Why Would a Christian Observe the Fourth of July?

Happy Sabbath to all of you once again. This past Thursday was the 4th of July, the 248th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence at the Second Continental Congress meeting at the Pennsylvania Statehouse, now known as Independence Hall, in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776. It wasn't actually signed on July 4th, but that's another sermon for another time. We celebrate the signing of the document on July 4th. It established a different political philosophy and a new form of governance that would change human civilization forever. And it was also a death warrant for the 56 delegates who wrote their names on it because it was an act of treason. So why talk about what the Founding Fathers did? Why even celebrate? Why would a Christian want to celebrate the 4th of July? Why even talk about the Founding Fathers of the United States? Well, understand biblical prophecy regarding modern Israel. We need to appreciate what they did. And the fact that what they did changed how people are governed on every continent on earth. At that time when they founded this country, virtually every nation on earth was ruled by a king. Today, over 2 billion people on this planet live under the form of governance that they established.

It caught fire and it changed world history. It was their influence and their ideas and their philosophies that changed the world that we live in. And in spite of their imperfections, which are many, our Founding Fathers were not perfect individuals, the concept of a republic or democracy has brought the greatest degree of human freedoms ever achieved by humanity. More people today live under incredible freedoms, including one that we should cherish the most, the freedom of religion.

More people live under that today than any other time in human history. It also introduced a financial system that has brought more wealth and advanced technology, improved material comforts, better healthcare, greater personal liberties than any other human philosophy that has ever been devised. Sometimes I meditate and I think about if I had been born in different continents of this earth, if I was the exact same person born in different continents of this earth, I in those continents would have virtually nothing.

I wouldn't have my own car. I wouldn't have the kind of home that I've been blessed to live in. I wouldn't have the material blessings that I have. Why? Because I was, luckily, born in a nation that provided opportunity. It had an economy and it had a work ethic and philosophy that if you got a good education and you worked hard, you could benefit from it. In most nations on earth, people work hard every day their entire lives until they drop dead and they have nothing the day they died. They worked harder than I do and they have virtually nothing.

What's the difference? Opportunity provided by the kind of imperfect, flawed economic system that we live under that will reward you if you get an education and if you work hard. That is a tremendous blessing. The political philosophy that was instituted by this Republic benefited peoples of every race, every religion, and every language who had been fortunate enough to live under it wherever they happen to be on the planet earth.

The problems we have today are very simple in our political situation today. We no longer have statesmen governing our nation. They've been replaced by politicians and the best way to tell you what I think of politicians is to quote my old friend from North Carolina in the 1980s, Billy Winstead, who said to me once, Mr. Thomas, deer ticks, dog ticks, politics, these all parasites. That's what I think of politicians. I made the mistake of watching part of a debate a week or so ago and I basically saw two individuals try to outlie each other for an hour and a half.

I was sickened and what kept going over in my mind looking at these two individuals trying to outlie one another is in a nation of whatever millions of people we have, this is the best that we have to offer? This is our choice! How sad. May God have mercy on this nation, a nation that brings forth these kinds of individuals to represent this nation. Today what I'd like to do is look at an example of a rare man, a unique man, whose name was George Washington. Now I have to give a few disclaimers before I talk about George Washington in any detail. The founding fathers, including Washington, were all carnal and imperfect men and like all human beings, they had some amazing strengths and some obvious personal sins and weaknesses.

And it's not my intent to idolize any of the founding fathers today. They were all flawed. They were carnal. I do not believe George Washington had God's Holy Spirit. Of course, that's ultimately for God to decide who has or has not his Holy Spirit, but I don't personally believe that George Washington did. And I'm not trying to idolize him today, but I do want to emphasize some unique qualities he had and ask this question. If this man could demonstrate for history these valuable character qualities who didn't have the Holy Spirit, what are you and I capable of demonstrating with God's Holy Spirit?

The kingdom of God will not be a republic or democracy. We need to understand that. People in the kingdom will not be voting on whether we have transgender bathrooms in the kingdom of God. It is a kingdom. It has a king. It is hierarchical.

