1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:05,359 Speaker 1: Let us pray. But I say unto you, love your enemies, 2 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 1: because them that curse you do good to them that 3 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: hate you. But I say unto you, love your enemies, 4 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: Bless them that curse you, Do good to them that 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:20,279 Speaker 1: hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: and persecute you. Matthew five forty four. Dear Father, please 7 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: release any negative feelings from my heart. To day, I 8 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: will undoubtedly encounter unfavorable people or situations as my day unfolds. 9 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: Some people may try to put me down and bring 10 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 1: anger to my heart. Allow your light to shine within 11 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: me when faced against any force that repels me against you. 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 1: Help me to show others the peace and joy that 13 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,959 Speaker 1: comes from loving you. Allow my thoughts to be at 14 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: peace and rest in your word. When any feelings of 15 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: anger begin to arise, my words and actions towards others 16 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: be a reflection of your love so that they can 17 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:12,480 Speaker 1: see your shining light within me. 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Visit g d e f y dot com today. 34 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 3: What makes a nation great? 35 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 4: If righteousness is demonstrated and administered, then that. 36 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 3: Nation will be exalted. 37 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 4: We'll be looking at two passages, one in Proverbs and 38 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 4: one passage in the New Testament, Proverbs fourteen, verse thirty four, 39 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 4: and then looking ahead to Matthew five, verses thirteen through fourteen, 40 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 4: in a message entitled Righteousness exalts a Nation. 41 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 3: Proverbs fourteen, verse thirty four. 42 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 4: Very simply righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a 43 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 4: reproach to any people. Matthew five, verse thirteen. You are 44 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 4: the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost 45 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 4: its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is 46 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 4: no longer good for anything except to be thrown out 47 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 4: and trampled. 48 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 3: Under people's feet. You are the light of the world. 49 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 4: A city on a hill cannot be hidden, and the 50 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:40,200 Speaker 4: grass withers and the flower fades, Or the word of 51 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 4: our Lord it stands forever. 52 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 3: Amen, you may be seated. What makes a nation great? 53 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 4: Is a nation it's greatness defined in its military, economic. 54 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 3: Or political power. 55 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,440 Speaker 4: This verse that we just read in Proverbs, so that 56 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,800 Speaker 4: the greatness of a nation is defined in her character 57 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 4: and what the founder said her soul. 58 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 3: This verse in Proverbs Proverb. 59 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 4: Fourteen thirty four, more than any other verse in the Bible, 60 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 4: was used more by our founders to help them develop 61 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:30,479 Speaker 4: a public and political theology that would give birth to 62 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:34,800 Speaker 4: two hundred nearly two hundred and fifty years of flourishing 63 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 4: here in America. I want to ask the question once again, 64 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 4: what makes a nation great? We're going to look briefly 65 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,839 Speaker 4: this morning at three truths in these passages that we 66 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 4: read together, the promise of God, the standard of God, 67 00:04:55,040 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 4: and the agents of Almighty God. First, the promise and 68 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 4: Proverbs fourteen, verse thirty four. There is a very clear promise, 69 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 4: and the promise is to a nation. And the promise 70 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 4: is this, if righteousness is demonstrated and administered, then that 71 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 4: nation will be exalted, meaning that nation. 72 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 3: Will be lifted up. 73 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 4: Biblical language uses terms like blessing and flourishing and shalom. 