I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB

          For over 30 years I began each morning leading my students in reciting "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America … ".  For many of us the pledge was a renewal and reminder of our commitment to our country.  To others it was just a routine activity to start the day.
          But making a pledge can have serious consequences if it is taken seriously.  The 56 men who signed the declaration of independence faced sufferings for themselves and their families.  Of the 56 men, 5 were captured by the British and tortured before they died. 12 had their homes ransacked and burned. 2 lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army.  Another 2 sons were captured.  9 of the 56 fought and died from wounds of hardship of the war.
          Now, it's one thing to make a bold declaration in the comfort of a congressional meeting, but it's quite another to pay the price, to fulfill that declaration on the field of battle, to pay with blood; yours - your families - and your neighbors.

          Now remember the day when you confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  You proclaimed your desire to be a Christian, to be united with Christ, and to be bathed in his blood. Courageously you pledged that nothing but absolute independence from the shackles of sin and the ways of this world would be acceptable. Do you also remember the day when you were buried with Christ in baptism and were raised to live a new life. In doing this, you were again making a bold declaration, a pledge of allegiance to the Lamb who made your life change possible.

          You were at that time pledging your allegiance - your devotion, your loyalty, your dedication, your commitment, your very life - to the Lamb of God, to Jesus Christ. Understand that you were at that time proclaiming what Paul proclaimed in Galatians 2:20; "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me..."

          Now it is a very bold declaration to say, that you will no longer live for yourself, that you will no longer seek your will for your life, that you will no longer live for the things of the world (power, pleasure, popularity and possessions). But rather that you will seek God's will for your life, seeking to do what pleases him far and above what pleases you!  Declaring that He comes first is one thing but it is quite another to live up to it. To pay the price. To fulfill that declaration on the battlefields of our daily lives. Most times saying words is the easy part, the actions are much tougher.
         There are real battles to be fought, real struggles to overcome. We are called in scripture to "finish the race," "to fight the good fight," "to endure hardships like a good soldier." Yes, we are in a real war, we have a real enemy, and he does not like it when someone, opposes, challenges, defies him. Our enemy, Satan, will attack us, pursue us, tempt us, he will try to make sin look good. He will at times, come at us head on just like a roaring lion, and at other times he will appear as angel of light.

          Let's make no mistake about it - there is a high price to pay to fulfill our pledge - THAT JESUS IS OUR LORD. Our Lord demands total, radical, unswerving allegiance and the fact that he does is no secret.
          Are we keeping, with the help of the Lord, our pledge of allegiance to the Lamb?

 

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

With all my strength, with all I am

I will seek to honor His commands

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

 

I have heard how Christians long ago

Were brought before a tyrant's throne

They were told that he would spare their lives

If they would renounce the name of Christ

But one by one they chose to die

The Son of God they would not deny

Like a great angelic choir sings

I can almost hear their voices ring

 

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

With all my strength, with all I am

I will seek to honor His commands

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

 

Now the years have come, and the years have gone

But the cause of Jesus still goes on

Now our time has come to count the cost

To reject this world, to embrace the cross

And one by one let us live our lives

For the one who died to give us life

Till the trumpet sounds on the final day

Let us proudly stand and boldly say

 

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

With all my strength, with all I am

I will seek to honor His commands

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

 

To the Lamb of God who bore my pain

Who took my place, who wore my shame

I will seek to honor His commands

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

 

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

With all my strength, with all I am

I will seek to honor His commands

I pledge allegiance to the Lamb

Listen to it here. ALLEGIANCE