I’ve entitled our message this morning, “Run to the Roar.” The Fourth of July is a national holiday that many churches recognize; one which “celebrates America’s Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of England under King George the III.”(1) I find it interesting that we have a day celebrating an act akin to insurrection, when we couldn’t imagine something like that today. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence had a courage that we rarely see; and many of us do not realize how the courage that led to America’s fight for independence and freedom began a year earlier with the church. And yes, you heard me right! It began with the church! Listen as I share some background information on the American Revolution presented by David Barton of Wall Builders.
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, kicked off the Revolution. Barton says that at the Battle of Lexington, 700 British came marching into town. So, Rev. Jonas Clark said, “My church will take care of this,” and Rev. Clark took 70 men from his church and they went out and faced the British. That was the battle of Lexington. In the second battle, 300 Americans were there to meet the British at Concord; but this time the 300 men were led by Rev. William Emerson.(2)
The British said, “This is not going the right direction. We had 70 opponents. Now we have 300 opponents!” So, they turned around and headed back to Charleston as quickly as they could get there, which was a 19-mile forced march; and along the way, there were 4,500 Americans lining the road on both sides. So, where did all those people come from? Rev. Peyton Phillips brought his church out, and Rev. Benjamin Boss brought his church out. The same thing happened at the Battle of Bunker Hill outside of Boston. Rev. Joseph Willard got two companies out of his church, and said, “Guys, it’s our town. Let’s go fight for it!” And so, the American Revolution consisted of these kinds of local battles.(3)
I personally find it difficult to reconcile this kind of physical force with what the New Testament teaches; but we need to keep in mind something called “situational ethics,” which holds that the situation determines our actions. You’ve heard it said, “Never judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes.” Now, I feel it’s important to mention that the churches gathered there to fight resolved “not to fire the first shot.” It was the British who fired first. With all this said, let me lay out what I’m going to do this morning. First, we’re going to look at what the New Testament says about fighting; and secondly, we’re going to reflect on these initial battles of the American Revolution, and see how we can apply what we learn to the spiritual conflict that we face in America today.
Jesus Disapproves of Physical Force (John 18:10-12, 33-36)
10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” 12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him . . .
33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
From these verses, we actually learn that physical force and fighting are not tactics that Jesus approves for His followers. First of all, in verses 10-12, when Peter sought to stop Jesus’ arrest by using a sword, which was a deadly weapon, Jesus told him, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (v. 11). In Matthew 26:52, we find some more words from this exchange. Matthew tells us, “But Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword’.” It seems that Jesus was against violence.
In verse 33, when Pilate asked Jesus if He were the King of the Jews, he wanted to know two main things. First, he was checking to make sure that Jesus wasn’t exalting himself above Caesar, for there was to be no king or god above Caesar. Secondly, he was checking to make sure that Jesus wasn’t a Zealot. The Zealots were a political movement which sought to incite the people of Judea to rebel against the Roman Empire. They were founded by Judas of Galilee,(4) who is mentioned by name in Acts 5:37. In fact, in Luke 23:5-6, we read of Jesus’ trial before Pilate, that the mob became “more fierce, saying, ‘He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.’ When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean.” So, Pilate was checking to make sure that Jesus wasn’t associated with those violent insurrectionists.
Jesus was not trying to overthrow the Roman Empire, for He stated, “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here” (v. 36). “If Christ’s kingdom had been a worldly one, set up on worldly views, and governed with worldly policy, and was to answer some worldly [cause], Christ would have had servants enough among the Jews, who would have [stood] for Him, and took up arms in His favor against the Romans.”(5) But “the source of His sovereignty was not the power which men confer on their earthly leaders, nor was His cause served by the weapons of darkness.”(6)
Allow me to share something from the New Bible Dictionary. We read this: “Extending Christ’s kingdom by military means is clearly not part of the ideal of the New Testament. ‘My kingship is not of this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight’ (John 18:36) was the principle enunciated by our Lord when He stood before Pilate. And His words to Peter as recorded in Matthew 26:52 cast a shadow on the use of force whatever the circumstances may be.”(7) I don’t know why church members were the first to challenge the British in the Revolutionary War. We could talk about self-defense and just war theory, or reflect on the actions of Sergeant York; but we must keep in mind that Christians should do everything within their power to refrain from physical force.
