CELEBRATING AMERICA'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY

It’s so good to be back with you this morning after two weeks away with my wife on vacation. I want to give a special thanks to Pastor Cam who did an excellent job filling the pulpit for the past two Sundays. I think most of us know Cam spoke about suffering from a place of painful experience, making his words much more meaningful. And after all, Paul’s words to us from II Corinthians 12 were also born of his suffering. So, thank you, Cam.

I trust you and your family/friends had a good day yesterday celebrating a rather momentous July 4th, Independence Day – our 250th Anniversary as a nation. I remember once being at a Pastors’ conference – and it happened to be over the Fourth of July. In fact, the speaker on the fourth was British theologian Os Guinness. He stood up and said, I can’t for the life of me understand why you’d have me, a Brit, speak on July 4. We celebrate it, too – we call it Good Riddance Day.

250 years is significant, so I’m going to do something I’ve never done in forty-plus years of ministry. I’m going to take a one-week break from our current verse-by-verse study in Luke for this Independence Day to address us – not our nation – us, as citizens of this nation. If that’s not your thing, come back next week to join us in Luke. And if this makes you irritated, well, one time in forty years is a pretty good track record. Now, I don’t intend this to be a red, white and blue Sunday. We are not here to worship America. Nor do I intend it to be political – that’s not my purpose. You see, we are Christians first – citizens of another country. But we are also privileged to be citizens of this country.

And so, I believe it’s an appropriate time on this special weekend for (listen to these words) national remembrance, celebration, gratitude, reflection, and perhaps repentance. Now, when I say repentance, I’m certainly talking about the church and its need to repent of any sin, but especially sinful, so-called, progressivism. Our nation has almost wholesale embraced such progressivism, but the truth is, it is regressivism as we start embracing what the Bible prohibits, even condemns. But our progressive culture has infiltrated the church, and so many therefore embrace sinful attitudes and actions in the name of love and acceptance, but in doing so has disregarded, thrown out the Word of God. I will not conform to this world – my mind is held captive by the Word of God – thank you, Luther. So yes, I’m talking about repentance for the church, but as it relates to the nation, such repentance is found in the gospel. I’ll come back to that as we close. But let me just say it now – the gospel is the singular solution for what ails our country. It always has been the answer.

Again, to be clear, while we are on livestream, I’m not addressing our governing authorities nor the general population outside this church. I’m speaking to us as followers of Jesus Christ. I decided to do this because the next big celebration I suppose will be our 300th anniversary, and I doubt I’ll be around to preach that day, and my prayerful and serious hope is that there will be a nation around to celebrate that day.

I love this country. Yes, I love the kingdom of God and the church of Jesus Christ more; but, I love this country. And any currently popular trend to throw this albeit flawed nation under the bus is inappropriate, uncalled for. Just as the church is not the building but its people, so also a nation is not necessarily its land, its location, but its people. And so, like every nation of all time made of people, yes, we have our flaws, some egregious ones. We are an imperfect nation, and always have been, but we are a richly blessed nation. Depending on how it is measured, the United States is clearly one of the longest modern democratic republics in history, if not the longest. For this, we should celebrate as it has brought its people unparalleled freedoms and prosperity.

Now, as I mentioned, Tana and I were away on vacation and had the opportunity to visit England and Scotland. We’d never been there; it’s been on our personal bucket list. We were able to visit several English/Scottish Reformation sites such as London, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and of course St. Andrews – after all, biblically speaking, I am St. Andrews and don’t even have to wait for the Catholic Church to canonize me. Jesus already has, by His work. He’s already made me a saint. And you, too, if you know Him.

It was an amazing trip – beautiful castles and cathedrals older than this nation. We took four guided tours in those aforementioned cities. One thing we noticed was a lack of present-day evangelical churches. Further, as our guides gave the history of such sites, there was a general ignorance, or at least a willful ignoring of spiritual or church history. (St. Giles, Edinburgh, John Knox) Oh, to be sure, the guides almost all mentioned Henry VIII and his six wives and that England and Scotland became Protestant under Henry because of the Act of Supremacy in 1534. Actually, not exactly. Henry was a staunch Catholic and simply wanted a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, but couldn’t get one from Pope Clement VII. So, he simply declared himself head of the church in England and granted himself the needed annulment.

Yes, I know it’s a bit more involved than that, and I know they separated from Rome at that time, but they didn’t really become Protestant until much later (under such Reformers as Thomas Bilney, William Tindale, Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer in England, who were all burned at the stake. In Scotland, there was John Knox, his mentor George Wishart, and young Patick Hamilton (24) – the latter two also burned at the stake in St. Andrews. God brought about the Protestant Reformation through them and others – not necessarily through the monarchies.

What’s my point? I don’t want us to be unknowingly or willfully ignorant of our Christian heritage, because it is important for this 250th Anniversary. It should rightly produce in us as followers of Jesus much celebration and gratitude. It should also, as we remember and reflect, produce much-needed repentance and a renewed passion and urgency for the gospel of Jesus Christ – because He is the singular solution to our personal and national flaws, failings imperfections, sins.

