Matt's House Church: Arbutus, MD

United or Divided


Opening
It is my hope and prayer that we would seize this moment that has been granted us
to live…in these times, in this place, in the midst of our culture which is in conflict
My prayer is that we are NOT just people who know of the Word, but people who live
in and through the Word, so others “Far from God” might get a glimpse…a taste of
Jesus and the power of His LOVE that changes LIVES for ETERNITY!

Introduction
Question: What does God require of us…in these desperate times?

You might remember my reading these words last week…
IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the
powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that
they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The framers of the Declaration of Independence clearly point to a Divine Law which
they called the “Laws of Nature” and a God which they referred to as “Nature’s God,”
and “Creator.”

Reading: Psalm 33:8-19 (A Call To Praise by the Psalmist, supremacy of God)

David (King, Poet, Musician, Warrior and Lover of God) penned these words in…
Reading: Psalm 40:4

Our ONLY way through this critical time in World History is by holding onto Christ
and Following His lead…with your whole life! The framers of our “Declaration of
Independence,” held fast to our Creator-God, and before them King David pointed to
the world’s only hope, “The Lord.” World leaders, kings, chancellors, prime ministers
and presidents cannot and will not deliver us, but our God will

Question: What does God require of us…in these desperate times?

Illustration: Debbie Gill, created in the window of the CCRC a very beautiful
depiction of our nations struggle…really any nations struggle to live and thrive. In it
she hung these block lettered…familiar words, “One Nation Under God” and “United
We Stand.” As Debbie was finishing her work one passerby gave the window the
finger. The Truth always exposes the hearts of men, our nation has turned away
from God, regardless of the truth our children declare each day in schools a
crossed our nation:

Corporate - The Pledge of Allegiance

America’s Pledge of Allegiance states the facts simply:
• “One Nation, Under God, Indivisible…”
• Francis Bellamy (1892) wrote the pledge to be used by any country.
• Eisenhower (1954) urged congress to insert words under God b/c communist
threat.
• A pledge is a promise of sorts or a covenant.

The Lord’s Covenant with Solomon
The majority of ancient Near East & OT writings/documents contain a covenant
section, a section that deals with the Blessings & Curses. Loyalty to the covenant
would cause the “Blessings” to flow; where “Curses” would follow a breaking of the
covenant.
Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 (Context & Response After Turning Away)
Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:17-18 (Blessings)
Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:19-22 (Curses)

Challenge
Question: What does God require of us…in these desperate times?

As a Nation established by God, we the people of America, more specifically, we
the people who know the God the framers of the “Declaration of Independence”
pointed to have a very specific responsibility: First, to God; then to one another;
then to our nation that is moving further and further away from God at an ever
increasing speed. We, those who claim to Follow Christ must do as the God of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob instructed Solomon…

Corporate Reading: 2 Chronicles 7:14

Corporate Closing - Doxology