"Everything Depends On This Election"

Scripture Reading: Psalm 146

(Play Guess The Phrase Game)

Raining Cats & Dogs

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Cost an Arm & a Leg

It’s Not Rocket Science

Time Flies When You’re Having Fun

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

You’ve heard the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf

A small village had a little shepherd boy who tended their sheep

And because he wanted attention…

Or because he thought it was funny…

He would frequently cry out, “Wolf! Wolf!”

This alarm would grab the attention of everyone in the village

They would run out to the field to help the little boy rescue the sheep

But every time they would arrive…

There was no wolf to be found

And as the story goes…

Over time, the village grew tired of his tricks…

And they decided not to fall for them anymore

And the very next day, to the boy’s surprise…

A wolf really did come

And it began attacking the sheep

The little boy cried out, “Wolf! Wolf!”

But no one came

We use this little story to teach:

The importance of honesty

And the consequences of lying

But there’s a problem with this story

It’s only half-true

In the real world, many do stop listening altogether

But many others live in constant fear…

Believing every alarm…

And rushing to the field every time they “Wolf”

Neither response is good

One group is indifferent to the danger

And the other is consumed by it

Apparently there was some big election this past week?

And guess what?

There will be another one in 2 years

And another one 2 years after that

And you know what’s going to happen before each one?

There will be lots of people crying “Wolf”

Every election seems to become the most important election of our lifetime

We’re told:

The future of our nation hangs in the balance

If the right person gets elected, things will get better

If the wrong person gets elected, things may never recover

And some people believe every word of it…

While the others stop listening altogether

Here’s the truth of the matter:

There really are wolves out there

Government decisions have real consequences…

For our families, communities, & futures

And as Christians, we shouldn’t be indifferent to those things

But we also shouldn’t become so consumed with the political climate around us…

That we believe everything depends on the outcome of the next election

Christians shouldn't live in constant fear

But Christians also shouldn’t live in careless indifference

You Have Heard It Said…

“Everything Depends On This Election”

I don’t know that I’ve personally heard anyone say those exact words

But I know that sentiment has been communicated many times

And here’s the problem with such a sentiment:

It causes some to put too much hope in government, political power, & elections

It causes others to become so disillusioned with those things…

That they completely disengage…

To the neglect of justice, righteousness, morality, & the well-being of their neighbors

As Christians, we should desire righteousness in our government

We should actively hope, pray, & even vote for the good of our nation

But our hope should never rest in:

Political Leaders

Political Parties

Or Government Policies

We have a responsibility to seek the good of the kingdoms of earth…

While also remembering that our ultimate hope rests in the Kingdom of Heaven

I believe there is a Biblical Balance we’re to live out

And that’s what I hope to communicate with this lesson

In this lesson, we’re going to look at 3 Major Truths:

1. Government Matters, But It Isn't Our Savior.

Government does matter

Politics matter

Elections matter

Law & Order matters

All of these things are important

All of these things serve legitimate purposes

Paul wrote a letter to Christians living in Rome:

One of the largest & most powerful empires the world has ever known

And to give some context…

Paul told these Christians to never pay back evil for evil

To not seek revenge against their enemies

But, instead, they are to allow God to repay vengeance where it is due

Then he immediately tells them:

Romans 13:1–7 NIV

1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

God has established governments to fulfil a very important purpose:

To restrain & punish those that do evil

To promote & reward those that do good

When governments:

Establish righteous laws…

Enforce justice…

Protect the innocent…

And judge according to truth…

They are fulfilling the purpose God intended for them

Those are the types of leaders Christians should want to elect

Leaders who know the difference between right & wrong…

And who seek to govern accordingly

Unfortunately, finding leaders who consistently demonstrate those qualities…

Can be a difficult thing to do

But that doesn’t mean we should just stop caring & disengage

If we want our government to fulfill the purpose God intended for it…

Good and righteous people need to be involved

But there is one important thing we need to remember:

Even when a government does exactly what God intended it to do…

There are still things it cannot accomplish

Government can punish wrong-doing

But it can’t produce true repentance in a heart

Government can establish laws that protect the sanctity of marriage

But it can’t make a husband love his wife

Government can protect religious freedom

But it can’t make someone love God

Government can establish laws that promote righteousness

But it can’t produce righteousness within the human heart

We should want, advocate, & vote for our government to do what God established it to do

But we should never expect government to do what only God can do

Psalm 146:1–2 CSB

1 Hallelujah! My soul, praise the Lord. 2 I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live.

Psalm 146:3–6 NIV

3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. 6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— he remains faithful forever.

Though governments serve a God-given purpose…

We shouldn’t put our trust in them

Why?

Because they’re human

And they can’t save us

Politicians will make promises they never intend to keep

But God remains faithful/trustworthy forever

If we put our hope & trust in human governments…

We’ll be let down every time

Everything we hope to see in our government…

Has its ultimate source in God

Psalm 146:7–10 NLT

7 He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The Lord frees the prisoners. 8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down. The Lord loves the godly. 9 The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. 10 The Lord will reign forever. He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations. Praise the Lord!