74 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 4: But on the flip side of that promise, it's a 75 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 4: curse that nations that pursue sin and shape the public 76 00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 4: square in public policy according to sin, those nations will 77 00:05:46,240 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 4: be brought down. But there's not a third option or 78 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 4: a fourth there's no middle ground. Nations, we are told 79 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,680 Speaker 4: and Proverbs, will either be lifted up, nations will be 80 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 4: taken down, all on account of the righteousness and the 81 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 4: righteous administration of their people, elevated and exalted, experiencing blessing 82 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 4: as a nation or brought down. The word we see 83 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 4: here in verse thirty four is a reproach, which means 84 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 4: disgraced or shamed. A nation will either be blessed, or 85 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 4: a nation will be in disgrace, all on account of righteousness. Now, 86 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,880 Speaker 4: some have looked at this verse historically and said, but 87 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,839 Speaker 4: this verse only applies to the nation of Israel. 88 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 3: Well, how do we know that's not true? 89 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 4: Well, one commentator said, if Solomon wanted us to understand 90 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 4: that this verse only applies to the nation of Israel, 91 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 4: he would. 92 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:59,919 Speaker 3: Have said, Israel righteousness exalts Israel. 93 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 4: Well that's a good argument, but I think we can 94 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 4: do better. Let's go back to Hebrew. Kyle and Delitch, 95 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 4: who has stood the test of time, their nineteenth century 96 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 4: biblical theologians. Their commentary on Proverbs is super helpful because 97 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 4: they dig into the original language to help us understand 98 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 4: is this verse talking about Israel or is they're talking 99 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 4: about all nations? 100 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 3: Over time? 101 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 4: Well, in the commentary to Proverbs, Kyle and delk say 102 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 4: that there's two Hebrew words here. The word for nation 103 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:37,360 Speaker 4: is goi and the word for people is goyam, simply 104 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 4: the plural, and the words goi and goiam mean nations 105 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 4: or peoples in general. 106 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: You ever heard the. 107 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:50,520 Speaker 4: Phrase people groups, That's what Solomon's referring to here, and 108 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 4: it's to refer to nations or people groups in general. Therefore, 109 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 4: we can conclude, by understanding the original language, that this 110 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 4: promise in Proverbs is not just for Israel. It's for 111 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 4: all nations, regardless of time and regardless of geographical location. 112 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 4: And it means that this promise applies to this nation, America. 113 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 4: What this verse tells us is that God is the 114 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 4: supreme ruler and judge, and it is God alone who 115 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 4: exalts nations, and is God alone who has the power 116 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 4: to bring those nations down, including this nation. God has 117 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 4: exalted nations, and God has brought them down to experience 118 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 4: shame and disgrace. He did it to Israel, he did 119 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 4: it to Assyria, he did it to Babylon, he did. 120 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 3: It to Egypt. 121 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 4: And do not think for one second that God is 122 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 4: not more than capable of doing it right here in 123 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 4: this nation. That's why Lincoln said in his second inaugural 124 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 4: addressed to a war wearied people, that if quote, God 125 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 4: strips this nation of every dollar that we have accumulated 126 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 4: on the backs of slave labor, then it would be 127 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 4: just in a worthy outcome. He understood that righteousness in 128 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 4: the public square results in exaltation and sin in the 129 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 4: public square results in reproach and shame. True greatness of 130 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:34,079 Speaker 4: a nation not measured in economic or political power, but 131 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 4: measured in her character, whether that nation proclaims and celebrates righteousness. 132 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 4: And for all those that are students of history, you 133 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 4: know that at the time of the Revolutionary War that 134 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 4: the American colonist had neither economic, military. 135 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,079 Speaker 3: Nor political power. 136 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:56,800 Speaker 4: And they went up against the greatest superpower the world 137 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 4: had ever seen, the British Empire, and they defeated them. 138 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 4: And there's only one reason, the providential, invisible hand of 139 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 4: Almighty God, and men and women that loved righteousness more 140 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 4: than they loved sin. It is the promise of God 141 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 4: to the nations, regardless of time, regardless of geographical location. 142 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 4: He will either raise this nation up or he will 143 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 4: tear it down on the basis of her character. Second point, 144 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 4: the standard of God. What is the standard of righteousness? 145 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:42,000 Speaker 4: If it is true that righteousness exalts a nation. 146 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 3: What is that standard. 147 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,280 Speaker 4: We've heard a lot of talk recently that the standard 148 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 4: of righteousness or the soul of a nation is defined 149 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:54,000 Speaker 4: by humanity or defined by the government. No, these are 150 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 4: God given rights, inalienable rights that are rooted and grounded 151 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 4: in the standard of righteousness of God's law. You see, 152 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 4: the Bible tells us that God is righteous and that 153 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:13,320 Speaker 4: his righteous standards are revealed in his Word of Truth, 154 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 4: meaning that righteousness according to God is in fluid, meaning 155 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 4: righteousness in a nation, whether it's the nation of Israel 156 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 4: or the nation right here in America. That the standard 157 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 4: of righteousness is not relative, that it can't waver, that 158 00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 4: it can't be redefined, that the standard of righteousness two 159 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 4: thousand years ago is the standard of righteousness today in 160 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 4: the twenty first century. The American founders understood this. Our 161 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 4: founding fathers understood that virtual virtues and laws and principles 162 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 4: and rights, if they are not grounded in God's standard 163 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:52,640 Speaker 4: of righteousness, that they are. 164 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:53,439 Speaker 3: Doomed to fail. 165 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 4: But what they did is they took their theological convictions 166 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 4: and they allowed it to shape public policy. They shaped 167 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 4: the founding documents of this country. And it is not opinion, 168 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 4: but it is fact that Christianity served as the predominant 169 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 4: worldview to shape the United States of America two hundred 170 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 4: and fifty years ago. Because they understood that the righteous 171 00:12:24,080 --> 00:12:28,359 Speaker 4: standards of Almighty God are timeless and they are absolute, 172 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 4: and they are true. And so their theology translated into 173 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 4: their policy, Their public theology translated into their political theology, 174 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,000 Speaker 4: and it shaped a public square two hundred and fifty 175 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 4: years ago that stood for God's standard of righteousness. 176 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:48,280 Speaker 3: And we saw. 177 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 4: Unbelievable flourishing and blessing, a nation that was truly exalted. 178 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 4: So why President John Adams said, quote, our constitution was 179 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 4: made aid only for a moral and religious people. It 180 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 4: is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Founding 181 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 4: father George Mason says, the scourge of slavery will bring 182 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 4: the judgment of Heaven on a country. Eighteenth century minister 183 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 4: Thomas Baldwin that says a virtuous people will always be. 184 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:21,679 Speaker 3: Free and happy. 185 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 4: And Daniel Clark Sanders says that public prosperity pervades every 186 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 4: part of an empire when its members are knowing, virtuous 187 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 4: and pious. The list goes on and on and on 188 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 4: of our founding fathers and our founding ministers in this 189 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,720 Speaker 4: nation that understood that if this nation was to be 190 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 4: blessed and this nation was to flourish, that righteousness must 191 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 4: be demonstrated in the public square, shaping public policy for. 192 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 3: The glory of God. 193 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 4: A nation that flourishes is a nation that is grooted 194 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,720 Speaker 4: and grounded in righteousness. But you know what our problem 195 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 4: is today. We're no longer a nation defined by the 196 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 4: righteous standards. 197 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 3: Of God's word. 198 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 4: No, we are a nation in the twenty first century 199 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,040 Speaker 4: that murders babies, millions of them, in the name of 200 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 4: choice and reproductive rights. We're a nation that rejects that 201 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 4: our rights are inalienable and God given. We're a nation 202 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:24,960 Speaker 4: that mocks states that are attempting to put the Ten 203 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 4: Commandments back into the classroom. Can you imagine the horror 204 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 4: of exposing our children. 