The Political Elephant in the Room: Conversation & Controversy [Part 2]

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Introduction

Before we get started let me be very clear....my job isn’t to tell you who to vote for!

My job is to make disciples and help you live every part of your life through an accurate picture and theology of Jesus and the gospel!

But what if we could experience something today that could change the way we live and experience politics or political conversations??

Our Mission is to find better ways for CHRISTIANS to engage with politics and political conversations.

The Church can’t check out every 4 years and pretend that we don’t have some struggles when it comes to POLITICS and CHRISTIANITY --- we should struggle with this!

BECAUSE the closer we FOLLOW JESUS, it should create some natural distance between us and our candidate. [if it doesn’t we may need to reevaluate our FAITH not our POLITICS]

Transition

So how should we engage with POLITICS as Christ-Followers?

Recap

Remember: The BODY of Christ is DIVERSE

When Jesus prayed for His disciples to be ONE [unified] He knew that that His body would come from all different backgrounds/colors/political views

UNITY was the PRAYER of JESUS not CONFORMITY

You can LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY + WALK IN UNITY and still not affirm the political choices of others.

If we are going to be the ANSWER TO JESUS PRAYER in John 17 [that we would be ONE]we will have to WALK OUT JESUS COMMAND in John 13 [love one another as Christ has loved us]

TODAY:

We must choose CONVERSATION over CONTROVERSY

How do we stay unified with our people who are voting differently than us?

Without attacking the viewpoints of our brothers and sisters in Christ

If we don’t choose to sit down with people [face to face] and have real life conversation

We will find ourselves surrounded with people who never challenge us.

We may find ourselves inadvertently hating others that don’t see life like us

We will find our witness limited by our unwillingness to hear other people

I’m not telling you to change your political stance

But to learn from others why they have different political views

Some of us refuse to listen to someone [face to face] who has different political views, because we are fearful

Fear of being challenged

Fear of being wrong

Fear of the unspoken nuances of proposed policies

Fear of not being able to accurately defend your political views

The Good News is that you have nothing to fear!

I know that not everyone is like this.....BUT there are fellow Christian that vote differently than ME still loves Jesus and still loves ME!

THEY still wants to be MY friend, go out on dates, and hang out!

THEY still wants to pray with ME, for ME, worship alongside of ME, serve God with ME, and grow in their faith in Community with ME!

Because they are doing their best to live by verses like Titus 3:1-5

Titus 3:1–5 (ESV)

3 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

I LESS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT YOUR POLITICAL STANCE IS ON EVERY ISSUE, AND MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW YOU INTERPRET THE GOSPEL OF JESUS!

I AM MORE CONCERNED OVER THE CONDITION OF YOUR SOUL, THAN WHAT BOX YOU CHECK ON VOTING DAY!

When we choose to understand others better, we are CHOOSING TO SHOW MERCY AND LOVE.

Key Text:

James 1:19–20 (ESV)

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

[20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.]

If we are going to bridge the gap between the Body of Christ and Politics…we must be able to have healthy conversations so that we can sympathize and learn from our fellow Christians.

This will demand that we do 3 Things

Listen [Quick to hear]

Learn [Slow to speak]

Love [Slow to anger]

[Jesus was invited to weddings, He engaged with prostitutes, adulterers, sick, healthy, religious, atheist, the rich and the poor, government leaders, religious leaders, etc.]

Jesus was someone who didn’t isolate Himself to a particular sect of people....He engaged with all walks of life and helped them in various ways.

If we are going to engage with others of different political [and religious] persuasions, I believe we need to be people who LISTEN, LEARN, and LOVE

[Note: I’m NOT saying, LISTEN, LEARN, LOVE, and adapt and affirm a different political/religious persuasion]

One thing that might help us to begin bridging the gap between the Body of Christ and Politics is understanding:

“Where you stand depends on where you sit” - Rufus Miles [Miles Law]

Rufus was apart of the Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson administration

[Explanation:]

Where you STAND = your stance on certain issues/beliefs/policies

Depends [is influenced by — or subject to]

Where you SIT = your cultural context - how you were raised - your experiences in life - your education - how much money you have [or don’t have] - etc.

One of the key ingredients to helping us LISTEN, LEARN, and LOVE others of different persuasions, will be understanding what has influenced [cultural context] their stances [policies].

Real Life:

Karlee and I = guns / running water / racial diversity / economics

I would have never learned anything different about these things had I not met someone who had lived in a different cultural context

My life is influenced by how I was raised, where I grew up, my education system, my race, etc.

The more I sit with people of different sides of political and religious issues, the more I can sympathize with why they feel that way, vote that way, and believe that way.

Even though it may not change the way I vote or believe, it builds a BRIDGE towards someone who I can love like Jesus and have a friendship with.

Warning:

If you chose to build bridges with those of different political views, it will most likely create tension in how you share yours.

If you chose to build bridges with those of different religious views, it will most likely create tension in how you share the gospel to others.

{Paul said in Corith, that he became all things to all people that by all means he might save some”....I do it all for the sake of the gospel...”} 1Corinth 9:22

If you chose to sit with those who do not line up with you completely on every issue, you will most likely be labeled a friend of sinners.

[[Again, loving and affirming are two different things. Loving others and staying true to the scriptures and not changing your beliefs is possible! — Jesus did this]]

Conclusion:

The Gospel doesn’t give us a moral mandate to enforce on others....it gives us a way out of death and sin so that we can live fully alive.

Jesus didn’t say, “they will know you’re my disciples by who you vote for”

John 13:35 (ESV)

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus didn’t say, “when the world sees where my disciples stand on politics, it will know that You, Father, have sent me”

John 17:21 (ESV)

21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Challenges:

Who will you LISTEN to, LEARN from, and LOVE this week?

How will you allow what you HEAR and LEARN shape how you communicate your political views?

How will you allow what you HEAR and LEARN shape how you communicate the LOVE of God to everyone?