Sunday morning when I arrived at the church building Ernie informed me that while doing some cleaning there on Friday he noticed the door to the fire escape was ajar, and more importantly that he saw a chipmunk run across the auditorium floor. Chipmunks are cute to look at when they are outside, but they can really raise havoc inside a building. After Bible class Tara came out of the fellowship hall informing me that there was a chipmunk in there. And so the fun began trying to get the chipmunk out of the building. Young and old got involved and together we blocked off the hallway. Eventually we were able to coax the little fellow into a corner near the door. Scott and I held both doors wide open while Jon got the chipmunk out of the corner and near the open doors. Then he just stood there. Freedom was just a foot away, yet he did not go out. God offers each of us freedom in Christ Jesus. Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection threw the doors to freedom wide open. Yet so many people remain standing at the threshold and do not enter into it. Why?
Why wouldn’t the chipmunk go through the doors? Was he too scared? Had he become comfortable with his current surroundings? Was he too weak and weary from not having enough to eat or drink during his stay inside? Was he disoriented with all of us standing around him? Eventually he did leave and once he got back into the green grass he seemed to become spry again. And although I can’t say for sure, I thought I saw him smile!
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
After Jesus read this passage from Isaiah He rolled up the scroll and said: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:21)
“Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.”
(Romans 6:3-7) Have you entered into His freedom? Are you still living in it? After all: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1) Love, J.L.
Jim Larsen (J.L.) is the minister for the Marquette, Michigan Church of Christ. He also assists Dave Grant as co-host on the TV Ministry, Let the Bible Speak.
