Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death

Well, thank you, Mark. Good afternoon. Again, brethren, happy Sabbath to you. I'd like to give a sermon today that I haven't given in Cleveland. Actually, I gave it a year ago in North County when I was asked to go to the brethren to speak there just before the 4th of July weekend. And since it's the 4th of July, it's just a few days away. I thought this might be very helpful to all of us.

In just a few days, we are going to be observing the 236th anniversary of the birth of the United States and what a miracle this nation is and what a blessing it's been to the world.

In 1776, a small group of British citizens living in North America banded together to declare their independence from one of the world's superpowers. That superpower was the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

And before they began a war, they gathered together as a Congress and they stated their intentions for their rebellion in a document that we call the Declaration of Independence. It's an interesting document, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, in that it acknowledges God three times in the document. I'm going to quickly mention those three areas where the Declaration of Independence acknowledges God's existence.

It's interesting because God was used as a reason, as an excuse, as a justification for their rebellion from the British Crown. Here's the first area that it mentions God. It says, And nature's God entitles them, that's capital N, capital G as originally written, nature's God entitled them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. A little further on down in the document, it says, And that was capital S, capital J. It's obvious who they're referring to, The Supreme Judge of the world, for the rectitude of our intentions, due in the name and by the 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. And then in the third area near the end of the document, when the reality falls upon them that they could all be hung for treason, they say, and for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, and it was written capital B, capital P. It's obvious they're referring to God. The protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. Those are the three areas in the Declaration of Independence that refer to God. And war ensued, and over the next seven years, until the Treaty of Paris was signed, this struggling infant nation almost died a number of times. The Continental Army early on in the war lost battle after battle. They were humiliated in most battles against the seasoned professional British army. Oftentimes, they were discouraged. They were disheartened. But they persevered, and there were a number of divine miracles that occurred that eventually brought independence to this nation. Some of those included strange weather aiding the American cause suddenly, like a snowfall. And another instance, a sharpshooter, a trained British sharpshooter, had General Washington in his sights.

And General Washington, by the way, was very easy to find because he stood like 6'4", when the average person was like 5' tall, so he was powered over others. And the British sharpshooter had him in his sights and was going to pick him off, and he pulled the trigger, and the gun backfired. It misfired. There were also uncharacteristic blunders by one of the most professional armies on Earth, a very amateurish strategy by the professional British army that helped the Americans to eventually win the war.

And of course, there was support from the Dutch and from the French at a time when it was needed most. But I think there was something more unique than all of that. It was a period of time when an unusual collection of great thinkers and great people were together at the same point in human history. Maybe, out of every 1,000 years, a George Washington will arise in human civilization. But at this period of time, there was a George Washington, and there was an Alexander Hamilton, and there was a Madison, and there was an Adams, and there was just a unique collection of extremely talented and gifted people, all on the Earth, all assembled at the same place at the same point of time in human history.

But the founding of this nation that we'll be celebrating a few days from now was the beginning of the fulfillment of a promise. Let's see what that promise was. If you'll turn with me to Genesis 17. Genesis 17 will begin in verse 5. Mr. Graham talked about prophecy. This was a prophecy that was being fulfilled at that time. Genesis 17, verse 5, Abraham had impressed God with his obedience and with his faith, and God made a wonderful promise to he and his wife, Sarah.

Genesis 17, verse 5, no longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham. For I have made you a father of many nations, and I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. Verse 15, God said to Abraham, as for Sarah, your wife shall not call her name Sarah, but Sarah shall be her name, and I will bless her, and also give you a son by her, and I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations.

Kings of people shall be from her. So we see here that God gave specific promises to Abraham and Sarah, and he was told that future nations and kings would be descended from the both of them. God would give his descendants tremendous blessings, including kingship. But that's not all. Something else occurred. A few chapters later, God wanted to give Abraham the ultimate test. God the Father, knowing that someday he would have to allow his own beloved son, Jesus Christ, to be sacrificed and die for the sins of mankind, he wanted to test Abraham, and he said, Abraham, I want you to go and sacrifice your son Isaac.

