Disclaimer:
Before I begin, I need to offer a disclaimer. Some of what we’ll talk about today could
make you uncomfortable. A number of you will
find yourselves disagreeing at points. With
that in mind, I’d like to ask for two things: First, I ask that you hold up
what I say to Scripture. Let us each
rely on His Word as the arbiter of truth.
Second, If, after the service, you find yourself angry or upset, I hope
you’ll talk with me. Or, you’ll at least
share those feelings with one of the elders or the staff.
Introduction:
Last week, Pastor Mike introduced our new series on Church
Revolution. Today we’re going to talk
about revolution in the context of issues often classified as politics.
Growing up, I was a bit of a rebel. I wasn’t the type of rebel to go out and
break the law. I wasn’t the James Dean type
of rebel. No, I was more of a nerdy
rebel. I rebelled in school and in my
classes. If a teacher asked a question
and offered me choices A or B, I would think of a reason why C was a better
answer. A little bit like these kids…
<Show Pictures>
Apparently, I haven’t outgrown this character. You see, I can tend to be a news junkie. A few months back, I don’t remember what I
was reading at the time, but I do remember being bothered. The headlines assumed readers held one of two
positions. You either believed in A or,
if not, then you must believe in B. And
I remember thinking, “What if I don’t agree with either of those positions?”
I started noticing it more and
more with other issues. Whether we
talking about Abortion, Immigration, Racism – I felt like we’ve been
conditioned to choose between two sides.
Many of us have been conditioned
to look at life as multiple choice questions.
We’ve been pigeonholed so that if we’re not A, then we must
automatically be Option B. There are
some issues that are important enough that we need to stop and consider whether
our position is consistent with God’s greater purpose for us. Does our choice align with our mission to
Know Jesus and Make Him Know?
Scripture:
So realizing we were being
pigeonholed into non-Biblical positions, I felt stuck. I found myself not wanting to talk about some
of these issues, which seemed like a better option than picking from two bad
choices.
Until one day, as I’m reading my
Bible… Have you ever had one of those
moments where you’re reading the Bible and all of a sudden the angels start
singing, blinding bright lights shine down, and a passage a Scripture lights
up? Yeah, me neither. But one day, as I was reading, I came across
a passage that showed me how we’re supposed to handle feeling trapped by these
issues.
Turn with me to Matthew Chapter 22
starting at verse 15. While you’re
turning there, let me set the stage. By
this point in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus’ ministry had been going on long
enough that the Jewish leaders felt threatened.
They were ready to get rid of Jesus.
The problem they faced was that Jesus had a large following. Even those who didn’t follow Jesus tended to
agree that He was righteous. So the
Jewish leaders couldn’t just arrest Jesus without cause or they’d risk a
riot. So they had to find a way to discredit
him.
Matthew 22:15–22 (NLT)
15 Then the Pharisees met together to plot how
to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. 16 They
sent some of their disciples, along with the supporters of Herod, to meet with
him. “Teacher,” they said, “we know how honest you are. You teach the way of
God truthfully. You are impartial and don’t play favorites. 17 Now
tell us what you think about this: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
Let’s pause here and see what’s going
on. Pay taxes to Caesar or not….sounds
pretty straightforward, right? What’s
the harm in answering? To understand
this context, we have to rewind a few years.
In 42 BC, Julius Caesar had been declared a Roman God. For many Jews, paying taxes to their Roman
overloads wasn’t just acceptance of their rule, it was actually viewed as
acceptance of a foreign God. So if Jesus
said they should pay taxes, He would be accused of violating the first
commandment, to have no other God before Me.
(Ex 20:3) However, if Jesus said
they should not pay taxes, the Herodians stood ready to have him arrested.
Let’s see how Jesus handled being
pigeonholed and trapped:
18 But Jesus knew their evil motives. “You
hypocrites!” he said. “Why are you trying to
trap me? 19 Here, show me the
coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, 20 he
asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?”
21 “Caesar’s,” they replied.
“Well, then,” he said, “give to
Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
22 His reply amazed them, and they went away.
How does Jesus respond? First, notice he doesn’t just accept the
question the way it’s been framed. He
takes it at a literal level and says based on the image that’s on the coin, it
belongs to Caesar. He’s not falling for
their trap. He’s not allowing them to
dictate what his answers mean. But
notice Jesus doesn’t stop there. He
answers a question they haven’t asked by reminding them (AND US!) that we’re to
render unto God what is God’s. Now, here’s the interesting part. If we apply the same logic Jesus used to
conclude what’s Caesar’s, namely whatever has the image of Caesar… <PAUSE>
Genesis 1:26 tells us that God made us in His image. Since you and I are created in His image,
we’re to render ourselves and each other unto God. When we step back and consider the whole of
God’s story and what God has been up to since Creation. The story of Mankind is the story of
Redemption. God wants us, as His beloved
creation, to return to Him. So this
answer that Jesus slips in there unprompted is the Great Commission: Go and
make disciples of all the world. Share
the Gospel!
