Text: Deuteronomy 8:1-20
Introduction: This weekend we are celebrating the birthday of our nation & the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. It was an important decision for each one who placed his name upon it. As John Adams signed, he said, "Whether we live or die, sink or swim, succeed or fail, I stand behind this Declaration of Independence. And if God wills it, I am ready to die in order that this country might experience freedom."
It was that kind of patriotism which led men, armed with little more than hunting rifles and squirrel guns, to engage in battle with what was the most powerful nation in the world. Many of our ancestors paid a terrible price in the Revolutionary War, but finally they won the victory so that you & I might be citizens of this "land of the free & home of the brave."
However, what we often forget is that in declaring their independence from England, our ancestors made an equally strong declaration of dependence upon Almighty God.
I. Our ancestors declared their dependence upon God.
A. Proverbs 22:28 (NASB) 28Do not move the ancient boundary which your fathers have set.
B. The second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence says: "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, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
1. The closing words of the Declaration of Independence solemnly states: "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, & our sacred Honor."
2. It is important that we recall this very basic declaration of their dependence upon God Almighty.
3. In a time of prosperity & power & world leadership, the United States today is rapidly forgetting the God of our fathers, the God who gave this nation its birth and its greatness.
Illustration: I know that most of you who are older recognize the name of Patrick Henry. But I’m afraid that many of our school children do not. Patrick Henry was a famous statesman and orator of colonial Virginia. In 1764 he was elected to the House of Burgesses where he became a champion of the frontier people, supporting their rights against the arrogant exercise of power by the aristocracy. In 1774, he was a delegate to the First Continental Congress. In 1775, before the Virginia Provincial Convention, which was deeply divided between those who supported England & those who desired freedom, he uttered his most famous words, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" During the Revolutionary War, he became commander-in-chief of Virginia’s military forces, a member of the Second Continental Congress, helped draw up the first constitution of the Commonwealth of Virginia, & was largely responsible for drawing up the amendments to our Constitution known as the Bill of Rights. He became Virginia’s first governor. Patrick Henry was reelected 4 times. Then he retired from public life, but despite his strong objections, the people went ahead and reelected him Governor for the fifth time. Nevertheless, he meant what he said, so he refused to take the office. He was offered a seat in the U.S. Senate, & posts as ambassador to Spain and to France. President George Washington asked him to join his cabinet and become Secretary of State, and later wanted to appoint him the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, he refused all such honors and recognitions. Now why do I mention these things about Patrick Henry? It is because I want you to realize that he was an important and respected leader and patriot who feared and loved God Almighty in those days when our nation came into being. Now listen to these words from him. "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians - not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ." His Last Will & Testament was filed in the Brookneal County courthouse in Virginia. You read his Will and you will see that he bequeathed everything to his children, just as most people do. Nevertheless, the last paragraph in his Will is especially interesting. He wrote, "I have now given everything I own to my children. There is one more thing I wish I could give them & that is Christ. Because if they have everything I gave them and don’t have Christ, they have nothing."
C. We need to be reminded of the solemn warning that God gave to another nation, which was experiencing the thrill of independence after centuries of slavery in Egypt.
1. Although it was written over 3,000 years ago, this warning could very well apply to the United States today.
2. In our text, Moses tells the people, "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land . . . where you shall eat food without scarcity. . . When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land, which He has given you. Beware. . .lest, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them. . . and your silver and your gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, then your heart becomes proud, and you forget the Lord your God."
II. We must be careful that we not forget God.
A. The testimony of history has made it abundantly clear that not only nations, but also individuals, need to heed that warning.
1. The greatness of a nation does not rest in its military power, technological advancement, or its national wealth.
2. Righteousness and justice are the determining factors.
3. Proverbs 14:34 (NASB) 34Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.
B. What is happening in the United States today?
1. Largely, our modern objectives have become success, status, & security.
2. These are followed closely by self-indulgence, comfort & pleasure.
3. Our permissive society turns freedom into license; rights into riots; and pornography into profit.
4. As we become concerned about a higher standard of living, some fail to live by any standard.
5. Riches are elevated above righteousness, & science above the Savior.
6. We abandon the moral law of scripture and then shake our heads in disbelief as crime increases.
Illustration: Someone asked, “What in the world is happening with our kids today?” Let us see…I think it started when Madelyn Murray O’Hare complained that she did not want any prayer in our schools, and we said “Okay.” Then someone said, “You had better not read the Bible in school” – the Bible that says, “Thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In addition, we said, “Okay.” Dr. Benjamin Spock said we should not spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. Therefore, we said, “Okay, we won’t spank them.” Then someone said that teachers and principals had better not discipline our children when they misbehave. In addition, our administrators said, “No one in this school is to touch a student when he misbehaves because we don’t want any bad publicity. And we surely don’t want to be sued.” Then someone said, “Let’s provide our children with condoms so they can have all the ‘fun’ they desire.” In addition, we said, “That’s a great idea.” Someone else said, “Let’s provide abortions for underage girls, and they will not even have to tell their parents.” Moreover, we said, “That’s another great idea.” Then some of our top officials said that it does not matter what we do in private. Moreover, we said, “As long as I have a job & the economy is good, it doesn’t matter to me what anyone does in private.” So now, we are asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they do not know right from wrong, and why it does not bother them to kill. Probably, if we think about it long & hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with “We reap what we sow.” Wow! What a novel concept!