Rulership has authority. It has hierarchy. But it's also a servant leadership form of government, and people will be served. But God's law will be the heart and core of that government. God is not going to debate with people or ask people's opinion on same-sex marriage and or abortion or all of the things that we argue about and fight about in our nation today. Again, the kingdom of God is not, will not be a republic or a democracy. A republic or democracy just happens to be the best form of government humankind has ever developed, but in no way represents or mirrors what the government will be like in the kingdom of God. Another disclaimer that I want to mention is that most of the founding fathers were believers in God and most believed in Christ, but they were usually, and this was to our benefit, Sabbath keepers, they were usually outside of the box in their religious beliefs. For example, Benjamin Franklin firmly believed in God but did not believe in Jesus Christ.

Thomas Jefferson created his own Bible. He took the New Testament, eliminated all of the miracles of Jesus, which he thought were bunk, and left in the teachings of Jesus and called it the Jefferson Bible. These are the philosophies of the kinds of people who formed our government and because they were diverse, because they were outside of the box like we are from the religion, accepted religious denominations of their age, they insisted on freedom of religion because they were different and they wanted everyone to have that right. There's a letter as old men, Jefferson and John Adams, corresponding about the Trinity in which they both mocked the idea of God being three gods in one. Again, individuals who were outside of the box, that would have made an average Protestant cringe at that day, but that's what they personally believed. And because they, again, were outside of the box, they insisted that we too have religious liberty and it benefits you and I. Their ideas and the oddity that they had led to the First Amendment, and I'd like to read that to you today. Here is the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. Now what that means is every other church, every other nation on earth at the time this was written, had an official church, the government. In England, it was the Church of England or the Anglican Church. In Italy, it was the Roman Catholic Church. Every nation had an official church that the government supported with tax dollars, that the government pressured and tried to get everyone to conform to that acceptable religion. And this amendment said, no, the federal government will not have an official religion because everyone is free to worship according to the conscience of their own hearts and not be pressured by the government to conform to another religious belief. Let's continue. Or abridging, I'm sorry, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. That benefits you and I. We are exhibiting the free exercise thereof to keep a seventh-day Sabbath, to observe God's holy days. You see, we are blessed by this particular amendment. And it continues. It goes beyond just religion. Or abridging the freedom of speech.

Remember now, this is, Congress shall make no law. Abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of people peacefully to assemble. You see, we have the right to peacefully protest and assemble. Now, when you start stepping on government property and tearing down statues and start going into buildings, public buildings, or college buildings, or whatever, you no longer are peaceably trying to assemble. You have broken the law.

The right of the people peacefully to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. So we have the right to tell the government that it's wrong and peacefully to demonstrate or gather names or do whatever we can to try to get the government to change its mind on grievances that we may have. Let's go to Romans chapter 13. First scripture we're going to look at today. We won't have as many scriptures as we typically do because of the type of topic that we have, but let's go to Romans chapter 13. How did the Founders justify rebellion against the King of England after reading these verses? It took me a while. I had to do a lot of research to figure out how, because they were religious enough and they preachers read these scriptures all the time, and some of the preachers that supported the King of England rather than the Founding Fathers said, you're violating the Bible. You're violating the Bible. You're not submitting to the established authority. You're violating the Bible. You're going to be judged. You're going to lose this war. You're going to be punished. So from the perspective of the Founding Fathers, what did they see here in Romans chapter 13? The Founding Fathers did not believe this scripture applied to civil government. They believed that it applied to a church congregation in their relationship to an established government. So let's read it. I think we're familiar with this.

Romans chapter 13 beginning in verse 1, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. How about rebelling against King George III? Wasn't he a governing authority?

Wasn't he appointed by God? Let's continue reading. For rulers are not a charity, good works, but evil. Do you want to be afraid, unafraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister, in this case should be translated servant, is God's minister to you for good. But if you do, evil be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is God's servant, an avenger, to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

Therefore, you must be subject not only because of wrath, but also for conscience's sake. So if you would have asked one of the founding fathers, what about Romans chapter 13 here? Aren't you violating Scripture by declaring a republic and declaring independence? Their answer to this would have been—and I'm not saying I agree with it, I'm just telling you what their answer would have been—they would have said in context, this is fine and applicable for a church congregation existing in a powerful empire that can squash it like a bug.

