Reflections on America's 250th Birthday
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a significant milestone in our nation's history. As Christians, occasions like this give us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and most importantly, give thanks to God for His providential care throughout the generations.
In this blog I’ll be sharing a series of lessons that I wrote for a young man’s Bible class during the Jubilate Deo camp my family and I recently attended. While these lessons were designed for 5th and 6th grade boys, the biblical truths they explore are for all of us. They center on four themes: God's sovereignty over the nations, gratitude and remembrance, honoring authority, and faithful obedience for the sake of future generations.
Before you read them, consider one thought about how Christians ought to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary.
When we celebrate a wedding anniversary, we don't spend the evening recounting every argument, disappointment, or hardship the couple has endured. That doesn't mean those struggles never happened, nor does it mean there isn't an appropriate time to acknowledge them. Rather, an anniversary is a time to celebrate God's faithfulness, to remember His blessings, and to give thanks for His sustaining grace through the years.
The same is true as we reflect on the United States of America.
Our nation's history, like the history of every people since the Fall, includes both great achievements and grievous sins. Christians should never ignore injustice or refuse to learn from the failures of the past. There are proper occasions for repentance, lament, and honest historical reflection.
But an anniversary celebration is not primarily one of those occasions.
It is an opportunity to thank God for His providence—for preserving a nation through war and various other trials, for granting remarkable freedoms, for raising up faithful churches, for allowing the gospel to spread widely, and for showing mercy to generation after generation. Above all, it is an opportunity to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from our heavenly Father.
As Reformed Christians, we believe history is not driven by chance or merely by the decisions of men. Christ is Lord over the nations. He raises up kings and removes them. He governs history according to His perfect wisdom and for the good of His Church. That conviction shapes how we remember the past, how we live in the present, and how we look to the future.
I pray that these reflections will help us cultivate hearts of gratitude, deepen our confidence in Christ's reign, strengthen our commitment to honor the authorities God has placed over us, and encourage us to steward faithfully the blessings He has entrusted to our generation.
May we remember His mighty works.
May we give thanks for His steadfast love.
And may we labor faithfully for the generations that will come after us.
#1 - The Sovereignty of God Over the Nations
Psalm 2 & Matthew 28:16–20
Who rules the world?
If you listen to the news, it often seems as though presidents, kings, dictators, and world leaders are directing the course of history. Nations rise, wars are fought, governments pass laws, and cultures increasingly reject God's ways. It can feel as though the world is spiraling out of control.
But Psalm 2 invites us to step back and see history from heaven's perspective.
The psalm begins by asking, "Why do the nations rage?" The word translated rage (rāḡaš) carries the idea of an uproar, or a noisy assembly… in other words, an organized rebellion. The nations are not merely making poor decisions—they are united in resisting God's rule. Throughout history, we have seen this pattern repeated, from the Tower of Babel to the kingdoms of Egypt, Babylon, Rome, and countless governments since. The world is never truly neutral. Every nation is either submitting to Christ or conspiring against Him.
Yet God's response is not panic. He does not worry. He laughs.
The laughter of God is not amusement at suffering, but confidence in His absolute sovereignty. Human rebellion never threatens His throne. Just as He frustrated the plans of those who built the Tower of Babel, so every attempt to overthrow His authority ultimately fails.
Why? Because God has already established His King.
"I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."
Notice that God speaks as though the matter is already settled. His decree cannot be overturned. His purposes cannot fail.
Psalm 2 then shifts to the Son Himself:
"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage."
The nations are Christ's inheritance. They belong to Him by divine right, not because He must earn them, but because the Father has given them to Him. Just as you did not earn your family name, Jesus did not earn His right to the nations by political conquest. The Father has bestowed them upon His Son.
The psalm also speaks of the Messiah ruling the nations with a "rod of iron." This is not the picture of a cruel tyrant, but of a righteous King whose authority cannot be resisted forever. Every rebellion will either be broken in judgment or transformed through repentance.
That is why the psalm ends with an invitation rather than merely a warning:
"Kiss the Son."
Kings and rulers are commanded to humble themselves before Christ. The nations are not simply condemned—they are summoned to submit.
This theme reaches its fulfillment in Jesus' Great Commission.
