"LEARNING TO BE A MODEL PARENT"

''A NATION’S GOD'' Psalm 33 "Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD, for it is fitting to praise him. {2} Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. {3} Sing new songs of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy. {4} For the word of the LORD holds true, and everything he does is worthy of our trust. {5} He loves whatever is just and good, and his unfailing love fills the earth. {6} The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. {7} He gave the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. {8} Let everyone in the world fear the LORD, and let everyone stand in awe of him. {9} For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. {10} The LORD shatters the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. {11} But the Lord's plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. {12} What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD, whose people he has chosen for his own. {13} The LORD looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race. {14} From his throne he observes all who live on the earth. {15} He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do. {16} The best-equipped army cannot save a king, nor is great strength enough to save a warrior. {17} Don't count on your warhorse to give you victory-- for all its strength, it cannot save you. {18} But the LORD watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love. {19} He rescues them from death and keeps them alive in times of famine. {20} We depend on the LORD alone to save us. Only he can help us, protecting us like a shield. {21} In him our hearts rejoice, for we are trusting in his holy name. {22} Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone." INTRODUCTION - Today we are celebrating the freedom we have in this country to worship and move and speak and write and vote and own property. b. Our freedoms are many and with freedom comes responsibility. It seems that in our country we want to be exempt from the responsibility freedom requires. c. This week the Supreme Court handed down some far-reaching decisions. Three were of particular interest to the church: 1. Declaring unconstitutional the ban on partial birth abortions 2. Supporting the right of the Boy Scouts to ban homosexuals 3. Supporting in some fashion school vouchers d. We live in a country and culture that has a faulty view of freedom and responsibility e. Our culture resists every kind of authority and it is to that culture we must speak and carry the gospel of Jesus Christ f. I want to focus our thoughts today on verse 12 of the Psalm we read together. This verse may have originally applied to the nation of Israel, it is obvious that the principle here applies to any nation or to all nations. I. A Godless Nation. a. Many say that our nation is godless. There is certainly much to suggest that this saying is true. 1. There is such a lowering of moral standards that many do not at all take seriously the Ten Commandments. 2. There is a disregard for personal property. 3. There is a disregard for personal purity. 4. There is even a disregard for human life. 5. There is a disregard for laws, whether man’s or God’s. b. The thought of a godless nation is chilling. 1. It is like shepherdless sheep, wandering aimlessly with no direction of leader or moral compass to follow 2. It is like a fatherless child, searching for love and direction II. The Nation That Is Not Godless at All. a. One might say that our nation is not godless. The problem is that the nation has too many gods. 1. There is the god of success. 2. There is the god of money. 3. There is the god of pleasure. 4. There is the god of sex. 5. There is the god of fame. 6. There is the god of power. b. With so many gods, is it surprising that the one true God is forgotten? III. The Nation Whose God Is the Lord. a. When the text was written there were many gods. Most nations had several. Some had hundreds. b. Jehovah declares again and again that He is a zealous God and will permit no rivals. This idea of monotheism changed the world. c. What is necessary for a nation to be able to say that their God is the Lord? 1. They must honor His laws. 2. They must respect His name. 3. They must honor His day. 4. They must respect His house. 5. Above all, they must respect Him! d. What is the result when a nation honors God? 1. They have less turmoil and unrest within. 2. They have more compassion for helping those who are without. 3. They have a heightened sense of security. 4. Perhaps we have yet to see how many blessings might come to any nation that takes this text seriously. IV. A DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT a. The apostle Paul tells us in the letter to the church in Galatia that “If Christ shall set you free you are free indeed” b. We declare our identity with Christ and the freedom and responsibility He brings to our lives through participation in the Lord’s Supper or Communion c. In this act we declare our allegiance and commitment to Jesus Christ. That is why those who have not declared allegiance to Him are asked not to participate – It would simply mean living a lie and we do not want you to do that. In fact the Bible says that those who participate and are not committed to Jesus Christ bring judgment to their lives. SHARE THE BREAD SHARE THE CUP d. We celebrate our freedom by declaring our allegiance to Jesus Christ and I invite you to do the same today 1. If not yet a Christian you can follow Jesus today 2. Can renew your commitment to Jesus 3. Can make this your church home and place of ministry and worship in Wheeling. e. It is for freedom that we have been set free – Celebrate that freedom with us by committing your life to Jesus