St. Peter & St. Paul, June 29, 2003
Texts: Ezekiel 34:11-16, 1 Corinthians 3:16-23, Mark 8:27-35
This Tuesday is Canada Day and it is appropriate that we offer our thanks to God for all the blessings and privileges we enjoy as citizens and residents of this great nation. Canada truly is a great nation. I was reminded once again of that just yesterday as I joined 50 others from our Friday ESL Bible Fellowship for our strawberry picking trip. Everyone I spoke with had nothing but admiration and praise for this great land. Certainly, the great outdoors, the nice weather and the Lord’s blessing of our fellowship together helped bring forth such appreciation. As I thought about what has made Canada the envy of the world, my eyes turned to our national anthem, “O Canada.” I believe that in these verses we will sing together at the close of our service, is the answer to that question. (The words of O Canada are included at the end)
The first verse extols the virtue of true patriot love as a reason why our nation is strong and free. My thoughts immediately go to Remembrance Day when we remember the many who sacrificed their lives to ensure that Canada remained free and strong. And it is not just soldiers who keep our land free and strong. It is also as we do our part each day diligently fulfilling our responsibilities as citizens at home, at school, at the workplace, in the neighbourhood and in the nation that we also exercise true patriot love.
The second verse speaks of the blessing of hope we receive from this bountiful land God has granted us. It is a land truly giving “hope for all who toil.” This makes me think of all those who came to this land with very little and whose hard work was blessed by the Lord. Canada is great because of the vast resources God has endowed our nation: a source of hope for all who toil.
The third verse speaks of “stalwart sons” and “gentle maidens” to keep the nation “steadfast through the years.” I believe this refers to the maintenance of virtues in both public life (the traditional responsibility of men) and in the home (the traditional responsibility of women). The nurturing and transmission of true virtues and values is another reason our nation has been blessed.
The final verse speaks of the expectation of a lasting, rich reward, that of a Better Day. Here we acknowledge that our nation is but a temporary home for us who are on our way to that new, permanent place God is preparing for us. This means that we are not our own gods, nor that we just live for ourselves, but that we live under God as his stewards of this land serving our neighbour to the honour and glory of God’s name. This fear, love and trust of God above all things among our ancestors, is another reason we have a great nation.
In these four verses of “O Canada,” penned by Justice Robert Stanley Weir in 1908, we have in a nutshell all the main reasons why Canada is our beloved home and land of hope for all who come here. These form the foundation for all the blessings we enjoy in Canada. For these we are truly grateful to God who has so richly endowed us. As we consider these blessings we are truly humbled to be counted worthy of such a great trust.
That is why it is so sad to see that many in our land have abandoned true patriot love—those enduring values for which so many have sacrificed their lives. Many also no longer see God as the source of all our blessings and to whom we are accountable. As the foundations of our nation’s greatness are eroded I fear that it may not be long until we use the past tense in referring to the greatness of our nation.
As much as we see the clouds gathering and the dread the coming of that dark day, we should not give up or despair. Instead, we should do exactly what Justice Weir wrote in the concluding verse of our national anthem: We should pray for our nation. The apostle Paul writes to Timothy: “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2) Prayer for all in authority in our nation ought always to be our first order of business. I believe it is because the church has been lax in praying that our nation is adrift. The greatness of our nation cannot be restored through politics or a moral crusade. The nature of a nation’s greatness is largely spiritual and the source of our nation’s greatness is God. That is why any action short of prayer directed by God will fall short of ensuring the greatness of our land.
Secondly, in order to fulfill our patriotic duty to see the True North rise strong and free, we as the church, the body of Christ, must remain faithful to God and his Word made flesh in Christ. It is here that we find values that are enduring and virtues that are the basis of a great civilization. It is also here that we find a gracious God who does not just punish and condemn, but who rescues, forgives, and restores; A God who blots out iniquities and offers lasting hope.
Jesus tells us what it means to be faithful to God: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:34-35) Paul gives us a practical example of denying ourselves: “You yourselves are God’s temple… If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.” (1 Cor. 3:16, 17) Paul is talking about the destruction of the Body of Christ by destroying its unity. One way this happens is when we break the 8th Commandment; when we speak badly of a fellow believer or when we fail to defend him when being gossiped about. Then we are guilty of destroying God’s temple.
Another way we destroy the unity of the body of Christ is when we reject the clear teaching of Scripture or accept false doctrine in order to appear more relevant to our society. Or we may be tempted to water down the clear teaching of the Scriptures, like Jesus’ strong words about taking up our cross to follow him. This kind of “worldly wisdom” is what also leads to the destruction of God’s temple.
Sometimes we are accused of hurting the unity of Christ’s church because we insist on correct doctrine before entering into fellowship with other Christian church bodies. However, the source of unity must be the Word of God. Wherever Christian denominations compromise doctrine for the sake of an external show of unity, they soon lose Christ. That is why Christian unity is impossible without honouring God’s Word and holding to what it teaches. God’s Word is the source of unity for the Body of Christ. As we are faithful to the Word of God and united in brotherly love the Body of Christ is a beacon of light to our nation that has lost its moorings and is in danger of forfeiting its greatness.
As we celebrate God’s blessings upon our nation this Canada Day, let us also pray for our nation that God may continue to “keep our land glorious and free!”
1. O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
Refrain:
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
2. O Canada! Where pines and maples grow.
Great prairies spread and lordly rivers flow.
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western Sea,
Thou land of hope for all who toil!
Thou True North, strong and free!
Refrain
3. O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies
May stalwart sons and gentle maidens rise,
To keep thee steadfast through the years
From East to Western Sea,
Our own beloved native land!
Our True North, strong and free!
Refrain
4. Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our dominion in thy loving care;
Help us to find, O God, in thee
A lasting, rich reward,
As waiting for the Better Day,
We ever stand on guard.
Refrain