I want to speak a message this morning that I've looked forward to all year entitled, "Freedom, responsibility and courage". This nation was founded upon the wisdom of God that was given to our founding fathers, and the principles that made this nation great were taken from the word of God. No matter how you try to separate America from God, you will never have a union or a republic that will work because it was founded upon those principles. Many of our founding fathers made sure that it was the very fabric of the nation so that this nation would never forget who made this nation great and neither should we. I want to talk about 3 principles this morning to help make our country and us as Christians so powerful.
Galatians 5:1 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery".
Father, we thank you this morning for your word. We thank you for how you strengthen us and for how you cause us to be strong in you. Lord God, we thank you that we are Americans but as we sit in this church we thank you above all that we are Christians. Lord, may your word have its effect, may you increase and may we decrease, in Jesus name, amen.
I believe we live in the greatest nation in all the world. Of all places, I believe it is the most special. It is not the greatest government that has ever been formed, that would be the Kingdom of God, but it is the greatest human endeavor that has ever been undertaken to establish a nation in this world. I love America and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in this world; not Australia, Canada or Britain, not anywhere. I thank God that we have the privilege of being free and living in a place whose founding fathers made sure that it would endure over generations.
There are 3 words that define what we have built our nation on and they are freedom, responsibility and courage. Three hallmarks of the Christian life that became part of the fabric of this country. This is why I believe that our nation is the greatest earthly government that has ever been established. As Christians I want to remind us this morning that we are citizens of both the Kingdom of God and whatever nation that we live in, and we are to be model citizens of both of them. We should be great citizens of the Kingdom of God and great Americans. Not all of our founding fathers were Godly men and not all of them believed the Bible as it was written but they did use Biblical principles to establish this nation. I want to say this, it worked. Any nation that will use the word of God as its founding document will work.
Psalms 33:12 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord", and we have been blessed. This nation has been blessed among all nations of the earth throughout all the history of the world; there's been none like it. But we must make sure that the God of this nation is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved. Although we have made it a freedom in this nation to worship however we wish, there is only one God and His name is Jehovah and he had a son named Jesus who gave His life for us. Jesus set us free so that we could live free, so that we could have the freedom to live and so we're not a slave to sin or to anybody. God has set us free. This nation, if it wishes to remain free must know Christ as its Lord and Savior because he whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
Freedom we know is anything but free. Our freedom came at a great spiritual price; the death and resurrection of God's own son, Jesus Christ, upon the cross was that which made every man in this world have the ability to live free and all he must do is accept Christ as his Savior.
Easter is the Christian's 4th of July. I thank God that just as we celebrate this Independence Day, those of us who know Christ as our Savior are able to celebrate Him as well. Our American freedom has come at a great price and I'm afraid that many in our generation have forgotten the great price that it took to make this great nation. Throughout American history there have been over 1,312,593 and counting men and women who have given their life in service to this country. In the Revolutionary War 25,000 gave their life so that this nation could be founded. In the War of 1812, there were 20000; In the Mexican American War 13,283; In the Civil War 623,026; In the Spanish American War 2,446; In the Phillipine War 4,196; World War One 116,708; World War Two 407,316; In the Korean War 36,914; In the Vietnam War 58,169; In Beirut 266; the Persian Gulf War 269; In Afghanistan over 700 plus have given their life; in the service of our nation in Iraq over 4,300 and counting have given their life for our nation.
How many today are thankful for those men and women who have offered their life for the service of this country so that we can live free? Men and women who believe that the American experiment is no longer an experiment but a success that has worked and has impacted the world. Not only is it because of these people who gave their life that allowed Americans and every one of us to worship like we do but it has been their efforts that has also enabled us to keep sending missionaries around the world and throughout our country so that souls could be saved. Those statistics do not even include the lives given by those who serve us in the police force, the Fire department, the FBI and CIA, the Coast Guard, ATF, U.S. Marshalls or the Secret Service. This nation has a great history of people who have worked hard to preserve our freedom.
Personal responsibility is at the heart of all true freedom. Jesus took responsibility for His creation and for all men by going to the cross and giving his life as a sacrifice for our sins. He said ?Someone has to stand up; I made them, I love them and I will give my life for them'. 2nd Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him". I want to remind us today that not only did Jesus take responsibility and give His life but because of His sacrifice we are free and we live free now. Our founding fathers stood up and said that we believe that this nation is worth fighting for so that we could be free; Men that we know, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and many more.
