This week individuals all across America are celebrating the 4th of July. This celebration is all about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which gave us the freedoms we now enjoy as Americans.

Some don’t have a clue why we celebrate – they just like the time off of work, while others know some about why we celebrate. Very few would associate the event with someone’s name.

There were people like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, just to name a few, who were signers of the Declaration, while the name of George Washington would come to mind since he became our first president.

And even though he wrote “The Star Spangled Banner” years later, some may still think of Francis Scott Key. If it wasn’t for leaders and heroes who were willing to stand up to the British, then we most likely would not be celebrating this event we call “the 4th of July.”

There is another type of freedom that we Christians enjoy and celebrate that is all about a name. Without Jesus Christ and what he did, becoming a sacrifice for the sins of the world, we wouldn’t have a reason to celebrate because there would be no freedom from the bondage of sin or freedom from guilt or freedom from condemnation.

Acts 4:12 reminds us that “there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (or to be set free), than the name of Jesus.

In order to truly celebrate the 4th of July, one needs to be an American. And in order to celebrate the freedom we can have in Jesus, one must be a Christian. 

There is good news in all of this – today we in America can continue to celebrate our national freedoms, and as a Christian we can celebrate Jesus and the freedoms he gives us.

Even if you are not yet free because of Jesus Christ, the good news is that you can be, and you too can be celebrating today.