What Can I Do for God and My Country?
Thesis: We need to not be asking what can God and my country do for me? We instead need to ask what can I do for God and my country?
Quote: John F. Kennedy: Inaugural Address Jan. 20, 1961 “…my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”
President Kennedy said “Don’t ask, ‘What can my country do for me?’ instead ask ‘What can I do for my country!’” I add, “Don’t ask, ‘What can God do for me?’ instead ask, ‘What can I do for God!’”
Introduction:
Today is Memorial Day weekend a time when we remember those who have given of their lives for the cause of our country. So let us for moment reflect on the history and the meaning of Memorial Day.
Information below is from the website: http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis’ birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.
She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen in need. Later a Madam Guerin from France was visiting the United States and learned of this new custom started by Ms.Michael and when she returned to France, made artificial red poppies to raise money for war orphaned children and widowed women. This tradition spread to other countries. In 1921, the Franco-American Children’s League sold poppies nationally to benefit war orphans of France and Belgium. The League disbanded a year later and Madam Guerin approached the VFW for help. Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In 1948 the US Post Office honored Ms Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it.
Traditional observance of Memorial day has diminished over the years. Many Americans nowadays have forgotten the meaning and traditions of Memorial Day. At many cemeteries, the graves of the fallen are increasingly ignored, neglected. Most people no longer remember the proper flag etiquette for the day. While there are towns and cities that still hold Memorial Day parades, many have not held a parade in decades. Some people think the day is for honoring any and all dead, and not just those fallen in service to our country.
There are a few notable exceptions. Since the late 50’s on the Thursday before Memorial Day, the 1,200 soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry place small American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery. They then patrol 24 hours a day during the weekend to ensure that each flag remains standing. In 1951, the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of St. Louis began placing flags on the 150,000 graves at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that continues to this day. More recently, beginning in 1998, on the Saturday before the observed day for Memorial Day, the Boys Scouts and Girl Scouts place a candle at each of approximately 15,300 grave sites of soldiers buried at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park on Marye’s Heights (the Luminaria Program). And in 2004, Washington D.C. held its first Memorial Day parade in over 60 years.
To help re-educate and remind Americans of the true meaning of Memorial Day, the "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ’Taps."
The Moment of Remembrance is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country.
But what may be needed to return the solemn, and even sacred, spirit back to Memorial Day is for a return to its traditional day of observance. Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public’s nonchalant observance of Memorial Day."
"Remember Me"
Lately I have become concerned about the people I represent. I no
longer see the Pride in your eyes that I once seen when I traveled
down your streets in the Veterans Day parades and on the 4th of
July. The people that once saluted me and those that held their
hand over their heart as I passed now just look around to see what
others are doing.
Could it be that they don’t see me? This is what it must be, because
I haven’t changed. I am still the same flag that accompanied so many
of our countrymen as they defended this great country.
As I wave in the breeze I am waving for each and ever one of them.
I represent the people of this country and not the disappointment
you may have with our Government. I have never had a vote in anything.
I stand for the freedom that the people have given to this country.
You are the heroes, not the Government.
You are the ones that go to work each day and do what is necessary
to see that the children have clothes and shoes and plenty of food.
That is why I call you heroes. This is the spirit that I represent.
This is why I was created, as a constant reminder to the people of
American that with pride in our country and a strong belief in God
we can over come any obstacle that is put in our path. We are still
the greatest country in the world. WE ARE AMERICA.
So the next time you pass by me just give me a wink or allow a
glimmer of pride or just a simple wave to let all the soldiers that
have died so you can live free and I can fly free will know that their
sacrifice was not in vain.
Your Flag
Not only should we remember those who fell in the wars of our nations but we should also remember what Jesus did for us as Christians. He also gave His life so that we could be Free! He choose to die on Calvary so that we could be free for all eternity.
Michael Novak in his article “In God We Trust” wrote, “The crucial point is that all the Founding Fathers—Jefferson included—shared in common a belief that a people cannot maintain liberty without religion.” He stated this is revealed by the first act of Continental Congress:
No wonder their first act as a Continental Congress was to request a session of prayer.
