Your Declaration of Independence!
July 4, 2004
Matt. 21:33-46
“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” (Thus begins the words of the Declaration of Independence.)
1. July 4th 1776
2. 13 British colonies on the eastern seaboard said, “We have had enough!”
3. The signing would lead to a revolutionary war and the signers knew it would.
4. The last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence reads, “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”
5. 228 years ago 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, 5 signers were captured by the British and were tortured before they died, 12 had their homes ransacked and burned, 2 lost their sons in the revolutionary war, another 2 had their sons captured. Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the revolutionary war. They gave their all!
6. The Declaration of Independence has influenced the world. Today because of freedom our soldiers still fight to strength our freedom and by the hand of God we do spread the gospel. In the new Iraq God has seen fit to give that country the same opportunity. In their new constitution as though God had written it we find “The freedom of religion”. The same words are found in our own constitution “Freedom of religion”.
7. As the signers of the Declaration of Independence took a stand against oppression, the Christian must also take a stand against the oppression of the oppressor of this world. We signed our declaration at our baptism in front of witnesses. We boldly said, “I believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God”.
8. I John 5:18-19 ….sway of the wicked one. (We will not commit treason nor be swayed by the enemy of our Father. We will not give up freedom in Christ Jesus.)
9. John 8:36 If the Son make you free, you will be free indeed.
10. Free already in our spirits we fight for freedom of our children and grandchildren from the oppression of the wicked one. We desire a better country, a country of peace and happiness. We declare plainly, “We are pilgrims and strangers on this earth and seek a homeland”. (Hebrews 11:13-14)
11. A Christian’s Conversion is a Declaration of War!
12. Matt. 10:34 …I did not come to bring peace but a sword….
13. Matt. 16:26-27 …gain the world and lose his soul….
14. Ehp. 6:12-13….we do not fight against flesh and blood…
15. Thomas Paine, six months after signing the Declaration of Independence, wrote:
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph.
16. Summer Christian or Sunshine Christian (comfort zone Christians) ….. “I just want to come to church and worship and be left alone.” Those who are Sunday Christians will not inherit the freedom nor gain the triumph nor have the freedom in Christ Jesus. They are still in the sway of the devil, Satan.
17. It does no good to fill the ranks of the army of God with soldiers whose ever shifting loyalty is to the ones who makes them feel the most comfortable.
18. There is no neutrality in this war!
19. Rev. 3:14-16 ….cold nor hot….
20. Two young men went to see a very old and very wise man. The took with them a sparrow. One of the young men held the sparrow closed in his hand. He asked the wise old man, “In my hand is a sparrow. Is it alive or is it dead?” If the old wise man had said it is dead the young man would have released it. If the old man had said alive he would have crushed it. The old man thought for a minute and said, “It’s live is in your hand.”
21. “Your life is in your hands!”
22. Will you come and give your life to Christ Jesus in faith, repentance, confession and baptism and live? Then you can be a soldier of the cross!
