I Pledge Allegiance to WHAT?
Deut. 23:21, 23
Vows are important to God. Do we do what we say no matter the costs? This holiday is about
so much more than hotdogs, cook outs, swimming and fireworks. The 4th of July is about a
country founded, rooted and established on Christian principles. In keeping with that tradition, I
would like to remind us of some of the words our founding fathers said in this regard.
“The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all
schools.” – United States Congress 1782
"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not but
religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the gospel of Jesus Christ." Patrick Henry
Notice with me three things about Our Country’s Founders:
I. THE COUNTRY’S FOUNDERS
a. They Made a Bold Declaration
For more than 14 months after the Battle at Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) the patriots
fought not for their independence but rather they fought for their rights within the British
Empire. Their rights had been gradually taken away before and even more after the Boston Tea
Party.
Then early in the summer of 1776 at a meeting of the continental congress on July 2, 1776,
the colonies voted to announce and declare that they would accept nothing less than absolute
freedom from England.
2 days later on July 4th, after making some minor adjustments to the text, the final wording was
ratified and signed by the 56 members, representing the 13 colonies. [John Hancock, etc.]
Understand, this was a bold declaration, for the Americans were challenging the most powerful
empire of the world at the time. The Americans entered the war without a Navy or an Army.
Their fighting forces consisted only of militia units in the various colonies.
Their opponents, the English had an army of well trained highly disciplined soldiers.
They made a bold declaration -- they had pledged their life and their allegiance to their country
and freedom...
b. They Paid a High Price
After the Americans declared their independence, they had to win it by force. The task proved
especially difficult, partly because the people never fully united behind the war effort. A large
number of colonists (about 1/3) remained unconcerned about the outcome of the war, they were
indifferent and supported neither side.
And as many as 1/3 of the population sympathized with Great Britain, the called themselves
loyalists (the patriots called them "Tories," the name of the political group in great Britain that
adamantly supported the King). These problems meant that victory in the Revolutionary War
depended on patriots who made up less than 1/3 of the entire population.
7,200 Americans were killed in battle during the war, 8,200 were wounded, 10,000 died from
disease & exposure (nearly 3,000 men died at Valley Forge alone). An additional 6,500 died in
prison after being captured and 1,400 soldiers were listed as missing.
What about the 56 men who signed the declaration of Independence? Of the 56 men, 5 were
captured by the British and tortured before they died. 12 had their homes ransacked and burned.
2 lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army. Another 2 sons were captured. 9 of the 56 fought
and died from wounds of hardship of the war. Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and
trader, saw his ships sunk by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts
and died in poverty. At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over
Thomas Nelsons home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered George Washington to open
fire on his home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt. John Hart was driven
from his wife’s beside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields were
destroyed. For over a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home only to find his wife
had died and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.
Now, it’s one thing to make a bold declaration in the comfort of a congressional meeting, but
it’s quite another to pay the price, to pay with blood; - yours - your families - your neighbors.
Illus.—in the Iraq war many Hollywood stars protested and said they might just have to go over
and act as human shields. Most protesters are all talk and no action.
Our founding fathers made a bold declaration - they paid a high price.
c. They Reaped a Great Reward
The war that began on April 19, 1775, officially ended when the treaty of Paris was signed in
1783, nearly 2 years after the Great Battle at Yorktown, where 10,000 troops laid down their
arms and General Cornwallis hid in a cave.
The Americans began to reap a great reward - they won their freedom & independence.
A particular kind of nation was established, a nation where every human being could be free
and have something to say about how they were governed.
Not only did the patriots win their freedom, but at the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the US territory
doubled in size, as Britain gave the new nation all of the land to the east of the Mississippi
River.
And though many signers of that Great Declaration paid a high price, others reaped a great
reward. 2 of the signers became Presidents, 10 US Congressman, 19 Judges, 16 became
Governors and dozens of others held other high political offices -- not to mention the enduring
place they hold in our history.
II. THE CHRISTIAN’S FAITH
a. We Too Made a Bold Declaration
If you are here today and you call yourself a Christian, YOU TOO have made a bold
declaration. I hope you realize what a commitment you have made!
Do you remember that day when you stood before the body of Christ and confessed Jesus as
your Lord & Savior? You announced you would unite with Christ and follow Him forever. You
announced that you would be absolutely free from the shackles of sin and the ways of this
world.
In doing this, you were making a bold declaration.
You were at that time pledging your allegiance - your devotion, your loyalty, your dedication,
your commitment, your very life, to the Lamb of God, to Jesus Christ.
You were at that time proclaiming what Paul proclaimed in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Friends, it is a very bold declaration to say that you will no longer live for yourself, that you
will no longer seek your will for your life...(power, pleasure, popularity and possessions).
This declaration is as bold and as powerful as the one Joshua made in Joshua 24:14-15.
God’s people had conquered the Promised Land and were beginning to settle down.
Joshua 24:14-15 “ Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the
gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it
seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your
fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but
as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
When you came to Christ...you pledged your allegiance to the lamb...a very bold declaration.
b. Like the Patriots We May Pay a High Price
It’s one thing, to make a bold declaration in the comfort of a church building, but it is quite
another to live up to it. To fulfill that declaration on the battlefields of our daily lives the actions
are much tougher.
Joshua made his bold declaration, within the comfort of a group of God’s people. I’m sure many
were pledging their allegiance to God – but tragically it didn’t last long.
All you have to do is read the OT and you will see how people quickly turned away from God.
Today in Christian America we find that not everyone is committed to the battle.
Many are not even committed to the unchanging Word of God. Some are just like the "Tories"
and are still more loyal to the enemy... to sin & Satan.
Another reason our war is hard is because others are like that 1/3 of the colonists and are
unconcerned about the outcome of the war... They are indifferent, uninvolved, complacent.
Let’s make no mistake about it - there is a high price to pay to fulfill our declaration - THAT
JESUS IS OUR LORD.... Our Lord demands total, radical, unswerving allegiance. He said we
can’t have two masters. Jesus made this clear to us when he walked the earth.
Luke 9:23-26 (NKJV)
23
Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake
will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?
26
For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His
own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.
Luke 14:26-27 (NKJV)
26
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes,
and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me
cannot be My disciple.
And to pick up your cross daily, to deny self, to die to self...is a high price to pay.
But the reward we shall reap is a great one ---- is worth it!!!!
c. Yet we can reap a Great Reward
John 8:32 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 - If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Galatians 6:8-10 (NKJV)
8
For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit
reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not
lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the
household of faith.
Jesus talked about those things that would happen at the end of the age. He counseled His
followers to “lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).
These words refer to His return and remind us of the hope we have in Christ.
-The declaration is bold "Jesus is my Lord" – Holiness, Obedience, Different.
-The price is high "Die to self" – Pray, Prepare, Proclaim truth in love.
-But the reward is great – “Enter In, My Good and Faithful Servant”