After His resurrection, Jesus declared,
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
This is the fulfillment of Psalm 2. The King has been enthroned.
Because Christ already possesses all authority, He sends His disciples to "make disciples of all nations." Notice that Jesus does not simply say to make disciples from every nation. He commands His Church to disciple the nations themselves. The goal is that entire peoples, cultures, and kingdoms increasingly submit to the reign of King Jesus.
Baptism beautifully pictures this reality. In baptism, we publicly transfer our allegiance. We leave the kingdom of darkness and are united to Christ, our true King. Every baptism is a declaration that Jesus is Lord.
This changes the way we live.
Too often Christians behave as though Christ is waiting to become King someday. But Scripture teaches that He reigns now. The Church is not fighting for victory; we are announcing the victory Christ has already won through His death, resurrection, and ascension.
The question for each of us is simple:
Do I live as though Jesus is already King?
His authority should shape how we obey our parents, honor our teachers, love our neighbors, work diligently, and speak truthfully. It should give us confidence that no matter how chaotic the world may seem, history is moving exactly where God intends.
The nations may rage, but Christ reigns. And through the faithful witness of His Church, He is bringing the nations to Himself, just as He promised.
#2 - The Duty of Gratitude and Remembrance
Psalm 136
How do you remember to say "thank you"?
It's a simple question, but one with profound spiritual significance. The truth is, we can't be grateful for what we have forgotten. Gratitude begins with remembrance.
That is exactly what Psalm 136 teaches us.
Psalm 136 is a song of remembrance. It was written to be sung by God's people, likely in a call-and-response format. A leader would recount God's mighty works, and the congregation would respond after every line:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
The repetition is not simply a poetic choice. God knows how easily His people forget, so He gives them songs that train their memories and shape their hearts.
The psalm begins by remembering God's work in creation.
God made the heavens. He spread out the earth upon the waters. He made the sun to rule the day and the moon and stars to rule the night. Before Israel remembers what God did for them, they remember who God is—the Creator of everything.
Every sunrise, every star-filled sky, every mountain and river is another reason to say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
The psalm then turns to God's mighty acts of redemption.
It recounts the Passover, when God struck down Egypt's firstborn and delivered His people from slavery. It remembers the Exodus, the crossing of the Red Sea, God's faithful provision in the wilderness, His victory over mighty kings like Sihon and Og, and finally His gift of the Promised Land as Israel's inheritance.
Each event is followed by the same refrain:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
Israel's history wasn't merely a collection of interesting stories. It was a testimony to God's covenant faithfulness. Every generation was called to remember what God had done so that they would continue trusting Him in the present.
The psalm concludes by reminding God's people that His care did not end with the conquest of the land.
"He remembered us in our low estate."
"He rescued us from our foes."
"He gives food to all flesh."
God continues to provide. He continues to remember His people. He continues to sustain His creation every day.
This connection between remembering, feeding, and thanksgiving reaches its fulfillment in the Lord's Supper. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took bread and the cup and said,
"Do this in remembrance of me."
Just as Israel remembered God's redemption through the Passover meal, the Church remembers Christ's greater redemption through Communion. At the Lord's Table, we remember His sacrifice, give thanks for His grace, and are spiritually nourished by the One who gave Himself for us.
Through baptism, we have been brought into God's covenant family. Israel's story of redemption points us to Christ, and in Him, it becomes our story as well.
At the same time, we recognize that while America is not God's covenant nation in the way Israel was under the Old Covenant, we still have countless reasons to thank Him for His providence toward our country.
We can remember His hand in preserving a people seeking freedom and establishing a nation where liberty has flourished. We can thank Him for sustaining our country through wars, preserving it through seasons of division, and bringing an end to the evil of slavery. We can praise Him for His abundant provision of food, peace, and opportunity, for His protection through times of danger, and above all, for allowing the gospel to be freely preached and His Church to grow throughout this land.
Like Israel, we learn to interpret history through the lens of God's providence. We do not celebrate ourselves—we celebrate the God who has shown mercy again and again.
An exercise I did in class with my students was to write your own "Psalm 136." Perhaps this is something you can do with your family as well as you celebrate Independence Day. Gather around the table and finish sentences like these:
"To Him who provided for our family..."
