Proverbs 14:34
The Three Sins That Toppled America
The Bible expresses in a single statement a truth which will either
ground a nation or grind it. If a nation will do righteously, right
by God, God will ground that nation with a foundation that is firm
and unmovable. But if a nation turns to sin, God will grind it in His
sieve of justice until there is nothing left.
Many previous generations chose to do right and be blessed by God.
Sadly, in America’s most recent days, her generations have chosen to
do wrong and, I believe, are running the risk of being grinded by
God.
Let’s consider some truths this morning:
I. The History of America.
A. People today argue that government should be devoid of God and
religion.
1. They say that is what our founding fathers wanted and what
our constitution requires.
2. They lie.
B. Three areas of American history will prove this country was
founded as a Christian nation.
1. Our historical documents.
a. Case in point - The second paragraph of the most important
document ever devised by the human mind, starts…
"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."
That document is the Declaration of Independence. It was penned
primarily by Thomas Jefferson and approved by the delegates of the 13
colonies on July 4, 1776. That was 240 years ago. It was written to
declare our nation’s independence from Great Britain. In short, it is
America’s birth certificate.
Notice the reference to the Creator. The very document which declares
this nation’s right to exist does so based on three undeniable gifts
of God, our Creator. How then can we say God has no place in our
government? in our schools? in our country?
b. The Mayflower Compact, 1620. The Mayflower being the ship used to
bring colonists to America. Second Paragraph - "Having undertaken,
for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith…."
c. The first Amendment to the Constitution, 1791, the individual state
declarations of Delaware, Texas, and others, the multiple rulings of
the United States Supreme Court from beginning until the 1960’s.
d. "One Nation, under God" was added to Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.
e. "In God We Trust" was added to our currency July 30, 1956.
https://www.treasury.gov/about/education/Pages/in-god-we-trust.aspx
2. Our historical buildings
The Supreme Court
On the outside East Pediment is a marble relief of Moses holding
tablets containing the Ten Commandments. Engraved on the oak doors at
the entrance of the Court Chamber are the Roman numerals I through X,
and above the heads of the Justices is a carved marble relief with a
large stone tablet containing I through X (each set of numerals
represents the 10 commandments
The Capitol Building where our Congress meets:
All of the eight large paintings in the Rotunda present aspects of
our Christian history. A few include: The Landing of
Columbus—Columbus said he was convinced to sail because “it was the
Lord who put into my mind” and that “the Gospel must still be
preached to so many lands.” The Baptism of Pocahontas. The Departure
of the Pilgrims from Holland—shows the Pilgrims observing a day of
prayer and fasting. William Brewster is holding an open Bible upon
which is written: “The New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ.” “God With Us” is written on the ship’s sail.
In God We Trust, our national motto, is inscribed in letters of gold
behind the Speaker’s rostrum in the House Chamber.
Also in this chamber, above the central Gallery door, is a marble
relief of Moses, the greatest of 23 noted law-givers (and the only
one full-faced). In 1867 the House Chamber was the meeting place for
the largest Church congregation in America. This was not unusual for
Churches had been meeting in the Capitol from its beginning.
The Prayer Room contains an open Bible sitting on an altar in front
of a stained window showing Washington in earnest prayer. Behind him
is etched the first verse of Psalm 16, “Preserve me, O God, for in
Thee do I put my trust.”
The National Archives
A bronze design on the floor of the Rotunda contains the Ten
Commandments with Senate and Justice to the right of them, which
symbolizes that our legal system has its origin in God’s law
Washington Monument
On top of the tallest structure in Washington a message goes forth.
Engraved upon the aluminum capstone on the top of this 555 foot
monument is Laus Deo, Praise be to God. Inside the structure are
carved tribute blocks with many Godly messages: “Holiness to the
Lord,” “Search the Scriptures,” “The memory of the just is blessed,”
“May Heaven to this union continue its beneficence,” In God We
Trust,” “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is
old, he will not depart from it.”
The White House
An inscription by the first President to inhabit the White House,
John Adams, is cut into the marble facing of the State Dining Room
fireplace. It reads: “I pray Heaven to Bestow the Best of Blessings
on THIS HOUSE and on All that shall hereafter Inhabit it. May none
but Honest and Wise Men ever rule under this Roof.”
http://providencefoundation.com/?page_id=1962
3. Read the speeches and the writings of our early leaders.
a. Note their prayers, listen to their counsel, follow
their advice.
b. They will point you to God, to the Bible, to religion,
over and over again.
C. America, be reminded. A nation which serves God, God will
ground. A nation which serves sin, God will grind.
II. The sins of America
A. In the last century, America has turned vehemently away from
righteousness and toward sin.