I want to see if you are willing to do what I someday will have to do. And Abraham went and he obeyed God, and we'll never know for sure, but it certainly implies that Abraham would have slain his son, because his hand was held at the last possible second when God said, Abraham, Abraham, don't do it. And then there was a ram caught in the thickets, and a ram substituted for his son. But again, because of that incredible obedience that he had in doing what God had told him to do in his faith, God adds an additional promise, chapter 22 and verse 16.

And he said, By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son your only son. Blessing, I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore. What is he saying? He's saying you'll have so many descendants they can't be counted. Ever look up into the night sky?

Can you count all the stars up in the night sky? Of course not. Can you go to the beach and start counting all of the grains of sand? Don't waste your time. You can't do it. And I might add that even when the United States takes a census today, we don't literally count anyone anymore. We don't know how many people live here. We go into entire neighborhoods now and sample and then extrapolate from the samples how many people we think actually live in places in the United States.

Why? Because the people have been multiplied and blessed as the stars in heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore cannot be counted. And your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. The descendants of Abraham would have the strategic military outpost, the islands, the areas of earth that would be the gateway to prominence, the gateway to wealth, the gateway to protection by having a strong military and having those military sites in their control. And then verse 18 is actually a separate promise. God says, in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you have obeyed my voice.

So here in chapter 22, God expands his promises to Abraham. He's now told again that his descendants would be so many that they can't be counted.

He was also told his descendants would possess the strategic military gates of the world. But here's the double blessing. He said that all the nations of the earth would be blessed because of Abraham's obedience. In a physical and material way, what Western Europe and the United States brought to the world was civilization, was organization, was medical technology that has saved and extended human life, technologies that allows us on a day like this to be cool and comfortable in a hot room like this, technologies that brought us the internet, that brought us comfort, that brought us many of the things that we take for granted, was brought to us, brought to the world to be a blessing into the entire world by the descendants of Abraham. But even more importantly, brethren, from Abraham's descendants would come Jesus Christ. And that was the promise of the use of the word seed, which is singular. Even Paul in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 16 said that that word seed given in the promise referred to none other than Jesus Christ himself and the fact that he would bring salvation to the entire world.

What wonderful promises were given to Abraham. And then we came to the year eventually of 1776, a time when there were many patriots. A patriot is defined in the dictionary as a proud supporter or defender of his or her country and its way of life. I would like to read that again. It is quote a proud supporter or defender of his or her country and its way of life. Brethren, freedom is not free. Somebody has to pay the price for freedom to occur. To honor some of our founding mothers and fathers, I'd like to take just a few minutes to mention a few of them and some of their qualities.

Please bear with me for five minutes or so as I talk about some of our founding fathers and mothers and give them a little honor and recognition. First, there was George Washington. George Washington gave up power twice. I've lived in an age where I've seen individuals and their titles. You couldn't pry them away from their titles with a crowbar.

But George Washington, who had power willingly, gave it up twice. Once, as the general of the victorious army in 1783, when the United States won the war, many said, let's scrap this idea for Republic. Let's just proclaim King George I and allow him to be our first king of these United Colonies. And George Washington said, no way. I did not fight this war for that. And he went back to his farm. He gave up power and he went back home. The second time he gave up power was after two terms as president in 1797. After two terms, he voluntarily said, I've had it. The time is up. I'm going home. And he gave up power. That's a remarkable individual who was willing to do that. You know, he was a wealthy plantation owner and he had nothing to gain from the revolution and everything to lose. He already had a plantation. He was a smart man and that he married a wealthy widow woman, which instantly made him wealthy.

