UNITED

#1 · July 7, 2009, 3:27 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on July 7, 2009, 3:27 pm
Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>
UNITED

July 5, 2009

TEXT: Psalm 33:1-22

We live in a three-dimensional world. And I mean this in the traditional sense of measurement: height, width, and depth. This pulpit, or anything else, can be measured in these three dimensions. If we give someone instructions to build something for us, we must include measurements in all three dimensions in order for our instructions to make sense. However, it is also clear that God has given humans an additional dimension, and that is history, or time. Except for humans, no other creature has the ability to connect with the past. Now Im not going off the deep end and telling you we can connect with the spirits of the dead or some wacky notion. I am simply pointing out that humans have the capacity to remember and learn what has happened in the past and apply it to our present and our future. No animal that I know of has advanced its quality of life over the centuries. Humans, on the other hand, have built on discovery after discovery in ways that have improved our quality of life in many ways. Not only does history provide us with physical advantages, it also connects us with intangible realities.

Our service of communion is one example of what I mean. Not only does communion draw us together as brothers and sisters in Christ in the present, it connects us with our heritage. Through this service, we remember what Jesus has done for us through his broken body and spilled blood. We are not physically connected with Jesus and the apostles as they gathered in the upper room, but we can be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually connected with them. This is one of the reasons that Jesus gave this ceremony to his Church. Technically, we who are not Jews cannot celebrate a Passover. We were not delivered from bondage in Egypt, which is what that ceremony commemorates. But we have been delivered from the bondage of sin and death, so we can together remember the institution and the meaning of the Saviors words to those who were with him at the table that evening. Because of our capacity to remember and learn from history, we are united with our Lord.

Because of this capacity to remember and learn from history, I also look forward to the opportunity to celebrate the birth of this nation America. This might not be true for everyone, but Fourth of July celebrations are not just an activity of the present; for me, they help me remember and connect with the past. Yes, I am a colonial American history geek, so if any of you students need help with those history lessons, just let me know. Anyway, this time of the year provides me the opportunity to be united with those people and ideals that founded a new nation.

I have recently been watched a history video on our nations Founders. This particular series makes an attempt to bring out the human qualities of these famous men. Translated, that means that these historians go to great pains to remind us that our Founders were not quite as bigger-than-life as legends make them out to be. As humans, they had their share of struggles, insecurities, mistakes, and even moral indiscretions. They were all men who were far from perfect, and the authors of this series drag out all kinds of documentation to make their case.

Now I do not doubt the accuracy and truth of what they present about Americas Founders. Yes, some drank too much. Yes, some engaged in adulterous affairs. Yes, some had violent tempers. Yes, some could be extremely vain and jealous. Yes, some were quite materialistic from time to time. The list of human qualities and failures can go on for quite a while, and our Founders were not exempt from them, and I am sure that the authors of this history series believed that they succeeded in their task of presenting a complete picture of these men. However, they failed.

One vital aspect of these mens lives that they did not bother to address in this series was that of the Judeo-Christian faith that each of the Founders expressed. Nothing was mentioned of the churches they attended. Nothing about their stated spiritual beliefs was included in any of the letters or documents that were included in the series. Yes, just like people living today, Americas Founders fell far short of the glory of God. But they did not ignore God. They adored God and worshiped Him as Creator and Savior, and as a result, they forged a nation that was built on the very words of Psalm 33:12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Even though his reference was to the second of July, the day that the wording of the Declaration of independence was approved by the Continental Congress, John Adams wrote his wife, I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. As President, John Adams stated in his address to the military on October 11, 1798, We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. How can we know anything about the nature of our nation or the men who created it when such insights are ignored?

Instead of abandoning their Christian faith, those living in colonial America adored the Lord. Psalm 33:4-5 was a meaningful watchword to them: For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. See if this does not ring true from Thomas Paines pamphlet entitled The American Crisis, which he signed Common Sense: The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some, is the king of America? Ill tell you, friend, He reigns above Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon The Almighty implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of His image in our heart. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals. This essay by Thomas Paine gave a voice to thousands of American colonials who used it to express their drive for liberty. It was, in every sense of the word, a best seller. Yet today, even though it is mentioned in our history lessons, when have you ever heard it read? Could it be that it contains too much truth concerning the relationship that our colonial relatives had with the Almighty God? What would cause men and women in our own time to fear Paines essay now? Psalm 33:10-11 tells us, The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Could it be that there are those this day who are not united with either our Founders or the Lord?

Sadly, I ask a rhetorical question, for the answer is clearly that many have lost sight of the meaning of unity. They have lost sight of the meaning of liberty. And most sadly, they have lost sight of the meaning of blessing. Even though I hear a lot of people talk about wanting blessings for themselves and this land, I also hear a lot of the same ones disregard and reject the only source of blessings. Instead of praising God, they mock and curse Him. Such an attitude brings calamity, not blessing. With such attitudes and actions, we fail to find unity.

