The RED, The WHITE & The BLUE
Seeing how it is the very patriotic July 4th weekend, and I preached this morning on faith, I find it only appropriate that I should preach on patriotism this evening.
Our nation was conceived and founded upon biblical principles and the desire for spiritual freedom. Our ancestors loved God and literally left family and home to come and explore a totally new frontier, all in search of religious freedom.
We just celebrated memorial day commemorating the hundreds and thousands of men and women who have given their lives fighting for our freedom.
But today, the Sunday of July 4th weekend, celebrating our independence I would like to look for a moment at this very special day.
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walalton, Guinett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.
He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.
Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.
Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.
Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
They gave you and me a free and independent America.
The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War. We didn't fight just the British.
We were British subjects at that time and we fougnt our own government!
Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.
Remember freedom is never free!
Thank you and
God bless.
Sincerely,
Kyle E. Brooks
Associate Director of International Admissions
UMBC - An Honors University in Maryland
Today we enjoy a wonderful priviledge, freedom.
We talk of all of our problems, but in light of the manifold blessings God has bestowed upon us, I can’t help but think we should be thanking him tonight for all his wonderful gifts.
The colors of our flag and of our country signify the purity the royalty and the blood of all Americans.
The slogan upon each of our denominations of currency still stated "In God We Trust", and thank God there are many of us who still do.
I want to take just a few moments tonight and look at the colors of our flag in a different light. I want to realize the spiritual significance of the colors.
This may seem strange to some of you tonight, but don’t forget the founders and fathers of this country were very Godly men with very Godly concience and persuasion.
Everything from the declaration of Independence to the Constitution of the United States of America was written with God on nearly every page.
The very flag it’s self stands for freedom… spiritual freedom which our fathers were seeking for.
Why would we think it strange to look at the spiritual significance of our flag and the colors thereof?
First of all Red.
We know red stands for the blood of those who have died.
But not only for the ones who have died for us in recent histroy, but for all who have died for us.
This my friend includes our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Very much the same way Jesus Died, these men died. And not just for just any reason either, but for the freedom of all man. So that men could have an active relationship with their heavenly father once again.
Heb 11:28-29
28Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
It is no accident that the Israelites sprinkled blood on the door-posts during the Passover, and then had to cross the red sea as by dry ground. This was all a representation of Jesus and our salvation through him.
The color red is a beautiful color but is also a fearful, loud, bold, and violent color as well.
It is one of the most alerting colors if the entire spectrum.
It causes us to stop and take notice.
And don’t forget the red pottage with which Jacob acquired the birthright from his brother Essau. Gen. Chapter 25.
When I see the red of the American Flag I can’t help but think of Christ the one who was the reason, the power and the example for all the soldiers who have died protecting this wonderful country.
Secondly White.
White is the color of purity.
White is the color of the church which Christ is coming back for.
Isa 1:18-19
18Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
Rev 7:14-17
14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.
16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
17For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Eph 5:25-27
25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
White is the sign of purity, because the white garment is not only clean, but the white flame is the hottest part of the fire.
When metal is white hot it has absolutely taken on the color and the apparance of the fire it’s self.
Our country was founded on purity, our laws were founded on purity and our faith is founded on purity.
The white of the flag causes me to remember the purity we are striving for.
Thirdly, Blue.
Blue is the sign of royalty.
Now we can clearly see that the blood of Jesus and the purity of the Holy Ghost brings us to the blue, the heavenly color, the color of the Heavenly Father.
We are able to clearly see that the trinity of the Godhead are clearly defined and displayed in the colors of our flag.
In the old testament when Moses was building the temple he was ordered of God to use certain wood, certain metals, certain linen’s and certain colors.
It is amazing to me that purple, scarlet, and blue are the colors he chose.
Ex 35:4-6
4And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
5Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,
6And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair,
These colors mixed with the silver and brass for the White and the Yellow were the colors which represented the presence of God, Jehovah.
I am not trying to over spiritualize our country’s flag, but I do see a corrilation and a link between the two that I personally feel was no accident.
God was placed in our schools, in our laws, on our currency and I believe these same men of old deliberately placed him on our flag as well.
On this same platform you will notice two flags. One the flag of the United States of America, and the other the Christian Flag.
Each one representing different things, but each one so very similar in size, construction, color and purpose.
I thank God for the Blood and Jesus the one who died for our sins.
I thank God for the Holy Ghost and the purity and holiness he brings.
And I thank God for himself, and the fact that through him each and every one of us are royalty, and heirs of the heavenly kingdom.
We are a blessed people.