Mr. Jay of New York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina immediately spoke against this motion because (they said) Americans are so divided in religious sentiments—some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists—that all could not join in the same act of prayer. Sam Adams rose to say that he could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue, as long as he was a patriot. Adams moved that a Reverend Duché be asked to read prayers before Congress on the next morning. The motion carried.
Thus it happened that the first act of Congress on September 7, 1774, was an official prayer, pronounced by an Episcopalian clergyman dressed in his pontificals. And what did he read? He read a Jewish prayer, Psalm 35 in The Book of Common Prayer:
Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me. Fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of buckler and shield, and rise up for my help. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." Let those be ashamed and dishonored who seek my life. Let those be turned back and humiliated who devise evil against me.
Before the Reverend Duché knelt Washington, Henry, Randolph, Rutledge, Lee, and Jay. By their side, heads bowed, were the Puritan patriots, who could imagine at that moment their own homes being bombarded by the fleet or overrun by the king’s troops. Over these bowed heads the Reverend Duché uttered what all testified was an eloquent prayer for America, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston. The emotion in the room was palpable, and John Adams wrote to Abigail that night that he had never heard a better prayer or one so well pronounced: "I never saw a greater effect upon an audience. It seemed as if heaven had ordained that that Psalm be read on that morning. It was enough to melt a stone. I saw tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave pacific Quakers of Philadelphia."
T.S. – Our countries founding fathers knew this truth, that to best serve the country you must first serve God. So let’s look at what we can do to best serve God in our country today.
I. What Can I do for God?
a. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your mind, your soul and your strength.
i. Matthew 22:34-38: 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment.
ii. This love should drive us to want to obey and follow the teachings of the Word of God.
1. If we love God, we will keep His commandments - 1 John 5:3 “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome…”
2. Jesus taught that keeping His commandments is evidence of true love - John 14:15, 21, 23
a. 15“If you love me, you will obey what I command.
b. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
c. 23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
iii. This love should compel us to want to serve in his church
iv. This love should inspire us to press on in our relationship with Jesus and His body.
v. This love should empower us to live for Him and not for ourselves.
vi. This love should change our attitudes and actions in our lives.
vii. This love should make us want to serve the Kingdom of God.
viii. This love should transform our lives.
b. I can pay my tithes and give offerings to the work of the Kingdom
i. Matthew 22:15-22: 15Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” 18But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” 21“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
ii. Malachi 3:8-11: “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. “But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty.”
1. This doing and sacrificing for God is driven by the love of the Father and I should want to give to the Kingdom.
a. I should want to tithe and give offerings. Why? Because I love the Lord!
b. Truth is when I give as God spells out in His word, I make God smile and say, “Well done good and faithful servant!’
c. We need to ask ourselves “Lord how much should I give?”
d. Remember it’s not about your wants it’s about meeting the needs of the Body of Christ.
e. The reality check is God wants us to do this so He can bless us!
c. I can pray for others and for the leaders in the church.
i. 1 Timothy 2:1-8: 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. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
ii. Too many in the church underestimate the power of prayer.
iii. Prayer is the key ingredient to spiritual breakthroughs in people’s lives.
iv. Pray moves mountains and changes hearts.
v. Pray opens the doors that no man can shut.
vi. Pray is driven by the spirit of humility not pride.
d. I can please God by being a model citizen of Heaven.
i. This means I act like a Christian Patriot by…
1. I commit to the cause of Jesus and understand that I pledge allegiance to the Word of God and its supreme directive.
a. Our true citizenship is in heaven.
b. Philippians 3:20, 21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
2. I serve in the army of the Lord with Honor and with integrity
3. I remain faithful to the cause.
a. I do not quit or give up or commit treason.
4. I surrender my life for the cause of the greater whole.
a. I understand that the greater whole is more important than “me.”
5. I choose to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ.
a. I choose to be a part of the organization that Jesus established and to serve in it.
6. I choose to make a difference with my life.
a. It’s the idea that “I will with God’s help make a difference with my life!”
b. The saddest funeral I ever did was one where people – family could not come up with any really good that this person did in their life.
i. All they could say about this person was one night he helped someone whose car broke down in a storm.
