Don't Vote Your Fears; Vote Your Faith

This is an excerpt from a sermon delivered at Calvary Presbyterian Church on October 16, 2016 entitled, "The Power of Christ."

Think about the Apostle Paul and some of the hardships he faced. He speaks about these in 2 Corinthians 11:

• Hardship in labors
• Many imprisonments
• Countless beatings, often up to the very doorstep of death
• 5x received 39 lashes
• 3x beaten with rods
• Once stoned
• 3x shipwrecked, including one night & day adrift at sea
• Danger from all directions and all sorts of enemies
• Sleepless nights,
• Hunger and thirst
• Cold & exposure

And in the face of ALL OF THIS, he says in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” He trusts in the power of God.

Then you look at us, coming into next month’s election, and we are filled with fear. There are those among us who can’t fathom voting for Hillary Clinton, and you're scared of what our country will become. Others among us can’t imagine voting for Donald Trump and you're terrified at the prospects of him being President. Yet others of us have consciences which won’t allow us to vote for either of them, and we fear what is going to become of our nation either way.

I plead with you, on November 8, step into a voting booth and cast your vote. Do so prayerfully; do so thoughtfully; but do so in faith, trusting in God and not making a decision based on fear. The same Jesus that enabled Paul to be content in all situations is sovereignly in control of this election.

As my friend Chuck Jacob wisely once said: "The Kingdom of God will not arrive on the wings of Air Force One."

Often we say that the President is the most powerful person in the world. That is a lie. The most powerful person in our world was, is, and always will be JESUS CHRIST. It was true when he created the world, it is true today, and it will be that way for all of eternity.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom...Calvin on the Believer's Security

"Christ instructs his followers to remember that, in this world, they may be said to be in the midst of a forest, surrounded by innumerable robbers, and are not only unarmed and exposed as a prey, but are aware that the cause of death is contained in themselves, so that, relying on the guardianship of God alone, they may walk without alarm. In short, our salvation is certain, because it is in the hand of God; for our faith is weak, and we are too prone to waver. But God, who has taken us under his protection, is sufficiently powerful to scatter, with his breath alone, all the forces of our adversaries. It is of great importance for us to turn our eye to this, that the fear of temptations may not dismay us; for Christ even intended to point out the way in which sheep are made to live at ease in the midst of wolves."

John Calvin
Commentary on John 10:28

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom

“In Christ all things are ours. There is now for us no awful Beyond of mystery and fear. We cannot, indeed, explain the world, but we rejoice now that we cannot explain it. To us it is all unknown, but it contains no mysteries for our Saviour; He is on the throne; He is at the centre; He is ground and explanation of all things; He pervades the remotest bounds; by Him all things consist. The world is full of dread, mysterious powers; they touch us already in a thousand woes. But from all them we are safe.”

J. Gresham Machen

Misplaced Fear

Regardless of your political leanings, last night's vote on health care was unquestionably an historic vote. We see this both in the excitement among those who supported the bill, as well as in the fear of its consequences so evident among those who were against it.

Russell Moore has a great post today though on what our response as Christians should be. His thoughts in it include the following:

Is it a problem that some of us who are tranquil as still water about biblical doctrine and ecclesial mission are red-faced about Nancy Pelosi and the talking heads on MSNBC? Is it a problem that some who haven’t shared the gospel with their neighbors in months or years are motivated to vent to strangers on the street about how scary national health care will be?

It’s not that I think Christians should be disengaged from issues of justice (God forbid!). It’s just that I wonder if we wouldn’t represent Christ and his kingdom better if we did it with a certain tranquility of Spirit, a tranquility that signals we’re not afraid of the rise and fall of temporal kingdoms and their policies.

He goes on to say:

So if what you’re afraid of is a politician or a policy or a culture or the future of Western civilization, don’t give up the conviction but give up the fear. Work for justice. Oppose evil. But do it so that your opponents will see not fear but trust, optimism, and affection.

Read the whole thing here.