So when we’re presented with choices,
rather than looking at two choices horizontally, two worldly choices, He
directs us to be heaven-minded or God-minded in our choices. Our choices, oftentimes, will be holy choices,
choices that set us apart from the crowd.
So when we’re confronted with A and B, we need to stop and ask whether
there’s a choice that’s honoring God and rendering unto God what is God’s.
Oooookay, that sounds like a bunch
of Church-speak. But how do we really
apply that to politics and issues of the day?
Applying to Issues:
Religious Liberty or Civil Rights?
Let’s start with what should be an
easy one. About a month ago, the U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights released a report that took three years in the
making. The headline in the Washington
Post on the day it came out read, “Civil rights or religious liberty — what’s
on top?”
So we have to choose, right? Which is more important: A) Civil Rights or
B) Religious Liberty? If we choose B,
Religious Liberty, does that put us at odds with civil rights?
Our religion, Our God teaches us
to love our neighbor without regard for religion, race, creed…just as He loves
us. Acts 10:34 tells us that “God
doesn’t show favoritism.”
The problem I have with this kind
of headline and these types of news stories is that we’re led to believe that
there’s this inherent conflict between the two.
That’s simply not the case. 99
times out of 100, if we’re truly following Christ, our religion is in perfect
alignment with the civil rights movement.
So what’s the answer? Religious Liberty or Civil Rights?
A: We have the inalienable right
to practice a religion that demands that we love our neighbors. That love, modeled after God’s own love, is what
will tear down those barriers of inequality.
Same Sex Marriage: Support or Anti-Gay
One of the areas where there has been a conflict between
religious liberty and civil rights is in the realm of gay marriage. We see headlines of county clerks refusing to
sign marriage certificates. Bakers being
sued for refusing to bake a cake for a gay couple’s wedding.
Marriage is such a blessing. I start each day knowing my best friend is by
my side. I end each day knowing I have a
partner and will never have to face life alone.
Marriage means I have someone with whom I can enjoy life, whether that’s
watching a concert, running along the beach or eating a good meal. I wish everyone could be blessed in such a
way.
But no matter how much I may
wish it, I can’t just define marriage for the sake of allowing everyone to
enjoy it.
As Christians, we know that marriage isn’t just a contract
between two parties. Scripture tells us
that it’s divinely designed from the beginning (Genesis 2:24, This is why a man leaves his
father and mother and bonds with his wife, and they become one flesh.). But
even more, God uses marriage to illustrate for us the covenant that He desires
with us. The entire book of Hosea equates
a promiscuous wife with an unfaithful people.
In 2nd Corinthians 11:2, Paul tells us, “For I am jealous over you with a
godly jealousy, because I have promised you in marriage to one husband—to
present a pure virgin to Christ.”
So this covenant of marriage isn’t just something we can
redefine. Rather, Marriage is to be held
up to the highest standards, standards created by God Himself.
But then, if we truly believe
that marriage is to be honored and protected, that we’re to treat it as this
holy creation, shouldn’t we be consistent in preserving the sanctity of
marriage? Shouldn’t we be as passionate
when marriage is threatened by divorce, adultery, pornography, sexual
addition? Should we be interested in
fixing these shortcomings first within the church lest we’re accused of being
hypocrites for finding faults outside the church before addressing our own
faults? You see, here’s the thing. If we’re not consistently upholding the
sanctity of marriage but only choose to uphold it in the context of gay
marriage, can you understand why someone would view us as anti-gay?
So should we Support Gay Marriage or continue to be accused
of being Anti-Gay?
A: We should be PRO-MARRIAGE as God view it. We should uphold and honor marriage as God’s
design. It’s not about denying someone a
right. Rather, we should make people desire
to have this type of holy and covenantal relationship just as God wants with us.
Abortion: Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life
One of the most contentious issues over the last 50 years is
abortion. Scripture tells us that life
is to be cherished. Psalm 8:5 tells us
that we were created just a little less than God and given glory and honor. Job 31 and Psalm 139 tell us that God knit us
together while we’re in our mother’s womb.
What God has created, in the womb, let us not destroy.
So does that then mean that we’re not pro-choice? Should we not care how a baby affects the
life of the mother and father?