And he could have lost it all. If the American revolutionaries would have lost the revolution, A, he could have been hung for treason, and B, he certainly would have had his farm and all of his wealth seized by the British as punishment for being a ringleader. He had nothing to gain. We know it wasn't for power. And he had everything to lose, but he did it because he felt it was the right thing to do and an opportunity to bring freedom to a people. Washington often referred to the United States as, quote, the second land of promise. I wonder where he would have gotten that analogy from. I wonder where he would have understood that concept from, that the United States was, quote, the second land of promise. John Adams was the second president of the United States. He was an early advocate of independence. He was in both the first and second Continental Congress. He was a powerful and influential thinker and leader, but very few people liked him. He was arrogant. He was terse. He was short with people. And most people, frankly, could not stand him. As a matter of fact, when he was on a committee to write the Declaration of Independence, along with Benjamin Franklin and others, and it was John Adams who told Thomas Jefferson, you need to write the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson, why? He said three reasons, Adams said. One, he said, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian should do this thing. Virginia was the largest, most powerful colony. Two, he said, you are much better writer than I am. And three, Adams said, I am obnoxious. He knew that anything that was penned by John Adams would immediately be rejected by the Continental Congress. But he was a powerful and brilliant and influential thinker. Abigail Adams, his wife, ten years after they were married, the American Revolution broke out. When John was sent to Europe to be a diplomat, she took care of the family farm, keeping her family away from bankruptcy, and was essentially a single mother raising five children alone for many, many years. That's the sacrifice that she made for the Revolution. When John was serving in the Continental Congress, she wrote a letter to him telling him to, quote, remember the ladies when making the nation's new laws. Remarkable woman. Another individual was Thomas Jefferson. I don't have many heroes in life, but he's one of mine. He was the third president of the United States. He was a true Renaissance man. He spoke five languages. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. He was also a horticulturalist, a statesman, an architect, an archaeologist, a paleontologist, an author, inventor, and he was a founder of the University of Virginia as an old man. He designed the University and created its curriculum as an old man retired. Someone gave him the greatest compliment I have ever heard in my life. John F. Kennedy in 1962 welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House. And he said to the American Nobel Prize winners, he said, quote, I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined here alone. Now that is a compliment. By the way, Jefferson proposed, and it's written his proposal down. He wanted the great seal of the United States that it would be Israel being led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Where would he have gotten that concept from? I wonder.

James Madison. He was a short man. He was what we would call a geek today. He was very short. He was frail. He was not very good looking. Some of his enemies called him the royal pygmy. He was the fourth president of the United States and the last founding father to die. He was also the father of the Constitution after the revolution was won.

You had to create some form of government that we have today, the Congress, the President, the Supreme Court, and he was intimately involved in designing the government that we have today. He was also the author of the first ten amendments to the Constitution of Bill of Rights. One of my favorites is Dolly Madison. She was a contrast to her geekish husband. She was vivacious. She was gracious, sassy, bouncy, and she had a passion for snuff.

I got trouble understanding someone using snuff in the White House today. That's interesting because it seemed at odds with her Quaker upbringing. However, her most lasting achievement was her rescue of valuable articles in the War of 1812. The British came and they burned at the White House. As they were approaching the White House, she tried to take this picture of George Washington painted by Gilbert Stewart off the wall that was bolted to the wall. So she and someone cut the picture out of the wall, rolled it up, and took it with them as they fled. And of course, the British burned the White House. That's how respected was Dolly Madison? Well, long after her husband's presidency ended, in American history, she is the only private citizen ever allowed to sit in on Congress on the congressional floor while it is in session. She's the only American who has ever been allowed to do that. That's how respected she was.

