What We Pledge to God – July 6, 2025, Independence Day Weekend
Joshua 24:1-18, Romans 12:1-2
July 6, 2025
As I may have told you before, I’ve made it my habit to read the Declaration of Independence every Fourth of July. Actually, I read it on the Third this year. But even now, it’s not too late! I recommend it! It’s an amazing document! Although it is a bit tough to get through the list of “abuses and usurpations!”
I always feel that’s worth doing, it’s worth getting through all of that, to get to the powerful statement at the end. The ending, right before all those signatures, it says, “And for the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
Think about that. Think about our founders writing those words and signing that document for the first time! Could anything be more serious than “their Lives, their Fortunes, and their sacred Honor?”
Remember, those were not easy times! As Thomas Paine wrote (in “The American Crisis,”) “These are the times that try men’s souls!” Those were the days of Patrick Henry, who declared, “Give me liberty or give me death!” I sometimes ride around in my friend’s car with New Hampshire license plates, which have on them the New Hampshire state motto. Do you know what that is? “Live free or die!”
Those people were serious! That Declaration was a bold and dangerous thing! It was high treason! It was punishable by death! And the revolution that followed it hung by a thread at times! Actually, the war had already been going on for a year! But now it became a war for independence!
We live in an area brimming with that history! George Washington traveled the King’s Highway – right out here. And of course he crossed the Delaware not far from here, and turned the tide of that war.
It’s good to remember all of those things. Especially as we approach the 250th anniversary of the birth of our country! And of course, what do we consider to be the birthday of our country? It’s the day of that Declaration – the Fourth of July 1776. It’s not the day we won our independence, but the day we declared it. I’ll bet you’d be hard pressed to give me the date that we actually won the war! But no. We have determined that our nation began on the day we declared our independence. And this weekend we remember our founders who pledged their lived, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
Now, the reason I brought all this up is that this year, is that I’ve been thinking about what I’ve used here for my sermon title. “What we pledge to God.” I want us to think about that today. “What do we pledge to God?” Is it anything as serious as “our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” I think it is.
I got to thinking this week about Joshua. He’s the one who took over as leader of the Israelites when Moses died. And now he was nearing the end of his life. After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the people had now settled in the promised land. And in our reading for today, Joshua called the people to gather in Shechem, and there I believe he asked them the same question. “What do we pledge to God?” Actually, he gave them these famous words. “Choose this day who you will serve! As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Heading on this chapter in my Bible says, “The Tribes [of Israel] renew the Covenant.” That’s what was happening here. Joshua gave the people the words of God that day. Notice, this is very “prophetic” in nature. When the prophets spoke, they spoke for God. They often began, “Thus saith the Lord.” And the words of God that Joshua gave the people that day were a reminder of what had he had done for them – how they had come to that time and place.
He started with the covenant with Abraham. Then he took them through the exile in Egypt. And he reminded them how God had rescued them, how he had led them through the wilderness for forty years, and how brought them to the promised land.
All of that was because of the covenant – the “agreement,” that they were his chosen. God said he would be their God and they would be his people. And throughout their history, there had been signs of that covenant, acts of God’s faithfulness, commandments given, guidance received, protection …and yes, some discipline. And now, having said all that, Joshua asked the people to renew their covenant. He asked them, “What do you pledge to God?” “Choose this day who you will serve!”
There are hints of that challenge in a song by, of all people, Bob Dylan. In 1979 he recorded the song entitled “You gotta serve somebody.” It was on his album of songs called “Slow Train Coming.” Anyone remember that? That album was a tribute to the spiritual revival he had experienced. What I didn’t realize till I looked it up this week is that he actually won a Grammy for that song in 1980! “You gotta serve somebody!” Oh and by the way, do you remember the song I mentioned last week, “Blinded by the Light?” That was actually a number one song in 1976, and it was Bruce Springsteen’s only number one song! (Though it wasn’t a hit when he sung it!)
So, Bob Dylan echoed Joshua’s words, “You gotta serve somebody. It may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody.” And Joshua challenged the people saying, “Choose!” “Choose this day who you will serve.” And of course he ended, saying, “But as for me any my house, we will serve the Lord.”
I think that’s a good thing for us to consider. And not just today, but every day! “Who do we serve?” And maybe as we think about that, we can consider all the things God has done for us, too – just like Joshua did for the Israelites. What has been your spiritual journey? What has brought you to this this time and this place in your life?
As you think about that, I think you’ll agree that there are many people and entities in this world that are constantly calling for our “service.” So, I think this question is ever before us. Who do we serve? And I think we need to consider our faith in the context of all of that. Who do we serve? And what do we pledge to God?
When I was very young, I pledged allegiance to the flag – every day. How about you? All those years ago we were asked to pledge our allegiance to our country. I don’t know, do they even do that any more? I actually remember Bible reading and prayer in my school. I was in first grade. I remember it, and I remember when it didn’t happen anymore. But I didn’t know why at the time.
Did you know that there’s a “Pledge of Allegiance to the Christian Flag?” Did you even know there was a Christian flag? There is! And we have one! But I’ll bet we hardly ever notice it. Has anyone ever heard that “Pledge of Allegiance?” It goes like this. “I pledge allegiance to the Christian flag, and to the Savior whose kingdom for which it stands, one brotherhood, uniting all mankind in service and love.” My home church used to have that pledge attached to the inside cover of their hymnals – like we have the Creeds in the front of ours. But they never used it. Maybe there was a time they did. So, whether we use it or not, I’m thinking that the Christian flag can be a reminder for us of what we pledge to God. And it can remind us of the covenant we have with God, and what he’s done for us. Certainly the cross is a reminder of that, too!
Paul was very specific about what we pledge to God. And I’ll leave you with this thought. He wrote to the Romans, saying that, “We present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1-2) In other words, the way we pledge ourselves to God is our spiritual worship. The physical, outward manifestations of our faith – our commitment to God, our Christian practice, our striving for holiness – those things are all the signs of our inward, spiritual worship. Do you see that? Those two things, the outward and the inward, are connected!
In the early church there were those who believed otherwise. They said that the physical life and the spiritual life were separate. Whatever you did in your physical life did not affect your spiritual life. Sadly, there are too many people who believe that today. Fortunately, the church sided with Paul, and ever since we have believed that the two are connected. And I hope you do, too! And it’s all wrapped together in what we pledge to God.
So, I know Independence Day is past. Maybe you did all of that celebrating – the picnics, parades, fireworks, Phillies game! But this is still Independence Day weekend. And of course, next year there’s going to be a much longer celebration. But for now, I hope you’re still thinking about all that. I hope you’ll consider reading the Declaration. And I hope all of this will give you cause to think about what you pledge to God.
Prayer
Eternal God, we think of the covenants you have made with your people down through the years. And we thank you for the covenant you have made with us, through your son Jesus. Help us to remember each day our commitment to you and to your kingdom. Give us the strength we need to be your people. For we pray in our Savior’s name, Amen.