Call to Worship
Happy birthday, America!
We thank God for our land.
We thank God for our people.
We thank God for our freedom.
May freedom ring from shore to shore,
And may peace flow like a river throughout the land.

Unison Prayer
God of every nation, we thank you today for making us a people. We are blessed to live in this nation, a nation of immigrants, a nation of inventions, a nation of dreams. With your help, may we grow ever closer to our ideals as one nation under God. Amen.

Words of Assurance: Genesis 12:2
I will make of you a great nation,
and I will bless you and make your name great,
so that you will be a blessing.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
for thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.

Opening Song: Anthem Lights, “America the Beautiful”

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:1, Romans 14:13 and 19, NIV
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Therefore, let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, let us make up our minds not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Sunday Sermon

On every 4th of July Weekend for 40 years, I’ve chosen “The Star-Spangled Banner” as one of the hymns. Until last year I never gave it a second thought, but last year, for the first time, some people expressed discomfort about singing the national anthem in church. And they made some very legitimate points. So I thought about not doing it this year, but it’s America 250th anniversary, so I figured I would do it with an explanation.

The discussion comes down to one simple question: “What do you think of when you look at the American flag?” When I look at the flag, I think of our history, and how far we’ve come, and how much we’ve accomplished. I think of our ideals, from “liberty and justice for all” to “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” I think of 50 stars and 50 states united despite their differences, and the original 13 stars representing the equality of all 13 colonies. I think of Betsy Ross, mother of 17, and the original meaning of the red, white and blue, representing valor, purity and justice.

I am not blind to the criticism and controversy. I mourn the fact that the flag represents other things to other people: that the United States has lost much of its good will around the world; that the flag reminds some of colonialism and slavery; that some confuse the flag with the government. The flag is a symbol, and as such it is open to interpretation. But the same is true of the cross. Some look at the cross and they see the sacrifice of Christ; they see mercy and forgiveness; they see love and hope and encouragement and triumph. But others look at the cross and confuse the cross with its worst followers. They see hypocrisy and judgment and exclusion; they see dominance and aggression and the wrong kind of power.

These things make me sad in similar ways. I am proud to be an American, but I’m not proud of every American or everything America does. I’m proud to be a Christian, but I’m not proud of every Christian or everything Christianity does. But the beauty of both is the tapestry of opinion. I wouldn’t give up the breadth of opinion in faith in order to impose my beliefs on others, nor would I give up freedom of speech to make everyone share my political beliefs. Counter-intuitively, the thing that divides us is also the thing that has the potential to save us.

Neither the cross nor the flag is Republican or Democratic or independent; neither the cross nor the flag belongs to any one color or gender or age or social class. Each symbol is meant to unite widely diverse people – even those who were once enemies – in a common vision of shared ideals. Each symbol is meant to communicate the belief that what unites us is greater than what divides us, that we can do more together than we can apart, and that our diversity is our strength. America is what it is today because it is to some a melting pot and to others a refuge: a place where the traditions of one’s ancestors can be preserved or can mingle with the traditions of others. Most importantly, it is a nation where exposure to other cultures can soften prejudice and promote understanding and acceptance.

The ideals of our nation remain solid. The dreams of our nation remain secures. And as such, the flag ~ our flag ~ is an enduring symbol of where we’ve been, who we are now and what we might become.

Last week in The New York Times, 16 writers were invited to write short essays about what we are celebrating this weekend, focusing on the best parts of our country. Here are some of their answers:

~ Our aspiration to fairness in every arena:
~ The idea of America as a refuge for the oppressed;
~ Our bravest selves, including those who fought against slavery;
~ The “sunny, generous confidence” that believes that diversity makes us stronger;
~ Our ability as a nation to perform large, generous acts, such as relief for the poor;
~ Our public lands, preserved for all time and for all people;
~ The public library, which provides public access to information;
~ And perhaps most importantly, our willingness to “acknowledge our limits,
to struggle with failure and still try again.”

We are not a perfect nation, and we are not a perfect religion. This is because we are not perfect people. We strive, and sometimes we achieve, and often we fail, and over time we learn even more from our failures than from our achievements. We do not stop learning, and we do not stop dreaming, and we do not stop striving.

It would be easy to look at the American flag today and to guess that the blue is for Democrats and the red is for Republicans. But nothing could be further from the truth. The red represents the courage of soldiers who fought against the British Army in the War of Independence. The blue represents fairness and justice for all. The white represents freedom and equality, integrity and honesty.

What do you see when you look at the American flag? These are the things that I see, and I hope you see them too. Together, let us rise and sing our national anthem.

Closing Song: Whitney Houston, “The Star-Spangled Banner”

Benediction
May we go forth as good citizens
of our country, of our world, and of our faith.
May God bless America, and may God bless you.
Amen.

9:30 services begin this Sunday with a special Independence Day Weekend worship service, including communion. Come to sing patriotic hymns and to hear a positive message about God and country. Hope to see you there!

Call to Worship (Psalm 118:1, 24, NRSV
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His steadfast love endures forever!
This is the day that the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Unison Prayer
This is the day that the Lord has made. But yesterday was also the day that the Lord made. And so was Friday. The Lord made all the days. So why do we wait until the next day (which the Lord will also make) to look back and say, “Wow, I wish I’d enjoyed yesterday: instead of enjoying it while we were still in it? Now it’s today (again) and the Lord made this one too. Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Amen.