There were individuals like Betsy Ross. They were upholsterers by trade, and her husband died by an explosion soon after the war started. Oral history that's supported by 19th century affidavits repounce the widowed Ross meeting with George Washington, George Ross, and Robert Morris at her upholstery business in Philadelphia in May or June of 1776. That resulted in the creation of the first American flag. According to the story, the three men were debating about whether these simple, uneducated seamstresses would have the intelligence to make a five-pointed star. And here's what happened according to the records. To silence the men's protests that these new five-pointed stars would be unfamiliar and difficult for seamstresses to make, she folded a piece of paper, made a single scissor snip, and revealed a perfect five-pointed star. And we have five-pointed stars, fifty of them on our flag today, thanks to the ingenuity and the talents of someone like Betsy Ross. The list of our founding fathers could go on and on. The fact that so many gifted and talented people were brought together at one place in time, at one time in history, is nothing short, brethren of divine intervention. And they were people who were very human. They all had personal flaws. They all had weaknesses. They always didn't get along with one another. But they are living proof that a small handful of people committed to a great cause can change world history. And I'm here looking at the people of Jesus Christ, the children of God. And I want to remind you today that a small handful of people committed to a great cause can and will change world history. So how about you and I, brethren? Are we patriots for the kingdom of God? What kind of a patriot are you and I? Do we have what it takes to change the world like our founding fathers and founding mothers had? They were patriots of freedom. They wanted to free a country of a political system that gave a single king control of millions of people. In contrast, brethren, we want to free this whole world of a spiritual system from a single king known as Satan the Devil who controls billions of its citizens. You and I are in a struggle for freedom, for world freedom and liberty that is even greater than the ones that our founding fathers and founding mothers were involved in. Let's ask ourselves some questions today, and let's see if we have what it takes to be the kind of patriots that they were for our mission. Here's point number one. A patriot becomes disillusioned with their native country. That's the country they came from, the country, the world that they were born into. They become disillusioned with their native country, and they want a complete separation. Let's go to Galatians chapter 5 and verse 19 and see a good reason for us to be disillusioned with our native country. That is the world that we came out of, that we were born into. Galatians chapter 5 and verse 19.

Paul writes, Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are. Here's the results, the value system of our native country that we came from. Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, suspensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, reveries. To me it sounds like the front page of the Cleveland Play Dealer. And of like of which, I tell you beforehand, just as I've told you in the past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. That's what I've become disillusioned from, because these are the works of my native country that I came out of. Do we see that the pain and suffering that exists all over the world exist because of these qualities? Do we understand that the world we are born into is extremely violent and that every day millions of people die of what should be curable diseases? But they die because the nations they live in are corrupt, or because the nations they live in can't organize themselves to the degree of getting needed food or needed medicines of people who truly have that need. Every day millions of people die of simple, curable diseases that you and I easily have taken care of at a clinic.

Every day thousands of children starve to death. They just eventually, after days and days and days of gnawing hunger in their stomach, they just simply expire and they die. Why? Because they live in governments that are so corrupt or so disorganized that food doesn't get to these children. You know in many of these governments tons and tons of tons are given, foods given free of charge to these nations by the United States and wealthier areas of the world. But by the time the politicians grab what's theirs and sell it on the black market, by the time it goes through five layers of corruption within those nations, it rarely reaches the little children who need it to live. That's the kind of world that you and I live in. Every day hundreds of people die in wars and tribal violence. And we don't even have much awareness of it because it's on page 20 of our newspaper. Brethren, do we understand that money, the material possessions that people search for in this life, that it doesn't provide happiness, it doesn't provide contentment? Have we separated ourselves from these works because these are the works of the native country that we came from, the world that we should want a complete separation from? Hebrews 11 and verse 13. Turn with me there. Hebrews 11 and verse 13. We're continuing to explore point number one. A patriot becomes disillusioned with their native country and wants a complete separation.

We're not the first generation to understand this. There are many generations that have gone before us. Hebrews 11 is often called the faith chapter and it lists individuals who were faithful and who hoped and desired a better world to live in. Picking it up here now in verse 13, Paul writes, These all died in faith, not having received the promises. That means in their lifetimes they died. But having seen them afar off and were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. You see, they too were patriots. They had become disillusioned with the world that they lived in. They wanted a complete separation. They looked forward and longed for a better world. Let's pick this up and understand this. It says, they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Verse 14, For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. They were seeking something better.

Verse 15, And truly, if they had called the mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had the opportunity to return. They could have turned around every one and gone backward. But they didn't do that because they were patriots. They had become disillusioned with this world, and they wanted a complete separation from it.

Verse 16, But now they desire a better that is a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Brethren, do we consider ourselves strangers and pilgrims on this earth? Or have we compromised our values to please others, or just to make things easy for ourselves?

Is our homeland the kingdom of God? Or conveniently, are we claiming dual citizenship?

You know, I'm righteous when it's good to be righteous, but then I have the other foot in the world when it's convenient to be part of the world.

We can't claim dual citizenship. We have to be citizens of one kingdom, one value system, one philosophy, and that is the kingdom of God.

