America: A Nation In Crisis

Temple Baptist Church - 7-5-2020

Zephaniah 3:1-8

 

Introduction:  The 4th of July; the Declaration of Independence; Freedom!

 

Free-dom – a contraction for “free” and “dom” or “doom.”  To have the freedom to choose one’s death or one’s doom.  Freedom to choose your doom or death but not freedom to control it.

 

America’s freedom is one of choice and I fear that, in many cases the freedom to choose will bring either doom or death to our nation.  In Zephaniah, we have a classic example of choosing and choosing wrong.

 

A.  This year has been one of great change and those changes have not been good ones.

 

1.  Our economy was running on “High Test.”

 

2.  People had money in their pockets and home in the future.

 

3. Then, in a couple of months, the COVID-19 Hoax.  Now, before you get mad at me for making that statement, let me explain.

 

a.  Our nation has been faced with war, depression, sickness, etc. many times in my lifetime and survived each one because of our great American spirit.

 

b.  COVID-19 should have been no different!  Wash your hands, quarantine the Nursing Homes and Retirement Centers, stay at home if you get sick, and do not cough on me!

 

c.  CDC decided to scare the nation and, with the help of our 24 hour “no news media,” did a great job and the people panicked. 

 

B.  The Stock Market began to tumble, people began to get laid off as businesses were forced to close, schools closed, unemployment—which had been at a historic low—rose to historic highs, Government overreach caused people to hide in their homes and criticize those who did not, “Rat Phone Lines” came into existence, all categorized as non-essential services were closed (churches were the first on the list and readily complied), and now the far left is trying to keep America in distress until the November elections are over with.

 

C.  A man was killed.  It was a shame and justice needed to be done.  Justice was in the process of being done, but protests turned to riots and riots to burning and looting causing heightened racial division.  The police became the enemy, and many were killed and many more injured.  What is said to be protest, which is an American right, turned into anarchy and lawlessness.

 

D.  Anarchy is now ruling in many of these Democratic run cities with a “Neo-Nazi” like youth corps taking over parts of cities with no fear of reprisal.  Monuments defaced and destroyed.  A nation that has no history has no future because history will then repeat itself and become the face of the future.

 

E.  We are watching as our Country is going from:

 

1.  God to Atheism

2.  Pride to Shame

3.  Morality to Perversion

4.  Prayer to Apostasy

5.  Strength to Apologies

6.  Humility to Arrogancy

7.  Structure to Anarchy

8.  Law to Lawlessness

9.  Capitalism to Socialism

10. Prosperous to Bankruptcy

 

F.  The Interpretation of our Scriptures this morning are to the nation of Israel.  Zephaniah deals with the coming of the Day of the Lord and the end time.

 

G. Application is to any nation.  There have been many great nations that have come to power and then, through moral decay have declined to annihilation.

 

1.  Egypt (rose to its zenith of power under Joseph)

2.  Israel (the greatest nation and most feared upon the face of the earth to dispersion)

3.  Babylon (from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar)

4.  Medio Persia (From Cyrus the anointed to oblivion)

5.  Greece (Alexander the Great and no more worlds to conquer at age 30)

6.  Rome (the great Caesars, armies, and roads to internal decay)

7.  Spain (the great explorers and Spanish Armada to mediocrity)

8.  England (great military and missions’ outreach to total apostasy)

9.  America (In God We Trust to In Government We Mistrust)

 

1.  Our Nation Is Sinful - vs 1 “filthy and polluted”

 

a.  Lack of integrity among the people

b.  Immorality and Sexual Perversion

c.  God haters and Baby killers

 

2.  Our Nation Is Disobedient - vs 2a “obeyed not the voice”

 

a.  She Both Had and Knew God’s Word

b.  She Willfully Rejected God’s Word

 

3.  Our Nation Is Stiff-Necked - vs 2 “received not correction”

 

a.  She Rejected the Message From God’s Men

b.  She Rejected the signs of Impending Destruction

 

4.  Our Nation Has Become Self-Reliant - vs 2 “she trusted not the Lord”

 

a.  She Forgot From Whence Her Blessings Came

b.  She Became Proud In Her Accomplishments

 

5.  Our Nation Has Willfully Rejected God - vs 2 “she drew not near to her God”

 

a.  In our Government

b.  In Our Schools

c.  In Our Homes

 

6.  Our Nation Has Become Politically Corrupt - vs 3 “roaring lions...evening wolves”

 

a.  From Government by the people and for the people to Anarchy

b.  From Statesmen to Politicians

c.  From Trust to Distrust

 

7.  Our Nation Has Become Religiously Apostate - vs 4 “prophets...light and treacherous...priests...polluted the sanctuary...done violence to the law”

 

a.  Our Pulpits are Shallow

b.  Our Pews are Sinful (we embrace sin and compromise)

 

8.  Our Nation Is Shameless - vs 5 “knoweth no shame”

 

a.  Sinners are Justified

b.  Sin Is Acceptable

 

9.  Our Nation And Her End - vs 8 “mine indignation...my fierce anger”

 

10.   Our Nation and Her Salvation - vs 2:1-3

 

a.  Seek The Lord - vs 3a  Seek ye the LORD

b.  Seek Righteousness - vs 3b  all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment;

c.  Seek Meekness - vs 3c  seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger.

