2 Chronicles 7:12-22

God Bless America

2 Chronicles 7:12-22

July 6, 2008

Communion

God, bless America.

Land that I love.

Stand beside her – and guide her

Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains

To the parries

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America, my home sweet home.

God bless America, my home sweet home.

This song – written almost 100 years ago by Irving Berlin and famously sung by Kate Smith – is still a favorite of many people – including myself.

The song stirs up emotions of love and patriotism – as well as emotions of religion and feelings of longing for God to bless this great country of ours.

I love this country.

I love America.

I know that I am not alone here today in these feelings – for I know that all of us gathered here today love our country – and long for God to bless us – to bless our country.

We love America.

We pray for God to bless America – the land that we love.

God bless America

God bless America

With July 4^th – the day we celebrate our independence as Americans – on Friday – many of us may have spent some time this weekend thinking about our country – and our desire for God to bless our country.

The song says, “God bless America, land that I love…” And I’m convinced that God has blessed America. But – - you know — the Bible teaches that to whom much is given, much is expected. If this is so, then God must expect a lot from America – and must expect a lot from us as Americans.

Let’s think for a moment about America’s past.

Let’s go even further back that 1776 – when America was born with the signing of the Declaration of Independence – even further back that 1770 when a Church named Hopewell Presbyterian was formed in this community.

Let’s go back to 1620 – when a group of Christians, who called themselves Pilgrims, made their way from England across the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of this land. They had received permission to settle in the northern part of the region known as Virginia to establish a colony and erect a church that they hoped would be free and independent of the Church of England. But late fall winds battered their little boat, pushing them northward. And when they finally sighted land it was at a place we now call Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The date was Nov. 21. They didn’t want to land there because it was a cold and forbidding wilderness — so they debated for a while. “Should we try to get to Virginia, or just go ahead & settle here?” Finally, they decided that their little boat would probably not make it to Virginia. So they came ashore at a place that we know as Plymouth Rock. But before they did, they wrote what is known today as “The Mayflower Compact.” It began with these words:

“In the name of God…, we whose names are underwritten… Having undertaken, for the glory of God, & advancement of the Christian faith…, a voyage to plant a first colony in the northern part of Virginia, do… solemnly & mutually in the presence of God, & one of another, covenant, & combine ourselves together…”

Did you catch those words?

“We have come here in the name of God.”

“We have come here to glorify God.”

“We have come here to advance the Christian faith.”

They were saying, “We are unashamedly Christians, & we search for a place where we can worship God the way we feel the Bible teaches us to worship Him.”

The earliest foundations of this new land were spiritual foundations. We are a nation built upon faith in God – and commitment to God.

That’s our past – our history.

But – is it our present?

Are you proud to be an American?

I am. You probably are also. Like me, you probably still get chills when you sing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Maybe you arte like me and still get tears in your eyes when you say the Pledge of Allegiance. I love this country, and I’m proud to be an American.
You probably are also.

There are so many things you can do in this and that you can’t do anywhere else in all the world.

Did you hear about the Lieutenant, the Private, & the beautiful young lady who were all sitting in the same compartment of a train? They didn’t know each other, and since Lieutenants don’t talk to Privates and Privates don’t talk to Lieutenants, they traveled in an awkward silence. They came to a tunnel and suddenly their compartment was engulfed in darkness, a darkness punctuated by 2 unmistakable sounds — the sound of a passionate kiss — followed by a loud slap.
When they came back into daylight, the Lieutenant had a very red mark on the side of his face, was thinking, “That lucky Private. He kissed the beautiful girl, and she tried to slap him. But instead of slapping him, she slapped me.” The young lady was thinking, “The Lieutenant must have tried to kiss me, but by mistake he kissed the Private and the Private hit him.” The Private sat there thinking, “Only in America can you kiss the back of your hand, slug a Lieutenant and get away with it.”

There are many wonderful things about our country that we could mention this morning.

But – I must admit – as proud as I am to be an American — I’m concerned about America.

Listen to this warning found in 2 Chronicles 7:19-22. God is speaking to Solomon and to the people of Israel and says:

19 “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. 21 And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’

The Bible is very clearly about this — if we love God and obey Him, then He will bless us. But this passage teaches that if we forsake God, if we serve other gods and worship them, then God will remove His blessings. That’s what happened to Israel. And I think that’s what happening to America today.

