The Incarnation and the Exultation: An Advent Devotional - Wednesday, First Week of Advent
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And you, who once were estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him, provided that you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which has been preached to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Colossians 1:21–23
For those of us who are blessed to be Americans, we understand that freedom is something hard-won and worth fighting to protect. As believers in Jesus, however, we have the greatest liberty of all. In the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary, we find our true liberation from sin and experience our ultimate transformation. This is something we must consider carefully.
Freedom is a two-sided coin. As Christians, we have been set free from and we have been set free to. We are set free from the tyranny of sin and the despair of a life without hope. This has set us free to live out the gifted life we have been given in Jesus. We are no longer slaves to the evils of this world, and we are sealed in a holy bond to live in ever-increasing sanctification for the sake of Christ.
Our independence is a glorious reality we must share with the world. We must shout the message of the Gospel from the rooftops and proclaim it in the streets. We must witness with our words and actions how the sacrifice of Christ on the cross has truly set us free so that others may experience that same holy independence in their lives as well.
This week, we will pray and reflect on what it means to be truly free in Christ, and how that freedom is both a gift and a responsibility that we are called to share with a weary and lost world.
1. Our freedom is permanent and true.
John 8:36 tells us that if the Son of God has set us free, we are truly free. There is no ambiguity about what we have gained in Christ, and nothing can change that perfect love that bled and died to gain this freedom for us. That love now lives in us, pouring forth from our lips and moving in our hands and feet as we work out our salvation and share the message of hope with all who are seeking the Savior.
2. We have been set free from the power of sin and death.
Our old self has been crucified with Christ, and we have been raised to new life in him. While sin may raise its ugly head, ultimately it cannot have mastery over our lives unless we give it that power (Rom 6:5–11). As Catholics we are called to use our resurrection power to pour ourselves into the lives of others so that they may experience that same glorious liberation from the hold that sin has over their lives.
3. Freedom does not mean license to sin but the power to love.
Some Christians hide behind their freedom and see it as a free pass in life. Yet if we truly want to live for Christ, we must understand that our freedom is a gift that enables us to conquer sin and love others according to the will of God (See Gal 5:13–14). This kind of freedom is the most powerful form of witness because others will see that we are no longer slaves to our selfish desires, but rather powerful actors in a divine drama that calls all men to salvation.
4. Our freedom makes us a powerful weapon of righteousness.
We are called to present our bodies as living sacrifices to God (Rom 12:1). Now that we are set free from the power of sin, our lives can be mighty implements of God’s power as we carry out his will (Rom 6:13–14). The same living Word that has done a work of sacred surgery in our hearts should empower us to do works of transformation in the hearts of others so that they too will turn their lives over in a total submissive sacrifice to the One who has set them free.
5. Our freedom gives us insight into what is truly for our benefit.
In Christ we have the power to choose how we live. Because we have been set free from the power of sin, we can recognize what is for our good. We are free to refuse to be mastered by sin and its effects (1 Cor 6:12). We rise from the ashes of our fallen nature as beautiful souls who radiate the love of God as we shine as lights in a world groping in the darkness of sin.
A Call to Action
Christ has set us free from sin and transformed us so that we can become his hands and heart in the world. This week, strive to accept and live out your baptismal promises, knowing that you have been buried in Christ and raised up to new life with the power and potential to do good in the world (see Rom 6:3– 4). Actualize this freedom as you work to overcome your sinful nature and to step up to the task of bringing the love of Jesus to the world. Consider practical steps you can take to move in the lives of those who are lost or struggling, so that they may experience the redeeming power of Christ’s love. Take time to pray specifically for the needs of those around you and then consider ways you can reach out to them with the message of the Gospel and the power of love to set them free to live a life fully sold out to God.
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