"To Him who protected us during difficult times..."
"To Him who gave us faithful parents..."
"To Him who brought the gospel to our home..."
Or come up with your own, remembering specific moments in our nation’s history… or maybe even in your own local, or family, history.
And after each one, answer together:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
Gratitude is learned through remembrance. The more we remember God's faithfulness in our lives, and in lives of those who have gone before us, the more our hearts will overflow with thanksgiving.
#3 - The Duty of Honoring Father and Mother
Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, and Ephesians 6:1–4
Who is in authority over you?
For children and young people, the answers come quickly: parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and perhaps employers. Some are easier to obey than others, but that raises an important question: Why does God place authorities over us in the first place?
One answer to this question is simple but profound: before God calls a man to lead, He teaches him how to follow.
The Fifth Commandment says,
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you."
Unlike many of the other commandments, God attaches a promise to this one. Honoring our parents is connected with blessing, stability, and flourishing. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6, calling it "the first commandment with a promise."
But honoring father and mother means more than simply obeying our parents while we are children.
The Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC 124) explains that "father and mother" represent all those whom God has placed over us in lawful authority—not only our parents, but also teachers, pastors, civil authorities, employers, and others who possess greater age, wisdom, or responsibility.
Why does God frame the command this way?
Because every earthly authority is meant to reflect something of God's own fatherly care. Authority is not merely about giving orders; it is God's gracious provision for our protection, instruction, and growth.
So what does it mean to honor those whom God has placed over us?
The catechism (WLC 127) describes honor as reverence in heart, word, and behavior. It includes respectful speech, attentive listening, willing obedience, prayer for those in authority, gratitude for their care, and even covering their weaknesses with love rather than exposing them with contempt.
For young men, this begins with simple, everyday choices.
Respect means listening without rolling your eyes or speaking with sarcasm. It means avoiding the habit of talking back or mocking those who correct you. In fact, it is entirely possible to dishonor your parents without saying a single word. A disrespectful attitude can often be seen long before it is heard.
Honor also means obedience.
Paul writes,
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."
True obedience is willing and timely. Delayed obedience, selective obedience, or grudging obedience all fall short of the joyful obedience God desires.
Another often-overlooked aspect of honor is prayer. Scripture calls us to pray for those whom God has placed over us because leadership is not easy. Parents, pastors, teachers, and civil leaders all carry significant responsibilities. One of the greatest ways children can honor them is by regularly praying that God would grant them wisdom and strength.
Finally, honor includes gratitude.
Few children fully appreciate the sacrifices their parents make each day. Meals appear on the table. Clothes are washed. Bills are paid. Time is invested. Prayers are offered. To honor father and mother is to recognize these gifts with thankful hearts rather than taking them for granted.
Sadly, Scripture also warns us about the opposite.
The Larger Catechism (WLC 128) lists rebellion, complaining, contempt, mocking authority, ignoring instruction, and making excuses among the sins that violate the Fifth Commandment. Sometimes open rebellion is obvious. Other times disobedience hides behind a smile while resentment grows in the heart. God sees both.
Yet this command is not only directed toward children.
Paul also addresses fathers:
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Godly authority is never harsh, selfish, or arbitrary. It exists to protect, teach, encourage, and lovingly discipline. Parents are called to reflect the character of their heavenly Father as they lead their children.
This reminds us that learning to honor authority today prepares young men to exercise authority tomorrow. Our sons will one day become husbands, fathers, elders, employers, or leaders in their communities. The habits they develop now will shape the kind of leaders they become later.
Ultimately, the Fifth Commandment points us to Jesus Christ.
Jesus honored His earthly parents. Luke tells us that after His visit to the temple, He returned home with Mary and Joseph and "was submissive to them."
Even more, Jesus perfectly obeyed His heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul writes that Christ "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Because of His perfect obedience, we receive forgiveness for our failures and the grace to grow in obedience ourselves.
As you reflect on the Fifth Commandment this week, consider ways you can honor those whom God has placed over you.
Obey the first time without complaining.
Thank your parents for something they regularly do.
Pray for your parents, your teachers, or your pastors and elders.