You see, despite revisionist rewriting of history, despite the blight on our country called slavery, this nation was founded largely on Christian and biblical principles and the Judeo-Christian ethic. I’ll stop short of saying this was founded as a Christian nation, but there were strong biblical influences. Many of our founding fathers, I know, were not Christian – but many in fact were. And their attempts to build this country on such Christian principles should cause much thankfulness. It is, I believe, one of the reasons for our rather quick, stunning, and heretofore, national and international successes.

Foundationally then, consider the words of the Declaration of Independence, which was unanimously adopted on July 4, 1776, at the Second Continental Congress at Independence Hall in Philadelphia: all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights – that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There was a general understanding of God, and a general understanding that the Christian God of the Bible was the true God and led this fledgling nation. We must not forget. No, we’re not God’s chosen nation like Israel, but God has blessed this nation for His purposes.

And so, some 11 years later, after 1776, this new nation after the end of the Revolutionary War in 1781 and the Treaty of Paris 1783, met again – same place at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall to replace what had been the weak Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1781. That gathering was called the Constitutional Convention, which in a few short months produced an enduring document called the Constitution of the United States. You may remember that was the time when one day, as Benjamin Franklin departed the hall, a lady asked him, “Sir, what kind of government do we have?” Franklin responded, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” You look at the current vehemence and almost violence between our two primary parties, the introduction of democratic socialism which is an oxymoron, and you wonder, can we keep it.

Well, having received the Constitution, of course, the newly-formed states would never ratify it without promise of a forthcoming Bill of Rights, which were soon produced by 1791, the first of which gives us, among other things, freedom of religion – the freedom to both worship freely today, and evangelize tomorrow without fear of repercussion. But, with that future promise of the Bill of Rights, as required by the new Constitution, the Constitution was ratified by nine of the thirteen states and was adopted by 1789. The first was Delaware, the ninth was New Hampshire. By the way, NC was not one of them – it was the 12th state to join the Union in 1791. Among the now newly-constituted nation’s first actions was to elect George Washington as this country’s first President – a committed follower of Jesus Christ. If you walk into the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C., you find first a large painting of then General Washington kneeling in the snow and bowing in prayer at Valley Forge. He was followed by John Adams, our second president, an equally committed believer.

I know, this is not a US or even English history class. But I want us to remember what was rightly celebrated yesterday. We undoubtedly have a strong Christian heritage that has carried us through, which gave us, as Christ followers, great cause for celebration yesterday. I don’t want us to forget that – I want us to remember. There is cause – not simply because of national wealth, international power/ leadership, personal wealth – no, I’m talking about this nation’s amazing foundational commitment to the kingdom of Christ – with many believer citizens leading to unparalleled strong and faithful churches and a missionary effort reaching around the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has blessed us – not because we have the right constitution with the right form of government, although that has been helpful under His guidance, not because we are politically and militarily strong – but because as a nation we have largely and historically been committed to the true and living God. While definitively applied to Israel, in principle, it is true, blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

So, it is appropriate that we remember. It is appropriate that we celebrate. Our second President John Adams said of celebrating July 4 (July 2) in a letter to his wife Abigail, “I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” It is good that we celebrate, beginning with praise to God for what He has graciously done in and for this country. Not because of who we are, but who He is.

Further, it is also appropriate that such remembrance and celebration should lead us to gratitude. I had a good conversation with one our elders, Todd Chasteen, VP of Public Policy and Chief Legal Counsel at SP, a lawyer who has attended many Supreme Court proceedings; a man who has a brilliant understanding of our Constitution – I spoke with him about this talk today – it’s not a sermon – but this talk. And as I asked him about what this specific July 4th Anniversary should bring – his immediate response was gratitude. Gratitude for what God has done.

You see, gratitude, thankfulness, is often found in getting something extra – I could say it like this – getting what we don’t deserve. Getting what we deserve – that’s doesn’t produce gratitude – we earned it – it’s called payment – wages. But getting what we don’t deserve should produce gratitude. In the Christian world, we call that grace. God has richly and graciously, undeservedly, blessed this nation.

It should breed in us, hearts of deep gratitude. In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:18). Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God (Ephesians 5:20). Gratitude ought to characterize followers of Jesus Christ, especially yesterday, for our country and His benevolent, abundant, undeserved grace toward us. Unless, of course, we think we deserve it, we’re entitled to it.

You see, as I thought about that, it seems to me the enemies of gratitude are discontent, pride, and entitlement – especially as it relates to gratitude for this country. What do I mean? Well, Paul commands us to be content whatever the circumstances – in want or in plenty. And largely – not exhaustively – but largely, we have lived in plenty in this nation. Which should breed an easy contentment. But how often have we or people we know been discontent, because we always want, what? Just a little more than what we have. Discontent in an enemy of gratitude.

But so is pride. What do I mean by that? We arrogantly think that we are responsible for our abundant blessings. That we have achieved our successes by our hard work and toil. That what we have been graciously given is the work of our hands. We fail to see the gracious gifts of God toward us. Certainly, we have worked hard, but God is under no obligation to reward sinful humanity. We’ll see that next week when we get back to Luke.

