Hot Seat - Politics
Hot Seat - Constriversal Conversations • Sermon • Submitted
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· 52 viewsDo you find it difficult to navigate hot topics in culture? Personally? On social media? Are you unsure about what God thinks about these topics? We want to dissect these often-challenging topics in a four-week series, Hot Seat - Conversations on Controversies. We’ll cover the subjects of Depression, Revenge, Politics and Sexuality by looking at different passages from the book of Psalms, and investigate not only the biblical stance on each topic, but also understand that we CAN approach God concerning these often-divisive issues.
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Hot Seat - Controversial Conversation POLITICS
Hot Seat - Controversial Conversation POLITICS
Intro: We are in a series titled Hot Seat - Controversial Conversations
We are looking at David’s writings in the Psalms about...
Today’s CC is about POLITICS
Are you nervous? How many people enjoy the drama of politics? (Last fall) Hate the subject of politics? How many of you bring it up? How many already have your mind made up what party your voting for in the next elections? Who thinks preachers should avoid all things political?
Me: I got invited to a political fundraiser… are you one of those pastors who want take a stand? Are you afraid to side with a political party? First, let me clarify. I love our nation. I’m going to honor those that have fought for us - I’m blessed to live in what I believe to be the greatest country in the world. I love the USA and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I stand with Jesus. The biblical Jesus didn’t come to earth to take a side or pick a party He came to take over. I’m praying that His will be done. No matter what my political affiliation my party doesn’t have to be in charge for God’s will to be done. God was ruling long before the 2016 election and He will still be ruling after the next election. Any involvement that I have in government will be for His purposes. How about you? Where do you stand with Jesus? He responded, “I learned along time ago not to discuss religion. You have a nice afternoon.
We: Two cautions -
Make sure to filter your politics through your faith and not your faith through your politics. In other words we are Christian first and an Americans second. There is a difference between a American Christian and a Christian American. Anything we put before God is an idol.
Don’t assume because we (US) are blessed that we are God’s favorites. God so LOVED the world… God loves North Korea as much as He loves the USA. America is not the promise land. It is very selfish and self centered to think that God’s world and His rule revolves just around your nation.
So with that in mind let’s interrogate King David let’s put him on the Hot Seat.
God:
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
David warns us about making politics and idol in our lives. Every ruler or leader will ultimately fail us (v. 3). There is no politician more powerful than God. Earthly authority figures will come and go, but our God is always on his throne (v. 4).
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.
I believe it is important to learn from history. To evaluate where we are and to look to the future. Let’s let three snapshots guide our conversations.
America’s Past:
Our past had a firm foundation.
24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.
The founding father’s had a biblical worldview.
“So help me God.” - George Washington (1st president)
“Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” - John Adams (2nd president)
America’s early institutions - 106 out of 108 where biblically based schools. Harvard and Yale where built to train ministers and missionaries.
Key Word: RESOLVE
2. America’s Present:
Do you think we have slipped biblically? Do you believe we are still resolved to honor God and live by His principles? I believe that our country is now more concerned with the physical than the spiritual.
“If we forget that we are a nation UNDER GOD, then we are a nation GONE UNDER.” – Ronald Reagan
We are a blessed country...
Ill – Grocery store – powered milk, powered orange juice, … baby powered. What a country! We have more selection and material wealth.
Our blessings have thrown us out of balance. We have lost our foundation.
Psalms
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
Key Word: RELATIVISM - Believe whatever: Relativism (no single objective truth)! As long as happy, all that matters! As long as sincere, doesn’t matter what you believe. As long as don’t hurt anyone, doesn’t matter what you do.
3. America’s Future:
I don’t have a crystal ball… We are in a season of opposition that will lead to persecution. Ill - Syrian Christian It is not going to be easier in the future to follow Christ it is going to be harder.
Paul would say that we have a great opportunity!
15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
Stars shine brightest on the darkest nights.
KEY WORD: REPENT - turn back to God.
2 Chronicles
14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
Three challenges...
Change Your Political Perspective
1 Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. 2 They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.
4 But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life. 8 This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.
Titus 3:
1 Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good. 2 They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
See people as more important than politics.
See people as more important than politics.
As a follower of Christ I’m to pursue what Jesus pursued and be passionate about what Jesus was passionate about PEOPLE! I need to build relational bridges instead of putting up political bearers. I need to have conversations and listen to others. I have more compassion if I understand where someone is coming from.
See the Gospel as more important than government.
Nobody goes to DC when they die. I’ve never been at someone’s bedside and people ask me to read the constitution. Your faith is more important.
Gov = laws / Gospel equals true freedom.
2. Participate In The Politics
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
Vote! Run for office. Jesus says you are salt and light. Get involved. Government is one of our six streams of influence.
Vote! Run for office. Jesus says you are salt and light. Get involved. Government is one of our six streams of influence.
3. Pray For Politicians
1 Timothy 2
1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.
Conc:
C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters. This classic book recounts a fictional correspondence between Wormwood, a demon-in-training, and Screwtape, his more experienced uncle. Like any demon-uncle, Screwtape takes the tutelage of young Wormwood seriously. Toward the end of the book, he advises Wormwood on how to destroy a Christian:
Let him begin by treating patriotism… as a part of his religion. Then let him, under the influence of partisan spirit, come to regard it as the most important part. Then quietly and gradually nurse him on to the stage at which the religion becomes merely a part of the “cause,” in which Christianity is valued chiefly because of the excellent arguments it can produce…. Once you have made the world an end, and faith a means, you have almost won your man, and it makes very little difference what kind of worldly end he is pursuing.
Don’t filter your Christianity through politics. Filter your politics through your Christianity.
Mark how is this going to end? I have so much anxiety...
10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalms 146:
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Prayer: