Sermon Transcript:All right, we just finished a series last week I talked about that with anxiety. If you weren't here, you can always go back and catch that and really culminated last week with giving our anxious hearts to the Lord. Because we're not meant to carry that anymore, we're to leave that at the foot of the cross. So we had sort of an opportunity for a life lesson between now and Mother's Day, Mother's Day is next week and been thinking about and praying about what would be a good kind of one topic thing to talk about. And today, I've chosen to talk about faith and politics, faith and politics. And we're all sort of feeling this at whatever level you're at. Whether you're talking about, you know, the campus protests or election cycle coming up, or however you and I sort of process this, this is something that is on the front of our minds, even if we've tried to ignore it. Now, I'd say first and foremost, that churches and religious leaders, we serve a higher purpose than to align ourselves with a singular political party. So if you're worried that this will be one of those sermons will all champion the political party you don't want me to? Or if you're excited that I'll bash the party you want me to? This isn't this kind of sermon, and we're not that kind of church. So so you can just ease that tension right now, I hope to give you I've thought through this for for a long time, really thought I may go into politics, I was a political science minor. I went to Washington DC, with with my school, met a lot of politicians and really thought that might have been the path that the Lord had for me going into law school after that, but but the Lord had ministry for me. And so I just thought a lot about this. And so I think that the three principles, and the three questions that I tried to answer, I think, can be used wherever we find ourselves.We do have a warrant to talk about politics and political leaders. Some of you may be thinking, Well, does this even belong in church or church talk or Sunday morning? Service, I think so. I look to the Old Testament prophets. And oftentimes, they found themselves having to speak to the political leaders and the authority figures of their days. And they and they dealt right with issues that were coming up for the people. So you see this in Old Testament prophets, I'm not going to go through all those. But there are several times where the prophets of God had to stand before the kings and the queens of whatever culture country they were a part of, and speak the word of God on his behalf. Also, you see Jesus in the New Testament, He spoke a lot about religious leaders and to them, but he also address political or governing authority. So I'm gonna go to a passage that I think you can't get around. It's explicit that Jesus wants to talk to us about how we are to relate to our religious or governing authorities. And then finally, I think Paul, who wrote the majority of the New Testament letters, he addresses Government and Authorities, we have an interesting history with the government and religion here in our country. One of the primary influences early on was Thomas Jefferson, he had made a name for himself with states rights in Virginia, and had already of course, written most of the Declaration of Independence. And remember, in order to ratify the Constitution, they had to promise the original 13 colonies that they would follow that right up with the first 10 Bill of Rights are what we have come to know, as the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. And so I just want to read amendment number one, and it says Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievances. So what his primary concern was, which by the way, the amendments are really short, the first 10, they don't get longer and more complicated until modern day times, just fascinating. They kept it short, sweet and simple.They were concerned, when they established America and the original colonies that became the United States. They were more concerned about the state government, establishing a certain religion or speaking into religious entities, primarily churches or Jewish synagogues at that time. They were concerned about that aspect, the arm of the government reaching too much into the church, keep in mind, they're coming out of England, they're coming out of Europe. And all those sorts of concerns are on the front of their mind. They assumed and this is what's interesting, they assumed more religious people would speak into the state. And that's important because somewhere along the last 70 plus years, many believers even Christians have sort of bought into the lie that we are not able to or we're not supposed to take our moral convictions, our Christian convictions into the public square or into governing jobs. And that's not what that'sTalking about at all it's talking about the fact that we're not to have a government tell churches, or religious entities stick their hand too much into those affairs. So how are we to think about it since we are bombarded with so much political news, specifically national now, again, it's been 3040 years or so since you had the 24 hour news cycle, beginning with CNN, and then Fox News, MSNBC, and then others that happened first, okay, a lot of people would point back to the original Iraqi war, which is when we start having those 24 hour news cycles. And then, of course, we had the internet. And we had smartphones, which really just kept us connected 24/7 to the news cycles of the day. So that's, that's just the air we breathe. And so we know that it's in front of us. So I want to try to help us think Christianly or biblically about faith and politics. Number one thing I want to say is that politics makes for a horrible God. The first one I was going to say this morning is that politics, politicians, you and us favorite politician, United's favorite political party, you and I's favorite cause of justice, because a lot of times what will happen is, is especially if if you're a millennial, or Generation Z is that we'll take up causes that are even right or righteous, but we'll think that's the end all be all whatever they are, whether they're environmental causes, or whether they're Palestinian causes, or Israeli causes, or host a number of humanitarian causes.But what will happen is that those God's lowercase geek G will let you and I down every time eventually. How did this even occur? Just real briefly, in thinking about the history of our country, in the absence of God, rights have we've just kind of gone along sort of very secular and very kind of godless over the last 70 plus years? What do you think will happen to humans, humans in the Western world, because we're all created with a God shaped hole in all of us, I believe that both experientially practically, biblically, we will fill that hole with something else. Because keep in mind, what is told us, they're all our advertising through all of the the images and through the rhetoric, and through the talk that comes through our smartphones and televisions and all kinds of screens, it's some version of relax in the sun a little bit, right are here in El Paso, try to chase the shade, especially from this time of year forward, eat some tacos taken out, have a nice car and a house and try not to hate your family. This is the American life in the American dream, right. And so that's kind of where we find ourselves. And what we realized quite quickly is if that's all there is, this is lacking a lot. And so what ends up happening is the absence of God, if no one is telling us the truth, no one is telling us about Jesus Christ and His death, burial resurrection, and that that's the only place where hope can be found. And then from that, we then engage the world. And we have the tools to be able to understand who God is and the universe and who's made us to be in the absence of all that, why would any of us be surprised that we begin to fill that space in our hearts and in our lives with something else. And so political and social causes have taken up a huge amount of space and time in our hearts, because we have to be passionate about something. We have to worship something. This is just a statement that I understand just as a human humanity has to worship something or some one. And so this has obviously affected us as the church as well.But what about the things I'm passionate about pastor? I mean, because because some of the things that I'm passionate about, I think align with scripture, I think so I think sometimes that can be true. And I think God cares about them, too. And so then you might ask yourself the question, well, how can I care about God, and then simultaneously do the right thing? Because that's what we want to do, right? Because we want to be citizens of this world and citizens of another world. I'm so glad you asked because Jesus address this kind of thing. I want to start off with these verses here, in the book of Matthew says this verse 15. Then the Pharisees met together to plot how to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested. So who the Pharisees are the religious leaders of the day, they don't like how Jesus is taking away power and control from them. Their perception of that they sent some of their disciples along with the supporters of Herod to meet with him. So who are they appealing to? Caesar or the the person who's in charge of that day? Teacher they said, We know how honest you are. Okay? This is what we call flattery. Okay. You teach the way of God truthfully, you are impartial. And don't play favorites. Now tell us what do you think about this? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Now this was a good question for them to ask because they're trying to trap him.Caesar Rome is ultimately in charge. If you know anything about your history, whether secular or biblical, you know, that was the Greeks and the Romans. The Roman census is what pushed Jesus to end up in Bethlehem. All God ordained I believe that but that was movement going on at that time, Rome is in charge, well until about the fourth or fifth century AD. And so here we are around Jesus's time 33 ad Herod, even if he's there at the temple, ultimately, bowels and bends and knee to Caesar. So they're asking Jesus to trap him who was supposed to serve Jesus Caesar or not. But Jesus knew their evil motives, you hypocrites. He said, Why are you trying to trap me here? Show me the coin use for the tax. When they handed him a Roman coin. He asked, Whose picture and title are stamped on it Caesars, they replied, Well, then he said, Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and give to God what belongs to God,His reply, amaze them and they went away. So what's going on here, you've heard this term, maybe before into Caesar, that which is Caesar's and rent to the Lord that which is the Lord, the Pharisees they did not care for or like Caesar, you have to understand that, that they've already gone through in their