We should care about choice. Our Father in Heaven, who’s all powerful and
completely just has every right to demand our love and our lives. And yet, after leading Israelites out of
Egypt, He offered them a choice whether they would serve God or the false gods
of the land where they’re about to live.
(Joshua 24:15) And, yet, though
His Son died for us, even then, He allows us a choice. So don’t tell me that Christians are
anti-choice!
No we should care about the
mother and how this new life affects her.
We should care so much about her choices that we offer her more
choices. The choice shouldn’t be whether
she preserves or ends life? No woman
should have to make that choice. Rather we
should offer to help the mother through pregnancy, we should offer to care for
the child after birth, we should be involved in programs like Safe Families
that offer temporary solutions while they get their lives in order. And we should be the first to be willing to
accept these babies as our own if the parents choose not to care for the
child.
And we should be adamantly
pro-life, not just while the baby is in the womb but beyond. Do we care about what happens to the baby
after birth or do we only care that the baby is born? Do we also care about the lives of the
mother? Of the father?
So does that make us Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?
A: Adamantly BOTH!
Racial Tension: Police Shootings
These days, we can’t seem to go for long without hearing of
some shooting involving the police. One
day, the media is reporting of a black man shot by a police officer. The next day, police officers are
killed. I think we can all agree that,
one way or another, these shootings need to stop.
Years ago, after one of these shootings,
a movement began. This movement was a plea
for recognition that Black Lives Matter. Often there will be protest and
demonstrations. A segment of our
community wants to know: Do their lives matter as much? Our answer should come easily. But, I think because it’s become a politicized
issue, we can become reticent to support such a cause. Maybe we’re asking ourselves, “If I support
BLM, does that mean that I’m anti-police?
Does it mean that I support some of the violence done in the name of
BLM?”
Maybe I should declare myself a
supporter of Blue Lives Matter and recognize that our peace officers put their lives
on the line each day for our safety. Here
in Southern California, three deputies have lost their lives. Three families have lost their loved
ones. Each day, police continue to be questioned
and scrutinized for the decisions they’re forced to make. Unless we’ve been in that position, we can’t know
how hard it is to make split second judgments that could lead to life or death,
theirs, ours or others’.
Let me read you part of a letter written by an officer:
I have a confession
to make.
I don't want to go
to work tonight.
I don't want to roll
into an apartment complex on a disturbance call and have every resident out in
the street filming me.
I don't want to make
that traffic stop and have it go badly.
<snip>
I don't want to be
vilified, called part of an epidemic of violence, described as racist by those
that do not know my heart, or potentially become part of another impassioned
political speech, another war cry - for a decision I make under the worst of
circumstances and with the best of intentions.
I don't want to
hesitate if the moment comes again. I don't want my wife worrying as she goes
to bed alone on another Friday night.
I don't want to go
to work tonight.
But I will. <snip>
I'll be there.
<snip>
For Dallas. For
Baton Rouge. For Charlotte. For Tulsa.
<snip>
For Black. For
white. For blue.
I don't want to go
to work tonight.
I'll be there.
For you.
A few weeks ago, an officer in Chicago was severely beaten. She was punched and slammed to the ground
until she passed out. When asked why she
didn’t draw her gun, she answered, “she didn’t want her family or the department
to go through the scrutiny the next day on the national news.” Shouldn’t her blue life matter? But maybe we avoid saying Blue Lives Matter
out of fear that we’ll be misunderstood as supporting the aberrations, those
who’ve taken their powers too far?
Or, to be safe, maybe we declare
a universal truth, All Lives Matter.
Certainly that shouldn’t offend anyone, right? Imagine if Bella came to me crying. Maybe she had a hard day at school. A classmate made her feel bad about
herself. So, being a good, loving
father….I bend down and pick her up. And
then I try to comfort her by saying, “Oh baby, don’t be sad. I love you and your brother just the same. You both matter to me.” How would she feel? She would be hurt. She would feel like I haven’t heard her at
all. That I’m just saying things to
appease her.
Each of these statements (Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives
Matter, All Lives Matter) have merit but each can be misunderstood. But here’s the thing. While we need to be concerned about how our
actions and words are understood, we also need to realize that silence also
speaks volumes. As Christians, we should
care about life. We ought to care that
there are people who feel as if their lives matter less. We ought to be willing to declare that black
lives do matter. And, even as we do, we
ought to declare our undying gratitude for blue lives who allow us the very
opportunity to say that black lives matter.
And yes, we need to trust officers to use their training in those
critical situations.
So, while we may be asked to choose between Black Lives
Matter and Blue Live Matter, we must choose both. We must choose in such a way that it’s not
words alone.