What America Needs

Temple Baptist Church - 7-8-2012

Zephaniah 3:1-7

Introduction: 

A. America has been and still is the greatest nation on the face of the earth. America has truly been blessed:

1. A Land Of Freedom – From shore to shore; from border to border. 

a) We have Personal Freedom – you can do anything you want; you have the right to believe what you want; say what you want; vote how you want; we are blessed of God. 

b) We have Religious Freedom – the world and our nation may not agree with what we teach and believe but they give us the right to worship after the way of our fathers. We are here this morning because we are a free nation.

c) We have Physical Freedom – freedom to come and go as we wish with no roadblocks or questions asked. Go to California; go to Florida; go to Maine; go to Alaska; go where you wish and stay as long as you like. Move there if you choose because you are free.

2. A Land Of Plenty – The ability of self-reliance. (I say that in a good way).

 

a) National Resources – America has the ability to be self-sufficient! We have become dependent upon other nations because of greed. We have the natural resources to feed our people; clothe our people; be fuel independent; God has blessed America but “enough seems not to be enough.”

b) Personal Resources – in the eyes of the world, Americans are rich beyond comprehension. America has become the Utopia of the world with immigrants standing in line to become one of us. We are truly the “dream” of the world. We have food, clothing, homes that are comfortable, automobiles that run more often than not, money to pay our bills and eat out occasionally. We are blessed of God.

3. A Land Of Opportunity – You can be anything you want to be. You are limited by your ambitions and willingness to work. You and I have the blessed right to choose your vocation or lifestyle.

B. Someone once said South America was founded by men looking for Gold, North America by men looking for God. When the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock they got on their knees before an open Bible and prayed to God in Thanksgiving. Our nation was founded upon faith in the Bibles and religious freedom. Our founding fathers were men of both faith and integrity.

C. America has undergone great change in the past 236 years. They have gone from God to gold and greed. They have gone from obedience to rebellion, holiness to sinfulness, and faith to fatness. In our text, we find the example of Jerusalem and the people of Israel. We can learn great lessons from history as it repeats itself. 

1. Vs. 1 – Israel Became Sinful – “filthy and polluted”

2. Vs. 2 – Israel Became Disobedient To God’s Word – “obeyed not the voice”

3. Vs. 2 – Israel Became Stiff Necked – “she would not receive correction”

4. Vs. 2 – Israel Became Self Reliant – “trusted not in the Lord”

5. Vs. 2 – Israel Became Willful - “drew not near to her God”

6. Vs. 3 – Israel Became Politically Corrupt – “Her princes”

7. Vs. 4 – Israel Became Religiously Apostate – “Her prophets…priests”

8. Vs. 5 – Israel Became Shameless – “knowth no shame”

9. Vs. 8 – Israel Became Doomed To Destruction – “Therefore”

D.  America will also fall according to Scripture if things do not turn around. It is my prayer to God for American that she turns back to her great beginnings. America began with “In God We Trust!” 

Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. 

"We find freedom when we find God; we lose it when we lose Him." — Paul E. Scherer