205 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 3: To the law of God. 206 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 4: We're a nation that tells our children for decades that 207 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 4: they are a cosmic evolutionary accident. We are a nation 208 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 4: that says that gender is a social construct. We are 209 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 4: a nation that has more days, weeks, and months on 210 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 4: its calendar celebrating homosexuality and transgenderism than we. 211 00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 3: Celebrate the very birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 212 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 4: That is the state of our nation and the soul 213 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 4: of America. 214 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 3: Does all this kind of depress you? It should? 215 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 4: What does the proverb say, sin is a reproach to 216 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 4: any people? It means that we feel the shame and 217 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 4: the disgrace and the God given rights quickly eroding away. 218 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 4: When public theology forms our public. 219 00:15:39,680 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 3: Policy, the nation flourishes. 220 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 4: But when sin shapes our public policy, we are a reproach. 221 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 4: We will experience shame and disgrace and the absence of 222 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 4: the blessing of God. This is the standard of righteousness. 223 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 4: Throughout time and throughout history. We see the promise of God. 224 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 4: We see the standard of God. And third and lastly, 225 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 4: we see the agents of God. God as we sit 226 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 4: here this morning, has his son seated on the throne 227 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 4: reigning and ruling. But Jesus Christ, who's been crowned, reigns 228 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 4: and rules through you, the people of God, meaning you, 229 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,720 Speaker 4: the Church of Jesus Christ in the twenty first century, 230 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 4: in the midst of a nation facing reproach and sin 231 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 4: and disgrace, are the ones who have been called to 232 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 4: be agents of righteousness in an ungodly nation. Matthew Chapter 233 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:58,080 Speaker 4: five that we read is the calling of Jesus to 234 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 4: his followers, You, the Church of Jesus Christ. 235 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 3: He says you're to be sought and light and a 236 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:07,399 Speaker 3: city on a hill. 237 00:17:08,840 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 4: These are all phrases that do not describe the toxic 238 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:19,679 Speaker 4: escapism that we have in the church today, escapism that 239 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 4: tells us that we're just to get saved and hope 240 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 4: that God takes us out of here as quickly as possible. 241 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 4: But no, that once we're saved, we're now the very 242 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 4: agents of change and transformation. That we are sought, That 243 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 4: we are agents of life and preservation in a culture 244 00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 4: of death. That we are light, that we bear the 245 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 4: light of the Gospel of the Kingdom into the midst 246 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 4: of darkness. That we are a city on a hill, 247 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 4: a city, an alternate city in the midst of a corrupt, 248 00:17:55,680 --> 00:18:01,800 Speaker 4: an idolatious city. You see, when Jesus started attracting followers, 249 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:06,680 Speaker 4: he never says that my kingdom is not of this world. 250 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,159 Speaker 4: Now pay no attention to this world. He says, my 251 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 4: Kingdom is not of this world. Now go shape this 252 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,399 Speaker 4: world according to the Kingdom of God. He doesn't say, 253 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 4: forget about the Roman Empire. He says, go into the 254 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 4: Roman Empire and. 255 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,400 Speaker 3: Transform every square. 256 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 4: Inch of it as salt and light, as a city, 257 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 4: as agents of righteousness. And when we get to the 258 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 4: Great Commission in Matthew twenty eight, what does Jesus say, 259 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 4: come up to Heaven with me. 260 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:38,640 Speaker 3: No, he says, go. 261 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 4: Into that world, that dark, dangerous, idolatrous, ungodly world. 262 00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 3: The Greco Roman pagan. 263 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 4: Empire, and go disciple the nations. He doesn't just say 264 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 4: to disciple individuals. He says, disciple the nations, so that 265 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,199 Speaker 4: the nations might understand the righteousness of God, so that 266 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 4: the nations and. 267 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 3: The whole world. 