One Nation Under God
Introduction
America is by far the greatest nation on earth. Everywhere in this world people think of our land being the ultimate. Prosperity, freedom, tranquility, and utopia are their concepts of being an American.
They come to visit and they see all that God has done for us in this great country and cry out, "Only in America!"
While traveling in a third-world country, a Christian in a house church said to me, "We hear there are churches on almost every corner in your country. How great God must be in America!" As I looked at what I was viewing, it troubled me.
We have prosperity and they had power. We have freedom but they have faith.
We have luxury but they seem to know the Lord.
Topic Sentence: In the third-world country they have a vibrant faith that we Americans have long forgotten.
It has been said, "We are one nation under God." It sounds good, preaches well but is seldom practiced. Because of this we find America is heading for a crisis of great magnitude. America is heading for a spiritual crisis. No, we are there! We need to understand what it means to be -"one nation under God."
There are two things we must concern ourselves with this morning.
I. Our Heritage
A. Our Founding Principles
1. We Are A Nation Founded Upon God
2. One Would Never Guess It By Observing Our Culture
3. A Quick Trip In History Reminds Us Of Our Beginnings
People came to America to escape religious persecution. King James came to power in 1604.
The Church of England again began to root out, prosecute, and jail those who openly believed the church needed to be purified of its false ceremonies, non-Scriptural teachings, and superstitious rituals.
These people were persecuted unmercifully. Illustration:
In England religious persecution was brought against a Dr. Leighton. He believed in the purifying of the church; therefore, called a Puritan. For his crime of becoming a Puritan, this was the sentence pronounced against him... "that the high commission should degrade him from his ministry and that he should be brought to the pillory at Westminster while the court was sitting and be publicly whipped. After whipping be set upon a pillory, a convenient time, and have one of his ears cut off, one side of his nose split, and be branded in the face with a double SS for a Sower of Sedition that then he should be carried back to prison and after a few days be pilloried a second time in Cheapside and have the other side of his nose split and his other ear cut off and then be shut up in a closed prison for the rest of his life." All of that for deciding to be a puritan!
On July 22, 1620 the Pilgrims heard a message from their pastor, John Robinson, from Ezra 8:21. After the sermon and with "watery cheeks he commended them with most fervent prayers."
On November 11, 1620 upon their arrival in the new land, they drew up the Mayflower Compact. In this Compact they stated their purpose.
Illustration:
"In the Name of God, Amen! We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord King James, by the grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the faith, having undertaken for the glory of God an advancement of the Christian faith..."
Their purpose was to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
By 1630 - 20,000 Puritans immigrated to America to gain liberty to worship God as they chose.
B. Our Faithful Practice
1. There Was No Question As To Our Purpose And Practice Of Glorifying God
The Continental Confederation Congress governed the United States from 1774 to 1789. In this Congress most of the leaders were deeply religious men.
The Congress appointed chaplains for itself and the armed forces.
The Congress sponsored the publication of a Bible and imposed Christian morality on the armed forces.
The Congress granted public lands to promote Christianity among the Indians.
National days of Thanksgiving and of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" were proclaimed by Congress at least twice a year throughout the war.
The Congress was guided by "covenant theology."
This was a reformation doctrine especially dear to New England Puritans which held that --God bound Himself in an agreement with a nation and its people.
The first national government of the United States was convinced that the "public prosperity" of a society depended on the vitality of its religion.
Congress declared to the American people we must be a holy people so that we may be a happy people.
2. After The Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin Made A Haunting Statement
After the constitutional convention, Benjamin Franklin made a haunting statement that comes again to each new generation of Americans.
He said "We have given you a republic if you can keep it."
The whole key to our nation has been our Christian principles and belief in a holy, righteous God.
C. . Our Futile Piety
1. But We Have A Problem Today In America
2. There Has Become A Major Disconnect That Has Eroded Our Christian Principles Over The Years
3. Christian Nation?.... The Evidence Is Growing Dimmer
Who would have thought we would see the day where we would have to fight to keep the Ten Commandments in public places?!
Who would have ever thought that the Supreme Court in the State of Massachusetts would ever declare same-sex marriage as legal in our country; therefore, redefining marriage that was created by God between a man and a woman?!
Who would have ever thought that the Congress of the United States of America would set out to silence the pulpits of America for speaking out on homosexuality and therefore, setting out to make it a "hate crime" if passed by the Senate and signed into law?!
