I. The Prince of Patriotism
A. The Lion of Judah
1. Text: Revelation 5:1-14
2. This Lamb of God will become the Lion of Judah
B. Jesus Typifies Patriotism
1. The word ‘patriot,’ being defined means “Someone who loves and defends his country.”
2. Wouldn’t you say Jesus loved and defended His country? Wouldn’t you agree He loved and defended His people?
3. He became the Lamb of God, so that one day He would become the Lion of Judah! Praise the Lord! I’m looking forward to that day!
a. The reason He is referred to as a Lion is because it refers to great strength!
b. The word “Judah” means, “He shall be praised!”
c. So, He is the Lion of Great Strength, Who Shall be Praised! Glory to God!
C. Jesus, the Patriot of Patriots
1. Verse 10 of our text says that He shed His blood to redeem every tribe and every tongue and every people and every nation!
2. So, what does this mean for you and me, today?
In order to answer that question, we must go from speaking of the Prince of Patriotism (a.k.a. the Prince of Peace), to speaking of
II. The Price of Patriotism
A. Look at What Jesus Went Through to Become the Lion!
B. You Can’t Become a Lion Until You’ve Been a Lamb!
C. The United States has got this concept mixed up…again!
1. We were birthed as a nation that was as a small lamb.
a. Naïve
b. Young
c. Vulnerable
d. Meek
2. But, we became as strong and mighty nation with the strength of a lion!
a. But, we’ve been deceived!
b. Like Samson, our Delilah has wooed us to sleep and we have had the power, as it were, snatched from us, and we know it not!
D. Our Forefathers Knew What it was Like to Sacrifice and Suffer!
1. The writers of the Declaration of Independence, literally, separated themselves from their homeland. They became a great Lion of strength! And it wasn’t easy!
a. The first colonists left their homeland to give birth to a great nation!
2. Jesus left His home to come to ours, so that someday, we could go back to His!
a. He, too, left His homeland to give birth to a great nation of people!
3. The writers of the Declaration literally gave their lives for their nation!
a. Of the signers, 5 were captured by British forces and tortured before they died.
b. 12 had their homes ransacked and burned.
c. 2 lost their sons in war.
d. 9 of them either died from war wounds or from hardships suffered because of the war.
e. Standing firm, these men pledged: “For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the Divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”
f. They declared that you and I are “endowed with certain inalienable rights.” That means indisputable rights. Author Thomas Jefferson took this term from a 600-year-old Christian legal heritage.
4. Must I remind you that Jesus, too, gave His life for His own people!? This, my friend, is the cost of freedom! Death is the cost of freedom! Bloodshed is the cost of freedom! It always has been, it always will be!
5. If it wasn’t for this cross, you and I wouldn’t be free from sin today! If it wasn’t for this flag, you and I wouldn’t be free today!
6. “…Without the shedding of blood there is no remission (Forgiveness) .” (Hebrews 9:22)
E. Let Us Never Forget our Freedom!
1. Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the liberty (freedom) by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
a. I believe this is a message to America!
b. America is supposed to be America the Beautiful (in fact, that’s what the word “America” means; beautiful)
c. The Book of Revelations speaks of a church in the last days, known as the church of Laodecia. This church is otherwise known as the church of today.
(1) This was the lukewarm church.
(2) The church that God said would cause Him to become sick enough to vomit them out of His mouth!
(3) We have a lukewarm America. With lukewarm Americans living in it.
(4) The solider would carry the flag to war.
(5) He fought under the flag.
(6) He was either wounded or died under the flag.
(7) His casket was draped with this flag.
(8) Yet there are those in America who would have the gall enough to ridicule that soldier’s efforts by burning that flag! That not only makes God want to vomit, but it makes me sick also!
(9) Then, there was One, His name was Jesus.
(10) He was born of a virgin.
(11) He lived a sinless life; yet He became sin for you and I.
(12) He died and rose again.
(13) But, there are still those who would ridicule and mock all that He did by defaming His honor. By sleeping in on His holy day! By cursing His holy name!
(14) There are those who, today, might know how to be politically correct…but they are spiritually corrupt!
2. Leviticus 25:10 “…Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof. ”
a. This same verse is inscribed on the Liberty Bell.
3. Paul continued writing, in Galatians 5:13, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty (freedom), only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh (does this sound like America?), but through love, serve one another.”
4. John said, “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
5. And, again, Paul wrote, “And, having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. But now having been set free from sin, and having become salves of God, you have your fruit to holiness (unto sanctification), and the end, everlasting life.” (Romans 6:18, 22)
First, we looked at the Prince of Patriotism, then the Price of Patriotism…this is what causes a “Passion for Patriotism” When you discover what Jesus did for you, you will become allegiant. When you realize how many men died for your American freedom, you will become allegiant! If you haven’t recently, once again, can you join me in declaring our allegiance to this great nation that God has shed His grace on? And, also, can we declare our allegiance as well, to the One through Whom that grace was shed?