And remember that the young man who learns to obey faithfully today is preparing to lead faithfully tomorrow.
#4 - The Duty of Obedience for the Sake of Your Land
Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 4:1–11, Philippians 2:8–11
Why does obedience matter?
Most people think of obedience as something that affects only themselves: If I obey, things will go well for me. If I disobey, I alone suffer the consequences. But the Bible paints a much bigger picture. Our obedience—or disobedience—affects our families, our churches, our communities, and even future generations. God gives blessings and inheritances to His people, and obedience helps preserve and pass them on.
Think about what happens when no one follows the rules. Games or sporting events become chaotic. Families fall apart. Schools become unmanageable. Entire societies begin to unravel when citizens refuse to respect lawful authority. Order gives way to confusion.
As an illustration, I had my boys stand up and follow 3 rules:
1) March in place. Together.
2) Chant together: One, Two, Three, Four… One, Two, Three, Four. 3) Pump your arms up and down in rhythm.
Even amongst 5th and 6th grade boys, it was a well-oiled machine. They were all in step… and then I began removing the rules:
1) You can now move your arms in any direction → arms flailing everywhere
2) You can chant whatever numbers you want → utter cacophony
3) You can march in whatever direction you want → utter chaos
Even America's earliest founding documents recognized this truth.
The Mayflower Compact declared that the Pilgrims would "covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic" for their "better ordering and preservation." They understood that a community could flourish only if its members willingly submitted to lawful authority.
Likewise, the Declaration of Independence teaches that governments should not be overthrown for "light and transient causes." Lawful government is God's good gift, and rebellion is presented as an extraordinary remedy, not the ordinary way of life.
The United States Constitution was written "to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, [and] insure domestic Tranquility." The Founders understood that peace and liberty depend upon citizens who respect law and order.
These principles reflect an even older biblical truth.
In the Fifth Commandment, God says,
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you."
Why does God connect honoring parents with remaining in the land?
Because the family is the foundation of every healthy society. Children who learn to respect and obey their parents are being prepared to become faithful husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, church members, and citizens. Strong families become strong communities, and strong communities become strong nations.
Israel's history illustrates this principle clearly.
Before entering the Promised Land, Moses urged the people:
"Hear the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land." (Deuteronomy 4:1)
The land itself was God's gracious gift. Israel did not earn it by their righteousness. Yet once they received that inheritance, they were called to live faithfully within it.
Sadly, later generations forgot.
The book of Judges summarizes the nation's spiritual condition with one sobering sentence:
"In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)
When each person became his own authority, covenant faithfulness disappeared. Idolatry spread. Justice collapsed. Eventually, Israel lost the very inheritance God had given them and was carried into exile.
Every generation receives an inheritance. Every generation must decide whether it will preserve it or squander it.
The greatest example of obedience, however, is found not in Israel, but in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul writes that Christ
"humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Because of His perfect obedience, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name. Jesus now possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. He has secured an eternal inheritance for His people—not because we obeyed perfectly, but because He did.
Christ's obedience accomplished what ours never could. Yet having been redeemed by His grace, we are now called to walk in faithful obedience as His disciples.
For young men, that obedience begins with ordinary responsibilities.
What has God entrusted to you today?
Your family.
Your church.
Your education.
Your friendships.
Faithfulness in these seemingly small things is God's training ground for greater responsibilities to come. The habits you build today will shape the man you become tomorrow.
As you reflect on this truth, ask yourself:
How can I honor my parents this week?
How can I strengthen, rather than weaken, the inheritance God has given me?
How can my obedience today become a blessing to future generations?
God has entrusted each of us with gifts, relationships, and responsibilities. By His grace, may we be faithful stewards who preserve and pass on those blessings, just as those who came before us faithfully passed them on to us.
Brian McLain and his lovely wife Denise were born and raised in Florida. They have been blessed with six beautiful daughters who fill their home with boundless joy and entertainment. Brian has degrees in Theology and Electrical Engineering and spent 20 years in the Power Industry. The McLains love to sing, dance, read, cook and play games, and they cherish the opportunities they get to serve and host others in their home.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a significant milestone in our nation's history. As Christians, occasions like this give us an opportunity to pause, reflect, and most importantly, give thanks to God for His providential care throughout the generations.
