Ethics I4 Memorial 2010 ‘We are a blessed people, those who know the Lord and have a personal relationship with God. Sometimes we forget how blessed we are. Sometimes we forget how important that relationship with God should be. As an example, I’d like to talk about Peter today. Look at how much we are like Peter, not because of what he did, but because of what he didn’t do. He didn’t follow through on his commitments He didn’t keep his word He didn’t always follow Jesus In this scripture, they’d already had communion; already broken bread, and Jesus had already washed their feet.
Luke 22:31-34 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.
This is the last time that Jesus ever called Peter by the name of “Simon”. That was a personal close relationship that Jesus had with Peter; his proper name was “Simon Peter”. In this scripture, Jesus is on the shore, fishing. This time, Jesus calls him by his proper name.’
John 21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Pastor Thomas. Message: Just Like Peter.
http://www.pillars.net/newsletter/service-notes/2010-05-16/just-like-peter
This is commonly noted as a commad to the Bishops. Many will say Peter was the first “Bishop.”
The USA is a mass of people that often forget just how blessed we are and even more commonly reject the precept of giving Jesus the credit for all our safety and so called strength.
Memorial Day is designed as a kind of Holy Day. It is to remind us about how blessed we are. Just as the Jewish calandar has reminders so does the USA calandar.
Thomas Jefferson designed a Federal Government using the Constitution as a blueprint that he knew for a fact could only guide a God Fearing people. People sacrificing their lives and livelihoods for one another:
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadeqate to the government of any other.” John Adams. The Constitution of the United States …its only keepers the People. -George Washington. Pp. V.
“The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy the gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people; then we shall both deserve and enjoy it. While on the other hand if we are universally vicious and debauched in our manners, though the form of our Constitution carries the face of the most exalted freedom, we shall in reality be the most abject slaves.” Samuel Adams. The Constitution of the United States …its only keepers the People. -George Washington pp V.
“I have so much faith in the general government of the world by Providence that I can hardly see a transaction of such momentous importance [as the framing of the Constitution] …should be suffered to pass without being in some degree influenced, guided and governed by that … beneficient Ruler in whom all inferior spirits live and move and have their being.” The Constitution of the United States …its only keepers the People. -George Washington. Pp. iii
Ac 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: Ac 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Ac 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
I now seldom to use the words “Religious” nor “Religion” though the people of that era understood what the word Religious meant and watched their tounge and works closely.
Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Jas 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Too many use Religion now as excuses not to be commited to Life, Liberty and the Persuit of happiness. This was originaly meant as a most Moral Commitment. The founding Fathers used the Bible as if it were a dictionary:
Life:
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Liberty:
Le 25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. Ps 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Ro 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
1Co 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 1Co 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? 2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
Ga 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Ga 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Jas 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
Persuit:
Pr 11:19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
Na 1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.
Happiness:
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Joh 13:18 ¶ I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Joh 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Thats fine, yet he came to serve and teach servanthood moments before he said follow his example and teach others with Authority he said:
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Joh 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. Joh 13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 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. IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America. Decleration of Independence.
And the founding fathers designed our Constitution so that the servants would be the leaders. The most powerful should be the one serving the most. Don’t expect or accept perfect peace if you have the power or when you have the power. Expect hard work. The Reward is in the afterlife and the founding fathers designed it that way. Though not every one follows through with the plan. One example of failure being Judas. The one who in the above passage was unclean. No one can say with perfect conscience they know where Judas whent however for he thought he was doing the right thing:
His very conscience made him aware he deserved to die. The influence on every righteous man is simmilar:
“… Influence is no Government.” George Washington
Ac 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
“… Facts are stubborn things.” Ronald Reagn
“To preserve our independence we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt… I am for a Government rigorisly frugal and simple.” Thomas Jefferson. The Constitution of the United States …its only keepers the People. -George Washington. Pp. iv.
The Constitution of the United States …its only keepers the People. -George Washington. Is a Book published by National Center for Constitutional Studies. Its ISBN number is -13: 978-0-88080-144-7 Copyright 2009, 2010
“So as we look at this idea of relationship and religion, I would say that often the same identical action has different motives. Sometimes we only see the action; we don’t know the motive.” Pastor Peter F. Paine. Relationship -vs- Religion. Sunday Morning Service, 5/23/10. http://www.pillars.net/newsletter/service-notes/2010-05-23/relationship-vs-religion
Understand the Facts that our very acts need to move people as Jesus’ does. This is to understand teamwork in a Democratic Christian society thats chosen a Federal Republic style of Governemt ruled by a tightly knit Union offering Capitalism as its Financial institution. And gives and respects Lives to defend itself when all other giving has been in vain. But seldom teaches pure Kamikazi styles of self defense. In this manner do we visit the fatherless and the widows in their Affliction. In serving in the military we offer our lives for our friends as Jesus instructed.