We want Government to:

Execute justice for those who are wronged

Provide for the poor & vulnerable

Protect the innocent & powerless

Care for the sick & hurting

Reward those who do what is right

Hold the wicked accountable

And it isn’t wrong to want such things from our government

But if our hope lies with human governments to faithfully provide them…

We are going to be disappointed over & over again

But when our hope is in God…

We can trust that His promises will all be fulfilled

And to beat it all, we don’t have to worry about electing Him

We don’t have to worry about any term limits

He doesn’t have to campaign every 4 years

He will reign forever

We should care about who leads our country

We should want a good & righteous government

We should desire a just society

But we should never get so focused on human leaders…

That we forget that they can’t save us

1. Government Matters, But It Isn't Our Savior.

2. Our Hope Is In A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken.

When Daniel was in Babylon…

He interpreted a dream for King Nebuchadnezzar

The dream was of a statue representing a succession of earthly kingdoms

Then a stone appears & destroys the statue…

And becomes great mountain that fills the whole earth

That stone-mountain represents the Kingdom God Himself would establish

A Kingdom that would never be destroyed

Daniel 2:44 NASB95

44 “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

Just as Daniel predicted…

Jesus came preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God

Then He died & was raised & ascended to Heaven…

Where He is now sitting at the right hand of God…

As King of Heaven & Earth

And those who surrender their lives to King Jesus…

Are welcomed into His everlasting Kingdom

And we are given the full rights of citizenship

Philippians 3:20–21 NIV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

The Philippians were proud of their Roman citizenship

But Paul found it important to remind them of their true citizenship

American Christians need that reminder today as well

Before we’re Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, or even Americans…

We belong to the Kingdom of Heaven

Our primary allegiance is to King Jesus

That doesn’t mean our American citizenship is meaningless

It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be thankful for our country…

And care about its future

It simply means that our allegiance to Jesus must be stronger…

Than our allegiance to any government or political party

Great & powerful nations have risen & fallen

America may last for 1,000 years

Or it may fall tomorrow

But the Kingdom of Heaven will never fall

And when elections don’t go our way…

Jesus is still on His throne

When the candidate we supported loses…

Jesus still has all authority in Heave & on Earth

When laws are passed that contradict our convictions…

God’s laws have not changed

Though the political landscape of our nation may change:

Our King remains on the throne

Our citizenship remains in a Kingdom that can never be shaken or defeated

Our hope remains in a resurrection to eternal life

Our mission remains the same

To live as citizens of Heaven while here on Earth

3. Our Heavenly Citizenship Changes How We Live In This World.

When many of the people of Judah had been taken into Babylonian captivity…

Jeremiah wrote a letter to them & said:

Jeremiah 29:4–7 NLT

4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

These people were living under a government that wasn’t their own

A government that did not share their values, convictions, or religious beliefs

Yet God didn’t tell them to withdraw from the city…

And spend all their time complaining about their new government

He told them to pray for the welfare of the city

To work for its good & contribute to its flourishing

There’s a beautiful principle here:

Even under a government that doesn’t share our convictions…

We’re still to seek the good of the nation

When Paul wrote his 1st letter to Timothy…

He told him to “pray for kings & all who are in authority”

Peter told his readers to “honor the emperor”

They didn’t write these things under some ideal Christian government

They wrote it under the rule of an emperor…

Who would bring horrible persecution upon Christians

We may be citizens of Heaven…

But that doesn’t mean we should withdraw from earthly things

We’re to care about:

Our Communities

Our Neighbors

Justice

Righteousness

The Moral Direction of our Nation

We’re to actively seek the good of those around us

That may involve:

Voting

Speaking up against evil

Advocating for righteous laws & policies

Serving our communities & helping those in need

Jesus calls us to be the salt & light of the world

We’re supposed to make a difference in the world around us

Our character should reflect the Kingdom we belong to

Paul describes that character in his letter to the Galatians:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-Control

When we fill our hearts & minds with the teachings of Jesus…

And the Gospel message of what He’s done, is doing, & will do for us…

This will be the fruit that is produced

But what is produced when we fill our hearts & minds with:

Political outrage

Constant fearmongering

Hatred & Division

There’s an old saying: “You are what you eat”

There’s some truth to that

So often, what you consume is what you become

How can you love when all you consume is hate?

How can you express joy when all you consume is despair?

How can you be a person of peace when all you consume is hostility?

How can you be patient when all you consume is anger?

There’s nothing wrong with being informed about what’s happening in our country

There’s nothing wrong with caring about important issues

But we need to ask ourselves…

What all this political consumption is producing in us

All you have to do is spend 30 seconds on social media…

To see what political consumption & engagement…

Is producing in Christians

And its not the fruit of the Spirit

It’s okay to be politically informed & involved

It’s okay to vote & advocate for righteous laws

But those things aren’t our primary mission

A Christian’s greatest contribution to any nation…

Isn’t simply electing better leaders…

Or winning political battles

It’s being a faithful Christian who makes more faithful Christians

Conclusion

I want to live in a nation that values righteousness

I want good & wise leaders

I want laws that execute justice

But my hope is not in:

The White House

Congress

Supreme Court

Republican Party

Democratic Party

My hope is in Jesus Christ

So let’s vote

Let’s pray for our leaders

Let’s advocate for righteousness

Let’s seek the good of our communities & nation

But let’s never put our hope in something…

That can be taken away by the next election

When the next election roles around…

And news stations, social media pages, & people start crying “Wolf!”

Let’s remember Who is on the Throne

Let’s remember where our citizenship lies

And know that everything does not depend on this election