Dedication to Christ and His Kingdom

Let’s renew our dedication to and sacrifice for our true home.  Recently, the History Book Club discussed “The Gettysburg Gospel”, which is an account of what happened at Gettysburg in the weeks and months immediately after the horrendous and monumental battle in early July 1863.

Much of the book deals with the brief but significant speech now known as the Gettysburg Address, delivered by Abraham Lincoln at the dedication of the national cemetery in November 1863.  It is still studied and memorized after all this time.  Many great, inspirational thoughts and phrases are included, but in essence, it is a plea for renewed dedication to and sacrifice for the nation.  The text of the speech follows:

“Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.  We are met on a great battlefield of that war.  We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that the nation might live.  It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.  The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor ability to add or detract.  The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.  It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth in freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish for the earth.”

As much as we love our country and as much as it needs our dedication, our true home is in heaven (Philippians 4:20), and we are here as ambassadors of the kingdom of God to reconcile this world to Christ (II Corinthians 5:14-21).

What follows is an attempt to re-word the Gettysburg Address to make it fit our dedication to Christ.

“1,995 years ago, our heavenly Father brought forth in this world a new kingdom, conceived in grace, mercy, and Jesus’ redeeming sacrifice and dedicated to the proposition that each human being can become his child.  Now we are engaged in a great spiritual war, testing whether that new kingdom will prevail over the forces of evil.  Each Sunday, we gather to encourage each other and to remember and participate in the body and blood of Jesus’s sacrifice.  It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do that.  No one will note or remember what we say here, but the world cannot forget or ignore what Jesus did.

 It is for us, the living disciples of Jesus, to constantly dedicate our lives to serving God and expanding his kingdom.  Each day, we dedicate ourselves to these noble and holy tasks.  We take increased devotion to that cause for which Jesus gave the last full measure of devotion.  In view of God’s mercy, we offer our lives as living sacrifices, which is our spiritual act of worship.  Constantly, we highly resolve that Jesus did not die in vain and that God’s new kingdom shall have a new birth in freedom from sin.   We dedicate our hearts, minds, souls, and strength to God and his kingdom, and we trust in the Holy Spirit that God’s new kingdom shall not perish for the earth but be full and vibrant when Jesus returns.”