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America the Home of the Free
*NOTE: Pastor Farmer plays the part of Francis Scott Key in this 4th of July sermon.
Scripture: Psalm 118:1,6,24,29; O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: because His mercy endureth for ever. V:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me... V:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it V:29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.
What we have here is Christian Flag. The colors all mean something. The red represents the Blood of Christ. The white represents the purity of Christ. The blue represents the truth of Christ is eternal.
As Christians, we all stand by this flag because of the One it points too. And we look at Jesus, the One it points to each week we attend church. But what about this flag, the flag of The United States of America.
I am sure you are familiar with the story of Betsy Ross and how she was to have made the first flag. You are aware of the 13 stripes, which represent the first 13 Colonies. The 50 stars represent the 50 states.
Yesterday was a day, July 4th, which we Americans set aside each year to remind of us our freedom.
Let me ask; when was the last time you took a moment to recall how much it cost to have the freedom we each have? I guess you know that both flags cost someone a lot. The freedom, which the Christian Flag stands for, cost the Son of God His life. He gave up His life so we could choose the freedom to serve our Heavenly Father or not. I feel most of you know Jesus and His story. But, how many of you know the story behind the flag of the United States of America? The flag, which is sometimes, called "Old Glory."
Let me introduce myself, I am Francis Scott Key. And I would like to take a few moments of your time to give you the story behind this flag and a song we sing.
You need to know that I am not really much of a songwriter. No, I am a lawyer from Washington, D.C. And I would like to tell you how I came to write the song that became America's National Anthem, The Star Spangle Banner.
It was September 14, 1814 during a war with the British when my heart spoke out. Does not such a country, and such defenders of their country, deserve a song?
I was only 35 years old when the brave American Solders defended Fort McHenry against the powerful British Army. You have to know that the first Colonies believed in freedom. Freedom to worship and serve God as a person chooses too. They believed that a country should exist where a person could speak his mind. A country where you could report the truth and not worry about being killed or tortured for doing so. But the Queen of England had ordered a war against this free country. The British Army was to take back this land at any cost.
You may not know this, but I am a religious man and very involved in the Episcopal Church. And because I am a religious man, when I heard my friend Dr. William Beanes, had been taken prisoner by the British Navy, I wanted to help get him released from prison. Therefore, I went to the President of the USA, James Madison to seek permission to go the British Navy and ask for his release.
President Madison sent along with me, Colonel John Skinner, a government's prisoner of war exchange agent. You see, both sides took prisoners. And there were times when we would exchange prisoners. One British solder for one American solder.
Together, Colonel Skinner and I sailed to the British ship, H.M.S. Tonnant, where Mr. Beanes and other American Soldiers were being held as prisoners. There we successfully negotiated for Dr. Beanes and other American Solders release. But before we were allowed to leave, the British Navy detained us until after a planned attack. We were transferred over to a British ship called, "Surprise."
The ship was about 8 miles below Fort McHenry when the attack took place. And it was from this ship that I witnessed the British attack on Fort McHenry.
Before I continue, I want to tell you what I saw below the ships deck. It was here that the American Solders were held as prisoners of war. They were chained to the floor. Many of the solders bodies were broken or shot up. I knew many of them would not make it through the night.
It was hard for me to speak, but somehow I said, "Men you are to be freed. We are going to take you home in the morning to your families." I wasn't prepared for what they asked me next. Through glazed eyes they said, "Mr. Key, you're telling us that we are going to be freed and allowed to go home?" "Yes," I said.
"Mr. Key", they said in a weakened voice, "Mr. Key, if the war is not over yet will we be allowed to fight again?" I couldn't believe what they asked. I said, "Men, didn't you hear me" I said "you get to go home. Your fighting is over. Your country can't ask any more of you. We want to give you tribute. We want to give you medals of honor. You don't have to fight any more. You battle is over."
Then the men said, "Mr. Key, you do not understand. Our battle is not over. It's not over till the cause is won. Not until the victory is secured." I was so moved by what these young brave men said, that I made my way out of the bowels of that ship to find the Ship's Admiral. When I found the Admiral, I begged him to release the soldiers right then. Their bad condition would not wait until the morning. They needed to be released right now.