7. I choose to help create a healing environment that changes and transforms people’s lives.
a. Four things that Doug Murren says hinders the church from becoming a church that heals:
i. A Lack of Compassion
1. He notes, “Two million people die every year. Only about 200,000 of those die knowing Jesus as their Savior.
2. Loneliness is one of the major contributors to the high number of heart attacks.
3. Each year 800,000 babies are born out of wedlock (Churches That Heal pg. 104).
ii. The “Us verse Them” mentality
1. This mindset builds walls and barriers toward unbelievers.
2. We are to be the light and the salt to this lost world around us.
3. We are to tell people about Jesus Christ and show them the way to eternal life. Not hide from them (105-108)!
iii. A lack of transparency (108, 109)
1. We must live lives that show that we are “Saved by Grace” and that we are not perfect.
2. We must be genuine and authentic with others.
iv. A consumer mentality
1. This view has devastated the church today. Christian view church as a place to have their needs met. They have no desire or will to sacrifice and serve others.
2. It is self-centered Christianity which focuses only on what do I get out of this church.
3. The reason there is tremendous turnover in the church is because people move to keep getting their selfish needs met and do not desire to serve the Kingdom of God.
a. Doug notes, “In my city Seattle, nearly every church has a turnover of between 20 and 30 percent every year…By failing to denounce consumer Christianity, we are encouraging believers to become self-serving-a deadly killer of compassion…Making disciples must be our goal, not satisfying consumers” (110).
II. What can I do for my country?
a. Obey the governing authorities in the country you live in.
i. We are to submit to the laws of the land in which we live.
1. Romans 13:1-5: 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.
2. Titus 3:1-2: “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”
ii. This we do for the Lord, that we might silence those who would like to discredit Christianity
1. 1 Peter 2:13-17: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
b. Pay my taxes to the United States Government and local governments.
i. This was the point of Jesus in our text Matthew 22:17-21 that we looked at earlier.
ii. Paul also taught us to pay taxes.
1. Romans 13:6-7a “This 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.”
c. Pray for our leaders
i. To make supplications, offer prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks.
1. 1 Timothy 2:1-8: 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. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
2. We are to pray for kings and all who are in authority according to 1 Timothy 2:1-3
a. Are you doing this?
d. Be a role model citizen for your country
i. I commit to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all
ii. I serve my country as a patriot with honor and integrity.
1. We are to have conduct that is honorable before all
a. 1 Peter 2: 11-12: “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
b. 1 Peter 2:15-16: “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 16Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. 17Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.”
iii. I remain faithful to the cause of freedom.
iv. I am willing to surrender my life for the benefit of the whole
v. I choose to be a part of this country’s system of government
1. This means I am willing to serve in public office
2. I vote for leaders who uphold Biblical values
3. I become involved in my children’s education and in the school system.
4. I voice my views in public.
5. I respect others who disagree and understand that I change them by love not force.
vi. I choose to make a difference with my life and for my country.
1. This means I choose to make a difference not sit back and hide in a remote corner of the country.
vii. I commit to help create and environment that changes and transforms people lives
1. We are to be ready for every good work - Titus 3:1
Conclusion:
1. Christians can best serve God by…
a. By Loving the Lord with their whole being and then allowing that love to drive them closer to God and service in His kingdom.
b. Giving first to God what is His, and then what is due to
their country
c. By praying for its church leaders and for one another
d. By committing to be the best role model citizen of Heaven they could be.
1). By giving God my best!
2. Christians should be the best citizens of any country in which they
reside...
a. They should have respect for laws, and respect for those in authority
b. They should obey the laws of the land and pay their taxes and support the country’s budget.
c. They should pray for its leaders daily and regularly
b. They should be role model citizens of their country.
1). They should contribute to the general welfare, through good deeds.
Brian La Croix from sermoncentral.com states: While those in authority might not always understand their proper place, and expect more of their citizens than what is right, may we who are disciples of Christ never fail to "Render therefore to Caesar the
things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s."
Please note: Ideas were pulled from Brian La Croix’s sermon “God and Country” on sermoncentral.com in the above sermon. Also ideas were gleamed from Mark Copeland’s sermon “Our Duty to God and Country” on sermoncentral.com. My other source was from Michael Novak’s article, “In God we Trust”
