Dunbar United Church of Christ - January 10, 2010

I. A theme I keep coming back to in my sermons and Dome Reports is that we are not “free.” If you have a hard time accepting that, come to Bible For Beginners on Monday nights. We struggle with this kind of thing all the time.

II. According to the Bible, we’re not free to live the life we want because we don’t own ourselves -- God owns us.

Yet, freedom is one of the myths of America. We think living here makes us free, and the Bible says, “No -- it doesn’t matter what country or palace or prison you live in -- God owns you.”

III. Another myth of our culture, the Horatio Alger myth, says “by leading good lives and fighting against poverty and adversity, we gain wealth and honor.” In Alger’s books, success is a result of “honesty, thrift, self-reliance, industry, a cheerful whistle, and an open manly face.”

This myth is so much a part of our culture, it gets confused with our religion. Some think that self-reliance and a positive attitude are things that Jesus taught -- they’re not. Jesus taught reliance on God, not self!

IV. The American Dream myth says every person can achieve a “better, richer, and happier life.” This comes from our Declaration of Independence, which says we’re all created equal and endowed by our Creator with the right to life, liberty, and ... happiness.”

We’re taught this from the time we’re children but according to the Bible -- it’s not true. The Bible says we are not at liberty to seek our happiness. As our parent, God desires obedience, not our happiness. Happiness might be a by-product of following God’s will, but often it’s not!

V. So what’s our epiphany today? What does the Bible reveal? It tells us that we are God’s and the purpose our lives is to know God’s will and follow it. Jesus came to show us what a life following God’s will looks like. And he said this: if we seek God with all our heart, we will find the path God put us here to follow; if we keep knocking, God will open the door; and if we ask, and never stop asking, we will receive.