July 1, 2007

Attitude Adjustments: Patriotism

An American Celebration

Luke 10:25-28

Opening Words: Austrian psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor Victor Frankl said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: To choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances.” He knew what we often forget, our attitudes about life are extremely important. They affect the way that we experience life. It is for this reason that I have decided to dedicate this section of the year to examining our attitudes. I have called this fourteen week sermon series, Attitude Adjustments. Today, we look at our attitude about patriotism. Do you consider yourself a patriotic person? Let me call this morning’s message An American Celebration.

Luke 10:25-28 ²⁵On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

²⁶"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

²⁷He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

²⁸"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

Did you know 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence? Their convictions resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families. Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty. At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson's home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on his own home. Nelson died bankrupt. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. Over a year later, he returned home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion. Their convictions cost them everything. May we never forget the sacrifices of that brave generation! Thomas Jefferson once said, “Patriotism is not a short and frenzied burst of emotion but the long and steady dedication of a lifetime.”

On Wednesday we will celebrate our Independence Day. It has been 231 years sense those brave men signed that historic document. (Did you know John Hancock signed his name extra large as a joke? He wanted to make sure that old King George III could see it without is spectacles.) We are the oldest democracy in the world. Independence Day truly is an American holiday. It is a day for family and friends. It is a day of hot dogs and picnics. It is a day of fireworks and fun. It is a time to celebrate what makes America such a special place.

Today, I would like to help you begin your Independence Day celebration. However, I am not going to do it by passing out hot dogs or lighting sparklers. Instead, I am going to challenge you to reclaim America. Perhaps, it is time to go back to 1776 and rediscover what those early patriots intended. Many believe the America of 2007 is off course. Maybe that is your opinion? Maybe it is time to reclaim the dreams of those early patriots. Maybe their generation knew some things that we have forgotten. So if you are ready to reclaim the spirit of 1776 say, “Amen!” Let us look at three things that make America special, three things that we celebrate on the Fourth of July.

Freedom

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom. Jurgen Moltmann argues that the greatest mystery of human existence is not the reality of evil, or injustice, or hatred. Rather, the greatest mystery in the universe is human freedom -- the freedom that God has chosen to give you and me that enables us to order our lives in any way we see fit. We are free to become a Mother Teresa or an Adolph Hitler. We are free to give our lives to God, or free to crucify Jesus the Christ. How are you using the freedom in your life?

One month from today I will be about one hour north of Moscow. The worst thing about traveling to Russia for me is not the long plane ride, the unique food or crude restrooms facilities. The worst thing about Russia to me is the lack of freedom. They are still recovering from the Soviet era. Their lives are hard. It has been said they reserve their smiles and laughter for special people and special occasions. They have a difficult time trusting each other so it is impossible for them to trust these strange Americans. It is for this reason they watch you. In every orphanage there is always one person who continually watches us. Oh, they say they are teachers or bus drivers but we have never seen them with children or behind the wheel. We just see them watching us to make sure we don’t do anything out of the ordinary. At first it is kind of fun but in time it goes tiresome.

In America we are free to choose the direction of our lives. Those fifty six men signed that historic document and risked everything because they hungered for freedom. They believed in every American. They believed people would make the right choice, the right choice for their individual lives and the right choice for the country as a whole. America was not meant to be a police state. America was created to be the home of the free. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Are you using the freedom that God has given you? If you are thankful for your freedom say, “Amen!” The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom.

Faith

The Fourth of July is also a time to celebrate our faith. May we never forget that America was founded to be a Christian nation. If you do not believe me then listen to the words of these first patriots. Patrick Henry once said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ!” The sixth President of the United States John Quincy Adams said, “The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” On January 1, 1802 Thomas Jefferson addressed a group of Baptists. He said, “The First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between church and state, but that wall is a one directional wall; it keeps the government from running the church, but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government.”

We live in a time when we are confused about religion in America. The first amendment of the Constitution speaks of freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. There is a world of difference. Many would love to eliminate God from American society. Dostoyevsky reminds us that when God is eliminated from society “everything is permissible” and chaos will reign. In the scripture lesson this morning Jesus does just say that God should be part of your life. Jesus says God should be your life. We should love God with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your soul. On this 231 anniversary of our independence perhaps we need to go back and rediscover our intended national faith. And all of God’s patriotic people said, “Amen!” The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our freedom. The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate faith.

Goodness

The Fourth of July is a time to celebrate our goodness. I have never met a non-American who hated us because of our economic strength or military might. However, I have met non-Americans who question us because we have lost some of our goodness. America has changed in the past few decades. Let us be honest, in the last thirty years we have lost some of our goodness. The figures don’t lie.

In the past thirty years, we have seen:

A 560% increase in violent crime

A 400% increase in illegitimate births

The divorce rate had quadrupled

The number of children living in single parent homes has tripled

A huge increase in teen deaths

SAT scores have dropped by 75 points

There is more drugs, more alcohol, more robberies, more assaults, more drive-by shootings, more rapes, more murders, the introduction of terrorism

Many believe we are losing our goodness. The question is why. The problem is not the break down of the traditional family unit. The problem is not the Supreme Court or the public school system. Do you know where I believe the problem lies? I believe the problem is we have lost that connection with our rich Christian tradition. In our modern times Jesus has very little influence on society. The church is no longer something to respect, it is some thing to question. The church is portrayed by the media as either out of touch or radical extremists. The conscience of society is no longer the church. That job has been seized by movie stars or talk show hosts, who have very poor theology. The end result is we live godless society where everything is permitted. Could it be we are experiencing temporary joy at the cost of permanent damage? America is losing its goodness!

French writer Alexis de Tocqueville, after visiting America in 1831, said, "I sought for the greatness of the United States in her commodious harbors, her ample rivers, her fertile fields, and boundless forests--and it was not there. I sought for it in her rich mines, her vast world commerce, her public school system, and in her institutions of higher learning--and it was not there. I looked for it in her democratic Congress and her matchless Constitution--and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great!" And all of God’s good people said, “Amen!”

On Wednesday we will remember that 231 years ago fifty-six brave men signed the Declaration of Independence. They dreamed of a new kind of country. They dreamed of a country where people were free. They dreamed of a country where people had faith. They dreamed of a country where everyone was good. May that dream not die with our generation. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”