In this blog I’ll be sharing a series of lessons that I wrote for a young man’s Bible class during the Jubilate Deo camp my family and I recently attended. While these lessons were designed for 5th and 6th grade boys, the biblical truths they explore are for all of us. They center on four themes: God's sovereignty over the nations, gratitude and remembrance, honoring authority, and faithful obedience for the sake of future generations.
Before you read them, consider one thought about how Christians ought to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary.
When we celebrate a wedding anniversary, we don't spend the evening recounting every argument, disappointment, or hardship the couple has endured. That doesn't mean those struggles never happened, nor does it mean there isn't an appropriate time to acknowledge them. Rather, an anniversary is a time to celebrate God's faithfulness, to remember His blessings, and to give thanks for His sustaining grace through the years.
The same is true as we reflect on the United States of America.
Our nation's history, like the history of every people since the Fall, includes both great achievements and grievous sins. Christians should never ignore injustice or refuse to learn from the failures of the past. There are proper occasions for repentance, lament, and honest historical reflection.
But an anniversary celebration is not primarily one of those occasions.
It is an opportunity to thank God for His providence—for preserving a nation through war and various other trials, for granting remarkable freedoms, for raising up faithful churches, for allowing the gospel to spread widely, and for showing mercy to generation after generation. Above all, it is an opportunity to remember that every good and perfect gift comes from our heavenly Father.
As Reformed Christians, we believe history is not driven by chance or merely by the decisions of men. Christ is Lord over the nations. He raises up kings and removes them. He governs history according to His perfect wisdom and for the good of His Church. That conviction shapes how we remember the past, how we live in the present, and how we look to the future.
I pray that these reflections will help us cultivate hearts of gratitude, deepen our confidence in Christ's reign, strengthen our commitment to honor the authorities God has placed over us, and encourage us to steward faithfully the blessings He has entrusted to our generation.
May we remember His mighty works.
May we give thanks for His steadfast love.
And may we labor faithfully for the generations that will come after us.
#1 - The Sovereignty of God Over the Nations
Psalm 2 & Matthew 28:16–20
Who rules the world?
If you listen to the news, it often seems as though presidents, kings, dictators, and world leaders are directing the course of history. Nations rise, wars are fought, governments pass laws, and cultures increasingly reject God's ways. It can feel as though the world is spiraling out of control.
But Psalm 2 invites us to step back and see history from heaven's perspective.
The psalm begins by asking, "Why do the nations rage?" The word translated rage (rāḡaš) carries the idea of an uproar, or a noisy assembly… in other words, an organized rebellion. The nations are not merely making poor decisions—they are united in resisting God's rule. Throughout history, we have seen this pattern repeated, from the Tower of Babel to the kingdoms of Egypt, Babylon, Rome, and countless governments since. The world is never truly neutral. Every nation is either submitting to Christ or conspiring against Him.
Yet God's response is not panic. He does not worry. He laughs.
The laughter of God is not amusement at suffering, but confidence in His absolute sovereignty. Human rebellion never threatens His throne. Just as He frustrated the plans of those who built the Tower of Babel, so every attempt to overthrow His authority ultimately fails.
Why? Because God has already established His King.
"I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill."
Notice that God speaks as though the matter is already settled. His decree cannot be overturned. His purposes cannot fail.
Psalm 2 then shifts to the Son Himself:
"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage."
The nations are Christ's inheritance. They belong to Him by divine right, not because He must earn them, but because the Father has given them to Him. Just as you did not earn your family name, Jesus did not earn His right to the nations by political conquest. The Father has bestowed them upon His Son.
The psalm also speaks of the Messiah ruling the nations with a "rod of iron." This is not the picture of a cruel tyrant, but of a righteous King whose authority cannot be resisted forever. Every rebellion will either be broken in judgment or transformed through repentance.
That is why the psalm ends with an invitation rather than merely a warning:
"Kiss the Son."
Kings and rulers are commanded to humble themselves before Christ. The nations are not simply condemned—they are summoned to submit.
This theme reaches its fulfillment in Jesus' Great Commission.
After His resurrection, Jesus declared,
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."
