A Rededication to Christ For America

Announcement

Church Work Day 31st 8 AM

Steak and Shake June 14th

Game Night this Friday June 19

Ladies Fiber Arts 5/22 6 PM

Olive Garden event 5 PM Saturday - Men and Women events

June Calendaring 24th

Patriotic Dinner

Call to worship

Say: Let us now begin to worship the Father the Son, the Holy Spirit, Our Call to worship Comes to us from

Psalm 8 ESV

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Worship music

Introduction

Until the 1930’s George Washington was considered a Christian leader and was on the most taught about political figures in America. (expand on my person story)

If you know your history, international Communism and Fascism rose up in that period. This isn’t a coincidence. After the 2nd world war he becomes maybe a Christian. Then by the 1960 he is called a full blown diest, which is a person who denies a personal God and in some sense denies Christ.

The Civil rights era was largely responsible for much of the mess current America is in.

They erased the past to control the future. This is a standard play of commies. Deconstruct or defame to write a new story.

But To call George Washington anything other then a Christian is a lie.

Listen to the wisdom of the Christ founding father.

When writing to the chiefs of the Delaware tribe in 1779

“you will do well to learn our arts and way of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.”

Or in a season of set back during the war of independence Washington said to his men

“while we are zealously, performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be in attentive to higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of a patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.”

Christian Actions He took:

During the war he would make it so that men would be able to honor the sabbath, he would make sure chaplains were available. We have records of him going to church, even when difficult during the war and his presidency.

He wrote over 100 different prayers.

He personally encouraged missions to the aboriginal groups of America.

These are not actions of a deist. He wasn’t a perfect man, only Christ is. You can look up his struggles.

Application:

Let me share the theology behind Washington’s actions. When you become a Christian God redeems you, what I means is grace doesn’t replace it perfects. God has given you gifts and calls when you believe, he redeems them.

You and I would be wise to heed his instruction. To be a good patriot of America we need to become more faithful Christians.

If you focus on the world you’ll get the dirt, if you focus on the Lord you get him and his blessings.

Do you want America to be the country God wants her to be? Then obey the Lord, same for your family, same for our church.

Why focus on this?

Today is the national day of prayer and in DC today they are hosting a Rededication of America to God. They’ve asked Christians to pray for America today and so I’ve decided we should join the effort.

it goes without saying that as has been said a nation that isn’t under God is a nation gone under. So today we are going to focus on what to pray for in America. Our denomination put out seven areas to pray for and ways you can pray for those areas.

The fifth commandment to honor thy father and mother requires that you love the land of your fathers, so a good Christian is a patriot to his country.

Big Idea: To love your country, your family, your church, you must first love your God.

Text

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

What does God say about the Christian in America?

Deuteronomy 5:16 ESV

16 “ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

This is understood in a four fold way. Will be looking at this a bit to start.

Those ways are:

Love your actual parents, Honor the elderly, honor your spiritual and political fathers, honor the land of your fathers.

This is why you are to be a good citizen, to honor your fathers you need to honor the land of you fathers

Puritan Thomas Watson said this

1. The Political father, the magistrate. He is the father of his country; he is to be an encourager of virtue, a punisher of vice, a father to the widow and orphan; such a father was Job, ch. 29:16., "I was a father to the poor; and the cause which I knew not, I searched out." And, as magistrates are fathers, so especially the king who is the head of magistrates, is a political father; he is placed as the sun among the lesser stars. The scripture calls kings 'father:' Isa. 49:23., "Kings shall be thy nursing-fathers."

So these fathers we are to honor! In a like way to our own fathers.

Paul explains our verse in Eph. 6:1-3

Ephesians 6:1–3 ESV

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

When you honor your father and mother you are blessed, when you don’t it doesn't go well.

Application:

Let me ask you, does America honor her fathers? Do you see America doing that? I was taught.. Is that taught? Do we know the Christian underpinnings of our nation?

What can you do.

Parents and grandparents, you must model and teach this commandment in your home.

Listen to the text

Deuteronomy 6:4–9 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

To love America us must teach about God to your family. To teach about what God has done in our land!

You teach them to honor thy father and mother, you teach them the stories of them, why they are to be honored.

Jesus gave us our home, God our father is the giver of good gifts, we must not spur him. We must obey him, one way to to seek the good of your nations The Bible says this:

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

So we are to honor and pray for our country, our leaders, and we as the people who are the government “for the people, by the people” are to be knowledgeable and active in interceding for our land.