Who would have ever thought that in a nation that was founded upon God, a court would even consider taking "one nation under God" out of The Pledge of Allegiance?!
Before long because of our tolerance and ignorance as Christians, we will eventually allow them to take away our national motto, "In God we Trust".
Today we sit by calmly in a post-Christian era in America and allow the pagans to rip God from our very foundation.
Illustration
A recent survey conducted by the Barner Research Group reported that 65% of Americans are concerned about the future with roughly 74% of those citing moral decay in America and the world as their primary concern. (Source: Baptist Press)
My question is: Are you concerned enough to return to the faith of our fathers?
II. Our Hope
A. The Plight Of America
America is losing her way.
Pastor, we are prospering as a nation financially!
God doesn't look at what's on your hip - He looks at what's in your heart. God wants our hearts affection turned toward Him.
We may be the envy of the world but are we the enjoyment of the Lord?
No one can deny that in the last decade in the political realm, the winds of dissent, discord and deception have blown across our land.
It has been generated by our leaders who carry the scripture in their hands but do not contain it in their hearts.
What is the scope of our crisis?
It is not Political - Economic - Sociological! We are in a Spiritual Crisis!
We had better deal with the Spiritual crisis in a spiritual way - according to scripture.
B. The Prescription For America
1. Live Up To Your Name
We exist as God's people, alive and thriving in God's kingdom for one purpose. To embody the name of Jesus!
His name is the only name that will last forever.
His name has been given to you and me to carry and glorify. We must be willing to accept our responsibilities.
In a day when the primary concern of most is with our rights, we must reawaken a concern for our responsibilities.
God says, "When My people, who are called by My Name, accept their responsibility, revival in America will begin."
How often have you said, "When are "they" going to do something about our America?" We can't blame our condition on the illusive "they."
America is where it is today partly because we as God's people have not prayed long enough, loved deeply enough, have not given sacrificially enough, have not preached loudly enough, have not become involved diligently enough, and have not witnessed passionately enough.
Change will only come when we as God's people accept responsibility for what has happened. So live up to your name and be God's people!
2. We Must Then Humble Ourselves Before Almighty God
America today has become so arrogant in our affluence. We take for granted the freedom and what it costs.
Illustration:
Have you ever wondered what happened to the men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Carter Braxton, a wealthy planter and trader, lost his ships to the British, sold his property to pay his debts and died in rags. Thomas McKern kept his family in hiding to protect them from the British. He served Congress without pay and ended up in poverty. Ellery, Climber, Hall, Walton, Gwinnett, Hayward, Rutledge, and Milton all had their homes looted by vandals and soldiers. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and grist mill were destroyed. He retuned home after a year in caves and forests to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Most others suffered similar fates.
At such a high cost our freedom has come to us.
Instead of arrogance and self-worship, we should humbly express our gratitude to God for this gift of liberty.
3. We Must Pray And Seek His Face
We must return to faith as the foundation upon which our nation stands. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 33:12)
Illustration
During a dismal morning in World War I, David Lloyd George stood grimly before the members of the British Cabinet. The seriousness of the situation was evident. The Prime Minister said, "Gentlemen, we are fighting with our backs to the wall. The only way out is up. Our only hope is God. Let us pray."
The time to feel comfortable is not now. What we need is courage. We need to courageously proclaim our only hope is God.
4. We Must Make The Proper Turns
We must not only turn to God, we must also turn from our wicked ways.
Listen, history has proven that the greatest enemy of any nation is not what attacks it from without but what corrodes it from within.
Illustration
Bishop Sheen has pointed out that 16 of the 19 great civilizations that have passed away from the beginning of time have done so because of internal decay.
We must take responsibility to confess to God we are the problem because we haven't lived up to His Name.
We must confess we have voted our pocketbooks, security, and desires rather than the values based upon the Word of God.
We must come saying, "God, we want to live up to Your Name." Conclusion
Ken Hemphill in his book, EKG: The Heartbeat of God, puts it well...
"Today this calling is ours-to be a "holy nation" of believers in Christ, to live in such a way that others can see the difference...and want our Deliverer."
Hear the prophet Isaiah ...
"Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord shines over you. For look, darkness covers the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the Lord will shine over you, and His glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your radiance" (Isaiah 60:1-3).
So polish the glass, purify each pane, scrub away every blemish, any desire you may have for people to pay more attention to you than the One you were created to showcase. The Lord of Glory wants to shine through your front window!