On March 23rd, 1775, Patrick Henry allegedly made the famous statement “give me liberty or give me death!” I say “allegedly” because It’s not exactly sure that Patrick made the statement. His speech was recalled years after the event from people who had been at the convention. However, Patrick Henry did address the Virginia Convention to gain support to oppose any British Military intervention in Virginia. Tensions between Britain and the colonies had been escalating over the previous decade since the enforced “Stamp Act” in 1765. Revolution was on the horizon and the birthing of a new nation was at hand.
The truth is “liberty and death” are not mutually exclusive. In fact, liberty for the many is often at the expense and sacrifice of the few. Patrick Henry’s great grandson, Colonel William Aylett served under General George Pickett with the confederacy’s Army of Northern Virginia. He was one of the few survivors of “Pickett’s charge” on July 3rd. The attack was on the third day of the “Battle of Gettysburg” in which 1000’s of soldiers of the south were obliterated by the musket and canon fire of the Army of the Potomac as they crossed 2 plus miles of open field attempting to break the Union line. The ill-planned charge was a strategic failure resulting in the Civil War dragging on for two more bloody years. General Longstreet, General Lee’s closest advisor tried to continually convince General Lee that this attack was poor strategy, but in the end relented to his superior. The cost was the first loss and costly battle for the Confederacy. The principle of “death for liberty” is common in many areas of life as it is in warfare. The Apostle Paul wrote to this fact in Romans 5:7-8 (ESV):
“For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
The following is from Frank Work which he gave to Pastor Cheryl this past Sunday. Frank is a veteran of the USMC and served in the first Gulf War of 1991. He is well accustomed to the cost of freedom. I am using this with Frank’s permission.
“Today I am reminded of the story of the Star-Spangled Banner. Of how the enemy British naval commander said, ‘I will aim every one of my cannons at the raised Stars and Stripes in the middle of Fort McHenry until I see it fall ‘. In the morning after all the cannon fire, it was still standing. Upon further inspection the reason the flag was still standing is because the men threw their bodies against the pole of the flag dying and being blown up by the cannon fire so the flag would not fall.
Just as an encouragement to everyone that the cross will not fail and that we can throw ourselves at the foot of that cross, giving all of ourselves to Jesus and it will not fall.
That no matter the assault that the enemy promises to throw against us, if we rest at the foot of the cross and trust in the Lord, the enemy will not prevail”
You see, liberty in the Spirit is accomplished because Jesus laid down His life. He removed every obstacle that would keep us from walking in absolute freedom. But even at that, true freedom only comes when I am ready to lay down my life for His. The Apostle Paul reiterated this in Galatians 2:20 (ESV).
“20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Simply speaking, the Christian walk is a life exchange, my life for His. True liberty only comes through death to self. Listen to the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 16:25-26 (ESV).
“25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
Jesus did more for me than just promising to give me a blessed life. He freely gave His life as an example of how I should live. If I’m willing to lose my life, I will gain His. We are moving toward union with Him. We will be one with Him through all eternity. This was the purpose for Jesus’ priestly prayer in John 17:17 (ESV);
“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
We get to begin now by learning how to lay down our lives for one another. The willingness to lay down one’s life for another is defined by Jesus as the ultimate definition of love and oneness. in John 15:13 (ESV)
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.