On July 4th, our nation will celebrate its 249th birthday. You might have plans to go downtown to the capitol building to hear patriotic music and watch the fireworks display. Or you might root for the Rockies as they take on the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field and enjoy the fireworks after the game. We are blessed to enjoy many freedoms in this country of ours, and it’s right and proper that we celebrate its founding.
Why do we celebrate on the 4th of July? The Continental Congress had agreed on the 2nd of July to declare our independence from Great Britain. The Declaration was not signed until the 2nd of August. We celebrate on the 4th of July because that is the day that the Continental Congress finally agreed to all of the edits and changes to the wording of the Declaration. This is why the document begins with the heading: “In Congress, July 4, 1776”, marking for us a date to celebrate the birth of our beloved country, the United States of America.
The Revolutionary War had begun in earnest the year before. British troops had actually occupied Boston since 1768 in order to enforce British taxes and clamp down on local radicals. Blood was first shed in the “Boston Massacre” in 1770, when British soldiers fired into a crowd that was verbally and physically abusing them, and five civilians were killed. But the first real shots of the war were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775, more than a year before the Continental Congress declared the colonies to be independent of British rule.
The war continued for six years. In the end, General George Washington and the Continental army surrounded General Cornwallis and the British army on Virginia’s Yorktown peninsula. Unable to escape by sea due to help for the Americans from the French navy, Cornwallis was forced to surrender. America had won her independence.
The success of the revolution, however, was never a sure thing. Often, the success of the revolution hung by a thread. Victory was very much in doubt. One obscure occurrence that, had it been successful, would surely have spelled the end of the Patriots’ hope for freedom was discovered and thwarted quite by chance.
In June of 1776, while George Washington was stationed in New York City, a conspiracy was uncovered that involved Loyalists who intended to assassinate him and other military leaders when the British navy landed. The plot involved men of his own “Life Guard,” particularly Thomas Hickey. Hickey happened to be arrested for passing counterfeit money. While he was in jail, he boasted to other prisoners about the assassination plot. Hickey was tried for mutiny and sedition, and was sentenced to death. Rather than taking down Washington and the revolution, the general’s authority was bolstered and solidified, and he went on to lead the Continental army to victory. Today, we benefit from the sacrifices made in the Revolutionary War, and are thankful to enjoy freedom, and a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
But there was another battle for freedom that raged in history, one that was unseen by human eyes. That is the battle that Christ waged on our behalf. Jesus had His own betrayer in one of His close disciples. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus led to His arrest on false charges. At His arrest His followers abandoned him, and the revolution against the occupying Romans that they had hoped for came to nothing. Jesus was accused falsely, but did not defend himself. He was convicted in a kangaroo court and sentenced to death.
In the earthly realm, as Jesus hung on the cross, dying, it looked like the revolution was finished; hopes for the new order that the disciples expected were shattered. In the spiritual realm it also looked like God’s plan had come to nothing. Here was the very Son of God, bleeding and dying at the hands of His own creatures. It appeared that Satan had won the battle.
One of our beloved hymns speaks about this:
The foe was triumphant when on Calvary
The Lord of creation was nailed to the tree.
In Satan’s domain did the hosts shout and jeer,
For Jesus was slain, whom the evil ones fear.
Jesus came in human form to us who were bound by the guilt of our sin and held in the dominion of our adversary, the devil, to do battle and set us free. I imagine that, as Jesus breathed His last, a great shout went up in Satan’s kingdom. The incarnate Son of God was dead. Why had they been so afraid of Him?
You recognize, of course, that this is one of our beloved Easter hymns, He’s Risen, He’s Risen! We sing that hymn today because Jesus did not remain in the tomb, but rose to life again on Easter morning! And with His resurrection, our freedom is secured.
But short was their triumph; the Savior arose,
And death, hell, and Satan He vanquished, His foes.
The conquering Lord lifts His banner on high;
He lives, yes, He lives, and will nevermore die.
The name “Satan” means “Accuser.” But the devil can no longer accuse us before God. God Himself has paid the price for our redemption. Jesus took our sentence of death on Himself when He carried in His body all the sin of mankind and went willingly to the cross. His death to atone for our sedition and mutiny had been the plan all along. His resurrection is the capstone of His victory! He Has vanquished sin, death and the devil. We raise our voices and sing this hymn with great gladness on Easter as we proclaim the victory and triumph of our God:
Oh, where is your sting, death? We fear you no more;
Christ rose, and now open is fair Eden’s door.
For all our transgressions His blood does atone;
Redeemed and forgiven, we now are His own.
At the time, as they were laying Jesus’ lifeless body in the tomb, it would have seemed incomprehensible that His death could mean life and joy and peace and freedom for us. But His victory was never in doubt. God’s plan to save sinners could not be thwarted by the betrayal of a close friend. The cause of our liberty never hung by a thread.
Colossians 2:15 says “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame.” Revelation 12:10-11 says that “…The accuser… has been thrown down… And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
And so, this July 4th, as we consider the freedoms that we enjoy in our country, ponder, too, the freedom that is ours because of the great victory our Lord Jesus won for us by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. It is a freedom that we will celebrate into eternity!
Then sing your hosannas and raise your glad voice;
Proclaim the blest tidings that all may rejoice.
Laud, honor, and praise to the Lamb that was slain:
With Father and Spirit He ever shall reign.
God’s peace be with you,
Pastor