“Praying For America”
July 1, 2007
(Communion)
Read Scripture
My country ‘tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!
So are the words of the hymn we just sang.
The sentiment of this hymn is shared by most of us today. I am sure that all of us here today — especially as we begin this glorious week when we will celebrate the 231st birthday of our great nation — are proud to be citizens of America — pray for God to bless America – and pray for freedom to ring throughout our land – indeed throughout the world. I know I am glad to live in this great country of ours — and I am sure all of you are, too! As Lee Greenwood once sang – I am proud to be an American – and I feel confident that you are, too.
I love history – and I can get overly sentimental about things like this – but it gives me chill bumps to be standing in the pulpit of this Church – so rich in history. This Church – which stood in this place – or across the street – before there was a United States of America. This Church – which has made such a contribution to our community, state, and country.
Yes – I am proud to be an American – and proud to be a part of the life of this Church.
But – as proud as I am to be an American – as proud as I am to be a part of this Church that is so rich in history – as proud as I am of my country and as carried away as I can get about July 4th – I also have to remind myself – and I want to remind you in case you’re getting too wrapped up in patriotic ferver — that today is not just July 1 —
No — today is not only July 1 — it is Sunday, July 1.
Sunday — the day we gather together to worship and give praise to God.
Sunday — and on this particular Sunday we have gathered around the Lord’s Table to partake of the sacrament of Communion.
So — how do we combine our love for God – and commitment to God – with our love for our country?
How do we combine the two?
God, bless America.
Irving Berlin wrote.
God, bless America.
A great sentiment – one I hold – and I am sure one all of you hold.
God, bless America – our country – it’s people – us!
Yea – God bless us!
But – we have some questions we have to answer today:
How do we combine our love for God – and commitment to God – with our love for our country?
What does our relationship and loyalty to God ask of us?
What does our relationship and loyalty to our country ask of us?
How can we ask God to bless America?
Most importantly — what will Americans have to do for God to bless America?
I believe the real question is – what will we have to do for God to bless America?
What will you and I have to do for God to bless this great country of ours?
God, bless America.
The Scripture passages we looked at a few minutes ago give us no direct answers to these questions — but they give us some guidelines to follow – some ideas — of what we must do –what must be done – for God to bless America.
God, bless America.
“Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or shouldn’t we?”
When asked a “trick” question — a question intended to force Him to make a statement that would either make the Roman government or the Jews mad — what does Jesus do?
Jesus does a very wise thing.
He asks for a denarius — the money used to pay the tax.
On it was a picture of Tiberius — the emperor — and an inscription bearing Tiberius’ name. Clearly — the coin — with the picture and inscription of Tiberius — belonged to Tiberius. So Jesus replies:
“ Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,”
but — then He adds —
“give to God the things that are God’s.”
God, bless America.
But – we might wonder — what do we owe God – and what do we owe Caesar – or the country?
Sometimes we get a bit confused on this.
At times we might be so supportive of America – of our country – that we feel everything we do as a country is perfect in every way – and that God will indeed bless us just because of who we are – just because we are Americans — regardless of what we do.
God, bless America.
What will it take for God to bless America?
What must happen for God to bless America?
The passage from 2 Chronicles can help us understand the true relationship between God and country – and what must happen for God to bless America.
Here is King Solomon — King of Israel — a great king in his own right and son of King David – completing the magnificent Temple in Jerusalem. This was the Temple that King David had wanted to build — but it had been left up to Solomon to build this magnificent Temple for the Hebrew people to assemble in and worship God.
God speaks to Solomon after the Temple is completed — and tells Solomon that He approves of what Solomon has done — and will bless Solomon and his country – if they will follow in God’s ways.
But – here’s the catch — if they fail to follow in the way of the Lord — He will not bless them — but will curse them.
God, bless America.
God promises to bless Solomon and the people of Israel – but not just because of who they are. God promises to bless them if they remember who He is – and if they will follow Him.
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
However, God also promises a curse upon Solomon and the people of Israel if they fail to follow His way.
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, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.
God, bless America.
The promises that God gave to Solomon centuries ago still hold true today.
God, bless America.
These are indeed great words — and the thought behind them extremely commendable — but — we have to ask ourselves –
What must happen for God to bless America?
What must Americans do for God to bless America?
What must we do for God to bless America?
What must you do – what must I do – for God to bless America?
Well, for God to bless America – Americans are going to have to follow God.
For God to bless America, we are going to have to follow God.
You want God to bless America?
Then you are going to have to follow God!
Listen again to what God says to Solomon:
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
God, bless America.
If we want God to bless America – then we as Americans are going to have to humble ourselves – pray – and seek God’s face.
If you and I want God to bless America, you and I are going to have to humble ourselves – pray – and seek God’s face.
If we seek for God to bless America — if we truly want America to receive God’s blessings — then we need to – as Jesus says — give to God the things that are God’s. That means that you and I are going to have to give our lives to God. This means you and I are going to have to follow God’s teachings and God’s ways.
God, bless America.
The great words of the Declaration of Independence give us a description of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans:
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 and liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
Great words.
But – the Apostle Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:13:
You, my brothers, were called to be free.
