“What Did Jesus Say To George Washington?”
Thesis: George Washington’s motto’s were impressed upon Him by the Lord and they were “Deeds, not words”, and “For God and my Country”.
Texts:
Hebrews 13:7,8
7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Titus 3:1
1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
I Timothy 2:1-4
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
Romans 13:1-7
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
Matthew 28:18
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Video Clip on George Washington “America’s Godly Heritage” By David Barton
Introduction:
Last Monday was President’s Day a day to honor and remember our former presidents. About 6 months ago I did a sermon about Abraham Lincoln and today I want to focus on our first president George Washington.
I was disturbed a time back when I heard a lie being promoted in the educational realm and in the media. People where saying that George Washington was a Deist - which means a person who believes in God only through man’s natural reasoning and does not believe in Divine Revelation or the Divine authority of the Bible. A deist believes that God is not involved in the world today, he may have created it but that is it. There is no divine guidance or involvement in our lives. He is a god who is absent from this earth and unconcerned about the fate of mankind.
In my study of President Washington I discovered this not to be the case he was a man of God. He was a devoutly dedicated Christian. Just listen to some of his quotes;
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible” (Maxims of Washington, Schroeder, 1942).
“Sunday Morning…Almighty God, and most merciful Father, who didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to Thee, that thereby they might glorify and praise Thee for thy protection both night and day, receive O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I know offer up to Thee; I yield Thee humble and hearty thanks, that Thou hast preserved me from dangers of the night past and brought me to the light of this day, and the comfort thereof, a day which is consecrated to Thine own service and for Thine own honour. Let my heart therefore gracious God be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works but wait on Thee, and discharge those weighty duties Thou required of me: and since thou art a God of pure eyes, and will be sanctified in all who drawer nearer to Thee, who dost not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who tread in Thy courts, pardon I beseech Thee, my sins, remove them from my presence, as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me merits of thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into Thy temple and compass Thine altar, my prayer may come before Thee as incense, and as I desire Thou wouldst hear me calling upon Thee in my prayers, so give me peace to hear the calling on me in Thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of my soul in the day of the Lord Jesus. Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me gracious God, the good work for which Thou has sent it. Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God and guide this day and forever for His sake, who lay down in the grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” (24 Pages in his Personal field notebook).
‘Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, humbly implore his protection and favor…” (1st Proclamation of a national day of Thanksgiving, Oct. 3, 1789).
These quotes and many more verify the fact that George Washington was a devout Christian and knew that God is involved in the affairs of this world.
President George Washington knew the importance of having a relationship with the Lord. He especially knew that for him to be a good General and good President he had to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He was a man of prayer and humility. He looked to the Lord many times in his life to God’s divine protection, intervention and wisdom.
Lets today look at the two motto’s that I believe the Lord laid on President Washington’s heart. These motto’s are revealed by his daily life.
I. The first motto revealed to him by the Lord was, “Deeds, not words!”.
a. It’s possible he had a revelation from James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
i. President Washington had a reserved nature when it came to speaking with words but he was a man of action. Eidsmore stated, “Washington was a man of action rather than a man of words. But records reveal that he did express his religious convictions as a statesman and as a person.
ii. Listen to these orders issued to his troops soon after taking over as General:
1. The General most earnestly requires and expects a due observance of those articles of war established for the government of the Army which forbid profane cursing, swearing and drunkenness. And in like manner he requires and expects of all officers and soldiers not engaged in actual duty, a punctual attendance of Divine Services, to implore the blessing of Heaven upon the means used for our safety and defense (July 4,1775 – general orders from Cambridge).
2. The General hopes and trusts that every officer and man, will endeavor to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country (July 9, 1776 Chaplains appointed to US Army- General George issued this general order to his troops).
b. If you take the time to study the life of President Washington you will discover that he was a man of few words but even though he was slow to speak he knew what it meant to be a doer of the word of God.
i. His desire was for people to see the difference by what he did. It is said by many that he despised arguments over doctrinal issues and desired that people would act out the word rather than just preach it. His desire was to make a difference and he choose the path of action rather than mere words and his actions have impacted this nation Under God.
ii. Lets look at 7 ways that this great leader impacted others and this nation as a General, President and family man.