My personal application: I’m reading Sacred Fire about Washington,

Hillsdale college has put out many great free videos on you tube about the Christian history and founding of America.

You could watch some good American Christian movies, like the Patriot, Hacksaw ridge (both violent btw, war films) I’m going to set up a trip to see Young Washington in July.

I pray for our leaders when I can.

This is key “I HAVE SENT YOU INTO”

I want to start with this. The point of today is not about America, it’s about what Jesus is calling us to do with America. We are seeking his will with what he wants for our land. Nations come and go, but Jesus is forever. A nation that doesn’t obey his will, will fail.

We must bless and obey our God.

I want to be clear while I truly love America, she cannot save you, only Jesus can. Jesus is the king of kings and the Lord of Lord’s he has a will for everyone and every nation.

HE has appointed their borders, their lifespans, and even their leaders as a blessing our curse to the people their.

So for you today...

You are here for a reason. God made you for this momment, for this day. Jesus gave you a mission for now. For me I am a missionary to Americans, and as I read the text we all are, whether you’re sharing the gospel or making a place in which it can be shared comfortably and easily.

So while today’s message is going to be largely applicational you have to know, none of this works unless you believe in Jesus. You can’t have the outcomes of the faith without the source.

You can only fake it for so long, Jesus will not take fake obedience, he demands all of you.

What can we do on behalf of America?

Let’s break down our verse we just looked at Jer. 29:7

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Now this was given to the jews because of their disobedience an them being sent into exile. God was telling them what to do and at the same time that means he is with them there.

If you look a few verse down, you’ll see one of the most famous verses in the Bible

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Let’s break down our verse

1) Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV) But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,

How to seek the Welfare

Pastor Warren Weirsbe said this

Be Decisive Chapter Eight: Facing Truth and Fighting Lies (Jeremiah 25–29)

It would be easy for the Jews to wage constant warfare against their idolatrous Gentile captors, but Jeremiah instructed them to strive to get along with the Babylonians. The exiles were to be peacemakers, not troublemakers, and they were to pray sincerely for their enemies (

Now the idea of welfare or some have the word peace, peace is a blessing of the covenant promises God made with the Jews.

We New Covenant Christians have a completed peace because of Jesus. Peace doesn’t just mean the end of conflict, it means a place of God’s dwelling and blessing.

Application for Seeking the Welfare:

When we seek the welfare we are to be promoters of goodness and justice in our land, in our home, and in our churches.

Here is a method God give us

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 ESV

11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

So Christians are to live in a way that doesn’t create drama, maybe you remember America would shut down around 7/8 every day when you were a kid. Sundays everything would be closed.

Work with your hands - become un-cancelable . Do this by being your own boss, not letting the pagans have say over your income.

Found businesses that you can hire other Christians, that doesn’t mean let others walk all over you, but you found companies to do good work as Christians.

When you do that you help America, you increase GDP and do good locally.

Christian employers create jobs that allow families to form, families can teach their children about Jesus and so on. (you can see this problem today in how companies operate.)

If you’re in law you promote justice and even balances or in government your goal is to make America quiet at night, promote peace, throw bad guys into jail, establish order (same for you homes)

Pray for the Lord on it’s Behalf

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

We are called to pray for the nation.

1 Timothy 2:1–2 ESV

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

We don’t have an earthly king, (Jesus is the king of America) so we take the principal and we pray for our elected leaders, military , and safety personal.

This is the jobs of the leaders

Isaiah 49:23 ESV

23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”

The leaders job is to create a place in which the family can flourish (This applies to you to mom and dad)

They are to parent us so as to point us to the one that can save us. Government can’t save, but it can point you to the one who can.

LEt me put it another way.

We teach the Westminster short catechism to our kids and the first question is this

The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (2015 Edition) The Westminster Shorter Catechism

1. What is the chief end of man?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

Uncle Sam’s chief end is to glorify God, so that you might enjoy him forever.

The government is to promote what’s good, Jesus is good, so government must promote him.

We must pray for our leaders to promote good so the gospel can go forth, so families can be formed, so peace and order would flow in our land, that we would prosper.

For in it’s welfare is your welfare

Jeremiah 29:7 ESV

7for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

When America, prospers because of your prayer, your prosper. I want you to look down our page

Jeremiah 29:10–14 ESV

10 .... I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

(Preaching Note: Break this down generally)

(Preaching Note: Give the gospel using the end of Exile as the hook)

Benediction

Say: As we close our service of worship dear brother and sister please stand for our benediction and receive by faith this blessing from God

Jude 24–25 ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.