Long Live the King // A Better Country
After more than a year of build-up, it’s finally here—Election 2020. Unfortunately, this election cycle has become one of the most polarized, vitriolic, and hate-filled in our country’s history. We “cancel” each other over our candidate of choice, and we ruin relationships over political slogans and hashtags. Yes, that includes self-professing followers of Jesus. How can that be? Aren’t we citizens of the Kingdom—strangers in a foreign land, longing and living for “a better country”—a heavenly one? What if we started living out that truth? And if we did, how could it change our country and our relationships for the better?
C.S. Lewis once said, “If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.” Peace, justice, equality...none of these things will be delivered by a Democrat or a Republican. You see, if we want a better country, it won’t come from fixating on “our” candidate—it will come from following our King.
Message Notes
Your vote matters...and it doesn’t.
We can’t legislate sin and suffering away.
Jesus said as much himself.
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
John 18:36 NIV
Does that mean we, followers of Jesus, do nothing?
No. It means we do the right thing.
The right thing is not found in the DNC or RNC party platforms.
It’s found in the Way of Jesus.
Personal, Not Public
Grace and Truth, Not Grace or Truth
Unity, Not Division
Selflessness, Not Self-Centered
Restoration, Not Cancellation
“If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.”
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
What if we followed the teachings of Jesus, not the talking points of our favorite podcast?
What if we called our own political party and leaders to a higher standard?
What if we saw everyone—including Donald Trump and Joe Biden—as someone that Jesus loved so much that he died for them?
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
Hebrews 11:13-16 NIV
Stop fixating on a candidate.
Start following the King.