Words of Assurance: John 16:22, NIV You will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father,
who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil;
for thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory forever.
Amen.

Opening Song: Housefires, “Joy”

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4-9, NIV
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Sunday Sermon

Rejoice in the Lord always, writes Paul, again I say, “Rejoice!” It’s the message so nice he has to say it twice. The passage above is the culmination of what has been called “the Bible’s most joyful letter,” and it builds on all that has come before. It also comes from the most unlikely source: a man who is serving time in prison, has no idea if he will ever be released, and is suffering from a painful, incurable ailment that God refuses to take away. So when Paul says that it is possible to rejoice, we lean forward. We listen. And we believe it.

There is an Old Testament template for this kind of rejoicing. It begins with Psalm 118: “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” It continues with this remarkable passage from the book of Habbukuk:

Though the fig tree does not bud
 and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
 and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
 and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
 I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Now compare this with Paul’s words from later in the same chapter:

 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

We all know people who should be unhappy, but are not. We admire them for their optimism and grace. We also know people who should be happy, but complain all the time. But Paul is saying a remarkable thing: for people of faith, there should be no difference based on circumstances: rejoice in the Lord always. In the break between sentences, we mumble, “that seems impossible, Paul,” so Paul says it again: rejoice.

It’s tempting to put “Rejoice in the Lord always” in the same category as “Cheer up” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” but it goes much deeper than that. Paul’s definition of rejoicing does not ignore suffering, but is based on it. He rejoices not because he hasn’t suffered, but because he has. In effect, he is saying, “If you’re still alive, you’re still able to feel joy, so embrace it, and it will transform you.”

So let’s look at some of the things that get in the way of joy. First I’ll list a few general categories pertinent to almost everyone: school, grades, jobs, relationships, health, other people’s health, finances, mistakes, regrets and fear. Now I’ll add a few specific things: Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, Gaza, Ukraine, Venezuela, voting rights, reflecting pools, social media, short attention spans and the New York Mets. I’m sure I’ve left a lot out, but does everyone here have enough to worry about?

a) No, pastor, please give me more things to worry about.
b) Yes, pastor, that is more than enough.

Some of these things we can’t control; others we can, and some have already been taken care of by God. But Paul identifies a different source of the problem: the brain. And then he provides instructions for joy. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus says, “Love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength. To the Romans, Paul writes, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. And to the Philippians he writes, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (In another translation, dwell on these things.) And the God of peace will be with you.

The mind can be our own worst enemy. Every time the band sings, I get the songs stuck in my head and have a hard time getting to sleep. But even worse is having a bad thought stuck in my head, playing on what seems like infinite repeat: “I’m not good enough” or “why do I try” or “what’s the world coming to?” But just like the way to get rid of a song in your head is to play a different song, the way to get rid of a thought is to play another thought.

I call this next section “concentric circles of joy.” You can look at them as growing from the inside out or the outside in. We begin with the simplest section, inanimate things that make us happy. For me these include the ocean, volleyball, music, books, coffee, pancakes and sausages. I may not always be able to enjoy these things, but I can enjoy them now. Then add some of the things that give life meaning: family, friendships, the laughter of children, the hope of the next generation. Now add freedoms: the freedom to vote, to choose my own religion, to be who I want to be. Now add purpose: the thought that I can still make a difference in other people’s lives. Now imagine either God at the core, and all these things radiating outward, or draw a circle around the whole thing and call it God. Either way, the lesson is that even if we don’t have all of these things and even if we lose some of these things, we will still have God, and as such, we will always have enough to be joyful about. And joy is larger than happiness, and happiness is larger than cheer. The only challenge left is shoving our mind over to that department whenever it begins to drift.

Here are three translations of Paul’s concluding statement:
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.
I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me.

Notice how different they are! And yet they share one thing in common: they declare that with Christ, we can find our way to joy. The joy of the Lord is the trust that no matter how bad things get on earth, they will be better in heaven; that there is a meaning and a purpose to our lives; that everything will eventually make sense; that given the same set of circumstances we are facing, someone else has already figured it out; and that God is active in the world today. Paul’s message is that if we think about these things, if we dwell on these things, then we will have peace.

We tend to think of Paul as way above us, a super spiritual figure who is more than human. But at the end of his second letter to Timothy, we find this fun sentence: “When you come, bring my coat that I left in Troas; bring the books too, and especially the ones made of parchment.” Paul speaks of higher truths and wide spiritual themes, but he’s also able to find joy in an old coat or a favorite book.

This summer, may you find joy in the little things, or as Starbucks would put it, the “tall things,” like coats and books and candles and songs. May you find joy in the medium things, or as Starbucks would call it, the “grande things,” like time spent with loved ones and visits to the beach. And may you feel the large, or venti joy of being loved by God and loving God in return. There is also an even larger Starbucks size called the trenta. And while we don’t recommend drinking a two pound latte, it’s easy to imagine the temporary joy it would bring, and how it might help us to think of the greater joy in heaven, which no one will ever be able to take away. Amen.

Closing Song: for KING & COUNTRY, “Joy”

Benediction
May you go out with joy and be led forth with peace,
and may the mountains and hills break forth before you. Amen.