Paul Approves of Spiritual Force (Ephesians 6:10-13)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
To “put on the whole armor of God” (v. 10) is a call to arms. It’s a call to fight! Paul told young Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). He also told him, “You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ . . . engaged in warfare” (2 Timothy 2:3-4), and Paul told Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). The Bible speaks about the need to fight, but it’s not a physical fight. It has nothing to do with using weapons, such as knives, swords or guns. The New Bible Dictionary says, “The Christian’s warfare is pre-eminently a spiritual warfare, and he has been equipped with all the armor necessary . . . to obtain victory,”(8) and if we continue with chapter six, we can see each piece of this armor listed in verses 14-18.
In verse 12, Paul said, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (Eph 6:12), or against individual people, but against principalities and powers (6:12). Principalities and powers are the visible structures and institutions of society, like a moral code or political ideology.(9) It can also be state and federal governments, or even the local school board. In his book Engaging the Powers, Walter Wink elaborates on how these institutions appear as being controlled by human influence; but on the contrary, they are manipulated by spiritual forces.(10) Commentator Kenneth Wuest says in his Word Studies from the New Testament, written in 1955, that even though earthly governments have been ordained by God, that “the incumbents in those offices are not always ordained of God,” and he emphatically adds, “We know that demons have a great deal to do with various governments.”(11)
Think about Jesus. He put on the armor of God as He entered a highly political scene. Palestine was under Roman occupation; and the scribes and Pharisees, who were power hungry, dominated the religion of Judaism. Jesus was under constant attack by the institutions of His society; institutions which had underlying spiritual influences. And we live in a time today when traditional beliefs and values are under attack from the devil. These attacks are being waged from within the government and local school boards, and are disguised by language such as “alternative lifestyle” and “pro-choice.” The devil is working in the minds and hearts of leaders, destroying the very fabric of morality; therefore, it is imperative for believers to put on the armor of God, and be prepared to take a stand for what is right. I am going to come back to this passage in a moment, so hold your place there.
A Spiritual Call to Arms – Run to the Roar!
So, we’ve seen that physical fighting is not something that Jesus approves of for believers; however spiritual battle is, and it takes great courage to stand up in the face of conflict, ridicule and persecution. So, now it’s time to share the concept of “run to the roar,” and see what we can learn from some of the initial battles of the American Revolution, when applied to the spiritual warfare happening in America.
Job 12:7 says, “Ask the animals, and they will teach you” (NIV). When you look at the lion, you can learn a lot. When you listen to a lion roar it’s interesting to note how everything runs away from it. Did you know that it’s the male lion who roars and not the female? When he roars out on the savannah, he can be heard up to five miles away. The male lion will position himself at one end of the savannah and the female lions will get at the other end of the savannah. When the male lion roars the animals run away from the roar and straight into the claws of the females who are waiting to attack them. So, the animals get themselves killed by running away from what scares them the most.(12)
The male lion is the one who makes all the noise, but he is not as dangerous as the females, because the females are the ones who do all the killing. The females don’t make any noise, and yet they are the most dangerous. So, if you want a safe place around a lion, you have to learn to run to the roar. It’s counterintuitive, but that’s what you learn from the animals. If the gazelles and zebras would run to the roar, they would have a much better chance of getting past the male lion because he’s slower.(13)
In 1 Peter 5:8-9 we are told, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He wants to devour individuals and he wants to devour nations. But we shouldn’t be running from the threat. Running is a sure way of allowing the devil to gain territory; and it’s a way of getting spiritually slaughtered. We are told to resist him and be steadfast, realizing that if we suffer while fighting evil, that we are not alone. Suffering is “par for the course” when we stand for what is just and true; nevertheless, we must remain faithful.(14)
The Bible tells us that “the righteous are as bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1 NIV), so why are we running away when we are just as powerful – or actually, more powerful – than the devil? “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4 KJV). Running away, being silent, and laying low should not be our first response to immorality and injustice. This is cowardice, and we read in Romans 21:8, that the cowardly will be among those consigned to the lake of fire; and in Hebrews 10:38, the Lord declares, “I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back” (NIV).
So, what are some spiritual issues that call for us to get in the fight? The Bible teaches that God created male and female, and He instituted the family to bring order to society. But gender and the family are under attack; meaning, the glue that holds our society together is being dissolved. Also, the government on every level, from local to federal, is promoting critical race theory, which is nothing but reverse racism. God created all people equal, declaring, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). But we are once again using skin color as a way of discriminating between the haves and have-nots.