1. In America, one can scarily name a sin which is not
practiced and glorified—drunkenness, sexual promiscuity,
materialism, violence, sodomy, witchcraft, blasphemy—the
list is endless.
2. A man goes to the doctor with a long term cough. The
doctor should not give cough medicine. He should
investigate. He knows the cough is not the sickness but
the symptom.
B. What is America’s real problem?
1. Rebellion
a. What is rebellion
(1) Rebellion is refusing to submit to, to obey, to
follow.
(2) Before one can refuse to obey, they must know
what to do.
(3) You can be wrong or ignorant, but to be
rebellious, you must be going against something
or someone you know.
b. We have talked about the rebellion of an individual
before.
(1) Rebellion for an individual is a serious sin.
1Samuel 15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of
witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry….
(2) It is far worse when it affects a whole nation.
(3) Israel suffered from rebellion.
1Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel,
Hearken unto the voice of the people in all
that they say unto thee: for they have not
rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that
I should not reign over them.
Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two
evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of
living waters, and hewed them out cisterns,
broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
c. How has rebellion spread to our nation?
(1) There is a touch of rebellion in all of us.
(2) Rebellious hearts flock together.
(3) Our national rebellion against God started
gaining momentum in academic circles in the
early 1900’s, moved to political circles in
the late 1900’s, and by the turn of the new
century had engulfed our homes.
(4) The rebellious spirit only needs a leader to
ignite. Our President pour gasoline on that
fire when he stated shortly after taking office
that American is no longer a Christian nation,
then he spend his administrations making it so.
(5) Say what you will about the techniques of
McCarthyism of the 1950’s, but time has proven
Senator Joseph McCarthy’s fear was correct!
America has been rotted and turned from God from
within!
2. Ignorance
(1) Once a generation rebels against what they know,
the subsequent generation may then "never know"
the truth that was rebelled against. They will
be ignorant.
Isaiah 1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass
his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my
people doth not consider.
(2) The subsequent generations are not as guilty of
rebellion as they are of ignorance.
(3) Whoever said, "What you don’t know won’t hurt
you" lied.
Matthew 22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them,
Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the
power of God.
(4) America today is ignorant…
(a) of sin
(b) of God
(c) of judgment
(d) of salvation
3. Substitution - America, like Israel, has substituted
God for little gods.
Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two
evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of
living waters, and hewed them out cisterns,
broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Judges 10:13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served
other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more.
(1) Man worships man - HUMANISM. When we insists on
our rights, our happiness, our philosophy we are
substituting ourselves for God.
(2) Man worships money and possessions - MATERIALISM.
(3) Man worships another god or a religion -
IDOLATRY.
III. The Cure for America
A. Isaiah and Jeremiah lived at some of the lowest points in
Jewish history.
1. Isaiah lived as the northern kingdom was being destroyed
and Jeremiah lived as the southern kingdom was.
Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason
together, saith the LORD: though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as
snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall
eat the good of the land:
20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be
devoured with the sword: for the mouth of
the LORD hath spoken it.
Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward
the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding
Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause
mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful,
saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for
ever.
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou
hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and
hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under
every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my
voice, saith the LORD.
14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the
LORD….
2. As close to total destruction as these nations were, yet
God still pleads with them to return to Him and He would
forgive them!
B. Strangely, the remedy for America’s condition does not lie
in politics.
1. Some think so.
2. They have pushed for Christian presidents, pro-life
presidents—apparently even the Christians gave given up
on that.
3. We have had several administrations of these type of
presidents and even had a republican majority in the
House and Senate (which was considered to be the more
Biblically-oriented political party).
4. What did it get us? Sins have continued to increase.
a. Abortion wasn’t stopped or even slowed.
b. Homosexuality was not even condemned.
c. Prayer and the Bible are still effectively outlawed in
anything the government is involved with.
5. Why? Because the cure is not in politics or America as a
whole.
C. The cure is in the church (God’s people).
2Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called
by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray,
and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will
forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1. Billy Sunday said, "What the world needs is not more men
but a better brand."
2. He also said, "What the church needs is not a lot of new
members but a lot of the old members made new."
3. If the America would be what it should be, the church must
have revival.
IV. The Promise of America
A. Earlier, I read a portion of the Declaration of Independence.
"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."
B. Our birth certificate promised every American three gifts:
LIFE, LIBERTY, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
C. Do you realize those are the same gifts Jesus offered?
1. Life
John 10:10 …I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.
2. Liberty (freedom)
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you
free, ye shall be free indeed.
3. Happiness
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain in you, and that your
joy might be full.
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