(This is an excerpt from yesterday’s sermon on the 150th Anniversary of Kent City Baptist Church. Some people requested that I post some of my thoughts concerning America’s greatness, and our “provisional greatness’)
There is a big debate in American politics that centers on the phrase, “American Exceptionalism.” Are we a great nation? Are we making it great again? Were we ever great? And what is greatness?
I like what the writer Ross Douthat says in his book Bad Religion about this topic and these questions: “America’s exceptionalism must be a provisional exceptionalism, in other words – we must be expectant but not presumptuous, perpetually tempered by humility and open to correction and surprise.” Provisional exceptionalism is as Abraham Lincoln describes it perfectly in his Second Inaugural Address when he says, “With malice toward none, with charity for all…The Almighty has his own purposes…as God gives us the right.”
In other words, exceptionalism does not come from us and our abilities and our past accomplishments, but from God and his present working. And as long as we follow his lead we will be under his excellent guidance and blessing.
But it is provisional excellence, that means it is something that must be handled with care – – and if we start taking it for granted it can be easily taken away.
It is the same with Kent City Baptist. Our past is a clear testimony to the work of God in this body, and the people who went before us are to be commended because they searched diligently for his will and stayed close to his lead. As a result, we who are here today are the beneficiaries of their faithfulness. God’s blessing and care have been abundantly poured out because his Son has been closely followed. It is not because we as a church, and we as a people, are “great” in and of ourselves. It is not that Kent Citians are a breed apart, our bloodline is superior because we eat more apples that are grown on the ridge – – it is that our God is great, and his Son is superior.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS & COMMENTS:
Personally, I believe America has been blessed with a foundational framework that allows for men and women to be great. And by great, I simply mean you are given the opportunity to try. God has designed each person to be an image bearer, that means you have the capacity to dream, create, beautify and bless others. Potential and provisional greatness lies dormant in each one of us until we choose to exercise it.
If you have never tried to be a blessing, stop complaining. Nobody can live your life for you. Take a chance, reach out. love the unlovable. That is when greatness shines.
I have lived in Russia for a year, I visited Bulgaria, walked the streets of Warsaw and let me tell you, there is a difference living in our country. Is it greatness? Not in the sense of superiority, but I believe so in opportunity. Every country will have limitations, sometimes a certain group of people will seem to have better opportunities than others (i.e.: white privilege), every country has their sin’s that must be atoned for like slavery and oppression; but they are minimal in America as compared to the rest of the world.
Ladies, if you think you have it bad, go live in a Muslim country. If you are a black man, Russian’s will stare at you as you walk down the street just to buy bread. If you think you have no voice, go live in China, or North Korea, or the Phillippines.
This world is not perfect, and there is no one great but God. But never forget, if you are breathing, God is affording you another day to appreciate his mercy. I think if you were to ask Jesus what greatness really is, he would refer to the conversation he had with his disciples in Luke 13, listen closely to it…
“Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
“‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”
Jesus would argue that greatness is not what is up for question, it is guilt. And if guilt is not recognized and God’s provisional mercy is not received, there is no hope for any of us, white, black, red, yellow, rich or poor. If you notice, the tree is given three years, and if it does not show signs of fruit (potential and provisional greatness) than it will be uprooted and thrown into the fire.
Bragging about greatness will get us nowhere. In truth, the moment you brag that is the moment your potential and provisional greatness slips right out of your fingers. So be careful, because you and I deserve nothing. But we have been extended this day and only this day to accept God’s mercy.
Will you?