They would have said, but it doesn't apply universally when civil governments abuse their citizens. They would have said when a civil government abuses their citizens, they no longer possess their authority from God, but merely from humanly devised governments and not from God. They believe that liberty, freedom, and human rights come from God, not from government. And when governments, when human kings abused those rights had come from God, they believed they were no longer a legitimate governing authority.

That's what Jefferson writes in the Declaration of Independence. So I think that's important for us to know and understand. A few things that George Washington wrote. A couple of things I'm going to quote here. These are from the writings of George Washington, and if you're a history buff, you would enjoy getting a copy of this. This is called The Writings of Washington. It was printed by the U.S. government from 1931 to 1944 in commemoration of Washington's 200th birthday.

You might be able to find it on eBay. I'm not sure it's any longer in print. On page 342, here is something that he wrote. He said, while we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. See, we may be good soldiers, we may be good citizens, but we should not neglect our responsibility to worship God. The higher duties of religion, Washington says. Continuing this quote, to the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.

That's what George Washington said. Now, he was not an outwardly religious man. He didn't wear his religion on his sleeve. He was an Episcopalian, which was Church of England. They're not very emotional in their worship.

They don't wear their emotions and their religious devotion on the sleeve. They kind of keep it to themselves from their upbringing and the kind of religion that it emphasizes, and that's the way that Washington was. I'd like to read something from the writings of Washington in my own office. I have a painting called The Prayer at Valley Forge painted by a gentleman, Arnold Freiberg. Obviously, I just have a copy of this painting.

And here's what it says from the writings of Jefferson. The writings of Washington. Washington wrote, The hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations. He's saying here, God has blessed us as a people so much that we'd be more than wicked if we don't have gratitude towards God for all the things that he has given us as our blessings.

John Adams wrote this on June 28, 1813, in a letter to Thomas Jefferson. He said, The general principles in which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.

Again, that was John Adams, the second president of the United States. The third president of the United States was Thomas Jefferson, again a man who was outside of the box in his religious views.

He said in the writings of Thomas Jefferson, page 385, quote, I am a real Christian.

That is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ. So he considered himself a real Christian, even though, again, he was outside of the mainstream, outside of the box for his day.

So with all of this background and these disclaimers, let's review a few lessons from the example of George Washington, a few historical lessons that I think can help us to appreciate him and some questions we can ask ourselves as the people of God. Let's begin by going to John, chapter 3, and verse 26, a scripture that I read a few weeks ago when I was on Zoom.

But it's always worth reminding ourselves of the humility that John the Baptist had. John chapter 3 and verse 26, and they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan to whom you have testified, behold, he is baptizing. This Jesus now is this one you were first, and this one, this Jesus whom you baptized now, everyone's going to him.

Behold, he's baptizing, and all are coming to him. You're second fiddle. You're no longer numeral number one. You're now in the sideline. You're the past. You're a has-been.

How would most people react to a statement like that? Most people would say this is terrible because they want the attention, the adulation, the prominence. They want to be in control.

They want to be number one. They want it to be about them and how important they are.

But John refused to be that way, and as we'll see in the example of George Washington, he also followed this example of John the Baptist because of his humility and his ability to give up power not once but twice. He could have been King George the first of the United States in two different times. People, both times, the closest associates begged him to seize control of the government, and after all, he had control of the military. That happens every day. We have military coups all over the world. Seize control and declare yourself George the first. Let's see what John says here. Let's continue with John in verse 29. He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him greatly rejoices. In other words, John's saying, even though I'm no longer number one, I greatly rejoice that I'm mentored and I know the bridegroom. I'm part of the wedding party.

It's not about me being number one. I'm included in the wedding party. I'm the friend, the mentor of the bridegroom, and I'm happy about that. Therefore, this joy of mine, not resentment, not jealousy, not grasping for power, but this joy of mine is fulfilled.

John said he must increase, being about Jesus Christ, but I must decrease.

So John is saying here that it wasn't about him or maintaining celebrity or maintaining power.

John had completed his mission and he recognized that there's a time to step aside for the good of the next generation. And whether you are a CEO or a church pastor or a political leader, there comes a time when you have to put your own desires aside and you have to step aside for the best thing for the next generation. That's part of life. That's part of accepting reality. Again, General George Washington could have been King George the first twice.

