Sixth Sunday after Trinity

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As we know, and quite enjoyed the fact, America has just celebrated her 250th anniversary of declaring political independence from England. Just two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (War), was invited to join an anniversary celebration in Washington, D.C., honoring the heroism of the founders and the people who supported them in their quest to birth these United States. The primary focus of that event was the commemoration of the outcome produced by that heralded and hallowed document, which proclaimed the intentionality (with extreme verve and bravery), America’s self-determined liberty from the English Crown. Specifically, the document stated that “in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature, and Nature’s GOD, entitle them.”1 — Which is principally this: “That all men being created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness – [of individual destiny].”2

Yet, due to poor health, Thomas Jefferson would not be able to join in the festivities to which he was invited in 1826. In fact, eight days after penning his response to his would-be-host, on the evening of July 4th, Jefferson, along with John Adams, another founding Worthy (as Jefferson called the Framers), died. Jefferson was 83, and Adams was 90. Though he did not attend the planned remembrance in Washington, Jefferson recounted in writing what he might have said that day, had he been able to attend and stand upon the dais to deliver a speech. — “May it be to the world”, he said, “what I believe it will be, to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all. The signal, arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition have persuaded them to bind themselves, and to assume the blessing and security of self-government … Between submission and the sword, we’ve enjoyed the consolidated fact that our fellow citizens, after a half century of experience and prosperity, continue to approve the choice we, the Framers, made … All eyes are opened or are opening to the rights of man.”3

It is the most alluring story in human history; the rising up of a smaller, weaker, but virtuous entity, which pushes back to destroy the oppressive cruelty of a tyrant lord. We have seen this story play itself out over and over again. Once, there was a giant warrior who mocked a people by threatening with death a simple shepherd, who then overcame his nemesis with a sling and a stone – a Sith lord who lures a Padawan Jedi to traitorousness, who in the end, unleashed his master’s wicked power back upon him, for the sake of the life he once betrayed – and in the biblical context, sin and death forced imprisonment upon all of mankind, until a Man, a Champion laid down his life to liberate His fellowmen from their subjugation. — It is when the evil antagonist seems to have all the cards and the upper hand, and the virtuous protagonist is holding none, and the virtuous stand up against all odds and dissolve the bands which connected them to their despotic overlord, that our hearts are moved with a great sense of hope for security and blessing. This is America’s story, and though we might still call it an experiment in comparison to the tenured longevity of other storied civilizations that have preceded us, ours is a story that has played a role in inspiring the formation of other governments in other lands around the world. There was Poland (1791), France (1791), Haiti (1805), Argentina (1853), and Brazil (1891). Good versus evil – the underdog versus the favored herculean nemesis. When the underdog prevails, our hearts are overjoyed and sent soaring with hope for those heavenly things that surpass man’s understanding.

In Saint Paul’s prolific treatise called the Epistle to the Romans, the Apostle makes a steel-tight argument for the Christian epic tale of how mankind, the great underdog, though a serf to the metaphysical powers of the Cosmos (seen and unseen), has his liberty procured for him by the work and sacrifice of the Man, JESUS Christ. Through Christ, the tyrannous despot, who is that old serpent, the Devil, is defeated, and all humanity’s bonds to sin and death are dissolved for those who call JESUS LORD and King. — JESUS, effectually and comprehensively, crushes the head of man’s ancient foe, bringing a Light of consolation and a blessed Hope to men – the sting of death and the power of sin are made impotent. — The bonds of any victory that man’s once evil master held over him are dissolved by JESUS – new bonds of grace and truth being formed – for all of mankind, throughout all human history. This is done through what Saint Paul describes as the ‘free gift’: ‘the grace of GOD.’ (cf. Rom. 5.15) — Yet, before we say more about this ‘free gift’ and the response we are beholden to yield unto GOD for His grace and mercy, we should say a bit more about the problem. For, unless we appreciate what we have been liberated from, we, perhaps, will not show forth the appropriate degree of heartfelt thanksgiving in response to this epic story we call the Gospel of JESUS Christ.

Our initial oppression to that wicked tyranny of sin, Paul notes, began when mankind refused to acknowledge the manifestation of GOD in his heart, invisibly but undeniably, through what C.S. Lewis calls the ‘Great Ought’: the ‘Moral Law’ or the ‘Law of Good Behavior.’ — Every man, woman, and child is divinely invested with a knowledge and propensity to know and obey the Great Ought, from the time of their birth until the time of their death, no matter their religious affiliation. — It is a most interesting thing, for before we could speak in full sentences, we cried out for distinctions of fairness, though we had not been trained in ethics of any sort. The Great Ought, the Moral Law, calls each soul to virtuous living and fair-play, pricking our consciences with guilt when we intentionally step out of line from its leading.