E. What can we do to help America to get right with God?

1. Be Light And Salt

2. Be A Fervent Witness

3. Be A Particular People

F. We will do what we can but America’s hope will be found in these four things.

1. America’s Hope Will Be Found In America’s Pulpits

a. The Black Regiment of the Revolutionary War: the British placed this name on the courageous and patriotic American clergy. Its reference was to the black robes they wore. The British blamed the Black Regiment for American Independence and rightfully so. It is true that there is not a right asserted in the Declaration of Independence which had not been discussed by the New England preachers before 1763. The rights listed in the Declaration of Independence were nothing more than a listing of sermon topics preached from the pulpit in the two decades leading up to the American Revolution. It was not just the British who saw the American pulpit as largely responsible for American independence and government. Our own leader agreed! John Adams rejoiced that “the pulpits have thundered” and specifically identified several ministers as being among the “characters the most conspicuous, the most ardent, and influential” in the “awakening and a revival of American principles and feelings” that led to American independence. The American Quarterly Magazine of 1833 said, “As a body of men the clergy were pre-eminent in their attachment to liberty. The pulpits of the land rang with the notes of freedom.” Bibliotheca Sacra [British Periodical, 1856], “If Christian ministers had not preached and prayed, there might have been no revolution as yet – or had it broken out, it might have been crushed.” B. F. Morris, HISTORIAN, 1864, said, “The ministers of the Revolution were, like their predecessors, bold and fearless in the cause of their country. No class of men contributed more to carry forward the Revolution and to achieve our independence than did the ministers….By their prayers, patriotic sermons, and services they rendered the highest assistance to the civil government, the army, and the country.” Alice Baldwin, HISTORIAN, 1918, said, “The constitutional Convention and the written Constitution were the children of the pulpit.” The ministers during the Revolutionary period were simply continuing what ministers had been doing to shape American government and culture in the century and a half preceding the Revolution. The first movement toward democracy in America was inaugurated in the house of God with blessing of the minster of God. In 1636, the Baptist preacher, Roger Williams, established the Rhode Island Colony and its representative form of government, explaining that “the sovereign, original, and foundation of civil power lies in the people.” Daniel Webster (the great “Defender of the Constitution”) agreed: “To the free and universal reading of the bible in that age men were much indebted for right views of civil liberty.” Christian ministers were also at the forefront of resisting encroachments on the civil and religious liberties that they had helped secure.

b. We are not here to preach politics per se, but we are here to preach the blessed Word of God upon which our nation was founded and our predecessors were grounded! America’s pulpits have left the Word of God and now make their appeal to the pocketbooks of men! Sin is tolerated; worldliness in accepted; unfaithfulness is rampant; and sinners are dying without Christ on the pews of the churches! God help our pulpits. Pulpits of America, PREACH!

2. America’s Hope Will Be Found In Remembrance 

a. America was founded on “In God We Trust!” (Not Islam, not Buddism, not far eastern cults, but Christianity!) 

b. George Washington’s Farewell Address to Nation -- "Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they even attempt to remove religion from politics." 

c. George Washington also said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”

d. President Thomas Jefferson in an address to Danbury Baptists -- "The 1st amendment has created a wall of separation between church and state, but that wall is a one directional wall, it keeps the government from running the church, but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government."

e. American must remember both her beginning and blessings were in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of Israel! Go to an Islamic Nation and you will find that Allah is their God; Mohammad is their prophet; and they are unapologetic about it! Come to America and you will find that Jehovah God is no longer our God! The Muslims here are unapologetic; the cults here are unapologetic; the athiests here are unapologetic; only the true church serving the One and only true God cowers in the background while His wonderful name is blasphemed. Burn the Koran and the Islamic people revolt; ban the Bible and “Christianity” says nothing. America, REMEMBER GOD!

3. America’s Hope Will Be Found In True Repentance

a. Another 9/11 revival will not get the job done.

b. Another Katrina revival will not get the job done.

c. Only true repentance will get the job done. Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. 6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: 8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? (Only true repentance is acceptable to God and will turn His judgment. America, REPENT!) 

4. America’s Blessing Will Be Found In A Return To Godly Principles

a. Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do (return) the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

b. Our government will have to get right with God. (They need to obey the constitution, not interpret it! It was clearly written to keep our nation right with God and His principles.)

c. Churches will have to get right with God. (We have God’s Word, the King James Bible. We need to obey it, not interpret it! It was clearly written to keep our churches right with God and His principles.)

d. God’s people will have to get right with God. (We have both the Bible and the Holy Spirit. We need to obey them, not grieve them. [Jesus is the Word of God]. They were given to help us walk uprightly in this present evil world!)

          E. America, RETURN!

Conclusion: Pray for America! Pray for those in authority! Pray for the church!

The Fall of a Nation

Temple Baptist Church - 9-25-2010

Zephaniah 1:14-2:3; 3:1-8

Introduction:

A. The interpretation of the verses read this morning is to the nation of Israel. The Book of Zephaniah deals with the coming of the Day of the Lord and the end time.)

B. The application is to any nation. There have been many great nations that have risen to power and then, through moral decay have fallen from their position of world prominence.

1. Egypt (rose to its zenith of power under Joseph)

2. Israel (the greatest nation and most feared upon the face of the earth to the most despised)

3. Babylon (from Nebuchadnezzar to Belshazzar)

4. Medio-Persia (From Cyrus the anointed to oblivion)

5. Greece (Alexander the Great and no more worlds to conquer at age 30)

6. Rome (the great Caesars, armies and roads to internal decay)

7. Spain (the great explorers and Spanish Armada to mediocrity)

8. England (great military and missions outreach to total apathy and apostasy)

9. America (In God We Trust to In Government We Mistrust; God expelled from schools never to return; prayer banished from sporting events; witnessing disallowed in the work places; a form of godliness in the churches that denies the power thereof!)

