Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
Happy Fourth of July Weekend! The Fourth of July falls on a Saturday, the island will be filled with weekenders and tourists. I hope that you can enjoy a festive and safe Fourth of July celebration. Come Sunday morning, I hope that you will be joining us for worship at 8 am or 10 am. We invite you to wear red, white and blue to church. It will be a festive Sunday with songs of faith and songs of hope. We will sing and pray for the United States of America on this our 250th birthday.
I love our country and I love the people of our country. We proudly fly the flag outside our home. I find no particular tension between my faith and my patriotism. They both have a place in my life; the key is to put them in their proper place. There is room for Christian patriotism, but Christian Nationalism is a false god, a dangerous deception. The history of the United States is complicated; it is inspirational and flawed. Our shared story is marked by the courageous actions of visionaries, by the revolutionary principles upon which our nation was founded. Our history tells of the sacrifices of patriots and the original sin of our nation; the legacy of slavery and the treatment of Native Americans. Every nation on earth has its own story, the love of homeland is not restricted to any race or nation. There is much to be learned by honestly reflecting on the triumphs and tragedies of human history. Jesus said that “the truth would make us free.” It is important to tell the truth, that we might be set free and learn the lessons of history. “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it!” A quote attributed to Winston Churhill and other wise humans before and since.
The Bible is clear; there is nothing wrong with love of country. By birth or by choice we are connected to this land and place, and as citizens of this great country we are responsible to each other. We should work together for the common good of all people. That was the intention of our founders and that is God’s intention for us. The government has a critical role to play in the betterment and ordering of society. We need good leaders and good government.
The Bible is clear; there is nothing wrong with love of country as long as we understand our order of allegiance. We are to love God above country, family, community, or workplace. We are to love God first and foremost. The God who desires good for all people. The God who created the people of every land and race. The God who created planet earth with no predetermined borders or favored nation status.
God first, all our other allegiances follow in line after that, taking direction from our primary allegiance. We all have a responsibility to pay taxes, to support our citizens, to care for the immigrant and to keep the laws of the land. But if there is tension between God and country then we are to always follow the teachings and leadings of God. If our government ever asks us to do something that is inconsistent with our calling to follow Jesus, then we are to refuse, to resist, to hold firm to the tenets of our faith. No area of our life or ethics should be outside of our pledge of allegiance to God.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July! Give thanks for the courage and sacrifice of patriots who risked life and liberty to secure the freedoms that we currently enjoy. 250 years is a milestone to be celebrated, so grill those burgers, enjoy the fireworks, ask what you can do to make our country a better place and keep your eyes on Jesus. Love God, love your neighbor, and pledge your allegiance to God BEFORE you pledge allegiance to country.
Pastor Jim
