Independence Day
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A little history:
I would like to draw your attention to a copy of the Declaration of Independence as signed on July 4th, 1776.
* In June of 1776, after some debate, the Continental Congress impaneled a Committee of Five to draft a declaration of independence.
> The committee members included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman who elected the fifth member, Thomas Jefferson, as their president, giving him the responsibility to put the first draft together.
* He began on June 11th and the process took 17 days in all.
> The initial draft was reviewed and edited by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
* Next it went to the full Committee of Five.
> In total 26 changes were made from Jefferson’s original draft.
* On June 28th, 1776, it was presented to congress.
* On July 1st at 9am Congress was called to order. Serious debate over the issues of independence consumed most of that hot and humid Monday. Three colonies were as yet unconvinced.
* On July 2nd the question of independence was put to vote and unanimously passed by the 12 colonies who voted. The New York delegates were required to abstain from voting.
* It was on July 2, 1776, that the united Colonies of America officially became the united States of America.
* John Adams reasonably expected July 2nd to be the celebrated day. He wrote to his wife Abigail Adams on the 3rd of July:
"The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more." (John Adams to his wife Abigail, July 3, 1776)
* On July 3rd the Committee of Five’s declaration of independence became the focus of Congress. The day grew long with debate and so the discussion adjourned until the morrow.
* Thursday, July 4th, congress made some changes to the manuscript and approved the Declaration of Independence.
> Copies were immediately made and distributed by order of congress.
> On the night of July 4th, John Dunlap is believed to have printed between 200 and 500 broadsides of the Declaration which he gave to congress. Many were sent to friends and family members of the delegates.
* July 6th a copy was presented to the New York Provincial Congress.
> July 9th New York adopted a resolution joining with the 12 other colonies in support of independence.
> July 15th, the resolution from New York was presented to the Continental Congress.
* It was then, and not before, that the document was entitled:
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
Interesting to note:
* Of the 200 to 500 unsigned Broadsides printed by John Dunlap, only 25 are known to be in existence today.
* The original, signed by John Hancock and Charles Thompson on the night of July 4th, 1776, is lost.
* A signed copy delivered to King George III, contrary to popular belief, had only Hancock’s and Thompson’s signature affixed.
* The remaining signers were not published until 1777.
* In 1989, a man browsing a flea market purchased a painting for $4.00. He was interested only in the frame. Concealed in the backing of the frame he found an original Dunlap Broadside of The Declaration of Independence.
* In August of 2000 it was sold at a New York auction for an $8,140,000.00 price.
* After all of the effort, review and edit of the Declaration of Independence, here is a copy of that completed 1776 document.
(Show the document on screen)
At the very top of this document we read:
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
Do you notice anything odd?
* The words “unanimous” and “united” are evidently not the main thoughts here.
Contrary to what some believe:
It was never our independence or our declaration of it that made us great.
In fact, I believe the contrary, it was actually our admitted and much demonstrated dependence which caused us to rise as a nation.
I believe that our Declaration of Independence would better be described as our Declaration of Dependence.
A closer look at the much poured over wording of this great and lasting document will reveal that as we are now, so were our forefathers then: We Are All Dependent On Two Sources
The First Source - God, Creator of the universe, the Supreme Judge of the world and Divine Protector of all things.
Look at these acknowledgements by our forefathers:
(Put the Declaration back on screen & highlight)
* In the first paragraph:
“Nature's God entitle them”
* In the second paragraph:
“endowed by their Creator”
* In the last paragraph:
“appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions”
* And again in the last paragraph:
“with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence”
Here we see our founding fathers acknowledging God and their clear dependence on Divine - Supreme Guidance and Protection.
There was never an intent by the framers of our nation to separate God from our government and its workings.
I told you that there were two sources which our forefathers were dependent on. First was a Holy and Just God, who had a divine plan.
The second source - each another.
Look at their phrase in conclusion. In the last paragraph of the document, dependence on God is mentioned twice, but not forgotten is the dependence we have on each another. The last sentence reads:
* “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
You see, it is more than just words we commit to. It’s a principle. Our honor and dignity demands that we, made in the image of God, be like unto Him. This leads us to pledge our lives as covenant to the greater causes and higher claims of this world and of that world which is to come.
We Need God and We Need Each Other
Our nation was once unanimous and united. We are no longer.
Today our nation is separated and divided and its people have endeavored to become truly independent of one another. Those not like us, those not for us or those not with us.
Sad to say, the church in America has followed suit.
Imagine what could happen if people were to become truly united and in complete agreement.
Genesis 11:6 "Look!" he said. "If they can accomplish this when they have just begun to take advantage of their common language and political unity, just think of what they will do later. Nothing will be impossible for them! (NLT)
Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (NIV)
Psalms 133
1 ¶ Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the LORD commanded the blessing—Life forevermore. (NKJV)
Our greatness as a person, a church, a community or a nation stems from our unity. This is where the blessings of God lie - in unity!
First there must be unity with God
God is the perfect pitch we tune ourselves to.
He won’t change, we must.
Next we must walk together in unity with others.
Others are the ones we play our life out in harmony with.
It doesn’t always have to be our way.
Give a little for the greater cause.
Make your declaration of dependence today.
We need God and We need Each Other.
Happy 4th of July! God Bless America!
