Thinking Biblically About Our Patriotism
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It is good to celebrate America.
It is good to celebrate America.
It shows our thankfulness to God for our country and rulers.
It shows our thankfulness to God for our country and rulers.
America is broken and sinful, but we still live in a great nation.
We still enjoy freedoms that many others don’t.
We need to continuously thank God for what He has given us and WHO He has given us!
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Pray for and GIVE THANKS for who!?!?!?
FOR KINGS - an effectual term for those who accused Christians of disaffection to ruling powers.
7 Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king—Jesus.”
We will be accused of the same thing. Don’t let it be true!
No matter how hard it is we need to be thankful for those who are ruling over us.
Paul was writing about a government that was against the church.
It is vitally important that we are thankful and show our thankfulness.
Celebrating our country is part of that.
It is part of being a good neighbor.
It is part of being a good neighbor.
31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
We know we are to love our neighbor.
We are learning the depth of that love.
We are to study them and learn them so we can care about what they care about.
A good neighbor - even a foreign neighbor - cares about what is important to the land he lives in.
Independence Day is a big deal in the land we live in!
We would expect a foreign missionary to participate in whatever is important in the country he lives in.
This is no different.
Putting the flags along the sidewalk is being a good neighbor.
It is caring about what our community cares about.
It is good care about this country but don’t forget where home is.
It is good care about this country but don’t forget where home is.
This should bring perspective and comfort.
13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.
17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18 For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Our citizenship is in HEAVEN.
Our community
Our form of government and laws we live by
Our homeland!
This place is not ours - our home country - the country or kingdom that REALLY matter is in Heaven.
And things are NOT falling apart!
Things are well in hand.
They have been and will be for all eternity.
Soon we will be back there!
So why do we really care what happens here?
Why do we get so wrapped up in what a government or society we don’t even belong to is doing?
2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Set your heart - your affections...
The things you worry about.
The things that are important to you.
The things you think about constantly.
Those things should NOT be about this world but about the Kingdom of God!
Why?
We are dead to the world (vs 3) is our life!
Unfortunately our lives too easily become about this world.
Sure we are standing for good things, but we are not putting importance on the things Christ puts importance on!
When I realize my hope is not in...
This country.
Or those who are in charge of it,
It changes everything.
I may be aware of what is going on but I don’t worry about it. This isn’t my home. I’m just living here for a little while.
And by the way I am living here because my King sent me on a mission!
I’m not here for me.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
An ambassador is one who is sent by a king or leader to represent a kingdom or country.
We we are here on a mission from our King.
Christ sent ambassadors are sent all over the world.
Some to free countries and some to closed countries.
Be thankful you were sent to this one!
It is good to be thankful for this country but be careful how you think about freedom.
It is good to be thankful for this country but be careful how you think about freedom.
Our freedom was given to us by men, not God.
Our freedom was given to us by men, not God.
Show me where freedom is a God given right?
Even religious freedom...
The Bible doesn’t say that.
Rather, Jesus says count the cost.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Opposition is promised. Not freedoms.
Christianity is not national, it is universal.
The church is not national, it is universal.
Christ does not need freedom to build His church.
Our freedom was given to us by the men and women who fought for it and preserved by the constitution of the United States.
Our freedom is a privilege God has allowed us to have!
This should cause us to be even more thankful for those who sacrificed to give us our freedoms.
Our freedom is less valuable than souls in God’s economy.
Our freedom is less valuable than souls in God’s economy.
Let’s look at Paul’s example.
1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Do we have no right to eat and drink? 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?
What about my rights or my freedom??
19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
Paul made a practice of giving up his freedom more than fighting for it!
It is ok to do what we can to preserve the freedoms God has allowed us to enjoy, but never at the cost of a soul.
Never when we put it about our ambassadorship.
We are not representing ourselves.
We are representing our King!
Let’s represent Him well.
It is ok to enjoy days like today. But as you do, thank the Lord that He sent you to a country like this.
Don’t get caught up in the problems of this country. One day your ambassadorship with be completed and the King will bring you home!
The real question is:
What have you done with the freedoms God has allowed you to enjoy?
What will you do with the freedoms God has allowed you to enjoy?