Healing The Political Divide
Matthew 24:7a NKJ
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…”
Matthew 24:10 NKJ
“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will
hate one another.”
Matthew 24:11 NKJ
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
Matthew 24:12 NKJ
“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow
cold.”
Matthew 24:14 NKJ
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a
witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
1 Peter 2:9-10 NKJ
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once
were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not
obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
John 18:36 NKJ
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom
were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be
delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”
Two Kingdoms:
- The Kingdom of the World
- The Kingdom of God
Political Right: Conservatives represent a view of government that
governs from a financially conservative view of lower taxation, fiscal
responsibility, against abortion, gay marriage and illegal immigration.
A government of law and order.
Political Left: Liberals represent a view of government that is
concerned about the plight of the poor, the plight of minorities, the
state of human rights (women’s rights, LGBT rights, immigrants’
rights, etc.). They govern from a financially liberal view of higher
taxation on the wealthier of America in order to help those who are
struggling in the lower tiers of life. A government of fairness when it
comes to law and order.
Psalm 89:14 NKJ
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy
and truth go before Your face.
The entire government of God is summed up in two words:
• Righteousness and Justice
Psalm 97:2 NKJ
Clouds and darkness surround Him; RIGHTEOUSNESS AND
JUSTICE are the foundation of His throne.
Isaiah 28:16-17a NLT
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a
foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a
precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need
never be shaken. I will test you with the measuring line of JUSTICE
and the plumb line of RIGHTEOUSNESS…”
Righteousness: living right; conforming to a moral code of conduct
prescribed by God’s Word
Justice: doing right; correcting the injustices of society; defending the
poor and marginalized
Matthew 12:25 NCV
…”Every kingdom that is divided against itself will be destroyed. And
any city or family that is divided against itself will not continue.”
Psalm 9:8
He will judge the world in righteousness and govern the peoples with
justice.
John 1:14-17 NCV
The Word became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory—
the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father—and he was full
of GRACE AND TRUTH. John tells the truth about him and cries out,
saying, “This is the One I told you about: ‘The One who comes after
me is greater than I am, because he was living before me.’” Because
he was full of grace and truth, from him we all received one gift after
another. The law was given through Moses, but GRACE AND
TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 NLT
Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom
of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or
who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or
practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or
drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—NONE OF THESE WILL
INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
1 Corinthians 6:11 NLT
Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were
made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of
the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to
breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these,
the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden
door!” – Emma Lazarus, Statue of Liberty
“Americans hailed newcomers to its shores as the bulwark of
democracy; however, in times of crisis it has also used its foreign
born as a scapegoat for unsolved social problems.” – Benjamin
Franklin
Exodus 22:21 NLT
“You must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way. Remember,
you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.”
The Challenge:
- Seek to understand rather than be understood.
- Let the Word be your standard for living and loving.
- Trade your worldly identity for a Christ identity.