III. We must not let our freedom be out of control.
A. Sometimes our proclaimed freedom has become the very thing that enslaves us.
1. Titus 3:3 (NASB) 3For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
a) Following a life of pleasure and giving in to every sensual desire leads to slavery.
b) Many think freedom consists in doing anything they want.
c) Nevertheless, this path leads to a slavish addiction to sensual gratification.
d) When this happens a person is no longer free, but is a slave to what his or her body dictates.
e) Christ frees us from the desires and control of sin.
f) Have you been freed from the desires and control of sin?
Illustration: Go to the wino on the street and say, "I want to set you free from drunkenness." He will most likely say, "I’m not a slave to anything. Give me back my bottle."
Illustration: The prodigal son came to his father and said, "I want to be free. Give me what is mine." Then he wandered into the far country, saying, "I’m free! I’m free!" However, his freedom was brief. His friends left him when his money ran out, and he found himself enslaved to a Gentile taskmaster and to a group of hogs in the hog mire. It was not until he came home and submitted to the father that he really found freedom.
IV. Our real freedom can only be found in Jesus Christ.
A. When we stand back and look at this land of the free, it is easy for us to begin to wonder, "Is there any real freedom anywhere?"
1. Thank God, as Christians, we have a greater freedom than any constitution can grant us.
2. We have the freedom that is offered in Christ Jesus.
B. There is a word for freedom in the New Testament.
1. It is the word, "redemption."
2. "Redemption" means "to be set free."
3. It means that we have been bought with a price, that we have been freed of our bondage, and now we are free indeed.
C. In the Epistle of Titus, the Bible teaches us that we have been set free from the bondage and corruption of sin.
1. Titus 2:11-14 (NASB) 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Conclusion: If you really are a patriot; if you are truly concerned about America; if you earnestly want God to bless her - then live a life in harmony with the will of God. Only then does one truthfully have the right to sing:
God bless America, land that I love. Stand beside her, & guide her, through the night, with the light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies,
to the oceans, white with foam, God bless America, my home, sweet home.
So, as we celebrate again the birth of our nation, pray that our country might have a new birth of freedom; not a freedom from God, which always leads to license and ultimate slavery, but rather a freedom built upon God and His commandments. In addition, may each one of us, as individuals, reaffirm our dependence upon God so that, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith," we might experience the freedom He gives from not only worry, doubt, and fear, but also from all those sins, which do "so easily beset us." Then, as did the founding Fathers of our country, we will find in Him our life, liberty, & true happiness.
Illustration: The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver &, using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle & found the seat he had told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap, and rested her cane against her leg.
It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis, she had lost her sight, and was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness, frustration, anger, and self-pity. Moreover, all she had to cling to was her husband, Mark.
Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.
Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used to take the bus, but was now too frightened to go by herself. Therefore, Mark volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends of the city.
At first, this comforted Susan who was so insecure about herself now. Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement was not working. “Susan is going to have to start taking the bus again.” He admitted to himself. “But she is still so insecure, so angry – how will she react?”
Just as he feared, Susan was horrified at the idea of taking the bus again. “I’m blind!” she responded bitterly. “How am I supposed to know where I am going? I feel like you’re abandoning me.”
Mark’s heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as long as it took, until she got the hang of it. That is exactly what happened.
For two solid weeks, Mark accompanied Susan to and from work each day. He taught her how to rely on her other senses, especially her hearing, to determine where she was and how to adapt to her new environment.
Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark. Her eyes filled with tears of gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, and his love.
She said “Goodbye,” and for the first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday…Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing it! She was going to work all by herself!
On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare to exit the bus, the driver said, “Boy, I sure do envy you.” Susan was not sure if the driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who would ever envy a blind woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year?
Curious, she asked the driver, “Why do you say that you envy me?” The driver responded, “It must feel good to be taken care of & protected like you are.” Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and again asked, “What do you mean?”
The driver answered, “Every morning for the past week, a fine-looking man in a military uniform has been standing across the street watching you as you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely, & he watches until you enter your office building. Then he blows you a kiss & walks away. You are one lucky lady!”
Tears of happiness poured down Susan’s cheeks. For although she could not see him, she had always seemed to feel Mark’s presence. She was lucky, for he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift that she did not need to see to know – the gift of his love.
