Let freedom in!

 

One year, while on holiday, I had the opportunity to stand at the spot where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. I’m not going to bore you with holiday stories, but I do want to reflect on that speech this morning - and how it connects with our gospel reading from Luke (17:11–19).

King’s speech is often remembered for the repeated phrase “I have a dream.” He says it nine times, painting a vision of a better, more equal, more just society. But there’s another phrase he uses just as often: “Let freedom ring.” And I want to suggest that perhaps this speech should be known not as the “I Have a Dream” speech, but the “Let Freedom Ring” speech. Because while dreams speak of the future, freedom speaks of the present. “Let freedom ring” is a call to action, a cry of victory, a declaration that transformation is possible now - not just someday.

In our gospel reading, we see a story of healing and freedom. Ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy. He tells them to go and show themselves to the priests, and as they go, they are healed. But only one turns back. Only one praises God. Only one falls at Jesus’ feet in thanksgiving. And it is to this one that Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well.”

All ten were healed physically. But only one was made truly whole. Only one experienced the deeper healing - the healing of the soul, the restoration of relationship with God. The others received a gift, but they didn’t return to the Giver. They walked away changed on the outside, but not transformed on the inside.

Martin Luther King’s dream was for a world where justice and equality would flourish. But his cry - “Let freedom ring”- was a call for people to live into that dream, to make it real. And in the same way, the gospel calls us not just to dream of healing, hope, and peace, but to receive them now through Jesus.

The ten lepers must have dreamed of being healed. They lived in isolation, cut off from society, from worship, from family. Healing was a distant hope. But then they met Jesus—the Healer. And suddenly, the dream became reality. But only one recognised the source of that healing. Only one returned to give thanks. Only one allowed his life to be transformed by the encounter.

The others were healed, yes. Their lives were undoubtedly better. But they missed the deeper freedom - the freedom that comes from knowing Jesus, from falling at his feet, from living a life of gratitude and worship. “Let freedom ring” is not just a slogan - it’s a spiritual truth. Freedom rings when we recognise Jesus as Lord. Freedom rings when we allow him to change us from the inside out.

In the Eucharist, we are invited into that same transformative encounter. We come to the table not just to remember, but to receive. We remember the body broken, the blood poured out. We remember the words of love spoken from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And we ask God to forgive us, to cleanse us, to transform us.

But like the lepers, we face a choice. We can come to the Eucharist, receive the bread and wine, acknowledge the sacrifice - and then walk away unchanged. Or we can be like the one who returned. We can fall at Jesus’ feet - not literally, perhaps, but spiritually. We can praise God, give thanks, and allow the encounter to shape our lives.

The word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving.” It’s not just a ritual - it’s a response. It’s a declaration that we have received a gift, and we know who gave it. It’s a moment to let freedom ring in our hearts.

The nine lepers trusted in their own strength. They received healing and went on their way. But the one who returned knew that his own strength was not enough. He knew that true freedom came only from Jesus. And so he came back. He praised God. He fell at Jesus’ feet. And he was made well.

Martin Luther King spoke of a dream. But he also spoke of freedom—a freedom that comes when people are no longer judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. A freedom that comes when justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream. And Jesus speaks of a freedom too—a freedom from sin, from shame, from separation. A freedom that comes when we turn to him, when we receive his grace, when we live in his love.

Jesus doesn’t want us to merely dream of peace and hope and joy in some distant future. He wants us to know them now. He wants us to live in the freedom of his love today. The gospel is not just a promise for tomorrow - it’s a power for today.

So we have a choice. We can be dreamers, walking out of here as if nothing has changed, like the nine lepers who didn’t say thank you. Or we can be transformed. We can taste and see that the Lord is good. We can praise God, thank him for his gifts, fall at his feet, and hear him say, “Your faith has made you well.”

At the end of the Eucharist service, we say, “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” That’s not just a dismissal - it’s a commissioning. It’s a call to live as people who have been healed, forgiven, transformed. It’s a call to let freedom ring in our lives.

Let me finish with a story. The Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers. No matter the circumstances, he always found something to thank God for. One gloomy Sunday, a church member thought, “Surely the preacher won’t find anything to be grateful for today.” But Whyte began his prayer, “We thank Thee, O God, that it is not always like this.”

Gratitude changes everything. Gratitude opens the door to freedom. Gratitude turns healing into wholeness. May we be people known for our thanksgiving. May we be people who return to Jesus, who fall at his feet, who live in the freedom and peace he offers.

Let freedom ring - not just in our dreams, but in our lives. Amen.