True Independence
An all-creatures Bible Message

True Independence
 
A Sermon Delivered to
The Compassion Internet Church
 
3 July 2016
 
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor

Scripture References

Isaiah 66:10-14
Luke 10:10-16
Galatians 6:11-18

True independence is when we have the heavenly freedom we talked about last week, and we are free from the corruption of this earth.
 
In the United States, tomorrow is Independence Day, but what is it independent from?
 
It certainly isn’t free from the corruption of the earth; for people in government, in business, and even individuals are continually selling their souls to the devil and taking advantage of one another, and the animals.
 
These same problems exist all over the world, and helps explain why we have so much warring madness.
 
Let’s think about true independence and heavenly freedom as we look at Isaiah 66:10-14.

10. "Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;
Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

Jerusalem was the center of the Hebrew culture and the location of the Temple; it was a place to make people feel closer to God, even though it was filled with corruption from the priesthood on down.
 
It really wasn’t any different than our capital cities today; they really didn’t have heavenly freedom or true independence.
 
Perhaps there are some people who feel that they have true independence and heavenly freedom, but Isaiah is not writing about individuals; he is writing about a nation and its capital, so we need to look at true independence as it applies to the whole nation.
 
The animals are also a part of every nation, and in Israel they were being slaughtered and sacrificed to a God who only wanted the people’s obedience and not the killing of innocent animals who were being denied the true independence and heavenly freedom that they wanted just as much as we do.
 
But what does our society do to achieve it? We deprive the whole nation of animals of their God given rights and raise them by the billions under the most horrid conditions imaginable, and have them suffer their whole lives until they are slaughtered to satisfy human greed for food and clothing.
 
We can never have true independence as long as we live as part of the bloodthirsty culture that permeates the earth.

11. That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,
That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom." 

Baby animals want to stay with their mothers, but the babies of dairy cows are kidnapped away from their mothers when they are only 2 days old, and both mother and baby mourn horribly.
 
We can never have true independence as long as we allow things like this to occur.

12. For thus says the LORD, "Behold, I extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
And you shall be nursed, you shall be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.

The Lord is constantly offering us His peace and His heavenly freedom where there is no pain, or suffering, or death, but our society wants these worldly ways to remain, so that they can have their “pound of flesh”.
 
This is a blatant rejection of God, and it’s the main reason that we have no true independence.

13. "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;
And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

Since most people want to live in this corrupt world, they don’t have this comfort.
 
But, when we finally learn to truly love every living being (human and animal) upon this earth as we love ourselves, and realize that the animals want their independence and freedom as much as we do, and deserve having it…

14. Then you shall see this, and your heart shall be glad,
And your bones shall flourish like the new grass;
And the hand of the LORD shall be made known to His servants,
But He shall be indignant toward His enemies.
NASB

In other words, if people reject God and His heavenly will, He will reject them.
 
Think about these things as we look at Luke 10:10-16…

10. "But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,
 
11. 'Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.'

Those who come in the heavenly will and name of God should be received (welcomed) as God’s ambassadors, and if they are not, the ambassadors are to leave those people to their evil earthly ways.

12. "I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

This is because even though the people of Sodom did some evil things in the sight of God, they didn’t fully reject God, because the Lord is saying that they didn’t fully know better, which is the opposite of what we are told next.

13. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had been performed in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

Chorazin and Bethsaida were shown the truth, but they didn’t believe and follow God; they rejected His heavenly freedom, and true independence.

14. "But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment, than for you.
 
15. "And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades!

Likewise, Capernaum also rejected the heavenly will of God, and will suffer the consequences of their actions.

16. "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me." 
NASB

In a small way, I am trying to tell you the truth about living in the heavenly will of God and how to find real freedom instead of being bound to the evil and corrupt ways of this earth with all its pain, suffering, bloodshed, and death.
 
True independence only comes from living in the heavenly will of God, even while still living upon this earth.
 
Galatians 6:11-18

11. See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand.

Paul wants everyone to know what he is writing, and be able to read and understand every word.

12. Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

This is no different than those who want to force their animal exploitation practices and flesh eating upon the rest of the world, and who tell all kinds of lies about those who live in the heavenly will of God, and want every single living being to have the heavenly freedom and true independence that the Lord offers all of us, ever since He created us as living souls in Eden.

13. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.

These people are hard hearted and don’t feel the pain and suffering of the whole of God’s creation; they are like those who go to church, but retain their hardness of heart, and try to force their hardness and ungodly ways upon the other members of the congregation; they are not children of God.

14. But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

We are never to boast about ourselves living in the heavenly will of God, we are to just be witnesses of His heavenly will here on earth.

15. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.

What makes the difference is having the peace of God and His heavenly freedom in our heart and soul.

16. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

This is what gives us true independence from the corrupt ways and evil people if this world.

17. From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.
 
18. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
NASB

We all need this, and we need to have the Holy Spirit so internalized within us, that we just naturally do what God wants us to do.
 
So we ask those who still want to live in the corrupt ways of this world…
 
Who are you going to eat this Independence Day?
 
Who are you going to deprive of their heavenly freedom and true independence?
 
Yes, “Who”, because every living being, whether human or animal wants to enjoy life: they all feel pain, they all have the capacity to love, they all dream, they all want to be free, and they all want true independence.
 
So we continue to ask…
 
Or, are we going to turn our backs to the ways of this corrupt world and help bring God’s heavenly will to earth as it is in heaven?
 
We hope and pray it is the latter, for that is the only way we can ever hope to have true independence.
 
Amen.

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