Yesterday I had the priviledge to teach my congregation about some of America's history.
When we were homeschooling one our daughters we used a History Book that had stories about how our nation was birthed on the principles of God and the Bible. (This is not the stuff that is in school issued History Books.)
This, plus the research of David Barton (www.wallbuilders.com) and Melvin Newland helped me in preparation for this sermon.
Being this is July 4th - I thought you would enjoy my notes...WHAT'S RIGHT ABOUT AMERICA!
Psalm 33:12 (NKJV) 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV) If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Psalm 144:15 (NKJV) 15 Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!
Let’s suppose that sometime this week you turned on the TV News & heard these 3 announcements:
#1 - “The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has just issued this statement: ‘Divine Providence (that’s God) has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty… of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.’"
#2 - “Inquiries by our reporters reveal that almost every state legislature has now passed a law requiring all elected officials to take this oath: ‘I do profess faith in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ His only Son… and I do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be given by divine inspiration.’"
#3 - “Legislation was passed today in Congress to affirm that, ‘The Congress of the United States approves of and recommends … the Holy Bible for use in the schools.’”
What do you think the response to these announcements would be, especially in the media?
I think there would be more reaction to them than we could even imagine.
But the amazing thing is this: Every one of these statements is historically accurate and factual.
It was John Jay, the very first Chief Justice and often called the “Father” of the Supreme Court, one of the primary writers of our Constitution, who wrote, "It is the duty… of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."
It was the State of Delaware (along with most of the others) which required officeholders to take an oath affirming their Christian faith before they could take office.
And not only did Congress in 1782 approve the use of the Bible in our schools, they even paid for them with tax dollars.
And, in 1844, when someone sued to remove them, the Supreme Court ruled: “Why should not the Bible, and especially the New Testament, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the schools? Where can the purest principles of morality be learned so clearly or so perfectly as from the New Testament?”
Just think about this: If these people, who were so instrumental in establishing our nation, were here to say and do those things in our country today, they’d be considered right-wing radicals, and a threat to our nation. And I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.
We’ve gone a long ways away from our roots as Americans. So, one of my goals this morning is to do a little bit of education.
This is stuff that we need to know because it deals with our roots as Americans. If we don’t talk about it at church - where then are people going to hear it.
Our school systems and colleges and universities have become so secularized - so distanced from religion - that huge chunks of information about the spiritual roots of our nation are neglected, and unless you hear it from Christians, where will you hear it?
Did you know that Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell and Dartmouth all started out as places to train Christian ministers and pastors?
PROPOSITION: So, here are some things that are worth knowing about the roots of our nation, about what’s right with America:
1. America Was Settled By People Looking For Religious Freedom
The first thing right with America is that our earliest settlers were people who came here primarily looking for religious freedom.
Other nations, for the most part, came into existence by conquest for selfish and ambitious motives. But it was primarily in the atmosphere of God, not gold, that America was born.
The hardy souls who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 fled from tyranny and oppression.
And in the Mayflower Compact which they signed beneath the swinging lantern in the cabin of their ship, they proclaimed that they had come to the new world for "the glorie of God and the advancement of the Christian faith."
INTERESTING: In the early colonies the first public building to be erected was a church house and the first public exercise was the worship of Almighty God.
When sorrow came they gathered at the church to appeal to God for help. When bountiful harvests filled their barns they gathered at the church for thanksgiving to God.
INTERESTING: In 1643, as more and more people arrived on these shores, they joined together to form “The New England Confederation.”
They wrote a constitution, the first constitution written in the New World, and it began with these words: “Whereas we all came into these parts with one and the same end and aim, namely to advance the kingdom of our lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the gospel in purity and peace…"
These are our spiritual forefathers who came to the shores of America so they could worship and practice their faith without fear of persecution.
So the first thing that’s right with America is that its earliest settlers came here primarily looking for religious freedom.
2. Our Founders Had A Strong Desire To Be Pleasing To God And To Do His Will
The second thing right with America is that the founders of our nation had a strong desire to be pleasing to God and to do His will.
But before I go any further, please remember that around 150 years passed by from the time of the earliest settlers to the beginning of our nation.
And we’re not very proud of some of the things that happened during those years.
Some of the things done to the First Nations are ugly and dark and shameful.
You see, as time passed, and the original settlers died off, many of their descendants were more concerned with increasing their wealth and comfortable living than being faithful to God and His Word.
And as wave after wave of immigrants arrived, many of them came for other reasons and with entirely different motives than those earliest settlers.
