On Sunday our Pastor tackled a difficult subject. Here’s how he put it. Who do you trust?
Another contentious election season is upon us, and there will be a flurry of ads, debates, signs, billboards, commercials, and non-stop news coverage. Some of us will retreat, while others will fight. Many will experience anxiety, stress, and even fear.
It’s a topic we must discuss as the body of Christ. Should we dig in and express ourselves in a way that brings clarity to everyone willing to listen? After all, there is such a thing as absolute truth, and, as a friend used to say, “everyone is entitled to my opinion”.
But is that what the Bible teaches?
As Jesus brilliantly put it after an attempt to bait him into a major controversy between the Jewish rulers and the Herodians. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s, while showing them a rendering of Caesar’s image on a day’s wages, a denarius. And they marveled at his answer. (I like that part)
The implications are that earthly governments exist for a reason, and as good citizens, we should respect that fact and those in authority. Paul tells us in Romans, “Live in harmony with one another”. Seems simple enough. But the enemy would divide us for almost any reason he can muster. Politics being one of the sharpest arrows in his quiver. Let’s not take the bait.
So, what is the purpose of the church in times like this? How should we respond to the division that exists around us?
Foundational to the Christian faith is our role as disciples and disciple-makers. That requires humility and a willingness to hear other points of view. When given the opportunity Christ-followers should share the hope they have in Jesus – not political systems, or leaders that are often corrupt and have only their best interest in mind. We trust the One in charge of all things.
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’”. (Matthew 28: 18-20)
In God we trust? – should never be an unanswered question. It should be emphatically, YES. After all, he said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age”.
Let’s be a light in a dark world trusting Him who created everything.
- Have you ever faced a situation where you had to choose between your faith and societal expectations? How did you respond?
- What does prioritizing “the things that are God’s” mean in your daily life? Can you identify specific areas where you can improve?
And that’s the mid-week memo.
Steve
