Does That Star Spangled Banner Yet Wave?

Does that Star Spangled Banner Yet Wave?

Text: Jude 5-7, Revelation 2:5

WELCOME AND GREETING

Last Sunday we paused our study of Corinthians and looked at Jude, and we saw how Jude was warning us to stay alert, and to be vigilant, and to contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.

Today we’re going to go back to Jude, and look at his command to “Remember”. Because we are a nation and a people who have forgotten.

In the Bible there are many things we are told to remember. We have communion because Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” We gather with the Church on Sundays because Acts 20:7 tells us this became the tradition of the Apostles, and we continue that tradition. And here, in verses 5, 6, and 7 of this epistle, Jude is saying, “Church, I want to remind you of something… I want you to remember.” So let’s read through those 3 verses… Jude 5-7 (READ TEXT).

So Jude says, I want to remind you of these things, you’ve been previously taught… I want to remind you that there were people who thought they were right with God, but they lacked true faith… and I want to remind you about angels, who at one time were even in the presence of God, and they rebelled and fell… and I want to remind you of Sodom and Gomorrah – wicked cities, that forgot their Creator, and instead were given over to depravity, and how that led to their ultimate destruction. Remember those things, and think about where you are now.

In two days we celebrate our nations independence. We’ll probably eat some burgers and hotdogs, watch some fireworks and maybe even sing, “I’m Proud to be an American”. But do we really remember what it took to win our freedom? A lot of people might remember 1776, and the Declaration of Independence, and our war against England to gain our freedom. But what a lot of folks forget, or don’t seem to realize is that the war, was actually fought in two stages… or you might say, in two rounds. We won round one and became independent… but the British weren’t done. They came back in 1812 and tried again. And it was at the Battle of Baltimore, where a man named Francis Scott Key was standing on the deck of a ship, and he watched the British fleet ferociously and relentlessly bomb Fort McHenry. And they bombed it, and bombed it, and bombed it, and eventually the British commander said, “Target the flag! Bring it down!” And so they did. But every time an explosion lit up the night sky, there was our flag, and every gust of wind unfurled its stars and stripes, and the prisoners on that British ship would ask Francis Scott Key, “Is the flag still there?” And he would wait, and once he saw it, he would report back, “The flag still waves.” And a shout would go up from those prisoners, because they knew if the flag was still there, then Americans were still defending the fort, and there was still hope. And history tells us that the British did actually hit the flag, several times, but every time they did, more American patriots would rush to it and hold it up, knowing good and well that in doing that, they would probably be the next to die, because the British were targeting the flag. And the bombs shook the earth all night, and men died, but by dawns early light that the flag was still there. And those heroic American soldiers defended Fort McHenry, and won the battle… and eventually the entire war.

Why? Why did they do that? Why did they risk their lives to hold up that flag? It’s because they understood that the flag is not just a decoration. It is a symbol of national sovereignty. And seeing it wave after the British threw everything they had it meant something. It meant that America was still free and not back under English control. And let me just say this real quickly - I am so thankful that England is now our greatest ally. We have wonderful friends from England, who we care about deeply, and the people of that great country are awesome. But back then it wasn't the case - England was trying to maintain an empire, and we were trying to break free from it. So I love my friends from England, and I love going to the UK, but I'm glad I'm an American. And I'm glad that they didn't bring the flag at Ft. McHenry down that night.

Think about this with me for a second… think about the sight of the Marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima. It’s an iconic image. But why? Because it meant that we had taken the island.