America: God Shed His Grace On Thee

INTRODUCTION

Jul 4, 2013 we celebrate 237 years of Independence from British rule

We came to this country, not for freedom of speech, but freedom of religion!

What we wanted in our independence was the freedom to worship God without interference from the government

We are very blessed to live in a country that still, even in the midst of all ungodliness, considers itself “ONE NATION UNDER GOD”

My message today is AMERICA: GOD SHED HIS GRACE ON THEE

We have freedom today, not because of war, not because of a “Declaration of Independence”

But because we serve a God that has shed His grace on us as a nation

I want us to see today that we are free because of (1) God’s Grace and (2) God’s Mercy

Read passage / Pray

We are so blessed today to be called an American…our nation was founded on the principles of God’s Word

And we are a nation today, said to be a Christian nation, because of…

1. God’s Grace

The word “grace” is found in the KJ Bible 159 times

In the Old and New Testament is means the same thing

Grace literally means God’s unmerited, unearned favor on sin ridden humanity

God Shed his grace, his unmerited, unearned favor on America some 237 years ago and He is still shedding it upon us today

Grace is receiving from God what we don’t deserve

Turn to Eph 2:4-9

I don’t know why…I can’t explain it…but God, even today, is as vs 7 says “in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

As much as we have sinned and rebelled…God still gives us grace everyday in America

Even when we have stiffened our necks…shook our fist in defiance…and then cried out for forgiveness…He hears and still forgives and gives us favor

This is nothing new, turn to Neh 9:25-31

God gave us a land in America…rich land…full of goods…trees in abundance

A prosperous land…a land flowing of milk and honey

A land that everyone desires to come to and make a go at their life

And even today…just like back in this day in Nehemiah’s time…our nation has rebelled and turned away from God

And look what it says in vs 28 “…yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven…and delivered them

Today we live in a world that was not much different from Noah’s day

Gen 6:5 says “Then the Lord saw that wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Gen 6:6 says “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.”

Men were rebelling against God…committing every kind of perversion known to mankind

But, there was one man that was said in Gen 6:9 who “walked with God”

Gen 6:8 says, “Noah found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord”

God did not have to have favor but He found one man that was living for Him and spared him and his family

God does not have to have favor or grace on America but He does because of men 237 years ago and still men and women today who walk with God

This country we call America was founded by men who found favor with God (grace) not because of anything they did but because THEY WALKED WITH GOD LIKE NOAH DID

Listen to some of these Godly men’s last will and testaments:

Samuel Adams (Signer of Dec of Indep) “First of all…I rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ for the pardon of all my sins.”

Patrick Henry – “This is all the inheritance I can give to my dear family which leaves them poor…but my Jesus that I serve can give them an inheritance which will indeed make them rich.”

John Quincy Adams “My hopes of a future life are all founded upon the Gospel of Christ and I cannot quibble away my Godly heritage…”

George Washington “You will do well to leave above all else…the religion of Jesus Christ.”

Jacob Broom (Signer of Constit to his son) “Don’t forget to be a Christian…”

God has shed his grace on America today because it was founded by men who did as Noah and walked with God

He did not have to show His grace…but He did and I am so glad He did

We need to remember this 4th of July to thank God for His unmerited, undeserved grace today on us and our country and that He hasn’t given up on us yet

TRANS: You cannot really talk about God’s grace without also looking at…

2. God’s Mercy

If grace is receiving what we don’t deserve, then what is mercy?