Trudy was a good girl. She usually did what her mom said, but today was different. She was 16 years old today. Today she would get her driver’s license. She would experience freedom like she never had before. Trudy’s mom was a little bit on the strict side. Trudy didn’t think her mom would ever let her grow up. There was so much that she wanted to experience. She just felt like her mom was holding her back. Anyway, there was this guy at school named, Tom. Tom was really popular. He had an edge about him. There was something dangerous about Tom that was attractive to Trudy. Tom had something that Trudy desperately wanted. Tom had freedom, at least that what Trudy thought. Friday night was the big party at Tom’s house and Trudy was invited. She knew that her mom would never go for it. Her mom had heard about teenage parties. She would say that they were nothing more than a bunch of doped up and drunk teens having sex. Friday night came and Trudy really wanted to go to the party so she decided to lie to her mom and tell her that she was going over to her friend Cindy’s house and that she would be out late. Her mom agreed to let her go.
Trudy drove over to Tom’s house. A couple of her friends were already there. She wanted to experience what it meant to be free. She saw the cooler of beer in the corner, popped one open and began to drink. She was standing next to the cooler when Tom walked up to get a beer. Their eyes met, and Tom began to talk to her. She couldn’t believe it. Tom was actually talking to her. They both downed a couple more beers. She was really experiencing freedom now. Half way through the party Tom had managed to corner her in the bathroom, and then tried to take advantage of her. Luckily, her friend, Rachel, had seen Tom follow her in, and was able to stop him. When Tom left, Trudy was on the floor in the corner of the bathroom crying. She couldn’t believe what had happened. Is this what freedom felt like? If this was freedom, then it was definitely overrated. Rachel took her home. When Trudy got home, she saw her mom and told her everything that had happened. They both cried. Trudy cried because of the experience, and her mom cried because she never wanted Trudy to have to experience something like that.
Freedom is a big deal. Everyone thinks that they have some idea about what Freedom is all about. Some believe that Anarchy is the only true freedom. Spend some time over in Amsterdam’s red light district. It’s a place where anything goes. It’s a place that is full of open prostitution and drug use. Most people don’t want to live that way. People from all over the world want to come to the United States because of the freedom that we have. What does that mean? We do have a government. We have a large police force.
Everyone is always following something or someone. If you aren’t following someone (parents, teachers, law enforcement, friends), then you are following some idea, and that idea holds you captive. People’s idea of complete freedom is interesting, because whatever they are going for is defined. You would think that true freedom is completely undefined. I can do whatever I want. There will always be boundaries. Let’s pretend that there are absolutely no rules whatsoever. I pull a knife out and walk over to _____________ and stab you right in the heart. What will happen to you? You will die. What happened to your freedom? The boundary to your freedom was a choice that I made. That must mean that in a place that you thought you were completely free, you really weren’t. Just the fact there are no rules is a problem, because that in itself is a rule. It is impossible to live in a world without rules, because there will always be rules.
How many of you have seen the movie Braveheart? Braveheart is the story of a Scottish man named William Wallace. During his time, the English ruled the Scottish. The English would come in on the day of a wedding and would rape the bride so that she would hopefully become pregnant with an English baby and they would in turn ‘breed’ the Scottish out. The Scottish lived in fear of the English. William Wallace stepped up and began to lead the Scottish to victories over the English. Eventually he was captured and was to be tortured to death by tying his intestines to a horse and having the horse pull them out. What was his last word? FREEDOM!!!!
Eventually, the Scottish won their freedom from the English. What do you think the Scottish did? They set up their own government. They made their rules to live by, and set up men to enforce the laws.
Freedom is a huge thing. It is an ideal that men strive for. Most stories of heroes have something to do with someone wanting freedom from something.
Boston Tea Party, Revolutionary War, Civil War, Operation: Desert Storm, Operation: Iraqi Freedom
When you become a senior you will probably go on a senior trip, either with a small group of friends, or with your class. A lot of teens go on these senior trips and experience things that they regret for the next several years of their lives. They are free. They are in Cancun or Myrtle Beach or Jamaica or Miami Beach. There is no one looking over their shoulder telling what they can and can’t do. They want to live life to it’s fullest. So they get stupid. They do things that they regret. They destroy relationships. Some teens that have made a commitment to be sexually pure end up giving it all away to someone. I mean isn’t that what it’s all about. Isn’t that fun? Getting drunk and passing out. Throwing up. All because they are now free.
Freedom is not the absence of rules. It isn’t doing whatever pleases me the most. Rules will always be there. But freedom is knowing what rules to follow. Our pledge of allegiance has the phrase “UNDER GOD” in it. Those two words are the key to finding freedom. Maximum freedom is found under God’s authority.
God designed us. The Bible says that God knew you even before you were born. He knows what is best for our lives. He knows what rules to live by. They are pretty much common sense.
Do to others, as you would have them do to you.
The greatest commandment is ‘Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, and strength.’ The second greatest commandment is like it, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Honor your father and mother that it may be well with you….
Maximum freedom is found under God’s authority.
Romans 13:1-2
1. Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
2. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
#1 – If you don’t then you will be subject to punishment by the authorities.
#2 - It is a conscience issue. If the government is asking something of you that is contrary to what God asks, then we must follow God rather than men, but be prepared to pay the consequences for that act. (Acts 5:29)
#3 – For Jesus sake (When Jesus returns we want to be found faithful)
God wants us to have the best life possible.
That means that we trust God.
That means that we set up solid moral boundaries.
That means that we learn to see the world the way that God sees it.
That means that we make sure that we have healthy friendships.
That means that we make sure that we are making good choices.
That also means that we listen to and obey the authorities that God has placed in our lives.
------------------------------------------------
Breakout Session Guide -
1) How would you define freedom?
Notes – Hopefully this is pretty straightforward. Then again….=)
2) What keeps you from experiencing freedom in your life?
Notes – This is getting at any rules or restrictions that they have on their lives right now. Some of them don’t drive yet. Maybe they don’t have a job so they can’t get any money (no money = no fun)
3) Have you ever done something that your parents or someone else told you would be a bad idea to do, but you did it anyway? Did you find out that they were right?
Notes – As luck would have it they probably won’t have ever experienced anything like this. At least not they will say, but we’ll ask anyway. Who knows maybe someone will be open about this. Another alternative question might be – Have you ever done anything that you know you would get in trouble for if your parents found out? What types of things could have gone wrong because of what you did? What would happen if your parents found out about it?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment