Our county will turn 226 on Thursday and I asked myself, “What would Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and others think of this country almost 226 years after they wrote and approved the Declaration of Independence? Would they like it? Would they recognize it? Would they still want to live in it?”
They believed in a novel idea that has affected human history – self-governance, democracy. They had this idea that they could rule themselves quite well, thank you very much your Highness!
No longer was there a need for a king or a queen. No longer was there a need for a system of royalty to say what was what. No need for knights, in shining armor or any kind of armor, nor Lords and other royalty.
But, do you know that there are two other Declarations of Independence that we need to briefly acknowledge and which some historians believed laid the groundwork for July 4, 1776?
The first one occurred in 1620 when a ship called the Mayflower came to what we now call Plymouth Rock. Those on board were seeking to worship God without the interference of the State, specifically the King of England. They were called dissenters because they dissented when it came to the practice of their faith and what was expected of them as to both practice and belief.
America began not as a political experiment, but as a religious sanctuary. The Pilgrims were motivated by a deep piety, a strong desire, and a profound faith to worship God without government interference and their arrival on the shores of Massachusetts was a declaration of religious independence. This religious independence and fervor spread throughout the eastern seaboard of this nation and it created a smorgasbord of faith that is a hallmark of this country today.
The second Declaration of Independence was the First Great Awakening. “Now,” you ask, “What was the “First Great Awakening?”
Christine Heyrman in a essay for history teachers entitled, The First Great Awakening, writes, “What historians call "the first Great Awakening" can best be described as a revitalization of religious piety that swept through the American colonies between the 1730s and the 1770s.” In other words, it was a revival of deep significance in which people declared their declaration of independence from formalism.
She goes on to say in another essay, Religion and The American Revolution, “the members of the revolutionary generation had faced, as individuals, important choices about their fundamental religious beliefs and loyalties, and that experience may have prepared them to make equally crucial and basic decisions about their political beliefs and loyalties. . . . In short, this was a generation of people who had, during their youth, been schooled in the importance of self-determination and even rebellion against the existing hierarchies of deference and privilege.”
In other words, the Mayflower voyage and the First Great Awakening were moral and spiritual, not political, movements that affected our founding fathers’ views and values and influenced their political decisions. The point of this brief history lesson is two –fold: 1. Religion or faith or whatever you want to call it, is a centerpiece of our national history that continues to the present. 2. Freedom to choose that faith is a fundamental issue to this day.
In the document which was approved on July 4, 1776, our Declaration of Independence, we read these words “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.”
We hold these truths.
In two different situations that took place within a few hours of one another, Jesus speaks of Truth. John records both situations and the first takes place during the Last Supper with the disciples where in response to a question by a troubled Thomas he says in chapter 14 and verse 6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
The second take place in a conversation between Jesus and Pilate during the Trial of Jesus in John 18: 37 and 38. “Pilate replied, “You are a king then?” “You say that I am a king, and you are right,” Jesus said. “I was born for that purpose. And I came to bring truth to the world. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked.
Pilate’s question echoes in our time and place. We live in a time where absolute truth is denied and each is left to decide on his or her own what is true. This relativism has created a climate in which a consensus on any given issue is very unlikely. And the tension between those who hold no absolute standards and those who do grows ever stronger as the years go by. Which makes governing this country a challenge. It also makes professing and living out the Christian faith difficult as well.
There are absolute truths whether or not we choose to live by them. And they are moral/spiritual in nature not political, although there are political implications to them.
What truths, what values, do we hold, should we hold, as followers of Jesus Christ? I want to suggest 6 that are based on the Bible and which can and must make a difference in our individual lives as well as our congregational life as we live for God in our community. (Overhead 1)
The first value we must live by is affirmation because we need to affirm all people because everyone is created in God’s image and we are all redeemable by His grace. In Romans 12:15 Paul speaks of the ability to emphasize, one important way to affirm others, with people in various situations, “When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow.”
Someone wrote, “Everyone needs recognition for his (or her) accomplishments. One little boy was no exception to this rule. He said to his father, “Dad let’s play darts. I’ll throw, and you say, “Wonderful!”
We all need to be affirmed. We need to know that we count. We need to tell others, even when we disagree with them or have trouble getting along with them, that they matter.
