ONE PASTOR'S REPONSE TO THE RECENT ELECTION

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 KJV)

In the divisive atmosphere of the presidential elections, it is far too easy to either gloat or sulk, depending on who you voted for. What follows is not about the outcome the election but rather what our response as Christians and the church, the Body of Christ, is and always should be no matter who is elected.

There is no such thing as a perfect human government or presidential administration. No matter who is elected or what political party is in power, there will be some who will benefit from it, and some who will be negatively impacted by it. No matter what promises are made, we will never reach that “land of milk and honey” where no one goes hungry, no one falls between the cracks, everyone has adequate housing, educational opportunities, full employment and health care, and people feel safe on the streets and in their homes. Human governance is never truly just. Jesus said the poor will always be with us (Matthew 26:11). Like it or not, that is the universal human condition, no matter who rules in any political office.

As Christians, we claim a higher power than human governments and politicians. We claim Christ Jesus as our savior and our Lord, our King. It is Christ upon whom the governance of the Kingdom of heaven, the church and our lives is grounded. Under Christ's rule, we are held to higher standard. Controlled by Christ's love, we are called to behave in counter-intuitive and counter-cultural ways as we see to the needs of the least, the forgotten, the unwanted and the overlooked among us. (Matthew 25:31-46)

Political beliefs do not give anyone an excuse to partake in or support unloving actions. Whether gloating or sulking, Scriptures teach a different way to be under the rule of Christ:

  • Pray for and love those that disagree with you, whom you dislike or hate and those you find threatening. (Matthew 5:43-48)
  • Pray of our elected and appointed leaders. (I Timothy 2:1-3)
  • Work for peace and prosperity in our local and global communities. (Jeremiah 29:7)
  • Share Christ's love in a way that welcomes, advocates for and transforms the lives of the poor among us. (Matthew 25:31-46.

In this season and beyond, let us live peace and shine God's love in ways that witness our faith and gives honor to our king, Christ Jesus, Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

CHRISTIANS AND COFFEE BEANS

Image
1 Peter 1:17-23 John 17:14-19 Potatoes, eggs or coffee beans? Which are Christians called to be? We're going to find out as we explore what it means to be “in the world but not of the world” in today's message, “Christians and Coffee Beans.” Put three pots of water on to boil. When the water begins to boil, put some potatoes in one, eggs in another pot, and coffee beans in the third point. Boil for 20 minutes The potatoes went into the pot hard. After boiling in the hot water, they are now soft, easily broken up and mashed. The eggs, with their fragile shells and soft centers, are also changed. They are now hard-boiled. The coffee beans are different. While they look the same as they did when they were put into the water, they have transformed the water. The water has taken on the smell, taste and color of the coffee Jesus was not of this world, yet he came into the world to redeem the world by his death and resurrection an...
Read more

OATHS -- GONE WITH THE WIND?

Image
Leviticus 19:11-12 Matthew 5:33-37 Even if we've never seen the movie, Gone with the Wind, we're probably familiar with Scarlett O'Hara's oath. Framed by the sunset, Scarlet raises her fist in defiance and says, “As God is my witness, I will never be hungry again!” In today's passage from the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus leads us into a new understanding of oaths and profanity. Did the character, Scarlett O’Hara in the movie, Gone with the Wind , take the Lord’s name in vain when she made her famous oath? “As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they’re not going to lick me. I’m going to live through this and when it’s all over, I’ll never be hungry again. No, nor any of my folk. If I have to lie, steal, cheat or kill. As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again. Leviticus 19:11-12 tells us not to take oaths, make promises that profane the Lord’s name, that is take the Lord’s name in vain. Scarlett’s oath is a profane ...
Read more

ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER

Image
"...  and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds...  " --  Hebrews 10:24  ( Amplified Bible) "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing."  -- I Thessalonians 5:11 (NRSV)       To encourage means to:   give support, confidence, or hope to someone; give support and advice to someone to help them do or continue to do something; thelp stiulate development.  Encourage and building each other up go hand in hand.  Here are some ways we can encourage and build each other up which will in turn help us become healthy, thriving churches. 1.  Have high regards, great respect and favorable thoughts for each other. 2.  Be thoughtful and intentional when you speak.  Consider where someone is coming from and choose wisely your words. 3.  Be gracious.  When someone makes a mistake, be quick to forgive...
Read more