268 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 4: Would experience what the Bible calls shalom, the exaltation from 269 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:14,959 Speaker 4: Almighty God. This is the hope, you, the hope of 270 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 4: the world, for two thousand years, in the midst of 271 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 4: an unrighteous world, serving as agents of righteousness, salt light, 272 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 4: and a city, the city of God, in the midst 273 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 4: of the city of Man. Let me give you, enclosing, 274 00:19:30,880 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 4: a few takeaways, some application. First, this passage that we 275 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 4: read this morning gives us a biblically informed understanding of 276 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 4: Christian patriotism. Christian patriotism, you can be both a Christian 277 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 4: and patriotic. 278 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 3: Absolutely in that order. 279 00:19:54,000 --> 00:20:00,880 Speaker 4: This verse, among other verses, gives us a biblically informed, 280 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 4: God centered christ exalting understanding of what it means to 281 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:10,199 Speaker 4: love God and love country. Yes, my ultimate allegiance is 282 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 4: to Christ and his Kingdom. But I love my nation 283 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 4: enough to want the righteousness of Christ's kingdom to come 284 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 4: to bear in the nation of which I'm a citizen. 285 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 4: I love my neighbor. I love my American neighbor enough 286 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 4: to make sure they understand the truth of God's law 287 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,280 Speaker 4: and the only means by which this nation might flourish. 288 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 4: Yet again, I pledge my allegiance ultimately to Jesus and 289 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:47,160 Speaker 4: his Cross, but that does not for one second undermine 290 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 4: or th love for this nation doesn't undermine my first 291 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 4: allegiance to Jesus and his kingdom. 292 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:53,959 Speaker 3: Give you a quick illustration. 293 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 4: I love my wife and my children, my loyal is 294 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 4: to them, But not one of you would question my 295 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:08,000 Speaker 4: loyalty or my allegiance to Jesus or his kingdom by 296 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 4: the way that I love my wife and my children. 297 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 3: In the same way, we can love this nation. 298 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 4: Even in the midst of failures, even in the midst 299 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 4: of its imperfections. We can love this nation and love 300 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 4: what men and women have done to go before us, 301 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,679 Speaker 4: and love its traditions and love its liberties, but at 302 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 4: the same time love King Jesus as well. The false 303 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:37,399 Speaker 4: dichotomy that we either have to pick Christ or pick 304 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 4: our patriotic duty to love this nation. This passage gives 305 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 4: us a biblically informed, christ exalting, God centered understanding of 306 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,080 Speaker 4: what it means to love God and country in that order, 307 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 4: and we need to yet again in the midst of 308 00:21:55,440 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 4: calls and names and derogatory terms. Like Christian nationalists, we 309 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,439 Speaker 4: need to recover what it means to love God and 310 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 4: love country in such a way where Christ continues to 311 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 4: be exalted but the freedoms and liberties that we've experienced 312 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 4: for nearly two hundred and fifty years. We can be 313 00:22:12,800 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 4: a grateful people when we can pass these traditions down 314 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 4: to our children and our grandchildren and say America is 315 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 4: not perfect, but America is good and America is beautiful. 316 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 4: We need to recapture a God centered Christ's exalting love 317 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 4: of country that confronts evil and justice in the public square, 318 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:34,840 Speaker 4: embraces and embraces the reality that Christianity, more than any 319 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 4: other worldview, shape the founding of this nation two hundred 320 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 4: and fifty years ago. We need to understand what it 321 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,399 Speaker 4: means to love God and love country again. 322 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,240 Speaker 3: In the face of Christ. 323 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 4: To not want to be patriotic not want to honor America, 324 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 4: and it's past I point you to two theologians where 325 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,639 Speaker 4: you would never question their ultimate allegiance to Christ in 326 00:23:01,680 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 4: his kingdom, John Knox and John Calvin. 327 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 3: Nobody would ever question. 328 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 4: John Knox and his longing for the Gospel to go 329 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,440 Speaker 4: out from Scotland and reach the far corners of this world. 330 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 4: But what did he say before he died, Give me 331 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 4: Scotland or I die. He wanted Scotland to understand the 332 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 4: righteous standard dis of God's word. He wanted his motherland 333 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,840 Speaker 4: of Scotland to be transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 334 00:23:27,119 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 4: John Calvin, his homeland was France. Nobody questions his ultimate 335 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,720 Speaker 4: allegiance to Christ in his kingdom. John Calvin could often 336 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 4: be found being smuggled back into France to share the 337 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:41,240 Speaker 4: Gospel of the Kingdom with those that were living in darkness. 