A few weeks ago, the Chairman of AT&T, Randall
Stephenson spoke of this issue. He spoke
of how he’s been humbled after learning the trials that his friend, who’s
African American, has faced his entire life.
He concluded the speech with this, “Tolerance is for cowards. Being tolerant requires nothing from you but
to be quiet and not make waves, holding tightly to your views and judgments
without being challenged. Do not
tolerate each other. Work hard. Move into uncomfortable territory and
understand each other.”
Shouldn’t we, as Christ’s body, be at the forefront of that
type of community? That type of
dialogue? In January, we hosted Breaking
Barriers United here at church.
Shouldn’t we do more of that? Are
there other things we can do to encourage dialogue and community?
So, Black Lives Matter?
Blue Lives Matter? All Lives
Matter?
A: Each Life Matters, all the time. Not just when there’s a tragedy. When there’s been a tragedy, we make sure
they know that we mourn with them and stand with them. Not necessarily against someone else but with
them. When there hasn’t been a tragedy, let’s seek to continue a dialogue. Let us be the peacemakers who bring disparate
groups together.
Immigration
Let’s talk about immigration. Pretty straightforward, right? Legal: good, Illegal: bad.
But how should we treat those who have entered the country illegally?
Consider the man who left his
family in his native country. He risked
his life and his paltry savings to have strangers sneak him across the
border. He now takes jobs that nobody
else seems to want. He collects junk and
makes what money from salvaging or selling.
He works as many hours as his body allows and sends most of his money
home to his family. He knows he’s
entered illegally, but he would do it again.
He’s doing what he feels he must to support his family.
Now this man has been arrested. He’s not happy but he understands. It’s part of the risk he took when he came. But he has a question. In his hometown, he’d met missionaries who
shared the Gospel with him. This loving
God intrigued him. These missionaries
also told him about this great Christian nation they came from.
So this man wants to know why
these Christians he’s met want to deport him.
He understands why the government would but why Christians?
Even if we say he should be
deported, shouldn’t we care and love him enough to understand what drove him to
take such desperate measures? Shouldn’t
we even pursue him across the border to see if there’s something we can do to
make life better with his family so that he couldn’t have to cross the border
illegally?
So where do we stand on the question of immigrants? A) Ship illegals back or B) Let them become
citizens.
So the answer on the immigration issue is to be vocally Pro-Immigrant. Love our neighbors, however near or far they
may be!
Reflection During and After Election
In just over two weeks, we’ll head to the polls and decide
the direction of our cities, our state, our country.
I’m not here to tell you who to vote for. But I do have a few points to make here:
First, I don’t remember a time when this country has been so
divided. So polarized. There’s a lot of anger, doubt…darkness. There’s seems to be a general sense of despair
that the country is heading downhill. I
think this is a great opportunity for Christians to REFLECT HOPE. Let me predict the outcome of the election
this year….You ready? Jesus will be the
LORD. We have that assurance. And because we have that assurance, we can
have hope. So let’s stop worrying and
wringing out hands, we already know who’s going to win.
Second, whomever you back will make mistakes and will do
things that are unworthy of Christians.
Call them on it. If we don’t, we look
no different than other partisan politicians.
There are times and places and issues on which we should stand out, be
set aside, be HOLY. People should know
that our only ABSOLUTE LOYALTY belongs to God.
And, if they want our support, they’ll have to grow closer to God
themselves.
Which brings me to the final point. Let’s REFLECT RIGHTEOUSNESS. In the end, the election isn’t going to
change our country’s value system. Over
the last decade or two, we’ve all seen the moral decline of this great nation. If we hope to reverse that, it’s not going to
happen overnight and it’s certainly not going to happen by electing the right
people. No, if we want to turn the
country around, the revolution starts with each of us. As we learn in 1st Peter 2:12, the
world will view our good works, our conduct, our values and glorify God!
Conclusion
We’ve reviewed just a few issues
here. There are certain many others and
we can’t cover them all. Whether it’s
with family, friends, coworkers – that Oikos that will be our focus in upcoming
years – issues will arise. Issues that
make people passionate. Should we just
stay quiet to risk saying the wrong things?
Should we just let the world take care of the world’s problems while we
keep our thoughts on Heaven? Certainly
not. We need to be engaged. Be Courageous. We need to be the light to the world. As Jesus instructs us in Matthew Chapter 5:
“[WE] are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and
it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light
shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your
Father in heaven.”
Before we pray, let me offer up
two questions to consider whenever we’re having a conversation on politics:
1. Are
we so focused on being right that we lose sight of reflecting Christ?
2. Do
we genuinely love the person with whom we disagree?
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