As followers of Jesus Christ and as members of this church we need to affirm everyone who is a part of our lives because all of us are crated in God’s image and redeemable by His grace. We matter to God! And we need to communicate this truth by affirming, by valuing, by encouraging everyone that is a part of our daily routine. On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being not well at all and 5 being well, where do you place your level of affirming others?
The second value we must live and proclaim is acceptance because, us as Paul writes in Romans 15:7,
Christ has accepted.
The story is told of the cowboy who went to church for the first time in his life and related his adventure to a friend.
“I rode up on my horse and tied it up by a tree in the corral.’ The friend said, “You don’t mean ‘corral’; you mean ‘parking lot.’”
“I don’t know, maybe that is what the called it, “the cowboy said. “Then I went in through the main gate.” “You don’t mean the main gate; you mean the front door of the church.”
“Well, anyway, a couple of fellows took me down the long chute. “You don’t mean the long chute; you mean the center aisle.” “I guess that is what they call it. Then they put me in one of the those little box stalls!”
“You don’t mean a box stall; you mean a pew!” “Oh yes! Now I remember!” said the cowboy. “That’s what that lady said when I sat down beside her!”
That’s truer than we care to admit isn’t it? Acceptance of others is very difficult at times. But, think of God’s acceptance of us.
He is holy. We are not. He is righteous. We aren’t. He is love. We make feeble attempts to love. But, in His love and mercyHe accepts us and makes us new creatures as we accept and receive His forgiveness!
On that scale of 1 to 5 again, how well do you do at accepting others?
The third value, the third truth that we hold, is that we appreciate people because God has gifted and equipped every one for a mission and ministry.
In I Corinthians 12:27 we read a wonderful statement of affirmation, acceptance, and appreciation: “Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.”
This is an important statement from Paul and really from the Lord because it is to a group of people who had trouble affirming, accepting, and hence appreciating one another. Why? They were jealous of one another’s abilities and gifts. They were proud of their personal association with Paul or Apollos but forgot that they (Paul and Apollos) were servants of God. They were enamored with spiritual experiences but forgot who was the source of all true spiritual experience. And so appreciation for one another was practically non-existent.
I recently read an article by Deana A. Nail in which she shares of her work with Stough Memorial Baptist Church in Pineville, North Carolina. She “worked for two years” to help this congregation “release the God-breathed ministry dreams inside their members.” She continued, “Their work was tested when 70 people hosted a community-wide event that grew as a response to the school shootings in Colorado.
As leaders first talked logistics, many people seemed overwhelmed. Then suddenly one person stood and said, "I work with closed-circuit TV. I’ll be on the technical team." Another person responded, "I’ve handled catering for 1,500 people; I’ll serve on the catering team."
When the volunteering stopped, 15 ministry teams had been formed and every need was met. The church accomplished more than imagined because it created an equipping culture. In that church, the people understand their gifts and the value of their ministry.”
As I read that story, I got excited! I thought that is what God wants to do in every church in America! That is what He wants to do in our church!
When we make a personal commitment to Christ as we ask and accept His forgiveness of our sins, we are immediately given a place of service in a local church. We are given tools, spiritual gifts, to accomplish that mission!
I applaud those of us who are stepping out to learn how God has gifted and called them and then are willing to serve! BTW, have you said “Thank you” to those who serve? Do you appreciate their efforts? On that scale of 1 to 5, how is your appreciating these days?
CHANGE OVERHEAD!!!
The fourth truth we must hold and practice is the value of expressing love to people because of God’s great and good love for us as we read in I John 4:19 “We love each other as a result of his loving us first.”
In this fourth chapter, John makes it clear that God is love and that we demonstrate our commitment to God by expressing our love for one another. Paul likewise reminded the Corinthians that love is better than any spiritual gift or ability because without love our words, our service, and our faith would be useless.
Someone has written, “Courage is fear that has been conquered by love.” And as I read that statement I think of the lady sitting next to the cowboy.
She had some fear in her. It came out as snobbery, but it was because she feared him. And she feared him because she made some judgments about him based on his appearance.
If she were to ask, “How can I express love to this person?” what would you tell her? From 1 to 5 how well are you expressing God’s love to others?