338 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 4: We can love Christ in his kingdom and also love America, 339 00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 4: and there's nothing wrong with it. 340 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:48,440 Speaker 3: It's actually a. 341 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 4: Beautiful thing to love God in country and we need 342 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 4: to recapture biblical patriotism for the next generation. The second 343 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 4: takeaway is this, we need to understand that it is 344 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 4: a spiritual battle for the soul of our nation, will 345 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 4: it remain one nation under God? And in order to 346 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:06,960 Speaker 4: recapture the soul of the nation, we need to be 347 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 4: praying for revival. Before the founding of Americans seventeen seventy six, 348 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 4: you know what, the other great event was a great 349 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:18,919 Speaker 4: awakening through the preaching of Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield 350 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 4: traveling across to America calling people to repentance, standing for 351 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 4: biblical truth, and that gave way and laid a foundation 352 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,359 Speaker 4: for the founding of American freedom and American liberty. And 353 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 4: we need to understand that the very thing that gave 354 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 4: birth to this nation started right here with the people 355 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:40,879 Speaker 4: of God repenting, with the people of God standing for 356 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 4: biblical truth, and for the people of God praying for 357 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 4: another revival to sweep across our. 358 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 3: Land yet again. 359 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 4: As Francis Schaeffer said right here in this pulpit in 360 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:54,399 Speaker 4: nineteen eighty two, after every great revival throughout world history 361 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 4: had always followed with great cultural, social. 362 00:24:57,600 --> 00:24:58,960 Speaker 3: And political transformation. 363 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,480 Speaker 4: If we want to see cultural and political transformation, we 364 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 4: first need to see spiritual transformation and revival. Third takeaway, 365 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,240 Speaker 4: we need to vote for policies and leaders that will 366 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 4: best fight for righteousness in the public square. 367 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 3: Listen to me very carefully. 368 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:21,479 Speaker 4: This fall is not a decision between right versus left. 369 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,760 Speaker 4: This fall is a decision between right and wrong. And 370 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 4: I have heard other pastors say that to vote is 371 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:35,400 Speaker 4: not your biblical duty, it's just your civic duty. Therefore, 372 00:25:35,440 --> 00:25:39,000 Speaker 4: if you don't vote, it's okay. That is nonsense, and 373 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 4: it is unbiblical. It is not only our civic duty 374 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,800 Speaker 4: to vote, it is our biblical duty to vote. It 375 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 4: is the way we love our neighbor well. And we 376 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 4: exercise our dual citizenship of being both part of the 377 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:54,920 Speaker 4: Kingdom of God and an American citizen. And we go 378 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 4: to the ballot box fighting for righteousness with imperfect candidates, 379 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 4: but to make sure that righteousness, yet again will prevail 380 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 4: in the public square. As of today, there are twenty 381 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:12,200 Speaker 4: five million eligible evangelicals that are not registered to vote. 382 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 4: Twenty five thousand pastor twenty five million eligible evangelicals in 383 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 4: this nation that are not registered to vote. Biblical duty, 384 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 4: not just a civic duty. Fourth, and lastly, and most importantly, 385 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:35,880 Speaker 4: to be an agent of righteousness, you must be righteous. 386 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:41,919 Speaker 4: The problem is the Bible says, no one is righteous, no, 387 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 4: not one. The Bible says that we are all born 388 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:51,399 Speaker 4: with a unrighteous problem, and it's called sin. And the 389 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 4: only way you can be righteous is that you need 390 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:57,200 Speaker 4: a righteousness that's not of your own. 391 00:26:59,040 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 3: But thanks be to God that he has. 392 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:04,679 Speaker 4: Provided away through the cross of Jesus Christ, that on 393 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:08,680 Speaker 4: the cross all of our unrighteousness. 