If anyone doubts this Great Ought, and that the Creator’s desire is for us to recognize Him and obey His absolute good commands, Saint Paul says, GOD makes other efforts to reach us. He notes that the invisible things of GOD from the Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by men through the things that are made (viz., the seasons of time, the miracles of organic life, the indispensable nature of inorganic forces, the observable wonders of the seas, stars, and the whole of the galaxy). — Night after night and day after day, GOD’s eternal power and Godhead are being revealed through the things made, making Him undeniable to man’s conscience. Yet, the problem is this. With the Great Ought gnawing at man’s conscience, and all of creation showing forth His handiwork and declaring His glory, though knowing GOD through these things, man turns a blind eye and deaf ear to GOD, choosing instead to grow vain in his own imaginations. As such, he binds himself to darkness – his foolish heart being turned inward by his own machinations. — “For of whom man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage” (2 Peter 2.19). If overcome by Love, then bondage to Love; if overcome by the Devil in rebellion towards GOD, then bondage to sin and death.

And now, brothers and sisters, we must return to the purpose of today’s message – the epic story of GOD’s good news! — And what is it? — It is that while man was an enemy to GOD and bound by his sin and his vanity, GOD has sent mankind a Champion. This Hero has invaded the world by stealth, though some of the ancients knew he would come. And He has warred and won our spiritual right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in His very own Kingdom. Spiritually speaking, He has absolved us from any allegiance to the bonds of our prior association with the demonic crown, with all its political, social, and relational demands previously held over us. The Champion is JESUS, and He has not won our liberty haphazardly nor entered the contest for us lightly. In fact, it cost Him everything; even His own life. But for good reason He has done so, intending that every spiritual prisoner among men, from every nation, tribe, and tongue, would arouse themselves and burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition have previously persuaded them to bind themselves. JESUS dissolves despotic bonds and looses strangling shackles, so that none might perish, but all have new life in His Name.

And if we desire to be immersed in His Life – His community – His Body – we must arise as new creatures – new citizens, free from our old associations and empowered through fidelity to GOD’s New King. St. Paul says that if we accept JESUS’ death for our liberation, His death becomes our death, because we are in Him. Similarly, since JESUS was raised from the dead, His New Life becomes our New Life; we have been immersed into Him through the mystical washing of Holy Baptism. — “We share by water in His saving death; Reborn, we share with Him Easter Life. As living members of a living Christ.”5 — Thus, the glory of GOD that raised JESUS from the dead is also in us; therefore, says Paul, “we should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6.4). — Raised from the federation to our past disobedient lives, we are now unmoored from the bondage that once held us down; we are free to do all acts and things that liberated people do when they are in Christ. The principal among these is to love GOD and our neighbors as ourselves. These are the things that GOD has prepared for those who love Him, which pass man’s understanding, being no more bound to obey the lusts of our flesh.

The Bible presents many examples of this new way of living, but today’s Gospel Lesson possesses a particularly nuanced illustration. — If we are to no longer serve our old master of sin, which leads to death, but rather reckon ourselves dead unto sin and alive unto GOD through JESUS Christ our LORD, then JESUS says, our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. — These were the group of ultra-orthodox Jews in Jerusalem who felt that even JESUS’ religion lacked in comparison to their own. — And JESUS’ exhortation to us is quite a tall order, unless we understand that true righteousness is not in word and deed alone, but also in truth. And truth is not aptness, correctness or lack of wrongness. Rather, truth in righteousness is foundationally undergirded by the steel pillars of love – not love of self, the world, or the flesh, but love of another. The Trinitarian love of truth in righteousness lays down one’s life for one’s friends – and in the ultra-orthodox expression, truth in love even lays down one’s life for one’s enemy.

As a freed people, our liberation is rooted in the truth that Christ has revealed to us, through love, by His Life and Passion. For when we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to GOD (that is restored to His favor by the death of His Son); ultimately saved by JESUS’ life. (cf. Rom. 5.10) Thus, the good things prepared for those who love GOD are not only bound up in the declaration of our liberty from sin and death; GOD’s good tidings for us are also informed by the command to love GOD with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and our neighbors as ourselves.

