Celebrate The Victory

Alba 5-30-2024

CELEBRATE THE VICTORY

I John 2:12-14

This week our country will once again celebrate our independence from other countries. It took a war to free us from British dominance. But then, a new country, a free country, an exceptional country was formed.

There are those who say we shouldn't refer to the United States with the phrase “American Exceptionalism”. But we are an exceptional country. Our founders worked to complete a Constitution that is different than those of other countries. We have three separate branches of government: the executive, the legislative and the judicial. It is based upon the belief that a just, fair, and functional government requires that power be divided between the various branches.

To ensure that no single person or entity had a monopoly on power, the Founding Fathers designed and instituted a system of checks and balances. So we have three separate and distinct branches of government, each with a different function. The framers of the Constitution did not want to return to the totalitarian system of governance imposed on colonial America by the British government. That is something to celebrate!

But as good and wonderful as it is to live under such a Constitution, it requires more to make it work as it should. It was George Washington who understood that. In his farewell address he said this: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” There he also said, “And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.”

In other words, our first President knew that for the Constitution, for our country, to be successful, we need to be a moral and religious people. The American Heritage Education Foundation web site has an article entitled “The Bible-Inspired Influences on the U. S. Constitution and Bill of Rights” that states the founders, “recognized a Creator of the universe, with a moral law for fallible mankind, and they applied this perspective to shape their political theories.”

But things have changed since then, so it is no wonder that we see some things eroding around us today as too many in our country, even of our leaders, have forgotten God.

So can we still celebrate? Yes we can. Over the years God has blessed this nation. That is something to celebrate! And we have even more to celebrate when we know Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Almost 250 years ago brave patriots fought the War of Independence and they won. And two thousand years ago, Jesus fought the devil. And He won! He had the victory! And, praise God, He shares that victory with us. That really is something to celebrate!

The apostle John in I John 2:12-14 becomes poetic and repetitive as he reminds us of the things that we can celebrate as Christians. Here's what he writes:

“I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.”

He writes to “little children”, “young men”, and “fathers”. That covers every age span so none of us is excluded. And if the ladies think that they are not mentioned, all believers are among the children of God. All of us have the blessings that come from knowing Jesus, believing in Jesus and being a follower of Jesus. The first blessing mentioned is:

1. Your Sins Are Forgiven

And what a blessing that is! That is something to celebrate! In Jesus Christ we have victory over the sin that separated us from a holy God. I'm thankful for that, aren't you? Verse twelve says that we are forgiven “for His name's sake”.

Ephesians 1:7-8 says, “In him (that is, in Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (NIV)

Our punishment was taken by the Son of God when He went to the cross. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

God forgives sins on the basis of his Son’s atoning death on Calvary’s cross. The cross, on which our Savior and Lord was nailed, is where we can leave our burdens, pain, hurts, and sins. It is the only place we can find the real forgiveness that we need. There is no doubt, we are sinners. But we can find redemption and forgiveness for our sins in Jesus. Still, there is one problem for some people: Forgiveness draws attention to our sinfulness. Our culture allows so many things that common sense says are wrong. But it is not a popular notion for people today to think of themselves as sinful.