394 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 3: Goes to Jesus, and Jesus's righteousness comes to us. 395 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 4: In fact, in Romans fifteen, it says that the reproaches 396 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:21,840 Speaker 4: of man fell upon Jesus. The reproach, the sin, shame, 397 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 4: and disgrace that you and I suffer from. By faith alone, 398 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,119 Speaker 4: can be passed off to what Caleb said earlier, the 399 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 4: Great Exchange, where our reproaches and our sin and our 400 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:38,200 Speaker 4: shame and our unrighteousness fall on Jesus. And by faith alone, 401 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 4: in Jesus and his Cross we receive his righteousness and 402 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 4: are utterly transformed from death to life, from darkness to light, 403 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 4: to be agents of righteousness and reconciliation and salt and 404 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:52,000 Speaker 4: light in. 405 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:56,760 Speaker 3: A very dark world. And so I plead with you 406 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 3: this morning. 407 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 4: If you do not know Jesus the right one, there 408 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:05,200 Speaker 4: is no righteousness apart from him, we have no hope 409 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 4: of appeasing the judge and ruler of the nations, apart 410 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 4: from a saving relationship which is offered to you freely 411 00:28:15,520 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 4: by faith alone this morning to plead with you to 412 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 4: repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. 413 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 3: Christ, and you will be saved. 414 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:29,399 Speaker 4: A few weeks ago, my family and I had an 415 00:28:29,400 --> 00:28:35,719 Speaker 4: opportunity to travel to Oxford, England, and in Oxford there 416 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 4: is a small section on the ground on Broad Street 417 00:28:41,160 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 4: entitled the Martyrs Cross. It was in October of fifteen 418 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 4: fifty five on Martyr's Cross on Broad Street the two 419 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 4: Protestant Reformers were burned at the stake, Hugh Latimer and 420 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,880 Speaker 4: Nicholas Ridley burned at the stake on Martyr's Cross on 421 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 4: Broad Street in Oxford, simply because they've refused to renounce 422 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 4: the free grace and offer that is found in. 423 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 3: The Gospel of Jesus Christ. And on October. 424 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 4: Sixteenth, fifteen fifty five, on that spot they were burned alive. 425 00:29:20,360 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 4: But before the flames and the smoke finally consumed them, 426 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 4: Hugh Latimer, a bishop in the Church of England, turned 427 00:29:27,640 --> 00:29:30,600 Speaker 4: to Nicholas Ridley, another bishop of the Church of England, 428 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 4: and raising his voice loud, he said, be of good comfort, 429 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 4: Master Ridley, and play the man today, for we shall 430 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 4: this day light such a candle by God's grace in England, 431 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 4: as I trust, shall never be put out, and England 432 00:29:49,760 --> 00:29:54,120 Speaker 4: over the next three hundred years experience the light and 433 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:58,520 Speaker 4: the heat of that candle in unprecedented ways. In the 434 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 4: next three hundred years after they were burned at the stake, 435 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 4: it gave rose to the British Empire, as I said 436 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 4: at that time, was the greatest superpower known to man, 437 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:15,000 Speaker 4: got exalted that nation. But I think it's fair to 438 00:30:15,040 --> 00:30:20,480 Speaker 4: say that that nation has been torn down. Just four 439 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:23,520 Speaker 4: years ago the Prime Minister of England announced that we 440 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 4: are once and for all a purely secular nation. Afraid 441 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 4: to say that the candle lit in fifteen fifty five 442 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,160 Speaker 4: has gone out, But there. 443 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:39,600 Speaker 3: Was a candle lit in this nation. 444 00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 4: Just almost two hundred and fifty years ago, and I'm 445 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 4: afraid that it's quickly going out and quickly being extinguished. 446 00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 3: But we have an opportunity. 447 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:59,560 Speaker 4: This day, as the people of God, to make sure 448 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 4: that the case does not go out on the next generation, 449 00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:07,400 Speaker 4: that America would continue to be a beacon of light 450 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,840 Speaker 4: and hope that it would stand for righteousness, not according 451 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:16,440 Speaker 4: to the standards of man, but according to the standards. 452 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 3: Of Almighty God. 453 00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 4: Will we learn from history, because every history of every 454 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 4: nation and every empire that has fallen. 455 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 3: Mocks us today. 