minds the humiliation of having someone else, that they have to go to hat in hand, in order to really do what they want to do, you're gonna see this again, when they want to crucify Jesus, they want to sort of pass the buck and appeal to the political or the governing leaders to do their evil deed for them. But they also remember the days of their theocracy, or members where God andgovernment are intertwined in the early days of Israel. And so they're sort of wishing and dreaming and thinking that needs to come back. And they wanted it back. Because what that meant is that they, as religious leaders would have both their hands in the political process and the religious process. Jesus knows all this, he's come to say, Hey, listen, guys, here's how things are working. Now, I'm going to be the savior of the whole world. And you don't have to worry about political power going away, you'd have to worry about something greater than that, which is your own soul being thrown into hell if you don't repent and believe. And so that's, that's where he's going with all that. And you don't have to worry about me starting some sort of insurrection here on Earth, because I've got a kingdom, and I've got authority beyond that.But he's giving them a better vision for how to be good citizens of this world, while your allegiance and heart is in another. Because if Jesus would have said,well, you don't have to serve Caesar, we serve Jesus and we serve. We Yeah, we serve either himself or, or God in heaven, the Father in heaven. They'd have been like, good, good, we trapped him, Go get the authorities real quick. So we can we can arrest him, butand if he had done the opposite, which is? Yeah, no, no, we pay all our taxes, and don't worry about God. And they said, okay, good, well, then, well, then, then you're not really of God, because we're supposed to get back to God that which is his, he gives them a vision for a better way of being citizens of this world. While our allegiance and heart is with another. Paul picks up this theme in Romans 13. He talks a lot about that the governing authority doesn't bear the sword in vain. And as long as you're not an evil doer, typically you don't have to worry about the government kind of messing with you too much. And he says this, this is also why you pay your taxes, Romans 13. Going into the book of Romans, For the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing, give to everyone what you owe them. If you own taxes, pay taxes, if revenue, then revenue. If respect, then respect, if honor, then honor. So United is now catching just a little vision here of understanding that we have a duty to do something in this world to to be a part of the governing system and that we don't get out of, of doing our part just because we are citizens of heaven. So the question that you may have is, is it ever appropriate to disobey governing authorities or to overthrow governing authorities? That's a that's a difficult question and something to think about. But I will say this, when there comes time to resist governing authorities, the way to win them over typically, is through humility and not violence.This is probably most clearly seen in recent history, with the civil rights movement of the 60s were where those who participated and really won the day. Were not those who tried to push up against governing authorities with force but found themselves peacefully doing the right thing in the midst of being slapped, kicked, or even sometimes murdered for doing the right thing because what ends up happening is if you are truly innocent, and you'rehalls is truly just eventually that wins the day. That's, that's that's kind of how that works a lot of times eventually, either in this life or in the life to come, but I think that's one thing to consider. But then the other question is, is it ever okay to overthrow the government? That's an interesting thing, as we're all sitting here, most of you all Americans, or at least in the country of America, I guess we thought it was appropriate at some point in time, didn't we? And you can go back and read some of our history and Patrick Henry, and, and they had different reasons why they thought, it's a just time and a good time to throw off the British crown in order to establish our own colonies, or what ultimately became our own states and the United States of America. So the answer is, yes, but with much wisdom with much patience, and always, if possible, pursuing the path of peace as long as possible. It's one first thought on faith and politics. Number two, here's my statement in order to maintain their prophetic edges, or edge, churches must be able to be an equal opportunity offender. And this is important, I think about this a lot in my own calling, as a pastor, or sometimes as a prophet, is this whole idea that we have to be able, as religious leaders and as a church, faith based community to be able to call balls and strikes, that's an old baseball term, but it's just the idea that, that that's what we need to be able to do, because what we'll do is we'll find ourselves looking at the landscape, and we'll see how some things in this political party align themselves with the heart of God, but some things really don't. And then we'll look to the other political party will say, I can see how that sort of aligns itself with the heart of God. But then I see other things that caused me great concern, in order to be able to do this, and probably the best example of one who kept