He was mutually admired by virtually every citizen. He had a natural charisma and grace. People were greatly impressed and attracted to him. He was brave. He was patient. And he did the best he could with what he was given during the war. And let me tell you, that wasn't much.

Constant letters he wrote to Congress. I need more men. I need more material. I need warm clothes.

My men are starving. I need food. I need ammunition. And you know what usually came?

We're working on it. We'll let you know about that. So he didn't have a whole lot to work with.

He was six foot two at an age when that was a good six to eight inches taller than the average male of that age. So he was kind of head and shoulders taller than most people. When he was a younger man, he was very slim. He looked incredible on a horse. He was regal looking, had a lot of grace. He was a natural leader. Now I want to compare him to what we face today because 248 years later, going to today, we have some in political power today who don't want to give up leadership, who don't want to give up power and authority even when pressured by their own political party and their own donors.

Because we no longer have statesmen governing us today, we have politicians governing us today, and that's why we have the problems that we do. Washington voluntarily gave up power twice in his career. First, he surrendered military power when the war concluded on December 23rd, 1783. Some of his associates said, General, the army will follow you anywhere.

You're their hero. Don't give up your powers to Congress. What did they ever do for you?

Declare yourself, King George I. We're behind you, General. Take over. Be like everyone else on Earth and become a king. But on December 23rd, 1783, Washington strode into the State House in Annapolis, Maryland, and he surrendered his military commission to a grateful Congress. In front of the gathered congressman, Washington declared this quote, Having now finished the work assigned to me, I retire from the great theater of action and bidding an affectionate farewell to this august body under whose orders I have so long acted. That was really nice of him. This august body that did diddly squat for you during the war?

And in a minute, I'll explain why that was a problem and why that even happened.

I hereby offer my commission and take my leave of all the employments of public life when King George III of England heard he's across the sea and an American painter, an American painter who's very good, Benjamin West, is painting a picture of him. And King George III of England says, What do you think Washington's going to do now that the war is over? And the painter said that he told him that he believed that Washington would resign his commission and turn his powers over to Congress. And King George III said, if he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world. Why? Because nobody does that.

Everybody's about grasping for power, stomping on people, clawing my way to the top, maintaining my power and position forever and ever until they carry me out these first. That's what human nature is like. People don't readily give up power. But Washington did. After independence, when the first form of government proved to be mediocre, it was called the Articles of Confederation, a new constitution was ratified in 1789. And this new constitution established a federal executive to lead the nation. And George Washington was elected the first president of that republic in 1789, and he did something very rare as a human leader. After two terms, and setting an example, that's been followed by every American president except Franklin Roosevelt, after two terms, he stepped down. He got out of the way and let the next generation take their place in history.

Even in our 21st century, many egotistical demagogues still refuse to step down because it's all about them. When do you think Vladimir Putin will step down?

Two things. Either when he dies or when somebody puts a bullet in his head.

That's the only way he's going to step down. How about Kim Jong-un in North Korea? When do you think he's going to step down? When he dies? Or if someone puts a bullet in his head? How about Xi Jinping, the general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, who by the way removed term limits for his office in 2018? Do you think he has any plans on leaving soon? Nah, not going to happen.

In contrast, Washington said, quote, I'd rather be in my farm than be emperor of the world.

What a contrast from the politicians rather than statesmen, the politicians that are governing this world today. Washington, like the ancient Roman aristocrat, Cincinnatus, of which the city of Cincinnati is named after this Roman aristocrat, he remained in command of his army, serving Rome only until the enemy had been defeated, and thereafter he returned as quickly as possible to cultivating his lands instead of seeking great political power and becoming an emperor. And that's exactly the model that George Washington followed. Matthew chapter 20 and verse 25. If you'll turn there with me, Matthew chapter 20 and verse 25.

