OUR DECLARATION
In the summer of 1990, Alba and I and our daughter Miriam, then 9 years old, had the unforgettable experience of being in Washington D.C. for the Fourth of July. It is something that every family should do at least once in their lifetime.
The day began on the steps of the National Archives with hundreds of spectators. The Independence Day Parade would soon step off right in front of us. An actor dressed like a town crier came running up the steps and declared to the Master of Ceremonies, “I have news from Philadelphia!” With that, he began to read the Declaration of Independence!
In Congress, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America. When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands 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.
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…
He then goes on the read all the reasons for this declaration. He then reaches the final paragraph…
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…
The crowd went crazy, cheering and screaming their approval. Later, we viewed the original Declaration and ended the day with music and fireworks.
Most can quote that famous second paragraph. Let me read it again…
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…
Today, on this Independence Day weekend, I want to look at the promises that these words hold, the role the church plays in the fulfillment of these words, and the truth that only Jesus can bring these words to pass in the lives of men and women, boys and girls, not only in this country, but around the world. Although they are not Scripture, they are based in Scripture, and ring a clarion call to all who name the Name of Christ. It is our duty to proclaim this message of Jesus to everyone:
Luke 4:18–19 (NKJV) The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”
Let’s look at some of the main phrases of the Declaration…
1. All men are created equal.
Man is a direct creation of God.
Genesis 1:26–27 (NKJV) Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness… So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Man is unique because he is made in the image of God. All men have value and purpose because they bare God’s likeness. Women are included too. No one is excluded. All are equal. We came from one God in three persons, from Adam and Eve and then from Noah and his family. Oh, we may look different on the outside, but inside we are all the same. We all bleed red blood and cry salty tears. Our very being beats with the heart of God. His DNA forms the expression of our humanity in union with His divinity.
Job 34:19 (NKJV) Yet He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands.
Romans 2:11 (NKJV) For there is no partiality with God.
2. All rights come from God.
Rights are “endowed” by God. This means to provide freely with a permanent fund, a source of income, talent, faculty, or quality.
We need to be thankful for the liberty and freedom we are afforded today. We are still a work in progress, but the opportunities afforded here are the greatest in the world.
These rights are described as unalienable: not transferable to another nor capable of being taken away or denied.
The Bible lists certain rights God has given to all men:
John 1:12 (NKJV) But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.
“Right” also means privilege or authority or power. Everyone has the right to become a child of God simply by believing in Jesus. Not only that, but believers have the right to continually live in fellowship with God and draw strength from His Cross.
Hebrews 13:10 (NKJV) We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
Every time we celebrate Communion we are demonstrating our privilege of living in direct, intimate contact with God Himself. Not only that, He invites us to come boldly before Him with our needs.
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all you who labor…”
The Declaration then lists three rights that God also given.
A. Life
Jesus is the source of life.
John 1:4 (NKJV) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
1 John 5:12 (NKJV) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The church should be active in giving life and protecting life. We should protect all life from “the womb to the tomb”.
B. Liberty
Jesus is the source of liberty.
We read these words of Jesus earlier today. “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, to proclaim liberty to the captives… to set at liberty those who are oppressed…”
John 8:36 (NKJV) Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Paul declares that the Holy Spirit brings true liberty.
2 Corinthians 3:17 (NKJV) Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Paul then goes on to write Galatians, sometime called the “Magna Carta of Christian Liberty.”
Galatians 5:1 (NKJV) Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
God has set us free. May we never go back to bondage!
What is freedom for?
Galatians 5:13 (NKJV) For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
God has given us liberty to serve others. We should strive to give liberty to those who who do not possess it.
C. Pursuit of Happiness
Notice that it is only the right to pursue happiness, not the right to happiness. You see, our Constitution never promises ‘equality of outcome’; it only promises ’equality of opportunity’. Everyone should have the opportunity to pursue happiness.
Where does happiness come from? Happiness is not in the things we possess or the things that possess us. Happiness does not come from externals, but from an internal sense of peace. As we have seen in the other examples, Jesus is the source of true happiness.
This is true nationally…
Psalms 144:15b (NKJV) Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!
And it is true individually…
In the “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus gave His disciples eight pathways for happiness. We call them the Beatitudes. Most translations use the word ‘blessed’; but we can substitute ‘happy’.
*Matthew 5:3–10 (NKJV)
Happy are the poor in spirit… recognize our need for Him…
Happy are those who mourn… mourn over sin…
Happy are the meek… be humble…
Happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… want to be right with God…
Happy are the merciful… quick to forgive…
Happy are the pure in heart… clean from the inside out…
Happy are the peacemakers… live in peace with all men…
Happy are those who are persecuted… not retaliating…
Do you want to be happy? Practice these eight things and your life will be full of happiness.
MINISTRY TIME
No comments:
Post a Comment