This is the fulfillment of Psalm 2. The King has been enthroned.
Because Christ already possesses all authority, He sends His disciples to "make disciples of all nations." Notice that Jesus does not simply say to make disciples from every nation. He commands His Church to disciple the nations themselves. The goal is that entire peoples, cultures, and kingdoms increasingly submit to the reign of King Jesus.
Baptism beautifully pictures this reality. In baptism, we publicly transfer our allegiance. We leave the kingdom of darkness and are united to Christ, our true King. Every baptism is a declaration that Jesus is Lord.
This changes the way we live.
Too often Christians behave as though Christ is waiting to become King someday. But Scripture teaches that He reigns now. The Church is not fighting for victory; we are announcing the victory Christ has already won through His death, resurrection, and ascension.
The question for each of us is simple:
Do I live as though Jesus is already King?
His authority should shape how we obey our parents, honor our teachers, love our neighbors, work diligently, and speak truthfully. It should give us confidence that no matter how chaotic the world may seem, history is moving exactly where God intends.
The nations may rage, but Christ reigns. And through the faithful witness of His Church, He is bringing the nations to Himself, just as He promised.
#2 - The Duty of Gratitude and Remembrance
Psalm 136
How do you remember to say "thank you"?
It's a simple question, but one with profound spiritual significance. The truth is, we can't be grateful for what we have forgotten. Gratitude begins with remembrance.
That is exactly what Psalm 136 teaches us.
Psalm 136 is a song of remembrance. It was written to be sung by God's people, likely in a call-and-response format. A leader would recount God's mighty works, and the congregation would respond after every line:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
The repetition is not simply a poetic choice. God knows how easily His people forget, so He gives them songs that train their memories and shape their hearts.
The psalm begins by remembering God's work in creation.
God made the heavens. He spread out the earth upon the waters. He made the sun to rule the day and the moon and stars to rule the night. Before Israel remembers what God did for them, they remember who God is—the Creator of everything.
Every sunrise, every star-filled sky, every mountain and river is another reason to say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
The psalm then turns to God's mighty acts of redemption.
It recounts the Passover, when God struck down Egypt's firstborn and delivered His people from slavery. It remembers the Exodus, the crossing of the Red Sea, God's faithful provision in the wilderness, His victory over mighty kings like Sihon and Og, and finally His gift of the Promised Land as Israel's inheritance.
Each event is followed by the same refrain:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
Israel's history wasn't merely a collection of interesting stories. It was a testimony to God's covenant faithfulness. Every generation was called to remember what God had done so that they would continue trusting Him in the present.
The psalm concludes by reminding God's people that His care did not end with the conquest of the land.
"He remembered us in our low estate."
"He rescued us from our foes."
"He gives food to all flesh."
God continues to provide. He continues to remember His people. He continues to sustain His creation every day.
This connection between remembering, feeding, and thanksgiving reaches its fulfillment in the Lord's Supper. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus took bread and the cup and said,
"Do this in remembrance of me."
Just as Israel remembered God's redemption through the Passover meal, the Church remembers Christ's greater redemption through Communion. At the Lord's Table, we remember His sacrifice, give thanks for His grace, and are spiritually nourished by the One who gave Himself for us.
Through baptism, we have been brought into God's covenant family. Israel's story of redemption points us to Christ, and in Him, it becomes our story as well.
At the same time, we recognize that while America is not God's covenant nation in the way Israel was under the Old Covenant, we still have countless reasons to thank Him for His providence toward our country.
We can remember His hand in preserving a people seeking freedom and establishing a nation where liberty has flourished. We can thank Him for sustaining our country through wars, preserving it through seasons of division, and bringing an end to the evil of slavery. We can praise Him for His abundant provision of food, peace, and opportunity, for His protection through times of danger, and above all, for allowing the gospel to be freely preached and His Church to grow throughout this land.
Like Israel, we learn to interpret history through the lens of God's providence. We do not celebrate ourselves—we celebrate the God who has shown mercy again and again.
An exercise I did in class with my students was to write your own "Psalm 136." Perhaps this is something you can do with your family as well as you celebrate Independence Day. Gather around the table and finish sentences like these:
"To Him who provided for our family..."
