God Bless America
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Intro: As we celebrate July 4th, Independence Day for America, I want to remind you of the freedoms and liberties we are afforded, but also of their original purposes.
Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence from Great Britain.
But before the Declaration of Independence, history reveals our godly heritage. A ship filled with adventurous but desperate religious pilgrims left a land where they were persecuted to find a land where they were free to worship God. The Christian church was at the center of every new settlement in this new land.
Of the men who signed our Constitution, most were Christians. Our democracy was founded on Christian principles interwoven with biblical-centered interpretations of moral justice, God-given rights, and abundant opportunities.
Unfortunately, Independence Day has taken on a new meaning in America. It is still a day celebrating the liberties and freedoms we enjoy in this great land, but it has become a day where many Americans celebrate their liberty to be independent from God and to run down the founding fathers of this great nation and its intended purpose. In doing so, we have watched this great land become the cesspool of society.
Today I want to remind us of how blessed America was and can be again if we turn back to God!
Text; Psalm 33:12
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
The writer of this Psalm is thanking God that He has revealed Himself to Israel, called them His own and that he part of this chosen nation. This scripture is definitely ascribed to Israel alone.
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
6 And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
But the word nation is important and needs to be defined.
Nation- a large body of people united by a common descent [nationality], history, culture or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory.
34 Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Therefore, this blessing [Ps. 33:12] can be applied to any nation who chooses to acknowledge the Lord as their God. Any nation that places itself under the Lord’s authority and governs by His commands will be blessed. America was once that nation and in hopes that it can be that way again.
1. Freedoms We Possess in America;
1. Freedoms We Possess in America;
Preamble to the Declaration of Independence; We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Freedom- not under the control or in the power of another; able to act or do as one wishes:
The freedom to know truth and follow truth!
John 8:31–32 (NKJV)
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Truth sets one free from sin
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.
18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
Truth emboldens one to follow/serve
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;
20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;
21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;
22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
This is known as “freedom of religion” and we have the right under God and in our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to practice this freedom without interference from any individual or the government.
Christians who have a fear of a lawsuit have a greater fear of men than they do of God!
All Americans have the freedom to know Christ [truth] and to follow/serve Him!
2. Liberties We have in America;
2. Liberties We have in America;
Liberty- the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, religious or political views: the power or scope to act as one pleases.
In America you can act like a fool if you want too [personally/politically], or you can choose to know truth and use your liberties in Christ/America to make the place we live blessed by God and better for all!
Let me share with you some scriptures about “liberty”
Luke 4:18–19 (NKJV)
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
Jesus’ mission was to come to His people and declare the Kingdom of God was at hand. Their Messiah was come. We hold these same liberties today as christians!
Those who have trusted Christ as Savior are rich in His mercy, whole in heart, free from sin, can now see the light and liberated from our burdens in Him!
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
No longer do I wonder in darkness of sin, nor am I blinded by the god of this age. I have been set free from the power of sin in Christ and I have the liberty to share Him with others. No one can take either from me!
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
The liberty I have in Christ is not to be used for the sin of the flesh. God’s grace was not given for me to abound more in sin. I am to stand firm in the liberty of faith and not to return to my old ways. No one can make me return to my previous ways of life nor force me to denounce Christ and sin against Him.
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
My salvation in Christ is not just for me alone, but for others. I have the God given right and responsibility to serve others in love regardless of what anybody else does or does not do. Serving others in love is serving others with love [attitude].
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
We should never use our liberty in Christ to demean others whether they are in the faith or not. [I get aggravated with people but I’ve had to learn to try and hold my tongue, and defend my faith and not argue it]
25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
The word of God is like a window to our soul. As we look into the word we see who we were before Christ but also who we have become in Christ. This liberty we have in Christ should compel us to be active in the ministry of the gospel knowing the judgment to come but also the freedom men can have in the truth of Christ!
11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
The liberty I have in Christ is not for me to judge others in their sin but to extend the mercy of God that was extended to me in Christ! And if I am not willing to extend God’s mercy, then I need to check and see if I am in it to start with!
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Close;
In Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s “Treasury of David” concerning the Psalms, there is a story credited to Edward Calamy about a young boy who was at sea during a dangerous storm. The passengers were frightened and at their wits’ end, but he was not disturbed at all. In fact, he was even cheerful. The others asked how he could be cheerful when they seemed in danger of losing their lives. He replied that the pilot of the ship was his father, and he knew his father would take care of him.
America is not the same that it was when it was founded over 200 years ago. Matter of fact it is an America that our founding fathers would not even recognize. It’s an America that some of you sitting here this morning don’t recognize anymore!
But I believe America is a nation that God blessed in its inception and still cares for because of the remnant of the church that is still fighting the good fight of faith.
How do I know this?
22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
My hope is, that the church, go to our death defending the freedoms and liberties God has given this great land! All for His Glory!
God Bless America!!!