Jesus said, but Jesus called them to himself and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lorded over them because it's all about me. It's all about control. And those who are great, considered great in the Gentile world, exercise authority over them. Oh, they love authority. They love to demonstrate how powerful and controlling they are. Yet it shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. Remember the quote I had last week, which I spiritualized what John Kennedy said, asked not what your congregation can do for you, but what you can do for your congregation, that's service. Jesus said, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. In his book, The Five Levels of Leadership, John Maxwell tells a great story from the life of George Washington. Here it is, quote, one day during the American Revolutionary War, George Washington rode up to a group of soldiers trying to raise a beam to a high position. The corporal, who was overseeing the work, kept shouting words of encouragement, but they couldn't manage to do it. After watching their lack of success, Washington asked the corporal why he didn't join in and help. The corporal replied quickly, do you realize that I am the corporal? Washington, very politely, replied, I beg your pardon, Mr. Corporal. I did.

Washington dismounted his horse and went to work with the soldiers until the beam was put in the place, wiping the perspiration from his face. He said, if you should need help again, call on Washington, your commander in chief, and I will come, end of quote. Do you see his example compared to the mindset of so many in this gentile world that we live in? Washington couldn't get the Continental Congress to provide funds he needed for the war, so he used his own personal funds. He financed the early part of the war by himself. A faithful copy of George Washington's handwritten expenses from June 1775 to June 1783 were published by the Treasury Department in 1833. So how much did George Washington spend of his own money to keep the revolution going in the early years of the war? In 1780 dollars, 160,074. Now you add to that 240 years of inflation, and that's about four and a half million dollars today. That was hard to earn back then. We're not talking about some tech titan of the 21st century who writes software, and 100 million dollars are flooding in the coffers every day. That was a lot of work, a lot of effort, a lot of value, four and a half million dollars worth today that Washington gave. That was his expenses, and yes, after the war, Congress reimbursed him, but there was no guarantee when he's shelling out all that money that the Americans would even win the war. During the winter of 1777 in Morristown, New Jersey, Washington took the bold and controversial move to have his soldiers of his army inoculated against smallpox infection. At the time, 90 percent of the deaths in the Continental Army were due to disease, and the largest disease was smallpox. Now it was interesting, the British soldiers coming into North America to fight against the revolution, they had herd immunity because smallpox began in Europe. So they had herd immunity, they were one of the survivors, but most of the American soldiers were second or third generation born on that continent. They didn't have herd immunity, they were dropping like flies. By some reports, death by smallpox in the ranks dropped from 17% of all deaths to a low of 1% of all reported deaths, a tremendous reduction due to the inoculation that George Washington paid for his men out of his own pocket.

Washington wrote, quote, let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of everyone, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse. So if you're blessed and you have it to give, you have it to help, give and help.

The second quality I would like to talk about regarding George Washington was his personal example. Let's go to Philippians chapter one and verse 27. Philippians chapter one and verse 27. Paul was inspired to write to the congregation in Philippi. He said, only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. Is our conduct worthy of the gospel of Christ?

If someone interviewed the person who lives next door to you, they may know you well or not, but what would they say about you? How about someone who works with you or worked with you in the workplace? What would they say about your conduct? Is it worthy of the gospel of Christ?

So that whether I come to see you or I'm absent, I may hear of your affairs that you stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

Washington was very particular about his conduct. He is very graceful, very patient. We know that he had one particularly difficult human flaw. If you pushed him enough, he would start out being a patient individual, but if you pushed him enough, he had a temper that was like a volcano, and when he went off, no one wanted to be in the room because it was lacerating the things that he would say. And you know many people wrote about that who experienced his rather violent temper if he were pushed and pushed and pushed far enough that he would explode. But what does people say about our conduct? Let's go to chapter 3 in verse 17. Philippians 3, 17. A few chapters back.

It says, brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk that as you have us for a pattern. Paul says, follow my example.

Paul says, I'm leaving a pattern as an example of faith and dedication and solid doctrine, and that's why we certainly read from the writings of Paul virtually every Sabbath. There are almost every Sabbath in one way or another. Verse 18, he says, for many walk of whom I have told you often, and I'll tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. There were some who were part of the church and had left the church even in Paul's day. That was an issue.