Of a truth, in Matthew five, JESUS warns us against the condemnation of friend or foe, for if we do so, we risk the danger of being judged a murderer. And if we condemn our brother in our hearts as godless and impious (like calling him a fool to his face), we risk a sterner judgment than that which the high council of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem could enforce. — The mark of the truly liberated people is the exterior righteousness of obedience to the Law of Moses, but also to the restraint of the inward lust of the heart which longs for self-gratification. “It is the inward lusts, from which wars and fighting come … The error of the Jewish teachers, [JESUS pointed out], was that the divine law prohibited only the sinful act, not the sinful thought and word … Yet, anger towards our brother is heart-murder; spiteful words toward him is tongue-murder … When our anger towards our brother or sister is without any good intent, aimed at merely showing our vain, moral authority, which we hope gratifies our brutish passions, thereby letting people know our distinct resentments, and thus exciting us to revenge – then our anger is selfish and meant only to do hurt … we have taken the first step in our hearts towards murder, which GOD disallows.”4

Yet these are not the acts, words, or thoughts of the redeemed people of GOD. Before any pretensions of wholesome religion towards GOD, if we have forsaken our brother in thought, word, or deed, JESUS says we are to leave our religion behind and go to them and be reconciled to them. This then is true religion! — In every situation, being the liberated people of GOD, “we ought carefully to preserve Christian love and peace with our brethren. And if at any time a breach does happen, we should unabashedly labor for a reconciliation by confessing our fault to our neighbor; humbling ourselves to him; begging pardon from him; and making restitution by offering satisfaction for all wrong done in word or deed, according as the nature of the thing is.”6 If this we will do, we will certify ourselves citizens of that new Country, having been born into the new Life of Christ – baptized into His covenantal community – living free from the tyranny of self and liberated from the bondage to sin.

The new citizenry of the United States of America, fifty years after her hard-fought freedom was received, desired to gather and give thanks for a new reality they were experiencing. Those benefactors of our ‘Framing Forefathers’ courage and industry, desired to formalize a remembrance of them who purchased their precious political and economic liberties with their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor. — Similarly, today, Holy Mother Church wants her people to consider the freedom purchased for us by the life, fortune, and sacred honor of JESUS Christ and His Cross. On balance, it is hard for us to comprehend these things, so we cling to them by faith through hope. — What we can understand, dear church, is that the old ways of citizenship in darkness before our rescue by our Champion are no longer bind us. We are dead unto those ways. The tyranny of the past has no more claim on the joy of the liberty in the present. We can now live in the new promises given to us by GOD; the promises of sonship, forgiveness, and the hope of glory. Such lives are marked now, not later, by the sacredness of words and deeds, but especially through heart-thoughts of love and genuine brotherly kindness.

St. Mark’s, let us awake to this new reality and give thanks unto GOD in Christ – death hath no more dominion over us – sin has no more sting. This blessed America of ours was birthed through the steadfast courage of a few good men and women, and her citizens remain steadfast is preserving the liberties won for them. How much more should we also remain steadfast in courage for the sustaining principles of love in GOD’s Kingdom-Country on this earth? Therefore, let us frame up the Christian Declaration of Independence by thought, word, and deed, so that other men might establish the government of Christ by faith in their hearts as well – their eyes being opened to the spiritual rights of men – the rights which exceed all that we can understand or desire. For I am convinced, to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all men, that GOD’s chosen people will be convinced of their spiritual liberty procured as a ‘free gift’, such that they walk not in darkness but in the Light of New Life found in Christ alone. It is a wonderful and moving epic story of the virtuous underdog defeating an overwhelming evil force, which will be told repeatedly, inspiring future generations to a greater sense of hope for security and blessings. For, in the course of human events, there comes a time when GOD’s people must dissolve the political, economic, and spiritual bonds which connected them with the bondage of their past lives through the ‘free gift’ of GOD’s grace, and that time is now. Brothers and sisters, reckon yourselves, therefore, dead unto sin and alive unto GOD through JESUS Christ our LORD. Amen.

1-2 Archives.org. “The Declaration of Independence: A Transcript.” Accessed 7 July 2026. http://www.archives.org/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.

3 Levin, Mark, Rediscovering Americanism: And the Tyranny of Progressivism, (New York: Threshold Editions, 2017).

4 BlueLetterBible.org. Henry, Matthew. “Commentary on St. Matthew 5.” Accessed 11 July 2026. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Mat/Mat_005.cfm?a=934001.

5 Book of Common Praise, (Newport Beach: Anglican House Media Ministry, 2017), 359.

6 BlueLetterBible.org.