Care for Our Nation But Live for the Kingdom

As we watch our nation become more secularized, I think secularization is a polite way of saying godlessness and lawlessness are increasing. Our nation is increasingly bowing to the god of sexual desire and seems to be reorganizing culture around these ideals

Many of us are asking the question of What should be our response to living in such a culture?

How do we, as God’s people operate in a world that is quickly losing its fear of God?

If we are honest I think we often default to a few Knee- Jerk reactions. There are many that fall into one or two categories of Knee Jerk reactions.

I. Knee Jerk reactions

A. Get angry and loud

Usually, this group of people believes strongly in engaging in heated political discussions. This group usually hopes to persuade people from the error of their hearts by using common sense polit political arguments or persuasion.

I would argue that even if you can persuade people from one political ideology to another, you have done nothing to change the real problem, the sinful heart.

-or-

B. Be fearful and silent

This group wants to keep their heads down and hope that staying silent won’t offend and bring down the wrath of the wicked.

But I think that a careful examination of scripture would reveal that neither of these reactions is appropriate for the believer.

If being loud is not the solution and being quiet is not the solution, then how should we react?

For the answer to this question, let's turn to I Thessalonians 4

At the time of this writing, the culture of Thessalonica was much like our own. Much like the rest of the culture in the Roman empire, sexual perversion was the norm and was promoted and encouraged even more militantly than it is today. In fact, much of their religious system revolved around sexuality and the worshiping of deities by these acts.

By the way, church, we should ask, “Is it possible that my sinful ways are serving the purpose of demons?” The answer is “yes” it was true then, and it is true now.

As you can imagine, there was a lot of pressure on Christians and, no doubt, specifically on young people to live out the sexual ethics of the world around them. We feel much of the same pressure today.

So then, how do we live in a nation that is opposed to our values, or maybe a better question is, How do we care for our nation that has gone astray? The answer may surprise you. You live for the Kingdom.

1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 CSB

1 Additionally then, brothers and sisters, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received instruction from us on how you should live and please God—as you are doing—do this even more. 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you keep away from sexual immorality, 4 that each of you knows how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not with lustful passions, like the Gentiles, who don’t know God. 6 This means one must not transgress against and take advantage of a brother or sister in this manner, because the Lord is an avenger of all these offenses, as we also previously told and warned you. 7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. 8 Consequently, anyone who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

So then, according to these scriptures, what should be our response to a world gone crazy?

Live for the Kingdom, Live differently. Let your life display God’s principles not through arrogance but by committing to God’s ways. Look at what Paul says in the last part of verse 1

1 Thessalonians 4:1 (CSB)

1...do this even more.

Paul is saying, as you are already resisting the culture through the commitment to the Lord…Do this even more. As things get worse be even more committed to living a life that is pleasing to God. A life that displays the joy and the superiority of God’s kingdom to any earthly regime.

Do this even more...

Maybe you're saying hey, Pastor, I’m not sleeping around or living a homosexual lifestyle. That’s great, and I really mean that. Keep it up. But maybe there are those in this audience who, if you were honest, your entertainment choices need some tweaking when it comes to a biblical sexual ethic. Maybe your internet search history would reveal that maybe as you have committed to purity in other areas, you need to commit, as Paul says your live ....even more.

So then what should we do to care for our country?

#1. Pursue a Holy Lifestyle and Live for the Kingdom of God.

#2 Love Well and Live for the Kingdom of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:9–10 CSB

9 About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers and sisters in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers and sisters, to do this even more,

#3 Lead a quiet life and Live for the Kingdom of God

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (CSB)

11 to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business...

The admonition to live a quiet life literally means “Be ambitious to be quiet” in other words, as Wiersbe so adequately put it.

Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the New Testament Chapter 4

” That is, do not fret and worry and involve yourself in the world’s activities. “Attend to your own affairs” and therefore stay out of the affairs of others.

Is it possible that one could focus so much time on our nation and its political problems that he/she could neglect the weightier matters of the problems of his own soul?

#4 Work Hard and Live for the Kingdom of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (CSB)

11 ... and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,

Now everything that I have mention in this passage is completely counter-cultural

A Biblical sexual ethic.

Loving people beyond boundaries

Living a quiet life and minding your own business.....Here’s looking at you, social media warriors.

Working hard - There is an epidemic of laziness

Some of you are probably thinking, “ Okay, Pastor Brett, we get the living for the kingdom part, but how does living for the Kingdom care for our country?

What do you think will have more of a lasting and powerful influence? Getting overly involved in the anger-fueled political system, joining the protest.

or

Galatians 5:22 CSB

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 5:23–25 CSB

23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Literally putting the Kingdom of God and its superior system on display for all to see.

You want to change people's minds and show them a true alternative to the world's system.

The best way we can care for our nation is by pointing them to Christ and his superior ways.

So care for your nation and live for the Kingdom

Lets pray.