"To Him who protected us during difficult times..."
"To Him who gave us faithful parents..."
"To Him who brought the gospel to our home..."
Or come up with your own, remembering specific moments in our nation’s history… or maybe even in your own local, or family, history.
And after each one, answer together:
"For His steadfast love endures forever."
Gratitude is learned through remembrance. The more we remember God's faithfulness in our lives, and in lives of those who have gone before us, the more our hearts will overflow with thanksgiving.
#3 - The Duty of Honoring Father and Mother
Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, and Ephesians 6:1–4
Who is in authority over you?
For children and young people, the answers come quickly: parents, teachers, coaches, pastors, and perhaps employers. Some are easier to obey than others, but that raises an important question: Why does God place authorities over us in the first place?
One answer to this question is simple but profound: before God calls a man to lead, He teaches him how to follow.
The Fifth Commandment says,
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you."
Unlike many of the other commandments, God attaches a promise to this one. Honoring our parents is connected with blessing, stability, and flourishing. The Apostle Paul reminds us of this in Ephesians 6, calling it "the first commandment with a promise."
But honoring father and mother means more than simply obeying our parents while we are children.
The Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC 124) explains that "father and mother" represent all those whom God has placed over us in lawful authority—not only our parents, but also teachers, pastors, civil authorities, employers, and others who possess greater age, wisdom, or responsibility.
Why does God frame the command this way?
Because every earthly authority is meant to reflect something of God's own fatherly care. Authority is not merely about giving orders; it is God's gracious provision for our protection, instruction, and growth.
So what does it mean to honor those whom God has placed over us?
The catechism (WLC 127) describes honor as reverence in heart, word, and behavior. It includes respectful speech, attentive listening, willing obedience, prayer for those in authority, gratitude for their care, and even covering their weaknesses with love rather than exposing them with contempt.
For young men, this begins with simple, everyday choices.
Respect means listening without rolling your eyes or speaking with sarcasm. It means avoiding the habit of talking back or mocking those who correct you. In fact, it is entirely possible to dishonor your parents without saying a single word. A disrespectful attitude can often be seen long before it is heard.
Honor also means obedience.
Paul writes,
"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."
True obedience is willing and timely. Delayed obedience, selective obedience, or grudging obedience all fall short of the joyful obedience God desires.
Another often-overlooked aspect of honor is prayer. Scripture calls us to pray for those whom God has placed over us because leadership is not easy. Parents, pastors, teachers, and civil leaders all carry significant responsibilities. One of the greatest ways children can honor them is by regularly praying that God would grant them wisdom and strength.
Finally, honor includes gratitude.
Few children fully appreciate the sacrifices their parents make each day. Meals appear on the table. Clothes are washed. Bills are paid. Time is invested. Prayers are offered. To honor father and mother is to recognize these gifts with thankful hearts rather than taking them for granted.
Sadly, Scripture also warns us about the opposite.
The Larger Catechism (WLC 128) lists rebellion, complaining, contempt, mocking authority, ignoring instruction, and making excuses among the sins that violate the Fifth Commandment. Sometimes open rebellion is obvious. Other times disobedience hides behind a smile while resentment grows in the heart. God sees both.
Yet this command is not only directed toward children.
Paul also addresses fathers:
"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord."
Godly authority is never harsh, selfish, or arbitrary. It exists to protect, teach, encourage, and lovingly discipline. Parents are called to reflect the character of their heavenly Father as they lead their children.
This reminds us that learning to honor authority today prepares young men to exercise authority tomorrow. Our sons will one day become husbands, fathers, elders, employers, or leaders in their communities. The habits they develop now will shape the kind of leaders they become later.
Ultimately, the Fifth Commandment points us to Jesus Christ.
Jesus honored His earthly parents. Luke tells us that after His visit to the temple, He returned home with Mary and Joseph and "was submissive to them."
Even more, Jesus perfectly obeyed His heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul writes that Christ "humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." Because of His perfect obedience, we receive forgiveness for our failures and the grace to grow in obedience ourselves.
As you reflect on the Fifth Commandment this week, consider ways you can honor those whom God has placed over you.
Obey the first time without complaining.
Thank your parents for something they regularly do.
