Sermon for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, June 26, 2016
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Wallis, Texas
Sermon Text: Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Sermon Theme: “Love As the Definition of Freedom”
(Sources: Concordia Pulpit Resources, Vol. 26, Part 3, Series C; Emphasis Online Commentaries; Emphasis Online Examples; Online “Love Is” Quotes from Charlie Brown; Brokhoff, Series C, Preaching Workbook; Anderson’s Cycle C Preaching Workbook; original ideas; footnotes, Life Application Study Bible)
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our sermon text for today, from Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, is about freedom. There are many definitions of “freedom,” some of which we will hear next week at Fourth of July celebrations. A Christian’s definition of “freedom” is “love,” and Paul has much to say about that in our text.
Over the many years Charles M. Schulz’s drew his Peanuts’ strip, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang have had a lot to say about “love.” Here are just a few: “Love is getting someone a glass of water in the middle of the night.” “Love is making fudge together.” “Love is walking in the rain together.” “Love is sharing your popcorn.” “Love is hating to say goodbye.” “Love is not nagging.” “Love is walking hand in hand.”
Charlie Brown and his friends were getting close to defining love. A good definition of “love” is a definition of “freedom.”
In our text, Paul describes the freedom of the Christian in terms of love, a love defined by servant-hood. Freedom is not a license to do what one pleases; it is an opportunity to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are free “from” the law, so that we may be free “for” love. Continue reading