HOFC Sermon Archive: September 2024

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SERMON TIMELINE

1. Does it Matter if I Vote?

INTRODUCTION

Today is Sunday. September 22^nd, 2024

Does it matter if I vote?

With the upcoming election I feel it is important for us as Christians to examine some very important issues, such as whether or not you should vote, if so how should you vote?

Now, when I make the statement “how should you vote,” I am in no way implying I will tell you who to vote for, or how “I think” you should vote on issues, rather, what the bible says about important issues that face us as a society today.

If we are followers of Christ, then we live by His ways, not ours, and for us to be a light in this world we need to examine and understand His ways so we can rightly represent the Kingdom of God here on earth.

There are the major issues at hand today, and we need to remember, we have the choice to defend values during an election.

And in the words of the rock group RUSH

“if you chose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”

If you are more science than rock band, Albert Einstein said

“Evil prevails when good men do nothing.”

So, let us begin our series, Christian Politics

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE

Matthew 22:15-22

"Then the Pharisees went and took counsel together about how they might trap Him [Jesus] in what He said.

16 And they *sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any.

17 Therefore, tell us, what do You think? Is it lawful to give a tax to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, “Why are you testing Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought Him a denarius [A Roman Silver Coin or a day’s wage]. 20 And He *said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”

21 They *said to Him, “Caesar’s.” Then He *said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”

22 And hearing this, they marveled, and leaving Him, they went away.”

I was reprimanded once by a Jehovah Witness when he found out I was going to vote in an upcoming election. Not for who I was voting for, but because I was voting.

He then offered a laundry list of reasons Christians should not vote.

Firstly, though they consider themselves Christian, they are not.

· They deny Jesus is the Son of God (Luke 1:35; Luke 4:41; Mark 3:11)

· They reject the Trinity (John 1:1-5; John 10:30; Matthew 28:18-20)

· They deny the Holy Spirit as a person, limiting Him to an “active force” (Ephesians 4:30-32; John 6:63; Romans 8:11; 1 John 5:6)

· They believe Jesus is a created being (refer to point #1 & #2)

· They believe in works, and you earn your salvation through ministry (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Galatians 2:16)

· And many more reasons.

Remember, Jehovah Witnesses are not Christian, and even Satan misrepresented scripture to attack Jesus. But I want to address this because he did use scripture to prove their point.

I. SHOULD CHRISTIANS VOTE?

a. Jehovah’s Witness don’t vote or hold any government office

i. Many of their teachings are the traditions of men (Mark 7:13)

ii. Many of their teachings are misunderstood or misrepresented scripture

iii. They do not believe in voting, joining the military, serving in public office, or even pledging allegiance to the flag.

iv. All of which, they say, is because of what the Bible teaches.

b. What verse convinces them of this?

i. John 17:14 where Jesus states that His followers are “not of this world,”

ii. Sounds legit

1. Christians are not of this world

2. We belong to the Lord’s Kingdom

3. Then, we shouldn’t take part in worldly things if we are not part of the world

iii. However, this is not what Jesus meant.

iv. We are not “of” this world, but we are called to live in it, and to be a light in the darkness

c. We are not to “conform” but be transformed

i. Romans 12:2 states that we are to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” (or, think like Christ)

1. We are Christians, Christ followers, after all

ii. “Then, by testing we may discern the will of God, what is good and perfect”

iii. Once transformed, discerning the will of God, what is good and perfect, we can then be a “light” in this dark world.

1. By the way, if you are not transformed by the word of God, you do not have godly discernment, and cannot discern the will of God.

iv. If Jesus meant that we, as His followers, were NOT to take place in any government/political/social involvement or issues, then He would not have stated the following, recorded in the Bible;

1. “Give unto Caesar what is his…” Matthew 22:21

2. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God.” Romans 13:1-2

a. God appoints our governing authorities, not our votes.

b. You don’t like who is in charge? Take it up with God so He will change it!

2 Chronicles 7:13-14

“If I (Yahweh) shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will listen from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.”

3. 1 Peter 2:11-17 “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul, 12 by keeping your conduct excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good works, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of Christ’s coming again in judgment.

13 Be subject for the sake of the Lord to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do good.

15 For such is the will of God that by doing good you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

16 Act as free people, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as slaves of God.

17 Honor all people, love the brethren, fear God, honor the king.

v. Does this sound like Jesus doesn’t want you to do your part in the government in which you live?

1. Abstain from fleshly lusts

2. Live in excellent conduct among the unsaved

3. Have good works they can observe

4. Be subject to the laws and king of the land

5. Vs 15 for this is the will of God

6. Act as free people, but not free to sin and do evil

7. Be servants of God

II. I BELIEVE WE ARE TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR CITIZENSHIP

a. Jesus was very political in His ministry

i. Not a “church state” rather a state that honors God

1. We do not want a church state

a. Why?

b. Because evil people end up running things, then using religion to control the people.

i. Just look at why we left England when it became a church state

ii. Look at what Islam has done to many countries who become church states, with religion ruling the land

2. Roman Catholics had a church state in England

a. We had the inquisitions

b. We had the crusades

i. Killing millions of

1. Muslim

2. Protestants

3. Jews

ii. Does this sound like the will of God?