For example, whether out of concern for them, or just to get rid of those considered “undesirable,” England began a program of emptying its prisons by making it possible for prisoners to come to the New World as “indentured servants.”
At the same time, the King of England granted vast tracts of land in the New World to his special friends, and slavery was introduced into the colonies to work these plantations.
The spiritual atmosphere deteriorated rapidly.
Churches were dying and many of them that had once sought religious freedom for themselves were now being intolerant of others.
And it was during this time that some went off in strange spiritual directions.
For example, in 1692 a slave girl was brought by her master to live in Salem, Massachusetts. She began to tell young girls there wild and vivid tales about the power of Voodoo, and it wasn’t long until fear filled the community and the Salem Witch Trials began.
The end result of it all was that by 1730, only about 10% of the people in the Colonies attended church at all.
That which had begun “for the glorie of God and the advancement of the Christian faith” had almost disappeared from our land.
By the way, much of what you hear derogatory about our early history comes out of this period.
Those who oppose Christianity love to point out the faults of that time.
But then something amazing happened! Beginning in 1734, a handful of preachers –
Jonathan Edwards
George Whitefield
Gilbert Tennant
John Wesley
And others – began to preach in the churches and in the streets and in the fields. These soon turned into great crusades and revivals that spread throughout the 13 Colonies.
So many people came to Christ during that time that it came to be known as “The Great Awakening.”
Tens of thousands dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ and were baptized.
So many people came to hear Whitefield as he traveled the colonies that he had to hold open-air meetings because there just wasn’t enough room in the churches.
Benjamin Franklin wrote, “It was wonderful to see the change soon made in the manners of our inhabitants. From being thoughtless or indifferent about religion, it seemed as if all the world were growing religious, so that one could not walk through the town in an evening without hearing psalms sung in different families of every street.”
In fact, Franklin was so impressed with George Whitefield's preaching that he helped build an auditorium to accommodate the crowds of up to 30,000 that came to hear Whitefield preach.
By the way, Philadelphia had a population of only 25,000 at that time. People were coming from everywhere to hear these preachers preach!
And it was not just in Philadelphia, it was all throughout the 13 Colonies. And openly-devout Christians were no longer just 10% of the population. Now they made up 50% or more.
Why am I telling you all this? Because this “Great Awakening” was a precursor to the American Revolution.
Our Founding Fathers, the signers of the Declaration of Independence (1776), those who wrote our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, those who put their lives on the line, who fought and died that we might be free – all these grew up and came into leadership while this “Great Awakening” was engulfing the land.
The generation that experienced the “Great Awakening” became the leaders of the American Revolution!
Check out this prayer recorded in the personal diary of George Washington, and in his own handwriting:
"Let my heart, gracious God, be so affected with Your glory and majesty that I may ... discharge those weighty duties which thou requirest of me ... Again, I have called on thee for pardon and forgiveness of sins ... for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ offered on the cross for me. Thou gavest thy Son to die for me; and hast given me assurance of my salvation."
I don’t care what you have heard about George Washington from the modern debunkers of our history. He was a devout Christian! And he wasn’t alone in his faith!
INTERESTING: Over a 10-year period, political-science professors at the University of Houston collected AND cataloged 15,000 writings by the founding fathers. Their goal was to determine the primary source of ideas behind the Constitution by identifying the sources quoted most often by them.
Guess what that primary source was? It was the Bible. 94% of the quotes of the founders of our nation were based upon the Bible.
The point of all this is that the cultural environment on the eve of the American Revolution was undeniably spiritual. And this focus dramatically affected the men and women who gave birth to this nation.
3. America Was Founded By Men And Women Who Acknowledged God’s Supreme RULE Over Men and Nations
Here’s the third thing that I think is right with America: “America was founded by men and women who acknowledged God’s supreme rule over men and nations.”
They weren’t perfect. They weren’t all devout Christians, but they all acknowledged that God was the supreme ruler over man and over nations.
Declaration Of Independence
Sometime you ought to read again the Declaration of Independence. Most of you are familiar with the prologue that says,
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
They’re saying, "We want a form of government whose job is to protect what the Creator has given to each of us."
Then, after listing a series of charges against the actions of the King of England, they make two more references to God:
"We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled,” (listen to this) “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World…” They’re saying that God is the Supreme Judge of the World!
And then they end their Declaration with these words: “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence” (that’s God), “we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes & our sacred honor.”
I’ve seen a painting of the first Continental Congress. And many of you have heard the story of how they were discussing and debating the Declaration of Independence.
Finally, one of them suggested they all get on their knees and ask God what should be done. And these gramers of the Declaration of Independence all went to their knees as one man and began to pray and seek the wisdom and guidance of God.