It is now up to us to take responsibility to maintain our freedom both in the spiritual and in the natural, both in our nation and in our own personal lives. The principles of the Word of God are the hope of every person and they are the hope of this nation. Believe them and take responsibility for what we know and we will live free spiritually and in the natural of our life. Taking responsibility for our actions is the only way to observe our freedom. It has been because of the preaching of the Word of God that throughout this nation the great milestones of history have taken place; because people believed this word and they took it to heart. It was this Word that was preached that men could be free that challenged men to die for this country. It was this Word being preached that stirred the leaders of our nation to go into the Civil War so that every man could live free.
It was the preaching of the Word of God that sent revival throughout this nation, crime was put down and the Industrial revolution came into being. We became the most prosperous nation in the whole world because of the hard work, responsibility and ingenuity of Americans; because they gave their life to the Lord. A poor understanding of freedom and liberty leads to the loss of rights and will lead to the final result of being a slave of one type or another. Christian, we must be responsible for our behavior and our life before the Lord. As Americans we must be responsible for the decisions we make to govern this nation. It doesn't matter if you're Republican or Democrat, we can look around our nation and see that we've been irresponsible. If we are not careful we will lose our freedom as a nation. I've hoped that our voices will speak up no matter what party you belong to, we are a brotherhood of Americans and we are believers who know the Word of God. We must be responsible for our behavior and the choices that we make and only then will we live free. If we don't, we will not be a free nation anymore.
Galatians 5:1, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery". I want to speak to you as a person who has been touched by the Word of God, it is up to you to live a life that is pure and holy before God so that you don't allow the enemy to bind you up again in the slavery of sin. It is up to us as Americans to stand firm on what has made this nation great so that we do not go backward but continue to live as a free nation, prosperous and able because of the choices we make.
Romans 6:6 says, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin". Eugene Hoffman, who was the CEO of Exxon Mobil said, "There is a pricetag on human liberty, that price is the willingness to assume the responsibilities of being free men. Payment of this price is a personal matter with each of us. It's not something we can get others to pay for us, to let others carry the responsibilities of freedom and work and worry that accompanies them, while we share only in the benefits may be a very human impulse but it is likely to be fatal".
1st Corinthians 6:12 says, "Everything is permissable for me but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissable for me but I will not be mastered by anything". Personal responsibility is at the heart of personal holiness. Personal responsibility is at the heart of truly living free by making choices of what we allow to come into our life and what we choose to live for. If we are going to live the holy life, that means this, today I will live clean and pure before a holy God who has made me to be free because He gave his all so that I may be free of sin. Personal responsibility is the patriotic duty of every American that we would life in a way that has helped make this nation great.
Freedom carries great responsibility because what we do affects other people. We come in contact with people all the time and what we do with our life makes a difference. Oscar Sanchez said, "The more freedom we enjoy, the greater responsibility we bear towards others as well as our own selves". What we do with our life affects those around us. Christian, I want to remind you that this nation became great because we turned our hearts to God. It was the heart of those who believed in the Lord that helped change the heart of this nation. We must remember that as Christians today and we must live for Jesus. We will not have revival in this nation unless the people of God desire it and long for the presence of God more than anything else and that is up to you and I.
Galatians 5:13,15 says, "You brethren have been called to liberty, only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another". Abraham Lincoln quoted the Word of God when he said, "A house divided cannot stand". Our actions, words and attitudes have a profound effect on others; we must submit to God both as Christians and as Americans so that this nation may be impacted in a positive way.
In America we've been granted many freedoms; freedom of speech being front and center. We have grown to appreciate the responsibilities of things like second hand smoke. We have banned smoking in many places because we understand that even though you have the right to do it in your place doesn't mean that you have the right to do it in my face. It means that the music we play, the shows we make and put on the air, the life that we lead, we must take responsibility for it. I don't believe in more government regulation but in self regulation, which is personal responsibility. What we do not only affects this generation but also the generation that is following us and if we are not careful in what we do we will ruin the next generation.
Matthew 18:6-7 says, "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses, for offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offenses come". May we be a people that know how to govern ourself so that the responsibility we take in our own life will make a difference in the lives around us. We only need more government when people abandon the privilege to govern themselves. Responsibility means I am free to live my life but I am accountable to God for that life and to others for the freedom in which I live.
