering why
the relationship
is not working
and what else
you could have done.
You might go
from being anxious
about staying
in a committed
loving relationship
to consistently
dipping in
and out
of relationship
trying to stay
afloat
to avoid
being so
hopelessly
devoted to someone.
you will move
into that direction
especially
if you want
to be true
to the contemporary
sense of freedom
and be your own
master.
However
the more
you want
to master
your freedom
the more
you will realize
you are not free
or able
to be the master.
Over the last
few weeks
we have pointed out
that everyone
has an inner
urge
to find love
meaning
and satisfaction.
Humans
are frustrated
and trapped
because we are
looking at the
wrong thing
and wrong place.
We look to
created things
rather than
to God
to address
that urge.
We are
our worst enemy
regarding
autonomous
freedom
because we do
not just have
an inner urge
to find love
meaning
and satisfaction.
We also
worship
what we identify
as the source
of them
and we end up
being controlled
by it.
I encourage you
to check out
our website
and listen again
to the sermon
from the last
two Sundays.
They outline
humanity's
predicament
regarding meaning
and satisfaction
and what we can do
to embrace them.
Contemporary
people
believe that
instead of
allowing religious
authority
or tradition
to dictate
to them
they should
be free
to think
or live
as they choose.
But the reality
is none
of us
are free agents.
We are all
worshipping
and serving
something.
There is no
such thing
as freedom
without limitation.
To embrace
freedom
not in the sense
of our
contemporary culture
tell us
we should look
for the right
the liberating
constraint
that fits
our nature
and design.
We should
consider
which master
will affirm
cherish
empower
and honor
us
and which
one will
exploit
and abuse
us.
Which master
is the right
master for our
hearts and lives
and so brings
those right
constraints.
Let me
encourage you
if you feel
somewhat frustrated
about your
relationship
and trapped
in your life
and on the
issue of freedom
I do not
say it in a
nasty or
sarcastic sense.
Many modern
people try
to deny
an obvious
fact
laid out
in today's
passage
read from
Romans 8
16 to 21
that we are
God's children.
He created
us
and it
says God
subject us
to frustration
for a purpose.
Verse 20
read
for the creation
was subject
to freedom
to frustration
not by its
own choice
but by the
will of the
one who
was subjected
in hope
that the
creation itself
would be
liberated
from its
bondage
to decay
and brought
into freedom
and glory
of the
children of
God.
Your
frustration
in life
are God's
grace
to you.
God put
them there
in hope
of liberating
you from
your bondage
to decay
and bringing
you into
the freedom
and glory
of the
children of
God.
God created
us to know,
serve,
and love
him.
Trying to
live for
anything else
will lead
to slavery
like running
on a
treadmill
that gets
no way.
When you
begin to
live for
God
and follow
his will,
you will
become who
you are
meant to
be,
realizing
your original
designs.
love for
God.
Why is it
that when
you fall
in love,
you take
the initiative
to discover
a list of
all the
things your
loved one
loves and
hates?
Then you
go all
out to
say and
do the
things that
delight them.
Why do
you gladly
accept doing
their will
rather than
your own,
the little
limits on
your behavior?
it's because
you have
put your
joy and
happiness
into the
joy and
enjoyment of
the other.
You are
happy to
the degree
they are.
You have
come to
discover the
pleasure of
giving pleasure.
You don't
follow their
will as a
means to
get other
things you
want.
Their love
and joy is
the main
thing you
want.
In our
relationship
with God,
Jesus took
the first
step towards
humanity.
He saved
us at
an infinite
cost to
himself.
He emptied
himself of
his glory and
took on a
humble form to
serve our
best interests.
When you
grasp and
understand what
God has
done for
you, it
creates a
grateful joy
that inwardly
moves you to
want to
please,
know,
and resemble
him.
when you
put your
happiness into
his happiness,
serving him
will become
your perfect
liberation.
The concept
of freedom
in the
Bible comes
through having
the right
constraint.
The
stipulations
in the
Bible are
the list of
God's love
and hate
by which
you can
please and
come to be
like him.
God's
will.
That is why we
encourage and
urge everyone
to grow in
their faith,
spending regular
time with God
in his word
and praying to
him.
The more you
are in tune
with God's
will, the
freer you
will become
as you do
what you
are designed
to do.
in the
past, people
intend to
break free
from God.
They
ignore God's
command and
exchange God's
glory with
created things.
So God
allowed their
earthly master
to capture
them so they
will experience
the slavery
physically and
understand what
exactly losing
freedom is.
after some
time, God
allowed a
more benevolent
master to
govern over
his people
and to let
his people
return to
the place
he set for
them.
God said
in Isaiah

Isaiah 48:12
48, verse
12, that
he created
all of us.
I am he,
I am the
first and I
am the last.
My own hand
laid the
foundation of
the earth and
my right hand
spread out the
heavens.
This God
is a God
that Christianity
follows.
Come as
Jesus to
redeem us and
call us to
return to
him.
This is what
the Lord
says, your
Redeemer, the
Holy One of
Israel, I am
the Lord your
God who
teaches you
what is best
for you, who
will direct you
in the way you
should go.
If only you
have paid
attention to
my commands,
your peace
would have been
like a river.
Your well-being
like the ways
of the sea.
Jesus knows
what is best
for us and
does not hold
back from
teaching us
what they
are and
directing how
we should
live.
He keeps
doing that
today through
his commands.
If only you
pay attention
to them and
follow God's
will of and
in a desire to
love our
Redeemer, you
will increasingly
sense that you
are also becoming
who you are
decided to be
by your
creator.
In Matthew

Matthew 11:28–30
chapter 11,
verse 28 to
30, Jesus
calls us to
come to me,
all you who
are weary
and burdened,
and I will
give you rest.
Take my yoke
upon you and
learn from me,
for I am gentle
and humble in
heart, and you
will find rest
for your soul,
for my yoke is
easy, my burden
is light.
Jesus essentially
tells us that he
calls only to do
those things we
were created to
do, and you
will find that
his yoke is
easy.
He put on us
the burden to
follow him, but
he had already
paid the price, so
we will be
forgiven when you
fail.
Jesus has
taken off us
the burdens
that other
people have.
He removed the
burden of earning
our salvation
through striving
and effort, and
the burdens of
guilt and shame
from past
failures.
Jesus has
taken off the
burden of
proving ourselves
worthy of
love.
He is the
only Lord and
Master who
will satisfy
you if you
find him, and
if you fail
him, he will
forgive you.
Without
Jesus,
Christianity is
exploitative,
because God
will not
change, and
you will have
to do all
the submitting,
repenting, and
making all the
sacrifice.
But in
Jesus, God
says, I
will adjust
to you.
I will
sacrifice for
you.
I will give
up my glory
and immortality
in becoming
human, and
all light and
joy, and
my very
life on
the cross.
He was
nailed fast
to it, so
he could not
move.
How is that
for giving
up your
freedom?
I can
invite the
music team to
come up.
Christianity
is the only
religion that
claims God
gave up his
freedom so we
could experience
the ultimate
freedom from
evil and death
itself.
Therefore, we
can trust
Jesus.
He
sacrifices
his
independence
for you, so
that you can
sacrifice yours
for him.
And when you
do, you
will find it
is the
ultimate,
infinite,
liberating
constraint.
If the
Son sets
you free,
you will be
free indeed.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.
Amen.