Sadly, that was a thing that happened even back in the days of the Apostle Paul. And some just didn't leave quietly. Some became violent enemies of the cross of Christ. Verse 19, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. Paul knew that to whom much was given, much is required. And George Washington did as well. He knew that everything he did as the first president would be a model for what his successors would do. He attempted to set the bar high because he knew he was set in an example for those who would follow him. How about us, brethren? Are we models for others in the world who observe our conduct? When we're in Walmart at the checkout counter? Whether we're calling someone on the phone with a problem with our utility bill? Whether it's the neighbor that stepped on our lawn? No matter who or what situation? Are we models for others in our conduct?

In our homes? With our spouses? And with our children growing up in our homes?

Do we set the bar high? Or is there no bar? Is it laying on the ground?

These are good questions, I think, and fair questions for us to ask. Because Washington, as carnal as he was, he was a man of character and integrity, and he was admired even by his enemies. Even people who didn't like George Washington's personality admired and complimented on his integrity and his character. Can they say the same thing about us? Character is best tested under pressure, and for Washington the most dynamic testing was the winter that he experienced with his troops at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. He was commanding a deeply demoralized army. He had just lost a major battle against the British who had just captured the American capital of Philadelphia. He had retreated 18 miles north to Valley Forge, where he helped his soldiers build log cabins, sharing misery and a lack of food. Why? Because Congress didn't get him the food that he needed. The winter of 1777 and 78 was bitterly cold, and Washington lost almost a dozen men every day to desertion or death. At first, you would say desertion, that's terrible. I'm not in their shoes, but I would say if I'm freezing to death every day and if I'm hungry, I probably would get to the point where I'd break and leave the army, too. So I'm not going to judge them too harshly, but every day he lost a dozen men to desertion and death. What did Congress advise him to do? Congress advised him to steal food from the farmers nearby.

Washington refused to do so, believing that no nation could survive if it could not earn the respect of its own citizens. Later, as president, he recognized that America's credit abroad and its integrity at home depended on honoring the war death the United States had at the end of the war.

Many patriots wanted the United States to renege on our war deaths. Ah, that was at war!

That's not really that important. Some said only pay some of it back. Offer them pennies on the dollar. But Washington insisted that Congress pay all of its war debt back. All respected was the when he died. Will First Council, Napoleon Bonaparte, ever hear of him? He ordered 10 days of mourning throughout the country of France when Washington died. That's how he respected he was around the world. Our former enemy, England, the ships of British Royal Navy's Channel Fleet lowered their flags to half-mast to honor his passing. This was our former enemy who we defeated the gained independence. As I said earlier, even his enemies respected him.

I'd like to take just a few minutes to discuss a final quality that Washington had that most of the founding fathers had. And that is, they were humble enough to realize when something they did didn't work well. Whether it was a battle or a poor form of government, Washington was pragmatic, sincere, and very open-minded. Humility includes the ability to recognize when you've done something wrong and make an effort to correct it. Humility means you break it, you fix it, and you don't cowardly kick the ball down the road. I'll give you two brief examples. Again, we don't have statesmen today. We have parasitic politicians who kick every national problem of ours into the future, hoping that someday someone else will solve it, rather than them having the guts and the determination to solve it. Just two quick examples. Social Security Trust Fund is going to be deleted in nine years. That's not that far off. That's 2033. And should that happen, those of us who are collecting Social Security, you will receive 76% of your present payments.

Because it's exhausted, and all Social Security will have are the monies coming in each and every day from people who are paying taxes into Social Security. But that huge fund they had of hundreds of billions a few decades ago has all dwindled down to nothing. Because there are more people, like myself, more baby boomers who are collecting Social Security than there are working, putting into Social Security. But that's the truth. That's a reality. That's not political. That's going to happen in just nine years. If the parasites we have governing this nation don't stop fighting, quarreling, and arguing, and have the guts for once to solve a problem. Medicare, now its insolvency date is only 12 years away. And I can tell you from someone who recently spent 10 days in a hospital, I can't imagine what that hospital bill would be. Thankfully, Medicare covered the overwhelming majority of my hospital stay. But if there weren't Medicare, I'd be bankrupt. Right now, my house would have a for sale sign on it. So Medicare is about to go belly up in just 12 years, 2036. And it, unlike Social Security, totally will run out of funds.

What are the politicians doing? Oh, they're worrying about transgender bathrooms.