1. President Washington was a Man of prayer.
a. His 1st point of action is recalled by a few of his fellow soldiers and closest friends and family: He was a man of prayer!
b. The U.S. Capitol has a private chapel for congressmen in which there is a stained glass window showing Washington at Valley Forge Praying. The glass window is entitled ‘Washington’s Gethsemane” (Eidsmoe, 113).
c. In the winter of 1777, at Valley Forge a man by the name of Potts observed General Washington praying earnestly to the Lord for his army, and for wisdom and direction. It is recorded by Potts, ‘If George Washington be not a man of God, I am greatly deceived-and still more shall I be deceived if God do not, through him, work out a great salvation for America (Weems, Life of George Washington published 1800).
d. There are numerous references to Washington being a man of prayer.
e. General Hamilton referenced in his writings that Washington’s regular habit was being on his knees in prayer (Eidsmoe page 136)
f. It is stated by his family that the he always said grace before a meal and if a clergy was present they were asked to pray (Eidsmoe, 136).
g. His stepdaughter Nelly Custis told historian Jared Sparks, “When my aunt, Miss Custis , died suddenly at Mount Vernon he knelt by her and prayed most fervently, most affectingly, for her recovery…” (Eidsmoe, 141)
h. She also noted, “It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o’clock where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always rose before the sun, and remained in his library until called for breakfast. I never witnessed his private devotions. I never inquired about them…His life, his writings, prove that he was a Chrisitian. He was not one of those who act or pray, ‘That they may be seen of men.’ He communed with his God in secret (Eidsmoe, 141).
c. George Washington was a man of action because he faithfully attended church on Sunday. This is his 2nd point of action. The only times he missed was if some important national business came up or if weather did not permit.
i. Nelly said, “General Washington had a pew in Pohick Church, and one in Christ church at Alexandria. He was very instrumental in establishing Pohick Church…his pew was near the pulpit…(Eidsmoe, 1400).
ii. George note only attended church but he encouraged - even ordered his soldiers and officers to do the same.
1. He knew that if his army was not in tune with God they would lose the battle to the English.
2. He wanted an army of Christians devoted to the Lord and giving him his due honor on Sunday because he knew then he had an advantage over the enemy.
3. He was an avid Bible reader he knew that if God was 1st in the nation’s life then blessings would come on the nation. If he was not first and ridiculed and blasphemed then cursing would come on the nation and it’s army.
4. Deut. 11:26-28: 26See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—27the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; 28the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.
5. He knew the value of attending church faithfully.
a. He wanted what was best for his family, his nation.
6. It is said that if he could not make a church service due to weather or US business he would have a service right were he was.
7. Rev. Lee Massey stated this about him after his death:
a. I never knew so constant an attendant on church as Washington, And his behavior in the house of God was ever so deeply reverential that it produced the happiest effects on my congregation, and greatly assisted me in pulpit labors…
8. He honored God on the Sabbath! The result was God honored and protected him through battles and service to his country.
d. George Washington also knew the value of fasting combined with prayer. His 3rd point of action was he was a man who knew how to fast.
i. On June 1,1774 as the Colonies were seeking God’s will as to whether they should make a break with England George entered this in his diary, “Went to church and fasted all day.”
ii. He knew that through the discipline of fasting he could receive direction for major decisions he had to make.
1. Both in Battle
2. In leadership of his army
3. In personal decisions
4. In decisions related to the United States
e. George Washington was also a man who knew the importance of giving thanks to the Lord for His blessings. His 4th point of action was he called for national times of Thanksgiving to be given to God.
i. He was a man who knew the value of thanking the Lord for his divine protection.
ii. He probably read these Scriptures and allowed the Lord to show him the value of giving thanks for God’s blessing.