3. We left England to start a FREE country not ruled by Kings who oversaw the operation of the church using it just as the Romans used the Sanhedrin to control Jews in Jesus’ day

4. God does not want a Christian Nation

a. He wants a nation of Christians

b. There is a difference

ii. Jesus didn’t tell followers who to support

1. Didn’t form political “parties”

2. No political programs

3. No political protests or marches

4. No steps to influence Caesar, Pilate or Herod

a. Why?

b. Because Jesus understood, Caesar, Pilot, Herod and all the governing officials were placed there by God

So, how are we to influence our government and have great leaders then?

“My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their evil ways, then I will listen from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.”

iii. Jesus’ entire ministry was political, but for social change, not governmental influence.

iv. His concern was with the way human society lived and operated with God.

v. By influencing the people to turn to God, our nation will fill with Christians and thus, the presence of the Lord, because WE are the Body of Christ, not the nation.

b. Liberty, Freedom and the Sovereignty of God

i. This is the teaching from the Word of God that led to the foundation of our Constitution and lead the American Revolution

ii. Jefferson wrote a letter denouncing the thought of a government controlled religion for the country, understanding the dangers of a church state, having just escaped one in England.

iii. THIS JEFFERSON LETTER is where we get “separation of Church and State,” which Jefferson NEVER meant to shut out religion from government, rather, prevent government from governing religion.

c. We can see what God thinks about politics and citizenship in the Word

i. There are many scriptures, including the reference used today, that gives us insight and direction in how we are to serve God through our being Good Citizens!

III. EXAMINE THE WORD ABOUT JESUS AND POLITICS

a. The political question asked of Jesus

i. Just before the Crucifixion of Jesus he was examined by the high priests (as was the custom in that day to examine the sacrifice to ensure it was blemish free) though they did not realize they were doing so with Him, being the perfect substitutional sacrifice. The Lamb of God.

ii. The Sadducee's along with the Herodian's set out to trap Jesus

iii. Sadducee's believed they should not pay taxes to a worldly government, and the Herodian's were pro-tax in helping finance the government

iv. These two were usually enemies, but united forces to attack Jesus, wanting Him to choose a side.

v. The Sadducee's assumed, incorrectly, that whomever side Jesus chose, the other could find fault with Him.

b. Jesus saw it was a trap

i. Though they opened with flattery, “Teacher,”

ii. they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are.” Matthew 22:16b

iii. They ask the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”

iv. Jesus still answered setting the precedent for not just taxes, but our relationship with government and political issues.

v. Render unto the government what is required of the government, and unto God what is required of God.

I had a friend in Australia who said he was a Christian. He found himself the front page news and in court because he refused to buy a plate for his car, register it or have a drivers license.

When I asked him why, he said, “Because, I am not of this world. I am a citizen of the Kingdom of God. This worlds rules do not apply to me.”

But they do. The bible makes that clear, and so did Jesus.

Good luck with good works and citizenship to influence the lost into glorifying God because you were a light in this dark world.

Unfortunately, he became a law breaker. And anytime a Christian surrenders to the desires of his flesh, chooses to live in sin, or breaks the laws of the land, every ministry he had accomplished in his life previously will be destroyed.

Is that what God desires?

c. Why put me to the test you hypocrites?”

i. They were hypocrites because they didn’t really want an answer, they were trying to trick Jesus into picking a side, because either side He publicly chose would put Him in a bind, but Jesus knows that!

ii. Jesus replies, “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.”

iii. Render, used here (GRK: Apodidomi) means to pay back or give back

1. Jesus implies here an obligation or debt, not optional, but required

2. Jesus is saying this is a legal AND moral obligation

3. Scripture instructs us to obey laws of the land

d. Citizens and their moral obligations according to the Word of God

i. According to Jesus, we as citizens have a divinely ordained obligation to pay taxes to our government and Tithe to God

ii. Jesus did not make exemptions or exceptions, He did not say, “as long as the government is good”

1. Because our relationship with God is personal, we are only responsible for our personal actions, not the actions of others.

2. Daniel not only worked for a corrupt government as an official, King Darius was wicked as well, yet, Daniel did not sin against God, even when the government called everyone to do so.

a. He didn’t try to fight the government

b. He didn’t get protestors to march or make posters

c. He just remained obedient to God and His Word

iii. The State has a divine right to assess taxes and citizens have a divine obligation to pay them

1. As much as I hate this

a. I hate the unfair amount they take

b. I hate how they spend it

c. I hate how they abuse their power

2. But Jesus said, “pay your taxes.”

iv. Paul gives the universal principal of submission to governing authorities in Romans 13:1

v. “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist have been appointed by God.”

CONCLUSION –

What if the State requires citizens to do that which is in opposition to the Law of God?

Daniel was a Godly man who worked for an evil government. He served as a good citizen respecting the authorities as we are instructed in scripture. Yet didn’t sin against God.

Would Jesus vote if He were alive and, in the USA, today?

I believe YES because of the general principal in scripture to submit to government authorities, we are called to be a light, and Jesus said to render to government what belongs to the government and to God what belongs to God.

Joseph and Mary obeyed the law of the land in Luke 2:1-5, and was registered for the census.

In the USA, citizenship requires certain responsibilities as listed in the Citizens Almanac.

Ø Support and defend the constitution of the united states against enemies both foreign and domestic

Ø Stay informed of issues effecting your community

Ø Participate in the democratic process (vote)

Ø Respect and obey federal, state and local laws

Ø Participate in local community

Ø Pay income taxes and other taxes honestly, and on time to federal, state, and local authorities

Ø Serve jury duty when called

Ø Defend the country if need should arise

Would Jesus vote? I believe the answer is Yes

Should Christians vote according to scripture? Yes

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Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Christian Politics Part 1: Does it Matter if I Vote?