But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Freedom is a gift from God – but instead of meaning that we are free to live in any way we please – freedom means that we are free to live in the ways God has called us to live. It means being free to live in God’s ways – or as Paul says by “the fruits of the Spirit” —
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
As Americans, we have and we celebrate great freedoms. But – for God to bless America – we have to celebrate God’s freedoms – and live by the fruits of the Spirit – living in
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
God, bless America.
For that to happen – we as Americans must live in God’s ways.
For that to happen – you and I must live in God’s ways.
As God told Solomon:
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
But – as God also told Solomon:
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, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.
God, bless America.
Many times we do not live in God’s ways – and when that happens we suffer – and America suffers. For God to bless America – we as Americans are going to have to repent – and begin following God. For God to bless America – you and I as Americans are going to have to repent – and begin following God.
Humble ourselves – as God tells Solomon
Humble ourselves — and pray.
Pray for God to forgive us of the times we follow our ways instead of God’s ways. Pray for God to forgive us for our hard headed, sinful ways – as individuals and as a country — and commit ourselves to living in God’s ways instead of our own – in God’s will instead of our wills.
This takes repentance.
This means confessing that we are wrong and that we need God in our lives and in our country.
God, bless America.
Repentance is never easy. Confessing sins is never easy. But – it is necessary.
But — repentance does not just mean saying we are sorry – it – also means living in new ways. You know — repentance is not basically a religious word. It comes from a culture where people were essentially nomadic and lived in a world with no maps or street signs. It’s easy to get lost walking through the desert. You become aware that the countryside is strange. You finally say to yourself, I’m going in the wrong direction.
That’s the first act of repentance.
The second act of repentance is to go in an alternate direction.
God, bless America.
This is going to take repentance.
Repentance on our part.
This is also going to take our finding new ways to live.
That’s what’s needed for God to bless us – for God to bless you – for God to bless me.
That’s what’s needed for God to bless America.
God, bless America.
America has been called a great nation. This is very true — America is a very great nation. However, America is only truly great if Americans have a truly great faith in God — truly give to God the things due God and to our country the things due our county — and live in God’s ways – sharing God’s love with all people – and working for God’s kingdom of love, justice and peace on earth. This means that I am going to have to have a truly great faith in God — that I am going to have to truly give to God the things due God and to my country the things due my county — and live in God’s ways – sharing God’s love with all people – and working for God’s kingdom of love, justice and peace on earth. This means that you are going to have to have a truly great faith in God — that you are going to have to truly give to God the things due God and to your country the things due your county — and live in God’s ways – sharing God’s love with all people – and working for God’s kingdom of love, justice and peace on earth
America is only as great as our faith in God – my faith in God – your faith in God.
God, bless America.
America has been called a Christian nation.
Indeed, our country was founded upon Christian principles — but we must return to those principles — truly give to God the things due to God — and deepen our faith in God.
America is only a Christian nation as long as we — Americans — are a Christian people. America is only a Christian nation as long as I am committed to following Christian ways – and as long as you are committed to living in Christian ways. Once we stop following God and Christ, we can no longer be considered a Christian nation. As a nation, America is only as Christian as we – you and I — it’s people — live out our faith and let our faith determine what we do as individuals — and as a country.
God, bless America.
America has been called a strong nation.
Once again, this statement is only true if we — as Americans — have a strong faith in God – a strong commitment to giving to God the things due to God and to our country the things due our country
Only if I am willing to let my faith in God be strong and my commitment to God be strong – and let my strong commitment to God determine what I do as an individual – can America be considered a strong nation.
Only if you are willing to let your faith in God be strong and your commitment to God be strong – and let your strong commitment to God determine what you do as an individual – can America be considered a strong nation.
Only if we are willing to let our faith in God be strong and our commitment to God be strong – and let our strong commitment to God determine what we do as individuals – as a community — as a Church — and as a nation — can America be considered a strong nation.
Only if we commit ourselves to acting on our faith – and working for God’s love and God’s will for a world filled with God’s love, justice, and peace – can America be considered a great nation.
America’s greatness, America’s virtue as a Christian nation, and America’s strength depends upon the depth of the faith of its people — the depth of its people’s commitment to give to God the things due to God.
America’s greatness, America’s virtue as a Christian nation, and America’s strength depends upon our ability to confess our sins – humble ourselves – and pray for God to forgive us – and find new ways to live.
America’s greatness, America’s virtue as a Christian nation, and America’s strength depends upon my ability and your ability to confess our sins – humble ourselves – and pray for God to forgive us – and find new ways to live.
Yes – God, bless America.
God, bless America with true blessings that come with working for Your will for justice and peace for all people.
Yes – God, bless America.
God, bless America with true blessings that come from our being humble before You – confessing our sins — and doing Your will.
God, bless America.
This will only happen when we as Americans confess our sins and begin again living in God’s ways.
God, bless America.
This will take prayer.
As God told Solomon:
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Friends – for God to bless America – we have to pray.
You have to pray.
I have to pray.
We all have to pray.
We have to pray that we can turn back to God — and do what we can to bring our country back to God.
God, bless America.
I ask each of you to commit yourself again to giving to God the things that are God’s — your love, your life, your thoughts, your words, your actions.
I ask each of you to commit yourself to doing what you can to ensure these liberties we talk so much about are experienced by all.
I ask each of you to commit yourself again to repenting of your sins – and living in new ways.
This is what it will take for God to bless America.
Indeed –
My country ‘tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims’ pride
From every mountainside
Let freedom ring!
Amen.