1. I Chron. 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
2. Psalm 100:4 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
3. I Thess. 5:18: 16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
iii. He issued a National Day of Thanksgiving on Oct. 3, 1789.
1. “Whereas, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, humbly implore his protection and favor…”
iv. He did the same Jan. 1, 1795, “It is an especial manner our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced. Deeply penetrated with this sentiment, I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever within the United States, to set apart and observe Thursday, the 19th day of February next, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer….”
v. He at many points in his leadership challenged and created national or local days of giving thanks to the Divine Protector for His blessings.
f. George Washington was a husband who prayed and had devotions with his wife Martha. His 5th point of action was he had regular devotions with his wife Martha and stressed private devotions to his step-children..
i. Eidsmoe notes, “many accounts establish that he and his wife , Martha, engaged in regular private devotions.”
ii. George knew he had to lead his nation and his army but he also knew the importance of having devotions with his wife. He set aside time in his busy schedule to have devotions with his wife. Even as President of the United States.
iii. His devotions consisted of prayer and Bible reading. He highly valued the Bible as the source for religious belief and principles to live by (Eidsmoe, 139).
iv. He not only had devotions with his wife but he bought Bibles for his step children in 1761. He ordered Bibles and prayer books for his children so they would grow in their relationship with the Lord (139).
g. George Washington was a man of few words but when he did speak on the subject of faith he stressed the importance of it for life. His 6th point of action is expressed best in instances when he challenged his soldiers to make sure they were in the right position with the Lord prior to battles.
i. Henry Muhlenberg, pastor of the Lutheran church near Valley Forge and one of the founders of the Lutheran Church in America stated:
1. I heard a fine example today, namely, that His Excellency General Washington rode around among his army yesterday and admonished each and every one to fear God, to put away the wickedness that has set in and …to practice the Christian virtues. From all appearances, this gentleman does not belong to the so-called world of society, for he respects God’s Word, believes in the atonement through Christ, and bears himself in humility and gentleness…(Federer, page 641, America’s God and Country).
ii. Washington’s prayers reveal a man of conviction and what he believed. Eidsmoe notes, “The prayers show the recognition of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, ‘my only saviour,’ whose blood was shed on the cross ‘for me,’ respect for God’s ‘holy word,’ a desire to be more like Jesus, a recognition of personal sin, a desire to be delivered from the ‘cunning of the devil, or deceitfulness of sin,’ acknowledgement of need for the ‘means of grace,’ prayers for the rulers of church and state, and watchfulness for the ‘coming of the Lord Jesus’ and the time when ‘the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall arise and stand before the judgement seat…’”(131).
h. George Washington did not just attend church but he was involved in his church. His 7th point of action was he was a church officer in his church and served his church like he did his country – with dedication and commitment.
i. He is noted for being a giver and a servant leader.
ii. He is reported to have been very helpful in planting the Pohick church.
T.S.- We have observed how President Washington was a man of action and we see that he also knew what it meant to serve God and his country.
II. His second motto which directed his life was “For God and my Country.”
a. President Washington knew that to serve his country faithfully and honorably he had to link God and country together. He did not separate the two like some try to do today.
i. Eidsmoe notes: (Page 123-124)
1. Washington did not oppose government support for religion in general.
2. Washington declared to the Virginia Baptists that ”no one would be more zealous than myself to establish and effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.”
3. He saw the fist amendment not as a prohibition of every interaction of church and state, but only those activities which constitute persecution or spiritual tyranny.
a. He did not believe that the US should support one Christian denomination over another. He believed they needed to love one another and be one. Therefore the government would not support one Christian group over another –But-- he did believe that the government needed the influence of Christianity on it to be successful.
