GRAVITY AND GLADNESS

Congress declared war on Great Britain on June 18, 1812 because of Britain’s interference with American international trade. By 1814, Napoleon’s army had been defeated, and Britain decided that they could fully turn their attention to this war in the United States.

On August 24, 1814, British troops marched into Washington D.C. They set ablaze the Capitol building and the White House. As you can imagine, this was quite a shock to the young American nation. They began to fear what would happen. The British next set their sights on Baltimore, a vital sea port. On September 13, 1814, British warships began the bombardment of Fort McHenry in the Baltimore harbor. The bombardment continued for 25 hours (through the night) while the nation anxiously awaited to see what would become of Fort McHenry and Baltimore.

On September 14, 1814, an amateur poet (Francis Scott Key) was aboard a ship that was a few miles off in the distance (out of harm’s way), but nevertheless watching what was happening: the rockets’ red glare throughout the night. As the new morning came, he could make out the American flag still waving over Fort McHenry by the dawn’s early light. As you probably know by now, he was the one who penned what would later become the national anthem of the United States: the Star Spangled Banner. He scribbled the initial verse of his song on the back of a letter. Apparently, that’s where you wrote your famous things in the 19th century. You just grabbed the back of a letter. Didn’t Abraham Lincoln do the same?

You’re probably somewhat familiar with the first verse:

O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, What so proudly we hail’d at the twilight’s last gleaming, Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O’er the ramparts we watch’d were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

You probably didn’t know that there are four verse to this song. It would be something if you heard someone singing verse 4 before the next baseball game:

O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand Between their lov’d home and the war’s desolation! Blest with vict’ry and peace may the heav’n rescued land Praise the power that hath made and preserv’d us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto – “In God is our trust,” And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Throughout the 19th century, it became one of the most beloved patriotic songs. The military began using it for official ceremonies, but it wasn’t until 1931 that The Star-Spangled Banner became the national anthem. When we come to the Olympics, I hope that we hear it a few times.

Great victories demand great songs. If it’s true in the War of 1812, and true after your team wins a great football or baseball game, how much more is it true when it comes to God’s victory over sin and Satan, and the conquest of his enemies? Moses and the people sang this song in . It’s called “The Song of Moses” (sometimes called “The Song by the Sea”).

God saves His people sing.

All God’s people must sing because all of God’s people have been saved.

Worship is an inward feeling that reflects itself in outward action.

Worship is an outward expression of God’s worth in our lives.

The immensity of His worth is reflected in the intensity of your worship.

Worship is man’s full reason for existence. Worship is why we are born and why we are born again.

4 TRUTHS CONCERNING WORSHIP

WE ARE COMPELLED TO WORSHIP BY GOD’S CHARACTER.

WORSHIP IS TO BE PUBLIC.

WORSHIP IS TO BE PERSONAL.

WORSHIP IS TO BE PERPETUAL.

WORSHIP IS A CELEBRATION OF GOD’S CONDUCT.

HE IS OUR CONQUERING KING

HE IS A COVENANT KEEPER

WORSHIP CONSECRATES GOD IN OUR HEARTS.

WORSHIP CALMS OUR FEAR.

WORSHIP CALMS OUR FEARS BECAUSE IT REMINDS US OF GOD’S LOVE.