Friends,

In his book, John Adams, historian David McCullough cites a letter written by Adams to his beloved Abigail:

The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epocha 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 the continent to the other from this time forward forever more. (McCullough, p. 130.)

Though the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, and signed on August 2^,  the vote was taken on July 2, with twelve colonies voting in favor and New York abstaining. 

It would be seven years of war with the British before the American Revolution was won, with the Treaty of Paris signed April 15, 1783. Our Constitution would not be ratified until September 17, 1787. Yet over 11 years before, John Adams had the vision to believe succeeding generations would celebrate independence on July 2, the day the vote was taken.  That day, he believed freedom would be achieved.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, following his baptism, Jesus emerges from the water and says, “The time is fulfilled.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe the good news.”  Truth be told, Christ was a long way from completing his work. His ministry had just begun. A long journey to the cross awaited; followed by the mystery of Easter, and the angel’s call to return to Galilee where it all began. Two thousand years later, the kingdom of God has yet to be fully realized. 

In an interview with NPR, David McCullough was asked, “Why do you spend so much time studying the past?” He responded, “No one lives in the past. Rather, they lived in their present. I believe by studying how others lived in their present, we might learn how to better live in ours.” This July 4^th week, may we learn from John Adam’s vision that we might continue to live into God’s vision for the world, the vision that is the Kingdom of God. 

In Christ,

Joe