456 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 4: And every nation and every kingdom and every empire that 457 00:31:30,320 --> 00:31:34,120 Speaker 4: has fallen mocks at us this day, and says, will 458 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 4: you not learn from history that God exhausts, but that 459 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:41,120 Speaker 4: same God also brings down. 460 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 3: We need to have a long view. 461 00:31:44,920 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 4: But we mist be in it to the end for 462 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:52,960 Speaker 4: the sake of future generations. The long game of longing 463 00:31:53,120 --> 00:31:56,920 Speaker 4: for an awakening in this nation in which the American 464 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:02,200 Speaker 4: people can reimagine a nation that is once again in 465 00:32:02,240 --> 00:32:08,160 Speaker 4: line with the righteousness of God and a biblical worldview. So, 466 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 4: people of God in the twenty first century, may we 467 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 4: humble ourselves, May we pray, May we repent, and may 468 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 4: we seek the face of God and not lose hope. 469 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,720 Speaker 4: Why because the light shines in the darkness, and the 470 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:28,360 Speaker 4: darkness has not overcome it. Let's pray our Father and 471 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 4: our God righteousness exalts a nation. 472 00:32:34,920 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 3: That sin is a reproach to any people. Help us 473 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:40,800 Speaker 3: to heed. 474 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 4: The words that throughout time and throughout history you have 475 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 4: raised up nations and empires and kingdoms, that you have 476 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:59,480 Speaker 4: also struck them down. That candle of liberty still shines 477 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 4: brightly in this nation, but it's quickly going out. Lord, 478 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 4: for the sake of future generations and the flourishing and 479 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 4: the blessing. 480 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:11,400 Speaker 3: Of all people, May we, the people. 481 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 4: Of God, be agents of righteousness in a nation that 482 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:23,800 Speaker 4: is unrighteous, bringing salt and light in the midst of darkness, 483 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 4: so that America yet again can experience the full measure 484 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 4: of blessing and flourishing experience. 485 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:32,560 Speaker 3: Shaloam. 486 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:37,120 Speaker 4: May we love this nation enough, and love our neighbors 487 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 4: and knife enough that we will fight for and advance. 488 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 3: The righteous truth of. 489 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 4: Almighty God into the public square, shaping policies and laws 490 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:52,240 Speaker 4: that look more like the city of God and less 491 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:57,720 Speaker 4: like the city of man. Would you humble us to 492 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 4: seek your face, to pursue that vision of what you've 493 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 4: called this nation to be? And Lord, for anyone that 494 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 4: has not experienced the righteousness of God, would I pray 495 00:34:10,719 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 4: that this day, not later on, not tomorrow, but this 496 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 4: day they would realize that there is no righteousness apart 497 00:34:18,520 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 4: from Jesus, but that through the Cross, the reproaches of 498 00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:28,719 Speaker 4: humanity fell on Jesus, and in return we receive his 499 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 4: righteousness forever. It's not a righteousness of our own that 500 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,799 Speaker 4: we take into the public square. It's not a righteousness 501 00:34:37,440 --> 00:34:39,880 Speaker 4: of our own we bring to this nation. But it 502 00:34:39,960 --> 00:34:45,360 Speaker 4: is the righteousness of King Jesus that he reigns and rules, 503 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:50,040 Speaker 4: and his righteous truths are good, true, and beautiful. 504 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 3: Lord. 505 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,759 Speaker 4: May there be many this day that repent of their 506 00:34:55,800 --> 00:34:59,800 Speaker 4: self righteousness and look to the righteousness of Jesus alone 507 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:03,759 Speaker 4: as our only hope in life and death. May people be. 508 00:35:03,760 --> 00:35:04,680 Speaker 3: Set free. 509 00:35:06,200 --> 00:35:08,560 Speaker 4: By the righteous work of Jesus on the Cross, on 510 00:35:08,600 --> 00:35:12,799 Speaker 4: our behalf. And may they be part this day for 511 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:15,440 Speaker 4: the first time of the greatest movement this world has 512 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:21,040 Speaker 4: ever seen, fanning the flames of that candle to shine 513 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 4: brightly for Jesus Christ in his kingdom. 514 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:26,880 Speaker 3: And that's in his name we pray. Amen. 515 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:33,560 Speaker 5: The podcast The Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 516 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 5: is a moving and inspiring biblical audio experience that will 517 00:35:37,120 --> 00:35:40,200 Speaker 5: help you master wisdom from the world's greatest book. In 518 00:35:40,239 --> 00:35:44,320 Speaker 5: each episode, you'll learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. 519 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,919 Speaker 4: Each cinematic episode is a journey through the Bible's most 520 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:51,399 Speaker 4: profound stories that will strengthen your appreciation of the word 521 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:54,360 Speaker 4: and inspire you to keep learning. 522 00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:57,200 Speaker 5: Listen to the Bible in a Year with Jack Graham 523 00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 5: on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. 524 00:36:09,200 --> 00:36:09,399 Speaker 4: Hmm