7-2-17 I Pledge Allegiance…

Scripture:       Psalm 139:14

Red Skelton’s Pledge of Allegiance / https://youtu.be/TZBTyTWOZCM

On July 4th, 1776, The United States declared its independence from Great Britain. Sometime after, once that declaration had been printed, 56 brave men signed that document known as "The Declaration of Independence" and pledged their allegiance to this new nation.

Do you have any idea what price these men paid?

* Five were captured and tortured by the British before they died.

* Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned to the ground.

* Two lost their sons in the war.

* One had two sons captured.

* Nine fought and died from wounds or the hardships of the war.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British navy. He sold his home to pay his debts and died in rags.

Thomas McKean was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in Congress without pay and he died a very poor man.

Thomas Nelson’s home was seized by the British at the Battle of Yorktown and used as a command post. He urged General George Washington to open fire on it. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.

FREEDOM HAS ALWAYS EXACTED A PRICE.

We may stand out of respect for the flag, but we kneel in worship and adoration before the cross.

          For any president term of office – it is not a period, rather a comma. For the King who dies on the cross, it is not a comma and not a period; it IS and exclamation point!!!

Gal 4:1-7

What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Gal 4:21-23 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise.

WE ARE BORN OF ONE OF TWO WOMEN – Slave woman born the natural way (sin) or the Free woman born the Spirit (miracle) way (forgiven) Hagar/Ishmael and Sarah/Isaac

Gal 4:28-31   Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."  Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Do you remember what it says in Hebrews 1:1-3a

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.     

Gal 5:1-6 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

The free woman, and her husband and son learned that freedom would cost a price. (Abraham and Isaac – ram (lamb) caught in the thicket. The ram took Isaacs place. The ‘Lamb’ takes our place.

Stripped of clothes and all worldly possessions – he died between those who had broken the law///he died for those who had broken the law. He died to take the penalty for the law breakers. Not those like the thieves who broke civil laws – but for all mankind since Adam and Eve who broke the law of God. For everyone enslaved to sin – Jesus died in their place so they could be set from the guilt and penalty of sin knowing that trying to keep the law would never make us holy as God had designed, only the holy one on the cross – trusting in him – could ever make us holy – fit for eternal life – free from the sin that held us in slavery. Our shakles broken, our chains are gone. We are set free to live on and on as we now know where our allegiance lies – with the lamb of God who came to die.

Begin CD music: “I Pledge Allegiance”

Chorus opening

I have heard how Christians long ago
Were brought before a tyrant's throne
They were told that he would spare their lives
If they would renounce the name of Christ
But one by one they chose to die
The Son of God they would not deny
Like a great angelic choir sings
I can almost hear their voices ring

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength, with all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

Now the years have come, and the years have gone
But the cause of Jesus still goes on
Now our time has come to count the cost
To reject this world, to embrace the cross
And one by one let us live our lives
For the one who died to give us life
Till the trumpet sounds on the final day
Let us proudly stand and boldly say

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength, with all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

To the Lamb of God who bore my pain
Who took my place, who wore my shame

I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength, with all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb
With all my strength, with all I am
I will seek to honor His commands
I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

to the Lamb