When I attend worship I take notes by pecking them out on my phone. I try to type out as much as I can, so I’m usually typing the entire time. Still there is much that I miss. That’s tough when the topic is a sensitive issue, like this one. I pray that I didn’t miss a key point, or misinterpret what Johnson Ferry's senior pastor was trying to communicate.
Clay Smith JFBC
“This Is What We Long For”
CITIZEN sermon series
Matthew 5:3-6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
What comes to mind when you think about the word politics? The root word means how we function together as a society. We have a dual citizenship with both heaven and earth. How does our earthly citizenship apply in our life on earth?
We often fall into one of two ditches…
1. Political indifference. There are 200 million people “of faith” in the US, and 49% say they aren't voting, mostly because they don't care.
2. Political idolatry. Winning becomes everything, even if we have to act like the world. Neither party represents Christianity well. The church can neither be too close or too distant to the political process...the tension between our heavenly and earthly citizenships.
While voting is not commanded in Scripture, it's good stewardship to vote, even more so in local elections than national. There's always the tension being a Christian. In Jesus' time the people were being taxes, etc. Jesus said that his followers should be different.
V 6...for they will be satisfied. The Beattitudes aren't random, they're built on each other.
What does righteousness mean? Holy people are happy people. If you hope to be righteous then you will be happy. So many seek to be happy. If I can just get this thing then I will be happy. Instead we need to seek to be righteous.
How does my personal righteousness impact my public persona?
1. A Right Relationship with God, not others. 2 Cor 5:21 one day we will be with God in heaven. God declares us righteous.
V 20 our righteousness should exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. All the matters is our right relationship with God.
2. Having the Right Priorities. When we are under pressure is when our true priorities are revealed. Matt 6:33 seek first his kingdom and righteousness. J M Darby said “Hunger isn't enough. We need to be starving for God.”
3. Right Conduct. Give fast pray so my Father who sees me in secret will be pleased. We've lost our desire to be personally holy. There's little distinction between us and the world. We are called to be different. In our country today, when voting how does our hunger for righteousness fit in?
Romans 13 says the government is a good, necessary thing. We're living in a fallen world. There are no perfect candidates or solutions. All our forefathers weren't perfect Christians. Some are cultural Christians. Clay's approach: the Bible is a collection of different stories and covenants about God. The New Testament is written to us, the Old toward Israel. What's helped Clay the idea of triage. Some things must be prioritized, that God had detailed in Scripture.
Humbly, Clay encourages Christians to prioritize the following when voting…
1. For candidates who best prioritize the promotion of Scripture to the ends of the earth (very few candidates do this). Ask God to give us the government that will best help us further God's word. Usually not on the ballot.
2. For candidates with priorities based on Bible commands, with Biblical applications for all believers. Three current issues are non-negotiable in Scripture: Life, Gender, and Marriage. Remember, we are citizens of heaven
3. Priorities based on biblical commands with multiple interpretations and applications, like illegal immigration, keeping and securing borders, healthcare etc. While we are called to give comfort to the traveler, Scripture also respects the boundaries of nations.
Clay hopes we are praying for our nation and its leaders, that all will vote...and that we will give our brothers in Christ grace during this election season. To listen visit www.johnsonferry.org/sermons
Additional resources…
Article: is Christianity Today encouraging Christians to not vote? More election improprieties emerge in several counties in Pennsylvania, similar to what happened in Michigan in 2020.
Article: Don’t Demonize Our Foes. The Wicked Spirits Possessing Them Have Already Seen to That. God says to love your enemies. He didn’t say to love HIS enemies.
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