The fifth value, the fifth truth that we must hold fast to is that we are available to people because God has made His salvation available to us. And Jesus made that clear to us in a very strategic way when He made Himself available to children as we read in Matthew 19:14 “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.”
A week and a half ago, I sat in a seminar during our national church meetings in Anderson and heard this statistic from the recent “Catch The Age Wave” conference on Senior Adult Ministry that was held this past spring in Anderson.
A recent survey estimated that 65% of those born before 1946, commonly referred to as builders, indicated a born-again experience compared to only 35%.
For those born between 1946 and 1964, called boomers, the opposite is true. Only 35% claim a “born-again” experience and 65% don’t.
For those born from 64 to around 84 or so, called busters only 10% claim a Christian experience. 90% do not!
And for those yet younger, called Bridgers, only 4% claim to be saved. 96% do not.
What do those statistics tell you? They tell me that we have four generations to reach for Christ in our midst and in this community. How well are we doing?
During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ did not set up shop in one area of Israel and let the people come to Him. He went to them. And when He gave instructions to the disciples it was not “sit and wait” (except in one key instance in the book of Acts) it was “go and make,” and “follow me.” “Leave your nets, leave your tax booth, and follow me!”
How available are we to those who are searching for God? Are we prepared to “go and make” disciples? Are we willing to meet with people in the lunchrooms, homes, and restaurants of our community to help them come to Christ? From 1 to 5 how do we rank our availability to God and others for active ministry and service?
Finally the sixth truth we must hold to is that of being accountable as stewards of our time, talent, treasures, and temple to God and one another. One day, as Paul reminds us in Romans 14:12 we will all give “a personal account to God” of our lives.
Now, we often think of that accounting in terms of acceptance or rejection of God’s salvation for us. But, Paul is writing to people who have already accepted that salvation. He is saying to them, as we read both sides of verse 12, “stop judging one another live in such a manner that you won’t be an obstacle to one another.”
Some times we think of accountability in these terms: A mother was taking a nap while her eight-year-old son was playing in the living room. While the boy was playing, a van crashed through the picture window. The boy was surprised, but unhurt. The mother, of course, raced into the living room and screamed out the name of her son. Now the boy was afraid. “But mom-honest I didn’t do it!” he replied.
Accountability is not about me passing judgment on you. Accountability is me being responsible for my actions and attitudes to you because they affect you. It is a form of self-discipline. To be accountable is to be responsible for one’s own choices.
And what are we accountable for? We are accountable for our time, our money, our abilities, and our bodies. We are accountable for every area of our life. On a scale of 1 to 5 how well accountable are we to God and one another?
CONCLUSION:
Almost 226 years ago, a group of men were meeting in trying circumstances. A war was on. Armies were marching and doing battle. They believed in certain truths that ultimately would form one of human history’s greatest nations.
They were willing to sacrifice their very lives for making these truths a reality in a new experiment called democracy.
What if Ben Franklin would have said, “I give up. This stuff is too hard. I’m going kite flying.”
What if George Washington would have telephoned from the battlefield and said, “I can’t do this anymore. I am out gunned, out manned, and out trained. I am going back to Mt Vernon and farm, get a new general!”
What if James Madison had said, “This will never work. We can’t do it. I don’t have time for all this Declaration of Independence work. I’m calling Dolly and telling her “Let’s start the snack cake business you’ve been wanting to start!”
What if Thomas Jefferson had said, “I am getting writer’s cramp. Can’t you guys do anything to help me out? I’m going back to Monticello!”
What kind of freedom would we have?
These six truths I have shared this day have eternal consequences. To make them a reality requires our sacrifices. We are engaged in a more radical revolution than was taking place in 1776. We are engaged in a revolution of the human heart and soul that is made possible only by the tremendous sacrifice of God’s son.
I challenge us on this Fourth of July week 2002 to recommit ourselves to the revolutionary ministry of reconciliation that comes as we go and share and help make responsible and joyful followers of Jesus Christ because the truth that Jesus Christ spoke of, and made possible, is truly the only truth that sets us free! Amen!
(For overheads please contact pastorjim46755@yahoo.com and ask for 063002 overheads. The six values are based on the 6 Keys to A Healthy Family Life by Josh McDowell.)