John Adams, in a letter he wrote to his wife, Abigail, about the meeting of the First Continental Congress, said, “The most amazing thing occurred. Even the stern old Quakers had tears gushing down their cheeks.”
Wouldn’t it be wonderful today if our president, our congress, and our Supreme Court, if they would just get down on their knees like our forefathers did and ask, "God, what do you want for this nation?"
John Adams also said "We have this day restored the Sovereign to Whom all men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven, and from the rising to the setting of the sun, let His Kingdom come."
So that’s the third thing that’s right with America: “America was founded by men and women who acknowledged God’s supreme rule over men and nations.”
4. America Was Protected And Directed By God In Its Founding
The British Empire at the time of the Revolutionary War possessed the most powerful fighting forces on the face of the earth.
The rag-tag assembly of volunteers, farmers and tradesmen who composed the ranks of the Continental Army were out-manned, out-gunned, and out-financed.
The colonies had virtually no chance of winning a war against England, short of God’s miraculous intervention. And that intervention seems to have happened.
In fact, both American and British observers of that time recorded their conviction that God had actually sided with the colonies against the British Empire.
For example, on Aug. 27, 1776, just 25 days after the Declaration of Independence was signed by the final delegate, Washington’s army of 8,000 found itself trapped at the water’s edge of the East River, near Brooklyn, NY.
20,000 experienced British soldiers were poised to attack. But for some reason, they delayed their attack, possibly waiting for the British fleet to sail up the river and close the trap.
But suddenly, rains came and a strong northeast wind arose, preventing the fleet from sailing.
When night fell, Washington began to evacuate his army across the mile-wide river in small boats, a few men at a time, trying to save as many as he could.
As morning approached, he knew that the boats would become easy targets for the British artillery.
But just as the sun arose, an unusually dense fog formed and visibility dropped to just 6 yards.
The fog remained in place until the very last boat, carrying Washington himself, set off across the river.
Then it suddenly lifted, and the British were stunned to see the shore empty of men. Guns were fired at Washington’s boat, but it was out of range. And not a man of the Continental Army was lost!
Of course, we could just consider that a “lucky break.” (After all, there’s no proof that God had anything to do with the sudden rains and wind and unusually dense fog.) Yeah, right.
But many of the American soldiers kept diaries of that event, and almost all of them attributed the "coincidental happenings" to the intervention and protection of God.
Another amazing "coincidence" took place at the end of the war. By that time, the French had become our allies and an opportunity arose to trap British General Cornwallis in Virginia.
But to do so meant that Washington had to march an army of 7,000 men all the way from New York to Virginia (approximately 400 miles); a French army had to land somewhere along the coast and find its way to meet Washington; and the French fleet had to keep the English from sending any reinforcements.
And all of this had to be done in complete secrecy, without the English suspecting a thing.
According to one historian, "The junction in Virginia had to be coordinated by two different national commands separated across an ocean without benefit of telephone, telegraph or wireless.”
That this was carried out without a fault seems accountable only by a series of miracles."
In fact, the ending of the war at the Battle of Yorktown, in 1781 is actually referred to by some historians as the "Miraculous Convergence."
Once again, it may have been just another “lucky break.” But could it be that God did guide and protect our young nation, not just in New York and Yorktown, but all throughout our quest for independence?
Could it be that the fruit of the Great Awakening - a love for righteousness, a sense of destiny, moral courage and unreserved dependence on God - moved the heart and hand of God?
I believe so. And so did many of our founders.
5. America’s Government Is Patterned After Biblical Principles
Fiftly, “America’s government is patterned after biblical principles.”
Do you know where the framers of our government got the pattern for 3 branches of government? As you know, we have an Executive Branch, a Legislative Branch that makes laws, and a Judicial Branch.
Where did they get the idea or pattern for 3 branches of government?
Not from any country in Europe; not from the writings of Plato or any of the other philosophers.
No, when the framers of our government got together to determine, "How can we best organize our government?" they looked to the word of God.
They were influenced by Isaiah 33:22 which refers to God in those same 3 aspects.
Isaiah 33:22 (NKJV) 22 (For the LORD is our Judge [that’s judicial], The LORD is our Lawgiver [that’s legislative], The LORD is our King [that’s executive]; He will save us);
6. American Law Guarantees Our Religious FREEDOM
TO PRACTICE and PROCLAIM OUR FAITH.
And finally, another thing right with America is that: “American law, as written by our founding fathers, guarantees our religious freedom to practice and proclaim our faith.”