Our connections with our heritage through the dimension of history are not mere schoolbook lessons. They provide all humans with the chance to regain our spiritual and moral compass and to once again be united in the common cause and purpose of the Lord God Almighty. May the Psalmists concluding prayer likewise be ours: No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

www.bhfirstbaptist.com
-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org   

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

UNITED

July 5, 2009

TEXT: Psalm 33:1-22

We live in a three-dimensional world. And I mean this in the traditional sense of measurement: height, width, and depth. This pulpit, or anything else, can be measured in these three dimensions. If we give someone instructions to build something for us, we must include measurements in all three dimensions in order for our instructions to make sense. However, it is also clear that God has given humans an additional dimension, and that is history, or time. Except for humans, no other creature has the ability to connect with the past. Now Im not going off the deep end and telling you we can connect with the spirits of the dead or some wacky notion. I am simply pointing out that humans have the capacity to remember and learn what has happened in the past and apply it to our present and our future. No animal that I know of has advanced its quality of life over the centuries. Humans, on the other hand, have built on discovery after discovery in ways that have improved our quality of life in many ways. Not only does history provide us with physical advantages, it also connects us with intangible realities.

Our service of communion is one example of what I mean. Not only does communion draw us together as brothers and sisters in Christ in the present, it connects us with our heritage. Through this service, we remember what Jesus has done for us through his broken body and spilled blood. We are not physically connected with Jesus and the apostles as they gathered in the upper room, but we can be mentally, emotionally, and spiritually connected with them. This is one of the reasons that Jesus gave this ceremony to his Church. Technically, we who are not Jews cannot celebrate a Passover. We were not delivered from bondage in Egypt, which is what that ceremony commemorates. But we have been delivered from the bondage of sin and death, so we can together remember the institution and the meaning of the Saviors words to those who were with him at the table that evening. Because of our capacity to remember and learn from history, we are united with our Lord.

Because of this capacity to remember and learn from history, I also look forward to the opportunity to celebrate the birth of this nation America. This might not be true for everyone, but Fourth of July celebrations are not just an activity of the present; for me, they help me remember and connect with the past. Yes, I am a colonial American history geek, so if any of you students need help with those history lessons, just let me know. Anyway, this time of the year provides me the opportunity to be united with those people and ideals that founded a new nation.

I have recently been watched a history video on our nations Founders. This particular series makes an attempt to bring out the human qualities of these famous men. Translated, that means that these historians go to great pains to remind us that our Founders were not quite as bigger-than-life as legends make them out to be. As humans, they had their share of struggles, insecurities, mistakes, and even moral indiscretions. They were all men who were far from perfect, and the authors of this series drag out all kinds of documentation to make their case.

Now I do not doubt the accuracy and truth of what they present about Americas Founders. Yes, some drank too much. Yes, some engaged in adulterous affairs. Yes, some had violent tempers. Yes, some could be extremely vain and jealous. Yes, some were quite materialistic from time to time. The list of human qualities and failures can go on for quite a while, and our Founders were not exempt from them, and I am sure that the authors of this history series believed that they succeeded in their task of presenting a complete picture of these men. However, they failed.

One vital aspect of these mens lives that they did not bother to address in this series was that of the Judeo-Christian faith that each of the Founders expressed. Nothing was mentioned of the churches they attended. Nothing about their stated spiritual beliefs was included in any of the letters or documents that were included in the series. Yes, just like people living today, Americas Founders fell far short of the glory of God. But they did not ignore God. They adored God and worshiped Him as Creator and Savior, and as a result, they forged a nation that was built on the very words of Psalm 33:12, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Even though his reference was to the second of July, the day that the wording of the Declaration of independence was approved by the Continental Congress, John Adams wrote his wife, I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. As President, John Adams stated in his address to the military on October 11, 1798, We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. How can we know anything about the nature of our nation or the men who created it when such insights are ignored?

Instead of abandoning their Christian faith, those living in colonial America adored the Lord. Psalm 33:4-5 was a meaningful watchword to them: For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. See if this does not ring true from Thomas Paines pamphlet entitled The American Crisis, which he signed Common Sense: The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. Where, say some, is the king of America? Ill tell you, friend, He reigns above Yet that we may not appear to be defective even in earthly honors, let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be placed on the divine law, the Word of God; let a crown be placed thereon The Almighty implanted in us these inextinguishable feelings for good and wise purposes. They are the guardians of His image in our heart. They distinguish us from the herd of common animals. This essay by Thomas Paine gave a voice to thousands of American colonials who used it to express their drive for liberty. It was, in every sense of the word, a best seller. Yet today, even though it is mentioned in our history lessons, when have you ever heard it read? Could it be that it contains too much truth concerning the relationship that our colonial relatives had with the Almighty God? What would cause men and women in our own time to fear Paines essay now? Psalm 33:10-11 tells us, The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Could it be that there are those this day who are not united with either our Founders or the Lord?

Sadly, I ask a rhetorical question, for the answer is clearly that many have lost sight of the meaning of unity. They have lost sight of the meaning of liberty. And most sadly, they have lost sight of the meaning of blessing. Even though I hear a lot of people talk about wanting blessings for themselves and this land, I also hear a lot of the same ones disregard and reject the only source of blessings. Instead of praising God, they mock and curse Him. Such an attitude brings calamity, not blessing. With such attitudes and actions, we fail to find unity.

Our connections with our heritage through the dimension of history are not mere schoolbook lessons. They provide all humans with the chance to regain our spiritual and moral compass and to once again be united in the common cause and purpose of the Lord God Almighty. May the Psalmists concluding prayer likewise be ours: No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

Rev. Charles A. Layne

First Baptist Church

PO Box 515

179 W. Broadway

Bunker Hill, IN 46914

765-689-7987

bhfbc@bhfirstbaptist.com

http://www.bhfirstbaptist.com

-- To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: abesermons-unsubscribe@welovegod.org