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I have been to my fair share of spiritual pep rallies. I’ve been to conferences, retreats, weekend getaways, lock-ins, prayer meetings, bible studies, and well over 2,000 church services! And with so many of them I end up walking away agreeing with what Stephen the Irishman says to William Wallace (Braveheart 1995) after Wallace gave a beautifully inspiring speech about freedom: “Fine speech, now what do we do?”

The modern speech writer is told to limit their talk to just three main points, believing that the audience will lose attention or retention at just three items. To help with retention, the writer will often use alliteration in hopes that the moving message might make the memory banks, at least to the parking lot. The message may be powerful, moving, and critical to advancing the Kingdom of God, to healing, to reconciliation and to learning to walk with God. But just as often it may just be a list of tips and techniques telling us how to live our lives. We are inundated with information but is it making a difference?

Is it making a difference?

If I listen to a three-point sermon each week for a year that’s 152 different points! Thow in my own personal study, my bible study, my Sunday school, the conference I just attended, the weekend retreat and at this point I should be able to walk on water! I should be able to listen to the voice of God with such clarity and know exactly how to live as Jesus’ disciple. But instead, it takes the power of God in my life just to make it through a single day. When I blow it around my kids, I often tell them, “This is me WITH Jesus. This is me TRYING. I need Jesus. We all do.” One of my spiritual guides would often say, “In the garden (of Eden) there were two trees. We got the wrong tree!” The tree of knowledge never produced life.

We are doing it wrong

Jesus didn’t come to give us the hacks to life. He didn’t come to tweak our behavior or try to make us more moral. We were the walking dead. Sin had severed our relationship with Father. Sin had stolen our life. We were living in bondage, slaves to the trappings of this world. Jesus came to set us free. Jesus came to change our citizenship to the Kingdom of God. Now, with Christ as Lord, we belong to a different kingdom. We are free men and women. But what will we do with our freedom?

You have come to fight as free men, and free men you are. What would you do with that freedom? Will you fight? Aye, fight and you may die. Run and you’ll live, at least a while. And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!”

William Wallace (Braveheart)

It is on the conclusion of this moving speech that Stephen the Irishman says, “Fine speech, now what do we do?”

William Wallace looks right at Stephen and says the most profound thing: “Just be yourself.”

Just by yourself

It is so simple. It’s what God wants of us. He made you, as you, to be you. Yes, sin corrupted the truest you. Sin has thrown mud all over the glory God had intended, but the beauty of the gospel is Jesus washed the mud off, He cleansed us and now we are free to be ourselves.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom!

There is nothing wrong with the three-point sermon or the moving conference speaker. We just have to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and bring it before the Lord and ask Him. We need to search the scriptures and walk humbly with God. He promises to lead us in paths of righteousness. He promises that His plans never fail and that His plan for you is good.

Hold tight to Jesus. He is at work. He is more interested in you being you than even you are! You may not remember every sermon you’ve ever heard, but you also don’t remember every meal you’ve eaten. God used both to nourish.