Let me read to you the First Amendment of the American Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Now, much has been made in the last few years about the so-called "wall of separation" between church and state. I challenge any true student of history to study the background of where that comes from.
The so-called "wall of separation" was never intended to insulate our government or our culture from Christian influence. It was originally and always intended to protect the church from governmental influence and interference.
By the way, did you know that in 1892 the Supreme Court declared this about Christianity in America? "Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based on and must include the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible for it to be otherwise. To this extent, our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian."
That’s what the Supreme Court said a little over a hundred years ago. Yet in recent years the Supreme Court has totally repudiated that stand.
But there is hope. Remember, members of the Supreme Court do come and go. And they do change.
And there are also many people who are determined to find some way to exercise their right to practice and proclaim their faith, regardless of how vocal and strident the opposition may be today.
I
For example, in May, 1991, the Supreme Court of the State of California ruled that no longer could high school graduations have a prayer or a blessing.
One graduation service had always included a prayer of blessing upon the graduating class, but the Supreme Court of California said, "You can’t do that this year."
At the graduation, student after student came to the microphone and gave a little speech, but the final speech was the one that got a standing ovation.
As the last student walked to the microphone, on a pre-arranged signal, he sneezed. And as one voice, the entire graduating class of 92 kids stood up and said together, "GOD BLESS YOU!" There was their benediction, there was their blessing.
Another incident happened in Calvert County, Maryland.
One student, 17-year-old Nick Becker, lodged a complaint through the ACLU about an invocation being prayed at his high school graduation service.
The ACLU threatened the school board that if they permitted a prayer at that graduation, they would be sued. To avoid that, they came up with the decision to observe a moment of silence instead of prayer.
So when the time came, 17-year-old Julie Schenk, one of the Senior class leaders, stood at the microphone and requested the crowd of 4,000 people to stand and observe the moment of silence.
The crowd stood. And then in the crowd, a single student began to recite the Lord’s Prayer, "Our Father, who art in heaven…"
By the time he got to the second phrase, nearly everyone in that crowd picked it up and began to pray it with him. And as one mighty voice, like rolling thunder across that auditorium, they prayed the Lord’s Prayer together. And then, they sat down.
Cal Thomas, the journalist, had this to say about that event:
Cal Thomas
“Those Maryland parents and friends discovered an authority they had forgotten they had. Frustrated by the aimlessness of Washington and its inability to do anything except focus on self-preservation and survival of the politically unfit, this audience at the Calvert County graduation, decided to practice what ‘We the People’ actually means. When those Marylanders were told that they had no right to speak of God publicly, they chose to speak to God publicly. Ladies and Gentlemen, whatever the Supreme Court says, they cannot stop us from practicing and proclaiming our faith wherever and whenever we choose.”
When somebody says you can’t do it, you just smile at him or her and you practice your faith. You proclaim your faith.
I believe with all my heart that America has been blessed above many nations because of the character and faith of its founders.
And the Bible still says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
Now let me close by telling you a story of something that happened, not in the United States, but in the former Soviet Union.
An American choir was on tour in Europe. And one of the leaders of the choir writes: “It was 1993, and 36 of us were over in the former Soviet Union presenting what I guess could be called an Americana concert. We dressed up in red, white and blue. And the first night of the concert, the Yalta concert hall was filled with about 3,000 people. We had gone through the greater part of our concert when we came to the song ‘America the Beautiful.’
“We were not prepared at all for what happened. As we began to sing ‘America the Beautiful,’ this crowd of people, who for 70 years had been under the fist of godless Communism, stood to their feet in honor of America. And we began to lose it. I mean, it got so hard for us, we were so affected, that we couldn’t even sing.
“Then another amazing thing happened. This crowd of people began to sing ‘America the Beautiful.’ And we finished the song together!”
Folks, I know that America is not perfect, but I do believe that it is the greatest nation on earth. And the reason it is the greatest nation on earth is because our forefathers acknowledged God and their dependence upon Him. And we must not lose sight of the heritage that they have entrusted to us.
ONE MORE THING: By the way, do you know what the tallest structure in Washington, D.C. is? It’s the Washington Monument. And by law, nothing taller than the Washington Monument can be built there. And do you know what is inscribed at the pinnacle of the Washington Monument?
These words in Latin from scripture: "Let God be praised."
There may be legislators who don’t know that. There may be presidents who don’t know that. There may be Supreme Court justices who don’t know that.
But at the very top, the pinnacle of our nation’s capitol are these words, "Let God be praised."
America, lift up your eyes and praise God for the greatness and the blessings of this country in which we live. Let’s pray.
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