Freedom also takes courage. Many of our founding fathers gave their everything or risked everything for the vision of the great American dream. I could begin to list the men whose houses were burned down, whose wives and children were executed because they signed the Declaration of Independence. Those men who put everything on the line and lost fortunes because they were in business with the British government and the moment they signed it they lost all their contracts. But there is no one more courageous than Jesus Christ. He showed more courage, more bravery, more guts than anyone in all of creation. It took courage to go to the cross and give His life for every man, woman and child on the face of this world. It took courage to found this nation and it will take courage to keep this nation.
It will take courage as Christians and it will take courage as Americans to see that the great American dream doesn't become the great world nightmare. We must live holy lives and take responsibility for our choices both as individuals and as a nation. If those in leadership won't take responsibility then we have the great privilege to vote them out and put other people in. It will make a difference. It took courage to face a revolution and to face down the world's only superpower that existed at that time. Did you ever think that just a few thousand men and women would be able to stare down the greatest superpower that ever lived? It took courage to put an end to slavery and to create civil rights in America.
It took courage to stand up for women suffrage so that women weren't 2nd class citizens anymore but had the right to vote and had the right to live just as free as any man in the world. It took courage to face down the Nazi's and say "No more", that you have awakened a sleeping giant and we will make sure that freedom is not taken away not only from America but around the world. We have done great things in the history of our nation and Christians in America have stood up for God since the inception of our nation. We must continue to live for God in an increasingly godless culture so that we remain free.
We say that this is one nation under God and when we say that we understand what we're talking about. We are talking about the Lord God Jehovah; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is that same God of America. As Christians we must stand up bravely and continue to speak into this world if we want to remain free. People today will debate whether we are a Christian nation or a pagan nation. I don't care what definition you use, we still need Jesus in this nation. People need the Lord in this country; He is the hope of America and He is the hope of glory. May we never lose sight of that. I pray that we will always be patriotic Americans but first and foremost we are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Our job is to populate heaven and to plunder hell for the glory of God then we will see that in America and we need to see that throughout this world.
It takes courage to stand up for what's right and true. 1st Corinthians 16:13 says, "Watch, stand fast, be brave, be strong". These are 4 commands that are given to the believer. Watch, look around you, be aware of what's going on, not only in your own life but in the nation that you live. Stand fast in the hope that you have in Jesus Christ. How many today know that He is your Savior and your Lord and you're glad that He belongs to you and you belong to Him? Stand fast in it. Our culture will stand and is now saying that we can live any way that we want. The truth is that in America we have that freedom; you can make any decision or any choice that you desire, but there's still only one way to the Father.
The Bible says to be brave and be strong. It takes no courage to blend in with the culture but the courageous will follow Christ. It takes bravery today to stand up and say, "I believe what the Word of God says". In a nation that proclaims its tolerance it has become strongly intolerant to those who helped to found it and make it great. But I am not so much worried about the slight of people not worrying about whether they're going to offend me, I am still going to stand up for who God is and speak His Word whether they believe it or not, because it is that Word that makes us free. The saying "What's right for you may not be right for me" is a statement of moral cowardice. There is right and there is wrong, there is good and there is evil; God calls Christians to stand up for what is right and good. This takes courage especially in a society that values political correctness over godliness. May we always be a Godly people and may we speak with tact but with candor and purity. May we be Americans that speak the Word of God without fear of retribution regardless of what people may say. If Jesus could give His life for us then we certainly can stand up for Him.
Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". I want to speak this to the church, we as Christians look at our nation and wonder what in the world is going on. I'm going to tell you what's going on, a lot of good people are doing nothing; A lot of good people won't speak up; A lot of good people won't become our elected representatives to congress or the senate or the nation's highest office because it's just too much to bear what evil people will do to them. When did we become so lacking in our bravery and courage? We must stand up and be a people in the midst of a world that may not acknowledge Jesus as God, and stand up and say, "This is the way and we need to walk in it". All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.
Evil and sin must be opposed not with a physical force but with a spiritual revolution. We don't need to pick up guns anymore and fight our government; that is not the answer. Jesus Christ is coming back and what we need is a spiritual revolution in this nation; Christians who will pray and seek the face of God; Christians who will live pure and holy and invite other people to do the same; people who will not stand up in condemnation but will stand up in conviction and declare what the Word of God has to say so that men can be free. If we will do it, we will see another revolution in our nation. We won't need to see guns and bullets flying, we'll just see people coming to their knees to Jesus Christ. They will be saved and our nation will be changed. That is what has made America great throughout it's history.