Pray for your parents, your teachers, or your pastors and elders.
And remember that the young man who learns to obey faithfully today is preparing to lead faithfully tomorrow.
#4 - The Duty of Obedience for the Sake of Your Land
Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 4:1–11, Philippians 2:8–11
Why does obedience matter?
Most people think of obedience as something that affects only themselves: If I obey, things will go well for me. If I disobey, I alone suffer the consequences. But the Bible paints a much bigger picture. Our obedience—or disobedience—affects our families, our churches, our communities, and even future generations. God gives blessings and inheritances to His people, and obedience helps preserve and pass them on.
Think about what happens when no one follows the rules. Games or sporting events become chaotic. Families fall apart. Schools become unmanageable. Entire societies begin to unravel when citizens refuse to respect lawful authority. Order gives way to confusion.
As an illustration, I had my boys stand up and follow 3 rules:
1) March in place. Together.
2) Chant together: One, Two, Three, Four… One, Two, Three, Four. 3) Pump your arms up and down in rhythm.
Even amongst 5th and 6th grade boys, it was a well-oiled machine. They were all in step… and then I began removing the rules:
1) You can now move your arms in any direction → arms flailing everywhere
2) You can chant whatever numbers you want → utter cacophony
3) You can march in whatever direction you want → utter chaos
Even America's earliest founding documents recognized this truth.
The Mayflower Compact declared that the Pilgrims would "covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic" for their "better ordering and preservation." They understood that a community could flourish only if its members willingly submitted to lawful authority.
Likewise, the Declaration of Independence teaches that governments should not be overthrown for "light and transient causes." Lawful government is God's good gift, and rebellion is presented as an extraordinary remedy, not the ordinary way of life.
The United States Constitution was written "to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, [and] insure domestic Tranquility." The Founders understood that peace and liberty depend upon citizens who respect law and order.
These principles reflect an even older biblical truth.
In the Fifth Commandment, God says,
"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you."
Why does God connect honoring parents with remaining in the land?
Because the family is the foundation of every healthy society. Children who learn to respect and obey their parents are being prepared to become faithful husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, church members, and citizens. Strong families become strong communities, and strong communities become strong nations.
Israel's history illustrates this principle clearly.
Before entering the Promised Land, Moses urged the people:
"Hear the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land." (Deuteronomy 4:1)
The land itself was God's gracious gift. Israel did not earn it by their righteousness. Yet once they received that inheritance, they were called to live faithfully within it.
Sadly, later generations forgot.
The book of Judges summarizes the nation's spiritual condition with one sobering sentence:
"In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes." (Judges 21:25)
When each person became his own authority, covenant faithfulness disappeared. Idolatry spread. Justice collapsed. Eventually, Israel lost the very inheritance God had given them and was carried into exile.
Every generation receives an inheritance. Every generation must decide whether it will preserve it or squander it.
The greatest example of obedience, however, is found not in Israel, but in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul writes that Christ
"humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Because of His perfect obedience, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name. Jesus now possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. He has secured an eternal inheritance for His people—not because we obeyed perfectly, but because He did.
Christ's obedience accomplished what ours never could. Yet having been redeemed by His grace, we are now called to walk in faithful obedience as His disciples.
For young men, that obedience begins with ordinary responsibilities.
What has God entrusted to you today?
Your family.
Your church.
Your education.
Your friendships.
Faithfulness in these seemingly small things is God's training ground for greater responsibilities to come. The habits you build today will shape the man you become tomorrow.
As you reflect on this truth, ask yourself:
How can I honor my parents this week?
How can I strengthen, rather than weaken, the inheritance God has given me?
How can my obedience today become a blessing to future generations?
God has entrusted each of us with gifts, relationships, and responsibilities. By His grace, may we be faithful stewards who preserve and pass on those blessings, just as those who came before us faithfully passed them on to us.
Brian McLain and his lovely wife Denise were born and raised in Florida. They have been blessed with six beautiful daughters who fill their home with boundless joy and entertainment. Brian has degrees in Theology and Electrical Engineering and spent 20 years in the Power Industry. The McLains love to sing, dance, read, cook and play games, and they cherish the opportunities they get to serve and host others in their home.
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