School boards across our nation are incorporating anti-Christian and anti-patriotic ideas into their curriculum, teaching our kids to hate each other and to hate their country, and to bow down to the government. This indoctrination is a technique straight out of the communist playbook; and people aren’t even allowed to learn from the mistakes of history. David Barton tells us how in one state the new education standards for American History are removing any mention of World War II and the holocaust. This same state is also removing any teaching on the American Revolution, the American Civil War, and World War I.(15)
Barton points out that the American Revolution consisted of local battles.(16) Today, we get caught up pointing the finger at the national government, making appeals on a federal level, or even protesting at Washington D.C. In doing so, we become blinded to what’s happening at the local level. The real war is happening in places like our city hall and local school board. But we rarely take notice of what’s right in front of us. Barton says that in the American Revolution, it was the local communities defending the local communities, saying, “This is our community. You’re not going to do that here!” The take-away here is that you achieve a national victory when you get enough local results.(17)
In running to the roar, more Christians need to step forward and enter the fight; and the fight begins at the local level. How can we expect our Christian values to affect society when we keep our beliefs behind closed walls? Haven’t you noticed that it tends to be those with non-Christian views who are involved in the community? We have allowed the lost, basically, to control our entire country from the bottom up, because Christians have refused to get involved. If we are to see a Christian revolution, known as revival, it begins in small town America as believers get elected to city councils and school boards, and as they volunteer with the chamber of commerce and other community organizations.
It Takes Uncommon Courage to Do Battle
Now, let’s circle back to Ephesians chapter six, where the Bible says we should be engaged in spiritual battle. In verses 10-11, Paul said, “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Before putting on the armor and entering into battle, we must first “be strong” (v. 10). This statement means that we must first find courage. At the beginning of this message, I said that those who signed the Declaration of Independence had courage that we rarely see; and that many of us don’t realize how the courage that led to America’s fight for independence and freedom began a year earlier with the church.
Paul was echoing words from the Old Testament when he said, “Be strong in the Lord” (v. 10). For example, in Joshua 1:7, God said, “Be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left.” It takes courage to stand on the Word of God; especially when people seem to be turning to the right hand and left as quickly as possible. But allow me to share a couple of verses to remind us Who is really fighting our battles when we decide to take a stand. In 2 Chronicles 32:7-8, the Lord told King Hezekiah when he was under attack, “Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him . . . With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.”
Time of Reflection
I wish to close by reminding us of the fact that all values that run contrary to the Bible are born out of sinful desires. 1 Peter 2:11, in the New International Version, says to “abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” The sinful desires leading to the policies that are tearing apart our nation, are ultimately tearing apart people’s souls. Spiritual warfare is a fight for the soul of mankind, for each and every individual – male and female, black and white. Sin wages war against the soul, seeking to steal, kill and destroy, for that is the devil’s purpose (John 10:10). “The wages of sin is death,” according to Romans 6:23, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I have no idea what you believe, or how you’re acting, but if it runs contrary to what God desires, then it could lead to missing eternal life. So, I want to close by extending an opportunity to confess Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, and as Lord over your life – over your every thought and deed. Romans 10:9-13 says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation . . . For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved’.” God doesn’t care about your history, your race, your social background, or your political beliefs. The Scripture says that whoever calls on the name of Jesus Christ will be saved from their sins and given eternal life.
NOTES
(1) Mark Parsec, “The 4th of July - A Christian Perspective of Independence Day,” Stepping Stone Recovery: http://searchwarp.com/ swa488909-The-4th-Of-July-In-God-We-Trust-Or-Do-We.htm (Accessed July 2009).
(2) “2021 May 2 | David Barton | Run to the Roar,” Aledo Cornerstone Church: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww_FIrswWCc (Accessed June 17, 2021).
(3) Ibid.
(4) “Zealots,” Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zealots (Accessed October 26, 2020).
(5) John Gill, John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible, Bible Study Tools: https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/john-18-38.html (Accessed October 26, 2020).
(6) William E. Hull, “John,” The Broadman Bible Commentary (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970), p. 354.
(7) R. P. Gordon, “War,” New Bible Dictionary (Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press, 1962), p. 1241.
(8) Ibid., p. 1242.
(9) Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1996), p. 650.
(10) Walter Wink, Engaging the Powers (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1992), p. 6.
(11) Kenneth S. Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies from the New Testament, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1955), p. 223.
(12) “2021 May 2 | David Barton | Run to the Roar.”
(13) Ibid.
(14) Ibid.
(15) Ibid.
(16) Ibid.
(17) Ibid.