The first great awakening and the 2nd great awakening changed this whole nation. The first great awakening came and on its heels came the revolution and the Industrial revolution. The 2nd great awakening came which was the Civil War and helped make America free and changed the entire landscape of our nation. We need a 3rd great awakening that will come and change this generation and that will happen if the people of God will become revolutionary's. If we would dare to go door to door; if we would dare to seek the face of God; if we would dare to speak in the workplace; if we would dare to make our voices known at the ballot box; if we would dare to speak the Word to our neighbors; that will change a nation. It is not politics that is our hope, it is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian means that we must be more than cultural spectators; we must have the courage to influence our culture. The servant with the talents was praised when he had the courage to use what God had given him. The good samaritan had the courage to help the wounded traveler. In the midst of robbers he put his own life in danger crossing to the other side of the road and began to give his own life to help a stranger. America has done it all its life.
The prophet Obadiah condemned the Edomites who were part of the nation of Israel at one point as they stood by and did nothing when the enemy attacked their fellow Jews. We must stand up as the enemy is attacking our brothers and sisters in America, as sin has come and tried to take over our nation. We must stand up and help those who are hurting; we must stand up and help those who are in trouble; we must be willing to make a difference. May God not condemn us as American Christians as we stand by and watch our brothers and sisters, our fellow Americans, who are dying in their sin without hope. We must stand for justice, for honesty, for the right to live and the right to life. Courage is speaking up for Christ and we have a responsibility to stand up for Christ that God will hold us accountable to. It's not popular now for preachers to stand in the pulpit and remind Christians of their responsibility; but I want us to be reminded today of our responsibility to minister the life of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying nation. How many believe that our nation needs Jesus like never before? But it is one thing to believe it and it is another thing to do something about it.
Ezekial 3:18-19 says, "When I say to the wicked, you shall surely die and you give him no warning nor speak to warn the wicked of his wicked way to save his life, that same wicked man will die in his iniquity but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness nor from his wicked ways he shall die in his iniquity but you have delivered your soul". Christian, we have a responsibility to speak to those in our nation who don't know Christ. We must stand up and speak what the Word of God says. 1st Peter 3:15 says, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear". Meekness because we are humble before them, not because we are militant but because we believe that Christ loves them and gave His life for them. In fear because we know the great responsibility of what happens when people don't give their life to the Lord; their eternity hangs in the balance.
We are told to speak and declare the truth of the Word of God. The Gospel we proclaim cannot only shape the individual life but can shape a nation. I want to say that the hope for America is not more democracy and it is not a better republic but it is the Lord Jesus Christ and His ways. May we live in freedom and may our nation continue to live free because of our laws, our constitution and our Declaration of Independence. But may we live free because of the life of Jesus Christ that is in us, impacting this world and our fellow Americans for the Lord. May we embrace the responsibility to boldly and bravely see our nation come to Christ. I want to challenge us as a church. I don't believe that it is a mistake that in this point in history July 4th happened to fall on a Sunday. It has given men of God the opportunity to boldly proclaim what has made this nation great and has helped to rally Christian Americans to help this nation become holy once again and right before God.
May we at Harvest Community purpose that from this day and beyond we will be different; may we see where God has placed us in history. Two hundred years ago our founding fathers established the finest nation in all the world and it was a remarkable time in history. History is ?His story" and it's unfolding. We've already seen God establish the nation of Israel; it's His people. We live at a time when I pray that our country would stand with the nation of Israel, not only because they are an alli of ours but because they are God's chosen people. America has a chance and we have decisions that we must make. As a nation we must continue to speak freedom from sin and freedom to live for the Lord.
I challenge us as a church, may we understand that God has called us to affect this area of America. God has called us to change Jupiter and West Palm Beach for the glory of God. The spiritual revolution that could ensue if just this one church would get on its face and seek God with all its heart, soul, mind and strength. The church isn't this building, it's us, you and me as a people; if we would do it, imagine the revolution we would see in Palm Beach County? How many get tired of turning on the news every night and seeing another shooting, another gang war, another death, another drunken thing that goes on in our city; another person being abused or another child taken captive? What changes that is not better government or better enforcement; it's the Lord Jesus Christ, because what man is powerless to do, God is all powerful to accomplish.
There was a time as Christians that we understood this wasn't just a spiritual experiment when we accepted Christ as our Savior but it was a powerful work of God that changes people and places. I believe God is doing a work in this church and in our lives. I don't get to speak to other people today; I'm not on television and I don't get to speak to other churches but I get to speak to us as a people. If we make a difference in this place we can go out from here, God will be glorified and this place can be changed. Amen