their prophetic edge, in order to be an equal opportunity offender was John the Baptist. John the Baptist was critical of the king and queen of his day, and he lost his life because of and if you're not familiar with the story, we're going to read it right now, for Herod, and we've already talked about him and around the time of Jesus in the New Testament, for Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to her odious. Now this is being told this is going back and looking at the story in past tense. She had been his brother, Phillips wife, but Herod had married her so you understand what's going on here? You have a female, she's married to someone. The brothers thinks, oh, yeah, I like her. I'm gonna take her from my own. John had been telling her that it is against God's law for you to marry her brother's wife, especially because she's an American. So erroneous, she bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, right? She didn't. She didn't take too kindly to that sort of talk. But without Herod's approval, she was powerless for Herod respected John. And knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. So you just have all these different dynamics going on here you have a woman that rightly so doesn't like the fact that there's someone going out and talking about her sin on the public square. It's public knowledge, what they did together. And so he's saying, that's not of God, you shouldn't have done that. And then you got Herod here, who is also a little bit superstitious and a little bit concerned. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John but even so he liked to listen to him. Roti is his chance only came on Herod's birthday, he gave a party for his high government officials, Army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. Then his daughter, also named Herodians, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod in his guest. So you got all kinds of screwed up things going on here, right? He's getting his daughter to dance for his guests. Probably scantily clothed if at all asked me for anything. You like the king said to the girl and I will give it to you. He even bowed. I will give you whatever you ask up to half of my kingdom. ingresses sure. I'm sure the wind was flown as well. She went out and asked her mama, what should I ask for? Her mother told her she saw her chants asked for the head of John the Baptist. So the girl hurried back to the king and told him I want the head of John the Baptist right now on a tray. Then the king deeply regretted what he had said. Don't you make some rash vows because of the Vows he had made in front of his guests. He couldn't refuse her so he immediately sent an executioner into the prison that cut off John's head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, brought his head and an entree and gave it to the girl who took it to her mother. When John's disciples heard what had happened. They came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. So you can see there thatthat the edge John the Baptist had that he was willing to speak the truth, even if it cost him his life. We need to have freedom as a church and as religious leaders to speak the causes of truth and justice, that becomes more difficult, right? Follow the money, follow the power, whatever, that becomes more difficult when we're wedded to one political party. From this stage, I spoken out again, once it became public, I spoken out against theft from city council members with gas cards, I've spoken out against corruption and the DHS office. And I've spoken out against human trafficking. So Newsflash, you've got a pastor who's against theft, against corruption, and against human trafficking. And so that's, that's why he called for that.But, but that shouldn't be that shocking, right? Because what are we we we are people who are Christians, and that we hold the moral line, and we're not afraid to be an equal opportunity offender. And we can only do that if we're not tied or wedded to one political party. So the question may then come up, well as a Christian, or can a Christian or should a Christian, run for political office? My short answer is yes. But know that you're entering a sea of compromise. You can't be a pastor, at least I don't see how you can't be. You can't be a pastor, prophet, and a politician. That doesn't mean you can't be Christian, and be a politician. You don't have to necessarily compromise who you are at your core, or who your core what your core beliefs are. But realize that when you and I enter the political sphere, when we try to go for public office, whatever those public offices will be, we will not get everything that we desire from you. And I understand that right? That we all end up in rooms, or we end up in meetings, or we end up you know, in the town hall square, and the nature of politics is compromise, that whatever you and I all have our list of desires, they will not get done. Now that that I don't mean that to be discouraging, you and I can take up political calls if we want to or feel so called. But I want to encourage you. And this leads to our third and final point, real political change is extremely local. And this is why you and I are not be so discouraged about the political landscape, we find ourselves in every four to two years, because there is always going to be some sense of political unrest. But we can do a lot more change. And we can be a lot more effective in our local lives. And when I say extremely local, I