Featured Patriotic Worship

In this case there is a difference. There was no church in the Old Testament. The debate is not whether or not it is appropriate to have Patriotic Day in the temple or synagogue. Your comparison is not valid.

 

I don't know about other churches, thus can only speak about the one that I attend. Yes, any worship day can have a dominate theme, for that day. However, worship of God is never pushed aside. Worship of God is the central theme, regardless of the "topic" of the day.

For the purposes of this discussion, I've just made up a theme for a Sunday morning worship service.

Lilies Day

* The church is decorated with lilies.

* Cover of the bulletin has pictures of lilies, along with a cross.

* Hymns:
Lilies of the Valley, Behold the Lilies of the Field, Consider the Lilies

* Message: Yes, Consider the Lilies

Matthew 6:26-29 or ....
( http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/sermons-about-lilies.asp?Keyword=lilies )

While the "theme" for the day is a plant, the focus is still on God. The same principle can apply to Memorial Day, 4th July, Father/Mother's Day, Valentine's Day (love of God), Homecoming, and other special occasions.

At our church the same principle does apply.

 

Both of those songs are theologically problematic.

Maybe so, but it's not the fabric of Christianity. Pick your kingdom.

This is one of the most poorly reasoned posts I have ever read.

 

Paraphrasing these verses:

Submit yourselves to the government in authority, whether it is the king or the governor. Honor the king.

Does honor the king mean to have a special worship service to the government? I don't see it.

We have Jesus' words: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

 

“ Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

 

Wait, wait, wait. Hold the phone. You're comparing the nation of Israel to the USA. Uh...Israel was singing in praise of Yahweh, because he was their covenant God. The USA is not a nation, for one thing, and it is not Yahweh's chosen.

There are so many problems with your post that it's not even funny.

 

Where do we teach these things? Am I prohibited from teaching a Christian's national responsibility from the pulpit on Sunday morning? Can I teach it freely at any other time but never on Sunday morning?

1 Timothy 2:1-3 NAS77
1 First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men,
2 for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

It is Godly and dignfied for me to pray for the President, Congress and the mayor of our town. Is it only good and acceptable in the sight of God to keep such prayers for the prayer closet and Wednesday evening prayer meeting?

 

That's Good....

...because I'm not a comedian by trade. :laugh:

I love the way other's SPIN thing when they can't present an argument that is going to defend their opinion. :sleeping_2:

First, the OP wanted Scritpure to show where patriotic worship and praise could and were mixed in the Bible/Scripture. I gave two examples in the OT. However, in the eyes of a few, I am now being accused of comparing and putting Israel and the US on the same path in Biblical history. :laugh:

Second, I beg to differ....this is a nation! Check the dictionary brother. And if you have time, see your Thesaurus. They may prove you wrong. :sleep:

 

That and...

Luke 4:8 "And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve."

exodus 34:14 "for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth"

We are told to worship God and him alone. What would be better on Sundays near the secular holiday (like 4th of July or memorial day) we could have a freedom themed service. We could talk about our Freedom we have in Christ.

Why do we rob God of his worship to worship a country?

My country tis of Thee

My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing;
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the pilgrims' pride,
From ev'ry mountainside
Let freedom ring!

Direct worship to a country. God forbid!

 

I didn't read where anyone was suggesting to worship a country. Did I miss it?

 

That's what people are doing when they sing about our country in a worship service. When they substitute songs of worship to God with patriotic songs, that's exactly what they are doing.

Now, having a freedom from sin themed service would be fine. And I would say having a service of praise to God for having a country that we are allowed to worship would be fine.

The issue that I have is when we replace our worship songs with secular songs like the one I quoted earlier. One week we are singing about the might power of God and then the next we are singing "Thy name I love" and referring to a country and not God.

Worship should be directed to God. As long as it's directed to God, I don't have a problem with it.

 

Perhaps it is best to leave the onus on those advocating for patriotic/nationalistic worship for showing the rest of us examples of worship formulas on the NT where nationalistic/patriotic worship is exampled.

 

Too bad that Samuel Francis Smith, the Baptist preacher who wrote the words to this song, isn't around to answer jbh28's questions.

Of course, if you're a Brit, you wouldn't be singing those words at all....You'd be singing "God Save The Queen"!! :smilewinkgrin:

 

It doesn't matter than he was a Baptist preacher. There's nothing wrong with patriotic songs, they just don't have a place in a worship service.

 

After thought....sorry for overlooking this!

I appreciate your kind words, and let me do what I should've done earlier: Welcome to the Board! :thumbsup:

 

My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

2. My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

3. Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

4. Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

The rest of the lyrics.......

 

In your case, I can see why you're super-sensitive about all this. I would be, too.

But honestly, I've been a member of the same church for almost a half-a-century, and I've never seen any kind of overkill regarding patriotic services.

Is it possible that we're making too big a deal out of this ?