So those are problems that we have because we're a nation that lacks humility, lacks focus, and certainly lacks having great statesmen. Proverbs chapter 3 and verse 34, it says, It's as surely he scorns the scornful, that is God, he scorns those who lack humility, are scornful, arrogant, but gives grace to the humble, the wise shall inherit glory, but blame shall be the legacy of fools. Psalm chapter 11 and verse 2, When pride comes, then comes shame. But with the humblest wisdom, the integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them. Again, the emphasis on humility and wisdom.

Proverbs chapter 12 and verse 15, The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise. And I'll just refer to James chapter 4 and verse 10, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up. So one final example from George Washington and his generation. After independence in 1783, the colonies were united under something called the Articles of Confederation. Most Americans have never heard of it. It was actually the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. It was the very first constitution of the United States, and it was a complete disaster. The central government's power was quite limited.

The Continental Congress or the Confederation Congress could make decisions, but it had no way to enforce any of the decisions that it made. The implementation of most decisions, including modifications to the Articles, required unanimous approval of all 13 state legislators. I can't get 13 people to agree on whether the sun will come up tomorrow, but you had to have unanimous approval of all 13 state legislatures. Now, I want to get back to what Washington faced. That's why the Congress did nothing while he's fighting a war, because it was under the Articles of Confederation, and they couldn't get enough people to agree on doing anything. Nothing got done. The Republic was failing. The world is watching, and the Founders had the courage and humility to admit it. They decided to call a constitutional convention in 1787 to draw up a more effective form of government, and Washington himself was asked and agreed to be president of the convention.

And why did they do this? Because they realized it wasn't about them. It was about future generations counting on them to have the humble courage to form a government, to replace one that was ineffective. The world was watching. Were they mocked? Sure they were mocked. It was their government, but it failed. But they just kicked a can down the road. They said, we broke it.

We fix it. We solve this problem. They knew that the world was watching this experiment called a republic, and they couldn't let it fail. How about us, brethren? How many things have we been putting off that we can do now? How many things in our lives have we been kicking down the road? That we could solve right now with some courage and humility and some determination to face a difficult problem. Having a sucky form of government, that's not a theological word, by the way, sucky. Having a mediocre form of government is a problem. They had the humility to say, we're wrong.

We're wrong. We broke it. We need to fix it. Is that the philosophy that we have in our own lives, brethren? Washington wrote that 99 percent of failures come from people who make excuses.

Are we good at making excuses?

Just a few days ago, we were celebrating the 4th of July. Two centuries ago, virtually all countries were autocratically ruled by kings and dictators and were part of one colonial empire or another. Today, most countries on earth are democracies as far as their national names and terms. In the year 2021, it was estimated that 2.3 billion people lived in a democracy. They live in governments that allow citizens to express their biblical preferences and have some constraints on the power of the executive and a guarantee of civil liberties, including the right to worship their own beliefs. So, yes, we should. I believe that we should.

I believe that we should acknowledge the 4th of July. We should, in a secular way, respect and acknowledge our founding fathers. Everyone in this room, I can tell you, lives an incredible life, far beyond the luxuries and comforts of your parents or your grandparents. Not because we're smart, not because we're better than anyone else on earth, but because we had the good fortune to either born here or move here and the benefit from the opportunities that a republic in a democracy give each and every one of us. Who made it possible?

The 56 delegates meeting at the Pennsylvania State House on July 4, 1776. They made it possible for people in the 21st century to observe a seventh-day Sabbath. And unlike people in Bangladesh or Pakistan, we didn't have to come here in fear. No one tried to chase you out of your neighborhood because you're a Christian today. You live in an incredible nation that gives you the religious protections of being a Sabbath keeper or rejecting the Trinity or observing the Holy Days or respecting all of the Ten Commandments or the ability to preach the gospel without persecution, without harassment, and without interference from a government.

Who knows? This may not last much longer. We don't know what the future holds for all of us, but I want to emphasize we should appreciate the blessings that we presently have and the sacrifice that was made by so many others before us, not because they were selfish parasites, but because they had the courage to make the decisions of what's best for the next generation.

It's not about me, not about what I want, but it's about getting out of the way and making decisions to benefit the generations to come.

I wish all of you a very fulfilling and productive Sabbath day.