Let's go to point number two. A patriot seizes upon a mission and a value system that excites them. It drives a passion in them.

Why else would you be like a Washington and have nothing to gain but everything to lose by being a patriot?

There's something that drove that man. There was a value system that excited him. That was his passion.

Let's take a look at our mission statement in Matthew 6 and verse 31.

I know before you say to yourselves, he reads this scripture a lot. I know I read this scripture a lot.

But, brethren, this is our mission statement. If someone said to me, Mr. Thomas, you can make a quilt and hang it on that white wall over there, and it's going to be ten feet wide and it's going to cover that wall.

What scripture would you choose, Mr. Thomas, to put on that quilt? And you know what I would choose to put on that quilt?

I would choose our mission statement. And here's what it is, Matthew 6 and verse 31.

Therefore, do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? What shall we drink? Or what shall we wear?

For after all of these things the Gentiles seek, for your heavenly Father knows that you need these things.

Verse 33, But seek first the kingdom of God, and the second part of that, His righteousness.

Seek the righteousness that is in God, that is in Jesus Christ.

And all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.

Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

That's our mission statement. That's what should excite us.

Seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. That needs to be our passion.

That needs to fire us up. That needs to excite us.

The New Century version says in verse 33, The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants.

Then all these other things you need will be given to you.

So, brethren, where is our treasure?

Is it in spiritual things? Is it a spiritual investment?

Or is it simply in material things? Do we worry about physical things, most of which, frankly, are outside of our control?

Or have we learned to focus on things that we can change, like ourselves?

And let God worry about the things we can't change.

Let's go to 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter chapter 1. Mr. Graham was in 2 Peter in the sermon today. 2 Peter chapter 1.

And we'll pick it up here in verse 1.

Again, I want to explore our mission and a value system that should excite us, because this is what patriots need to have, to see them through the dark days, to see through the tough times when you lose the battles, when you're discouraged.

1 Peter chapter 1 and verse 1.

It says, Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

As His divine power, that is His Spirit, that He's given to all of us, who have received it. His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which we have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature. Again, that's a little bit of God inside of us that we receive when we have His Holy Spirit in our heads, in our minds.

That's part of that divine nature.

Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust, and now He gets into the core of the values, which should excite us.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, that is a persistent application. Do you hear something in sermons or sermonettes that you can apply to your life?

Be persistent in applying that to your life. Don't let it be something that goes in one ear and out the other.

Diligence is a persistent application of something that you learn, something that you know.

Add, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue. Virtue is moral excellence. Can people say that about us? Can they say, looking at us and observing our lives, that we live moral excellence? To virtue knowledge, and of course we know knowledge is understanding and grasping the truth of God. To knowledge self-control, that's the ability to say to ourselves, No, I'm not going to do that. I maybe want to do it. I may be crying out to do that, but I'm not going to do it because it's sin, or it is something that is not the right thing to do. So to knowledge self-control, to self-control, perseverance. Perseverance is a steady persistence. It means that we get up every day and look at each day fresh and new. As the one hymn we sing says, Morning by morning, new, mercies I see. And if you had a bad day, if you stumbled, you did something wrong, you sinned, you did something stupid, you wake up the next day, and with steady persistence, you ask for repentance, and you live that day the best you can. And tomorrow morning you do the same thing all over again. So again, perseverance is steady persistence. And the perseverance, godliness, that is taking on the mind of Christ, becoming like God, to godliness, brotherly kindness, being kind to one another, showing concern for one another, being gentle with one another, and then ultimately to brotherly kindness, love. That's a sacrificial love in which we genuinely care for each other in a deep and profound way. Verse 8, For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For you, lack these things, is short-sighted even to blindness, and has forgotten that He was cleansed from His old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure. For if you do these things, the things that we just read about, if you do these things, you will never stumble, for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So that should be our value system, brethren. Our mission statement. Is our value system based on the qualities that we see Peter just described? Does overcoming and becoming more like our elder brother Jesus Christ still excite us? Or, as I said a couple of sermons ago, have we just grown weary and discouraged by the war? Are we suffering from spiritual shell shock? Do we have battle fatigue? Or are we excited about being part of the patriotic movement to bring in the kingdom of God? Here's point number three, a patriot. Is committed to their cause and willing to die for it. Number three, a patriot is committed toward their cause and is willing to die for it. Many people died because of the faith. And if you look in prophecy, frankly, in the future many of the leaders of the church are going to die, are going to be persecuted and die. Some are going to be beheaded, some are going to go through some terrible things, and that's what the book of Revelation and Prophecy tells us about some of the leaders of the church. And so be it. God's word is sure. Because a patriot is committed to their cause and they're willing to die for it. John 15, verse 20. Let's turn there. John 15, verse 20. Jesus said, and he certainly understood persecution. He knew what persecution was all about. Chapter 15, verse 20. Remember the word that I said to you, a servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to show you for my namesake, because they do not know him who sent me. Jesus Christ accepted persecution. Are we willing to take crude comments from former friends? Unkind remarks from family?