mean, extremely local. So I want to talk about two verses here. And then I want to tell you what I mean by this, when I say real political change is extremely local. First thing is Titus three, one, remind the people to be subjected to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready to do whatever is good.Now about your love for one another, we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet, we urge you brothers and sisters do so more and more and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anyone. So what you and I are starting to see is we're starting to see a vision of how to be good citizens here in this kingdom, while we ultimately live in our hearts are in a nether that we're ready to do good. And that we make it our aim and desire to lead a quiet life where we're not dependent on anyone else. That just means don't, don't be a bomb, there's a time that we will take some sort of assistance from people, but then ultimately we'll find ourselves being able to help others because we began to get wiser with our resources. And guess what that means. And so what I am saying, though, when I say extremely local, and here's the good news and the bad news, because you can do the most about this right now. Is that is that it starts right here, in your heart and mind. So what I mean is, is that there's the old saying that people used to say is Lord, let revival begin in my in my country and in my land and in my city, and let it begin in me. So one of the things that we have to really come to grips with is that if we want real lasting change in this world, or whatever our spheres sort of effect, we have to ask ourselves, Lord, what is it you want to do with me? What is it you want to do with me? Then what you have to ask yourself is what do you want to do with my household? Whoever's in your household and in my household, we have to ask ourselves, How can we be instruments for good? How can we be people who lead a good life?eyes, that we are able to store up enough to not only have for ourselves, but be able to share generously with others. So that's asking about your own household, then you have to ask about your neighborhood. Do I care who my neighbors are? Am I looking out for one another? Are we having, you know, neighborhood block parties? Are we concerned about some of the things that are going on around us in such a way that we begin to care for one another, and not just hate one another and be mad when the music's too loud? Or when they have the party or when they park in front of your street? Or when their dog does something to your order? All the little things that we can get all angst and riled up about that we begin to say, man, God put me in this neighborhood, how does he want me to be a blessing to those around me outside of my household, then you have to ask yourself, if I have kids, than my school? How am I supposed to be involved in my school? I can't just complain and be upset about what they're doing in my school? How can I get involved in order to affect real change and care about what's going on there? If you say, Well, I don't have kids, well, then how can you get involved in your local associations, or your local affiliations, or something that's going on in your surrounding area that you can be a part of, for the force of good How can you volunteer, whether it's volunteering with your with your hands, or with your mind on boards or whatever, take up a call or two. Right? Many of you all have different things that you're passionate about, but you find it so much easier. And I find it so much easier to stay at the house and stay on the phone or stay watching TV, don't do that. Think about city government, local government school boards, how we can serve those beyond them if the Lord calls you and me to do them local legislation and causes for what good things that you and I say we all want better roads, better schools, better security, better parks, less human trafficking, less drugs, more kids taking care of through nonprofits, and governing agencies, then within that faithfulness and framework, every once in a while. And I want to emphasize it is very rare. But every once in a while, you'll see someone who comes up through that local governing body. And this somehow given a platform on a national level called to greater service. And that's what all good governing authority is meant to be about. It's about serving others not serving self.And engaging in national politics is so rare, it does happen. But there's rarely an opportunity for you and I to do something about it. Unless God calls us as one of the few out of our faithfulness at the local level into some sort of national stage. There's only two times if you see it different you let me know. But I want to see really two times that us in the room, unless you find yourself again, one of the few who has a national platform or stage. And that is the presidency every four years, or the midterms and or the midterms. Other than that, guess what's open 24/7 local. I mean, this is so important. And I'm telling you the reason why I bring this up is everything that you and I are consuming from our national news cycles. Even our local news cycles, like half of it is is obviously reading some of the national news. It it tells us that's the most important thing in our life and in our universe. But what's the truth? How often can we vote for presidency? How often once every four years? How often can we vote for midterms or regular, you