But Admiral Cochrane's face looked different than it did just a few minutes before. The Admiral began to speak to me, he said, "Mr. Key, it doesn't matter what happens to those solders below anymore." I asked him what he meant. He said, "Mr. Key, it's all over with. Come here" he said, "I want to show you something."
We went to the land side of the ship and he asked me, "Mr. Key, tell me what your see." I told him I see America. It was the country I represented. I said I see Ft. McHenry. I see a huge flag flying in the wind.
Then the Admiral took me to the ocean side of the ship and again asked me what I saw. I could not see anything but water. Water as far as my eyes could see. Then the Admiral told me to fix my eyes on the point where the sea meets the sky. Again he asked me, "What do you see now"?
What I saw made me sick to my stomach. I saw sixteen huge British Ships coming our way. Each one had cannons, which fired 190 pounds shells that could travel over two miles. I knew Ft. McHenry had cannons, but none of them could travel any where close to two miles.
"Mr. Key," the Admiral said, "those ships will be anchored here within two hours. We have been the given the orders to take America back. Your country has been issued an option, give up and again be subjected to England, end this rebellion once and for all, or be blown off the face of the earth. Mr. Key, if your country will take down that flag, then we will leave you be. But if they do not take it down, our orders is to blast it to the ground!"
I tried to explain that Ft. McHenry was mainly manned with civilians. It was largely filled with clothes and food. There were very few cannons and guns there. I told him it should not be of any interest to the British Navy.
"Mr. Key", the Admiral spoke, "tonight sir, if that flag doesn't come down, there will be no America tomorrow." The Admiral walked off and I sat there not believing what I had just heard.
When I finally got my thoughts together, I made my way down to the solders again. I did not want to tell them what I had just heard and seen. But I told the solders how enormous the British Navy was. I reminded them that no nation has ever withstood the British Navy fleet before. I told them that unless America lowers her flag, there might not be a home for them to go to the next day.
That is when the solders began to speak. They said, "Mr. Key, you get word to the Fort that flag must not come down!" I told them that unless the flag came down they would die in this ships bowel. They told me that it did not matter what happened to them. They said, "What matters is what happens to the flag." They continued and said, "That the flag was what they fought for. The colors, the stars and stripes were what we followed into battle," they said. "Mr. Key, that flag is what we buried our brothers and sisters under. That flag is our freedom in God. Mr. Key, you can't allow them to lower that flag."
I stood there for a moment taking in what they said. Then I spoke, "Men, you don't understand. I am prisoner on this ship also. They will not let me leave."
Then the solders said, "Mr. Key, tonight you got to let us know where that flag is. We have to know. Please don't leave us down here not knowing what is happening to our flag. You be our eyes Mr. Key. You see the cracks above your head, you can yell to us through them."
I went back up on the deck of the ship. I stood there watching the huge American flag flying over Ft. McHenry. I watched it until sunset. Then all of a sudden, the loudest explosion I had ever heard before commenced to take place. It seemed that over 100 cannons at the same time fired their shells. I thought America was lost for sure.
Soon I heard voices. It was the voices from the men below the deck. They were yelling up at me wanting to know what was happening. I told them it was dark, I couldn't see a thing. They yelled back for me to watch for the red glare when the bombs exploded in the air.
And it was under those red glares that I saw it! I saw the flag of the United States of America still waving. And it waved all night. America did not fall! She withstood the best the British Navy could give. By dawn I could tell the flag had been hit over and over. But she still waved proudly over the country she stood for.
It was then that I took out my quill and a letter that which been mailed to me, and on the back of that letter I wrote these words;
O say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave
What many people do not know is that I penned four verses to that song. Most of you only heard or sing the first stanza. I would like to end my story by reading to you the last three stanzas.
On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
O thus be it ever when free-men shall stand
Between their lov'd home and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust!
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
The next time you sing or hear our National Anthem, "The Star Spangle Banner", I hope you will stand and sing it with pride. Sing it with meaning.
I pray you will remember all the men and women who have given their best for the freedom we have today. And I pray that you will thank God everyday that He has allowed you and me to be born in the greatest country in the world. The land of the free and the home of the brave.
May God bless America always.
*NOTE: Most of the info above for this sermon is taken from several web sights.
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