Things from former members that they may say about us because of what we believe? Are we willing to stand up to school boards and employers, government officials or others who interfere with our constitutional right to worship freely? Are we willing to do that? Someone sent me an article this week that kind of stunned me. It was from New Zealand. And the article talked about a man who drowned his daughter. And I read into the article and it said, oh, by the way, this man's father was the member of a cult. This man's father was a member of the World Wide Church of God, it said. And I thought, how stupid. I didn't read an article that said Jimmy DeMora's mother was a Catholic. What does that have to do with the price of putty? But you see, it was just a shot of persecution when one was necessary. What his father's religious beliefs is has nothing to do with that man's conduct who unfortunately killed his child. That is outright religious persecution and it is inexcusable. When I look into Cleveland Plain Dealer and it has its daily listing of murderers and thugs and rapists, it never mentions what their parents' religious beliefs are. Why? Because it's immaterial. That is why. But that's the kind of persecution that, frankly, we can expect even more and more of in the future as we become more prominent through preaching the gospel in television and doing the things that we are doing. Let's go to John 16, verse 1.

Jesus said, These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time is coming. That whoever kills you will think that he offers God a service. And when they stoned Stephen, they thought they were offering God a service, didn't they, when they killed him? A number of the original disciples died, were murdered because of their faith. And we know the Scriptures tell us that in the future some of the brethren, unfortunately, will have to give up their lives for the kingdom of God.

Acts 5, verse 26. Interesting story. After Christ ascended to heaven, the disciples went and they began to openly preach the gospel. People would be brought to them to be healed. Peter's shadow was so miraculous that people would fall under Peter's shadow and they would be healed. Well, the high priest didn't want anything to do with that, so he had them all arrested and had them put in a common prison.

But miraculously, the gates of that door, of that prison opened up and they walked right out and they began preaching the gospel again. And so they were arrested and brought before the high priest. We'll pick it up here in verse 26. Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people if they should be stoned. And when they had brought them, they set them before the council, and the high priest asked them, saying, Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?

The high priest said in modern vernacular, What part of no don't you understand? Look, you filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood on us. But Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

And they were beaten for their beliefs. But they weren't going to stop, because they were willing to die, if necessary. Not that they looked forward to it, not that they purposely wanted to be martyrs, not that at all. But they were so committed and passionate about the cause, their patriotism drove them to be willing to die for what they believed. Are we willing to obey God rather than men and suffer the physical or material consequences of our faith?

Here's point number four. Point number four is that a patriot doesn't compromise their mission or give up on it if they're offered money or glory. A patriot doesn't compromise their mission or give up if they're offered money or glory. Let's go to Matthew 4, verse 1. Satan the Devil didn't think Jesus Christ, as he began his ministry, was a patriot. He thought that just reflecting a little bit of glory before Christ would make him give up his ministry, would make him give up his mission, his role.

But Jesus had news for him. Matthew 4, verse 1. And Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights afterward he was hungry. Now when the tempter came to him, he said, if, challenging his manhood, if you're the Son of God, command that these stones become bread. Are you a little hungry? Haven't eaten forty days? You know, there's nothing as good as warm bread out of the oven with a little butter on it. But hey, it's your decision.

