During the American Revolution, the Thirteen Colonies’ legal separation from Great Britain occurred on July 2nd, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.  After the independence vote, Congress turned its attention to defining a “Declaration of Independence,” a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the declaration, finally approving it on July 4th. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife, Abigail:

“The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”

While Adams’s prediction was off by two days, it did not minimize the importance of what was accomplished. Adams letter has in it a sentence that I believe speaks volumes to the intent of our founding fathers of freedom; “It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”

Keywords in that sentence; “COMMEMORATED, DELIVERANCE, SOLEMN, DEVOTION!” Of course, we should never forget to whom it was pointed – God, the Creator of all freedoms. As important as this day is in American history, there is even a more important day that we all won independence; freedom from the horrible grip of Satan.

On that fateful day 2000 plus years ago, this might be a letter that a disciple of the slain one might have written:

“This day in the year of 33AD will be the most memorable act of love in the history of humanity. (Joh.3:16, 17) I believe that many on this earth will celebrate this day every year on this weekend of “Passover.” However, my dear wife, we will celebrate this memorial weekly, on the first day of the week – Sunday. We will do so by meeting together with like-minded disciples. We will be referred to as “Christians!” We will read and study the inspired word of God, by praying, giving thanks (Eph.5:20), and singing to one another, making melody in our hearts to the Lord in spiritual songs and hymns. (Eph.5:19) Subjecting to one another in fear of Christ. (Eph.5:21) But most importantly, we will come together each Sunday and partake in the memorial known as the “Lord’s Supper.” We will not do this on Saturday night as He was still in the tomb; we will not do this on Friday as He still hung on the cross. We will do this on Sunday, first as Christ has instructed us to do it (Lk.22:19, 20) through apostolic teaching/example (Acts 20:7; 1Cor.10:16) and secondly because THIS IS THE DAY HE has RISEN! (Lk.24:1- 10) Death could not keep Him; Satan did not win. Freedom from sin and the bonds of sin were broken with His resurrection. This day will be commemorated as the day of deliverance from the evil one, a day of solemn devotion to the God of all Creation!”

I thank God daily for sending His son to this world to be my sacrifice for sin so that I could spend eternity with Him in obedience to His Will. Sunday, April 4^th, 2021, me, along with my brothers and sisters in Christ, will meet and worship God Almighty. Our worship will recall and serve as a memorial (COMMEMORATE) to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Our worship will focus on us being rescued and set free from the grip of sin (DELIVERANCE). In our worship, we will be sincere in acknowledgment that we are lost without Christ. With the earnest declaration that God is the object of our worship, honest when we come before the Lord in His supper removing all outside influence while we partake with genuine praise and adoration (SOLEMN). We will daily do everything to be loyal and faithful to God, in complete fidelity to Him, constant and committed to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ (Mt.28:18-20), and dedicated to each other as a family should be (DEVOTION).