Good morning,
Driving home from dropping the kids off at school, I pondered what scripture I could share with you this morning, after the election. Some of us feel relieved. Some of us feel vindicated. Some of us feel shocked. Some of us feel outraged. Some of us don’t know what to feel. Many of us are bleary-eyed from staying up all night. And we all need God’s word this morning to guide us as Christians today.
When I got home, Meredith couldn’t wait to tell me about the passage she came to in her quiet time while I was gone, Colossians 3. It’s perfect.
Seek the Things that are Above
1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Let’s remember that our lives are wrapped up in Jesus, not American politics. Our lives are hidden with Christ, not the republican, democratic or libertarian parties. Our ultimate fulfillment will appear when he returns as the King of kings for all eternity, not when a president is elected for four years.
Let’s spend more time in the Word, in prayer and in fellowship than watching the news and reading opinions.
Put to Death what is Earthly in You
5Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
As the election triggers various emotions within us, let’s be watchful for remnants of our old earthly nature. Anger, wrath, malice, slander and obscene talk are sinful (even when spoken through social media!), and God’s wrath is real. In Christ, let’s take this as an opportunity to put on more thoroughly our new natures.
Let’s do more repenting than retweeting.
Put on Compassionate Hearts
12Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Let the world see the Church energized with compassion and kindness to act in real-life, practical ways to serve and care for people in the days ahead. Let the world see the Church as humble, meek and patient. Let’s model forbearance and forgiveness as only those who have been forgiven by the Lord can do. Let’s renew our commitment to love one another, building one another up in Christ, rather than tearing down those who disagree with us politically.
Let’s bless people rather than blessing them out.
Work Heartily, as for the Lord
18Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. 20Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. 22Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
God has given us relational contexts in which to be Christians today (our marriages, our families, our workplaces, our communities). Let’s devote ourselves to these relationships and endeavors, trusting in the Lord. The issues raised in this election (things like poverty, abortion, gender and sexuality) reveal deep needs among the people we love that only the gospel-at-work can truly address. We have an enormous amount of good work to do together. Opportunities to serve people and share the gospel abound all around us.
What an opportunity this is for us to be the Church! Let it be said that we set our minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. Let it be said that we are being renewed in knowledge after the image of our creator. Let it be said that, here, there is not republican, democrat or libertarian; but Christ is all, and in all (v.11).
Pastor Matt