You can do whatever you want. But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone. Why? Because that's physical. That is material. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, if you're the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, he shall give his angels charge over you, and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

Just go ahead and jump. If you're a real man, if you're really the Son of God, you would have no qualms about jumping. Double dare you. Jesus said to him, it is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord your God. Verse 8, again, the devil took him on an exceedingly high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.

Why did Satan do this? Because, brethren, he owns all the kingdoms of the world and its glory. What gave him the audacity to bring Christ up to the point where they could look upon the nations of the earth? It's because Satan is the God of this world and owns it all. And he can give it all away because he controls it. He said, all these things I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me, then Jesus said to him, away with you, Satan.

For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve. And the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him. That was the ultimate test. Satan said, you don't have to minister for three and a half years.

I can give it to you now. You don't have to eventually go through humiliation, be spit upon, be flapped, mocked, chronicled, jammed on your head, those nails ramming through your hands and your feet, crucified. You don't have to go through that. I can give it to you now. And Jesus said, absolutely not. I'm not going to sell out. I'm not going to compromise my mission. I am not going to give up simply because I'm offered money or glory. Let's go to point number five. Point number five. A patriot is willing to suffer depravity and personal loss because of their mission. They're willing to suffer depravity and personal loss because of their mission.

Romans 12, beginning in verse 1. Romans 12, verse 1. We, of course, know the Old Covenant had many dead sacrifices. It was so common to kill an animal, drain its blood, and offer it to God as a dead sacrifice. But brethren, a lot harder than offering a dead sacrifice is you being a living sacrifice.

You telling yourself no. You denying yourself things that you want or need. That is a living sacrifice. Paul said, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy. Acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. It's not above and beyond your calling. It's what we're supposed to do. Because we're emulating the person who was the greatest living sacrifice in human history. Jesus Christ himself. That do not be conformed to this world.

Remember point number one? We want to change the world. We have rejected the world that we came out of. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove that which is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Yes, brethren, to be a patriot requires great sacrifice. For the majority of the individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence through the war lost everything they had and died in poverty. That's clearly written in history. There are books in which you can read about every individual, a brief biography of everyone who signed the Declaration of Independence. Many of the Founding Fathers faced bankruptcy like Jefferson and the Adams because their possessions were seized either during the war by the Loyalist or the British, or even after the war.

To be a public servant like our Founding Fathers, to be an ambassador or vice president or whatever role, you were so poorly paid. And you were also neglecting your farm that drove many of them into bankruptcy or near bankruptcy, and they died in poverty like Jefferson himself. Well, in a similar way. Baptism was a lifelong commitment, and when we were baptized, we gave God a blank check. We said, if needed, I'm willing to suffer depravity. If needed, if required, to be in your kingdom. I'm willing to suffer personal loss, to be a patriot, to be part of this mission.

And we give God a blank check, and he writes in whatever he wants. It may be a chronic disease. It may be financial problems. It may be relationship issues with people that you love. It could be a number of things. But God understands that we must be willing, like his son Jesus Christ was, to suffer depravity and personal loss because we are so committed to the mission. And because we are patriots for a new world, a better world. To be a child of God requires some sacrifices. It requires a financial sacrifice when with tithes. It requires a sacrifice every day.

If you take out time every day, like you should to pray, to study consistently, that's a sacrifice. You're taking time out. Do you think anybody in the world takes time out to pray and study the Bible every day? Most people would look at you and say, are you goofy? Well, I could be watching reruns of Roseanne. Why would I want to study the Bible? I could be doing something important. Why would I want to pray? Pray to who? They wouldn't even understand it.

It's a sacrifice to come to the Sabbath every weekend to take three to four hours of worship with your brothers and sisters in Christ. I've known brethren who've lost jobs and families and heritances, executive positions and all of their wealth because of their beliefs, because they were patriots for the kingdom of God. Now, that isn't always required, and I'm not saying that it's necessary to be a patriot.