I’m reminded of both Nebuchadnezzar in the OT and Herod in the New. Nebuchadnezzar had been warned by Daniel about his pride. Daniel said to him, “Therefore, O king, may my advice be pleasing to you: break away now from your sins by doing righteousness and from your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor, in case there may be a prolonging of your prosperity.” Wow, if there was ever a word for this foreign country, it is that. God, help us break away from our sins and iniquities; help us to be righteous and show mercy.

And yet, about a year later, Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the rooftop of his palace overlooking Babylon and all its splendor. The king reflected and said, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” Really? We read the words were still in his mouth when God judged him – sovereignty was removed from him and he was driven away from the city to live as a wild beast, feeding on grass – crazy for a period of seven years. It’s interesting to note at the end of those seven years, his wits returned, and he knew what he had done. And we read these words:

34 “But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
35 “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
36 “At that time my reason returned to me. And my majesty and splendor were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom, and my counselors and my nobles began seeking me out; so I was reestablished in my sovereignty, and surpassing greatness was added to me.
37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

May we, as a people, and our governmental leaders, recognize that we are who we are by the grace of God. He raises leaders and governments up, and He takes them down – for His glory and His majesty. I fear we have forgotten that as a nation – may we not do so as a church, a fellowship of believers who have received grace upon grace. May such truth – even a celebration like yesterday, humble us.

You may also remember the story of a very proud Herod Antipas in Acts 12. Herod had begun mistreating the church – killed James, the brother or John, with the sword. When he saw it pleased the people, he arrested and imprisoned Peter also, seeking to do the same. That’s the story where the angel miraculously delivers Peter. But a little later, Herod found himself in the same position and attitude of Nebuchadnezzar. We read these words:

21 On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.
22 The people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”
23 And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.
Listen, from the one who sits in the White House to the one who mows its lawn, my we be a people of humility and recognize that God is the one who has blessed our nation. He could just as easily blow it away to the pages of history. Yesterday morning, before coming to the office to finish up for today, I opened Fox News, and this lead story appeared, “American Pride.” May we remember and learn from two former leaders – Nebuchadnezzar and Herod.

Discontent, pride, and third, entitlement. This is a huge one for our culture. Entitlement is defined as “an unjustified belief that one inherently deserves special treatment or unearned advantages over others.” We believe we are entitled to certain benefits because of who we are; I’ve been spoiled by living in a prosperous nation and have begun to think I deserve, I’m entitled to all its benefits. I deserve it – whatever it is. It destroys our humility because it is self-focused; it robs us of contentment. It eliminates our gratitude, because we think we earned it; we are entitled, we deserve it.

My brothers and sisters, coming face to face with the majesty of God in the face of Christ ought to humble us and produce gratitude – especially when we remember He who was rich became poor, so that we who are poor may become rich.

Which brings us to our last words of the morning – reflection and repentance. If this remembrance and celebration do not produce gratitude, there is a place for personal reflection and examination which may lead to personal repentance. Why can I not celebrate what God has done and is doing? Am I unwilfully or willfully ignorant of God and all His undeserved benefits of grace? Listen, per John Adams, did you engage in solemn acts of devotion to Almighty God yesterday, or did we proudly sit back and think, my, what a great nation we have built?

Let me finish with this. Yes, there is a place for personal and ongoing repentance in the church. But there is also a place for national repentance – that is, repentance outside the church. Today is not the day to highlight our nation’s failings and sins, which are many. We kill children in the womb; we celebrate sexual sin; we’ve redefined marriage; we’ve even redefined and ignored basic biology; we’ve legalized recreational drugs; on and on the list goes. And we think we’re progressive – but we have regressed terribly.

I kind of doubt there were hordes of people kneeling and bowing before the sovereign God of the universe who has blessed this nation. So how do we fix that? How do we as believers oppose that, change that? Yes, there is a place for righteous political activism. Further, there is place for committed believers to enter the public square, in business, in medicine, in education, in politics.

But those efforts, while helpful, will not bring change. That repentance will come one way – through the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, I’ve said this before, but it’s possible, even likely, that our relative prosperity has been a hindrance to national repentance leading to righteousness leading to true spiritual prosperity. Who needs it when I have most of what I need and even some of what I want.

I further believe there is a sense in which such prosperity makes evangelism challenging in our country. But like the rich man who ended up in torment in Hades, they need to know the good news of Jesus Christ. If not, they truly are living their best life now. Given our political First Amendment rights and our biblical mandate, we can and must share the good news of Jesus. God’s Word compels us to do so. II Corinthians 5:

14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died;
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

And that reconciliation is Spirit-wrought change from the inside out – not the other way around. Meaning, we cannot legislate morality and expect it to bring change. We cannot, in our best efforts, bring change to this nation and cease it progressive, downward slide. It begins and ends with the Spirit granting new life leading to repentance and faith. And God has left us the responsibility of sharing that incredibly, indispensably good news.