4. Washington believed both government and rulers are ordained by God for the ordering of society and both should acknowledge and obey God. Religion and morality are the pillars of society, so government should encourage religion. But government should avoid doctrinal disputes by not favoring one denomination over another and should protect the free exercise of religion. As Washington put it, ‘While just government protects all in their religious rights, true religion affords to government its surest support.’(124)
b. A speech Oct 3, 1789 on the 1st National Day of Thanksgiving contained these ideas: (From Eidsmoe, pg. 118)
i. Good government is a blessing from God.
ii. National entities as such should acknowledge, obey, thank and pray to God.
iii. National entities should seek forgiveness from God for national transgressions as well as individual transgressions.
c. There is another letter written to Rev. Stevens acknowledging the following thoughts on God/Government.
i. God desires men to live under civil authority
ii. God has established rulers over men
iii. Civil rulers are entitled to respect
iv. Civil rulers are subject to God
v. Civil rulers will be judged by God
vi. Civil rulers may be removed by God
d. President Washington agreed and knew that national government is responsible to God and needs God.
i. “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible” (Maxims of Washington, Schroeder, 1942).
e. President Washington’s “Farewell Address” which was found in History text books up until the late 30’s was considered the most significant political speech ever delivered by an American President.
i. In his speech he had twelve warnings to this nation and 4 of them where religious.
ii. President Washington’s speech was removed in the late 1930’s from History books because of its 4 religious warnings. These 4 very religious warnings to this nation promoted keys that would keep this nation strong. His “Farewell Address” has recently resurfaced in some history text books today but with the 4 religious warnings edited out.
iii. See copy of the whole “Farewell Address”.
iv. His religious points were the following: (Taken from David Barton, The Foundations of American Government)
1. There are only two foundations for political prosperity in America- religion and morality.
a. They are “the pillars to societies survival” he later said in a letter to a Christian group.
2. He also warned that no man could be called an American Patriot who tried to separate religion and morality from politics.
a. He also said that Americans should continue to reject any tenet which asserted that one could be moral without religion.
i. This is what liberal education teaches and promotes when it pushes separation of church and state.
b. This was a reference to Deism which believed human reason could lead a person to virtuous conduct.
i. It asserts all we need is knowledge and human reason.
ii. Use example of how Democrats are anti war but see no problem aborting babies before they are born.
1. They cannot see that this is murder too!
3. Washington warned that if we lost our religious values we would not have value for others property, life or freedom.
a. Just take a look around today!
4. Washington warned that if America lost its religious principles then it would lose its sense of morality and this would tear the nation down and lead to its collapse.
a. I honestly believe that if this nation does not reverse course it will collapse from within.
Conclusion:
President Washington died in 1799 and on the back of his tomb is inscribed this verse, “I am the Resurrection and the Life; sayeth the Lord. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25,26a)
On the Washington Monument in Washington D.C. on its metal cap at 555 feet is etched these words “Praise be to God!”
Along the stairway of the monument the following verses are carved into the tribute blocks: (From Federer page 665,666).
1. “Suffer the Little Children to come unto me and forbid them not; for such is the Kingdom of God” (Luke 18:16).
2. “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6)
3. “Search the Scriptures” (John 5:39; Acts 17:11)
4. “Holiness unto the Lord” (Exodus 28:36;39:30; Zechariah 14:20).
5. In God we Trust!
6. God and our Native Land
7. May Heaven to this union continue it beneficence
Hebrews 13:7,8
7Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Let us remember the Godly heritage of our first president and consider the out come of his life. He was successful in winning a great battle for our nation with help from God - the story of long Islands miracle- and learn by example to imitate his faith in Jesus Christ.
We need to know that just as God honored and used Washington he will do the same for us today if we imitate this type of faith. Jesus has not changed his mind on what brings blessings and what brings curses to a person’s life and a nation. Jesus laid out the way we are to live and act and it’s imperative that we adhere to his way. When we do -- watch it will affect this nation but it has to starts with us right here in Amery.
Altar Call:
How many here today desire to make a difference with their life?
How many desire to live by the motto, “Deeds, not just words?”
How many desire to live for God so it effects their country?
Lets pray to the Lord for help!
So we can be what he desires us to be!