know, Senate or House representatives and that's every other year. So think local, it's open 24/7 and change happens from the inside out. That's so important. It's that's how we can be salt and light. In this world. I think about that think about how Jesus talks about this. We're a little leaven leavens the whole dough. And that that good. It has it has a rotating effect. It has a way of affecting everything around it. This is true for good or for ill. And know that if we are faithful with the few things will give in charge over much. This is so hard for us in an instant gratification world. How many of us have little children who loved the YouTube stuff and the YouTube stars and they're trying to figure out a way how to, you know, spiked the ball and somehow didn't become a superstar overnight. That rarely happens. And it's rarely good if it does happen to you. Because why? Because your character often doesn't match the spotlight on you if you're given that sort of spotlight too early. But what is the way that God has for us, we've all read it to lead quiet, productive, faithful lives, work with our hands or work with our minds, whatever God's given us and do good to others. And when we are faithful in those little things in our little world, what ends up happening is that God will give us charge over much research. My third and final question this morning is how do I vote?So how do I vote? I've thought about this. I didn't put it on slide but but I've chosen every word very carefully. Here's how we vote. Wevote for the candidate that will most accurately or fully enact causes of righteousness, aligning with biblical principles. That's a mouthful. I know, I tried to shorten it I couldn't, for the candidate who are most accurately or fully enact causes of righteousness, that align with biblical principles. If you want to say it negatively you learned about this in school, which was the lesser of two evils. I think that's the negative way of saying it. I think this is a lot more positive way. And it brings in Christian truth, or biblical principles. It's not based off of gender ideology, or race ideology. And this is the tricky part, we have to weigh what the candidates say about themselves and their own expression of Christian faith. I think about this historically, when you had people like Jimmy Carter, who was probably a more faithful Christian in terms of his own prayer, life and Bible reading life than a Ronald Reagan leading up to the 1980 election, but one had the ability to do something about Iran and the other one didn't. Or you think about this in our own political landscape over the last couple of cycles, where you have Joe Biden and you have Donald Trump, and you have Joe Biden, who claims a Catholic faith, that's very real to him, yet, he's not able to take communion in some parts of the country because of his stance on abortion, or you have, you know, Donald Trump, who will say the Bible is a good book, but he doesn't claim that he's humbled himself to believe it or read it. So I'm just saying we have a lot of things that we have to consider. And that's why we have to come back and say, What are we to do? And I think the way we can vote, vote your conscience, I get all that. But it's a conscience that's informed by what God has showed us and told us in His Word, knowing that you and I are going to always vote for flawed men and women, but we're going to vote for the best one that we can discern most closely aligns the causes of righteousness, aligning with the biblical principles. So how am I gonna close? I'm gonna pray, there's something to think about. Don't pray here just a second.Ask yourself, Lord, what do you want me to do? Okay, I've tried to make it real clear that as much as your phones and our TV screens want to tell us to be consumed with the national political sphere, you and I need to think local. And we need to ask ourselves, what part do I need to play in Christian influence at the local level. So that's really what the what the response is going to be the the altar is open, you can pray right there in your seat, Chris may read something to kind of help set our hearts. But really, we need to ask ourselves, Life Church, because there's so much we can do. There's so much that we can do with the Spirit of God can do in us and through us. If we will just say, Lord, here's, here's my hands. Here's my feet. How do you want to use me? I want to be faithful. Let's pray. Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank you that you didn't leave us wondering or wondering exactly what you have for us. But you have shown us that there is a way and a pathto peace filled, honorable living in this life that affects the life to come. So I pray for those in the room, men and women who are thinking, Lord, what would you have for me?And I pray for those that need to get right with you that first and foremost they need to humble themselves. Under your mighty hand. I pray for those who are thinking about how they can be faithful in their neighborhoods. I pray for those who are thinking about how they can be faithful in their schools and at their workplace. I pray for those who are ready to step up into different roles on nonprofit boards and in school systems, on city councils. And, well, I just pray that you would send believers out into all these places to be a light in a very dark world that needs you. Oh Lord, we ask that you do this in Christ's name. Amen.

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