How are you? How was your 4th of July?
For most Americans, 4th of July is just a holiday. We have a BBQ, hang out with some friends, and watch some fireworks. We’re thankful that we can have the day off from work.
But why do we celebrate this holiday, also known as Independence Day? We celebrate it so that we can remember. We remember the past, the present, and the future.
We remember our past. We remember our founding fathers and the sacrifices they made to establish this nation as a free country with rights for all.
We remember our present. We remember all those in the armed forces who have served and who are serving to make sure our rights and our lives are secure in the nation we call home.
We remember our future. We remember that we strive to be “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
That’s why we have the holiday. That’s why we celebrate. We remember.
This past Sunday, we looked at Christ’s letter to the church in Sardis. There were people in the church who thought they were alive but were really dead. Jesus tells them to wake up. How are they to wake up and strengthen themselves?
They are to remember and repent. The heart of the Christian life is to remember and repent. We start our Christian life through remembrance and repentance. We grow in our Christian life through remembrance and repentance.
When was the last time you truly remembered in faith and repented of your sins? If you can’t remember, maybe the truth is that you’ve deceived yourself to think you’re alive, but in reality, you are dead.
Take some time this week to remember Christ. Remember the past and His sacrifice for you. Remember the present and His constant grace and presence with you. Remember the future and the hope of future glory with Him forevermore.
And through your remembrance, repent. Repent of your selfishness, your pride, and your idols. Through our remembrance and repentance, we experience true life in Christ every single day. Everyday is Independence Day for the life of the Christian.
Prepare your hearts and see you all for Lord’s Day worship this Sunday. Come out to our last June Topical Study (I know it’s July) on Sneaky Sins after fellowship!
In Christ,
Pastor Tim
Image source: www.history.com