But what I am asking is, are we willing to personally suffer and sacrifice for the kingdom of God, whatever God requires of us as individuals? James, chapter 5, verse 10. James wrote, My brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed, we count them blessed who endure. We count the prophets blessed because they endured persecution and struggles. We read the New Testament, and we count Paul blessed and Stephen blessed and James and Peter and all of these individuals who did miraculous things, did wonderful things with their lives, because they endured persecution and they gave all, they gave a sacrifice for the kingdom of God. Picking it up here, you have heard of the perseverance of Job, and it seems the end intended by the Lord that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. Job lost everything he had, didn't he? Early on, you read the book of Job, his family, his wealth, his health. He lost it all. And if that wasn't bad enough, he was comforted by three friends who were here to point out every personal flaw and problem that Job had. But eventually, when he learned his lesson and you go through the end of the book of Job, it was all restored to him again. He had a new family, he had his health back, he had wealth, he had many good and wonderful things. Consider the suffering and depravity that Job endured so that God could get a message across to him. True patriots, brethren, don't give deadlines before they give up on their mission. The American Revolutionary War lasted seven years, but your war and my war may last 50 years or more because it is a greater battle, and far more is at stake in this world. The outcome, the results of our battle, is far greater than those who just struggled for the freedom of the United States. Let us endure into the end with an unwavering commitment to serve the living God. Turn with me, if you would, our final scripture, Revelation 11, verse 15.

It's been 200 years since the American Revolution, and generation after generation remembers the courage and the personal stories of those who gave up so much so that future generations like ours could experience liberty and freedom in this secular world. But you know, we've been given a greater calling, and the stakes are much higher.

The outcome will affect the entire human race. And you are part of world history being rewritten right now. Revelation 11, verse 15. A beautiful prophecy to be fulfilled in not too many years in the future. And the seventh angel sounded.

And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God in their thrones fell on their faces and worshipped to God, saying, We give you thanks, O God Almighty, the one who is and who was and who is to come, because you have taken your great power and reigned.

The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. At the time of the dead that they should be judged. And here's the key. And that you should reward your servants, the prophets, and the saints. And I'm looking at the saints of Jesus Christ right now.

And those who fear your name, small and great, and should destroy those who destroy the earth. Brethren, we are the saints spoken right here in Scripture. We are the spiritual patriots. God is called to battle in this world's real fight for liberty. That is the liberty of freeing all of mankind from the tyranny of Satan the devil, from the sin of oppression. It's a fight against Satan the devil for literal control of the human race. It took the shedding of blood for the American patriots to ultimately win their freedom. And, brethren, thankfully, we have received the shed blood of Jesus Christ that gave you and I our freedom. But most of the world is not yet free. It's not yet free.

I want you to think of the people who went before us in the church, the prophets, the disciples, some of our faithful brethren that we knew in our lifetimes who have died and are waiting for the resurrection, who are waiting once again for that call to meet Jesus Christ as he returns to earth. I want you to remember the example of those who went before us and never forget that the world, and it doesn't realize it yet, but the whole world is counting on us to be the part of the family of God that brings in the world tomorrow. Today we spent some time briefly talking about a few founding fathers and mothers, and we talked about Washington and Betsy Ross and Jefferson and Madison and others. But you know something? Ten thousand years from now, they're going to be looking at our generation and they are going to be telling stories to their children and grandchildren about how we overcame obstacles, how our faith encouraged God to intervene in the dying world. People will admire our strengths and the fact that we endured in spite of our personal troubles and problems and our human weaknesses.

They will look at us as the pioneers, as the faithful final generation of patriots who served God and did the work they were asked to do that resulted in a new kingdom, a new government, what we call the kingdom of God.

Will our names be written in this wonderful future history, or will it be recorded that we abandoned our post?

Patrick Henry was one of the most influential advocates of the American Revolution. I didn't mention him earlier for purpose.

He's perhaps well known for a speech that he made in the House of Burgesses on March 23, 1775, urging the Legislature to take military action against the encroaching British military force.

He stood in St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, and he ended his speech with some of his most famous words.

And it is truly my prayer that we, as the Church of God, are as willing and as committed about the kingdom of God as what Henry said in his speech. And here's how he concluded it. He said,