C. We have seen out Country go from:

1. Pride to Shame

2. Morality to Perversion

3. Prayer to Apostasy

4. Strength to Apologies

5. Humility to Arrogance

6. Respect to Distain

D. America not only needs our prayers, it desperately needs our help! We are Americans and this is our country! I love America! America is not gone yet but she is gravely “listing” in the sea of sinfulness.

E. This morning, I want to look at the condition of our nation in light of the text verses that we read. We need to know where we are in order to know how to pray for this great land.

1. Our Nation Is Sinful - vs. 1 “filthy and polluted”

a. Lack of integrity among the people

b. Immorality and sexual perversion

2. Our Nation Is Disobedient - vs. 2a “obeyed not the voice”

a. She had and knew God’s Word

b. She rejected God’s Word

3. Our Nation Is Stiff-Necked - vs. 2 “received not correction”

a. She rejected the message from God’s Men

b. She rejected the warnings of impending destruction

4. Our Nation Has Become Self-Reliant - vs. 2 “she trusted not the Lord”

a. She forgot from whence her blessings came

b. She became proud in her accomplishments

c. She trusts in the government to supply instead Of God

5. Our Nation Has Willfully Rejected God - vs. 2 “she drew not near to her God”

a. In our government – The president said that America was no longer a Christian nation.

b. In Our schools – Bible reading and prayer expelled.

c. In Our homes – They are no longer Bible based and fall quickly when the rains and floods come.

6. Our Nation Has Become Politically Corrupt - vs. 3 “roaring lions...evening wolves:

a. From government by the people and for the people to Anarchy

b. From statesmen to politicians

c. From prayer and fasting to corruption and bribery

7. Our Nation Has Become Religiously Apostate - vs. 4 “prophets...light and treacherous...priests...polluted the sanctuary...done violence to the law”

a. Our pulpits are shallow

b. Our pews are sinful (we embrace sin and compromise)

c. Our testimony is gone

8. Our Nation Is Shameless - vs. 5 “knoweth no shame”

a. Sinners are justified

b. Sin is acceptable

9. Our Nation And Her End - vs. 8 “mine indignation...my fierce anger”

a. The anger of the Lord

b. The judgment of the Lord

10. Our Nation and Her Salvation - vs. 2:1-3

a. Seek the Lord

b. Seek righteousness

c. Seek meekness

Our Blessed Hope

Temple Baptist Church - 1-24-2010

Zephaniah 3:1-20

Introduction:

A. The Book of Zephaniah’s central theme is “The Day of the Lord.” I will naot take the time to deal with the entire book but will give a quick overview of it.

1. Chapter 1 speaks of the impending judgment of God upon the earth. (Vs. 2, 14)

2. Chapter 2 speaks of the ingathering of the nation of Israel in the end time. (Vs. 1)

3. Chapter 3:1-7 speaks of the condition of the “oppressing city” and prophesies of the general condition of the world in the end time.

4. Chapter 3:8-13 speaks of a remnant that will be saved during the end time and admonishes them to “wait.” (Vs. 8, 13)

B. Those of us who are saved understand the times because of the biblical prophecies that deal with the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for His Church.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (While the world quakes and sinners spiritually sleep, we look to the skies for redemption draweth nigh!)

C. There are both expectancy and excitement in the air:

1. Expectancy - Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (3) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (I expect Him to come today! I am praying, looking, and waiting!)
2. Excitement - Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (His coming is our Blessed Hope!)
d. Why did the Holy Ghost used the phrase “that blessed hope?” I believe that the last few verses of Zephaniah chapter 3 give a detailed explaination. Let us look at these verses for a few minutes.

1. Fullness Of Joy Will Be Restored – vs. 14 – “Sing…rejoice with all the heart” Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

2. The Earth’s Curse Removed – vs. 15 – “taken away thy judgments” Revelation 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

3. No More Satan – vs. 15 – “cast out thine enemy” Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

4. All Sin Will Be Removed – vs. 15 – “thou shalt not see evil any more” Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

5. There Will Be No More Fears – vs. 16 – “Fear thou not” Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

6. No More Trials To Suffer – vs. 17 – “the Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty” 1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (7) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

7. No More Loneliness – vs. 17 – “he will rejoice…rest in his love…joy over thee” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

8. No More Sorrows – vs. 18 – “I will gather them that are sorrowful” Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

9. No More Shame – vs. 19 – “l will undo…I will save…I will get them” – Isaiah 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.

10. No More Defeats – vs. 20 – “turn back your captivity” Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.