Did you hear about the New York City elementary school teacher who was fired from her job? It was not because she was immoral, not because she abused the children, not because she used vulgar language, but because when one of her students died tragically, grieving classmates asked the teacher, “What happens when we die?”

She answered, “I think she’s gone to heaven. But if you want to talk about this, I’ll be glad to meet with you after school is over.” Twenty-nine of the kids met with her after school, and she told them about her faith in God and His Son, Jesus Christ. She told them she believed in heaven and that their classmate was with God now and happy for all eternity. Then she prayed with the students. But one of the kids in her class who had not stayed after school was upset with what she had done and went to the administrators. The teacher was fired immediately and told to clean out her desk. Before crying students she cleaned out her desk the next day and went out into the world of unemployment.

We have slid a long ways down that slippery slope from where we started, haven’t we? And if we don’t stop that slide, we’ll lose everything that God has given to us.

Now listen folks, if you believe that our politicians are primarily responsible for the moral decline of this country, you need to think again. We didn’t start down that slippery slope recently – it has been going on for awhile. When our government said, “You can’t pray in school,” many of us stood by and watched with folded arms. When we were told that we could no longer read the Bible or honor God in school, we stood by and didn’t say a word. When abortion was legalized we didn’t do anything. It’s our fault. It’s the fault of so many Christians who have not said a thing as our country has turned away from God. America is a great country. I believe that at her worst she is still better than any other country at its best. I love America, but America needs to repent.

God bless America.

God bless America.

We’re the most materially blessed people in all the world. In fact, if you’re at the poverty level in this country, you’re in the top 5% of the wealthy people of the world. God has blessed America – but what will happen if we do not bless and glorify and serve God?

What does God expect of us – as Christian Americans?

We have already said that God expects a lot.
What will America be in the future?

What does God really of us – as Christian Americans?

Listen to what Micah 6:8 says:

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Those are three pretty good things, don’t you think?

We need to take note of them.

First of all he says “to act justly,” which means to do what is right.

God expects us – as Christian Americans — to do what is right — to do the right thing even though the wrong thing is the easiest and maybe the most pleasant or even most popular thing to do. It means to take care of the poor and the elderly, to minister to the sick and protect them – and to tell the truth.

God bless America

God bless America

God bless America

God bless America

Secondly, Micah says “to love mercy.”

That means to extend mercy & forgiveness to others. We have received it ourselves. We all know that we’re the recipients of God’s mercy. We have been forgiven by Him. We have done nothing to earn our salvation. God has saved us by His grace & by His mercy. Because of this, we are to share what we have received. We give back to the community — to the world – to the Church — the mercy, grace and forgiveness that God has given to us. In other words, we develop a deep compassion for those in need.

God bless America

God bless America

Thirdly, Micah says “to walk humbly” with the Lord. Now that may be the most difficult of all because the natural tendency is to be proud and arrogant and overconfident. The Bible says that God mocks the proud but He gives grace to the humble.

With this year of Presidential elections I believe we have a challenge to listen to what the candidates say – and decide which one seems to be thinking about acting justly – loving mercy – and walking humbly with God. We won’t find one that is doing these things perfectly – but we have to prayerfully consider which one is closest to what we feel is the way God would have us to – and respect the decisions of those who may feel another candidate will do a better job.

God bless America

God bless America

America – this great land that we love — needs to change.

A change will happen next January in the White House – but – friends – we need more than just a change in the White House – we need a change in your house – and a change in my house. and my house.

That is what will bring about the change in America.

God bless America

God bless America

When we get our act together –

when we begin to act justly – love mercy – and walk humbly with God –

when we get back on track again and put God at the center of our lives — then America will change will become the country that God has always wanted America to be.

God bless America

God bless America

I love this country – and I know that you do too.

I love the freedoms that we enjoy – and I know that you do too.

I am so appreciative of the price that has been paid for my freedom –and I know that you are too.

God bless America

God bless America

Let’s do our part to pray for God’s blessings upon our great land – and live lives where we act justly – love mercy – and walk humbly with God.

Let’s do what we can – so that God will indeed bless America.

Indeed –

God bless America, my home sweet home.

God bless America, my home sweet home.

Amen.