ELECTION WEEKEND ATTITUDES

SERMON STARTER

In two days the American people will go to the polls to decide which type of government will rule them. We have been engaged in 40 days of prayer leading up to the election, and believe that God is in control. As a nation we have left God out of our national, political life.

        It’s appalling how much money has been invested in this election. More money has been raised and spent than any presidential election in history. Almost 2 billion dollars have been raised by both Democrats and Republicans. By contrast, Hurricane Sandy has ravaged the North Eastern seacoasts and damage estimates are going as high as 50 billion dollars.

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php

        You nail biters who are going to stay up all night listening to election results, remember this,

“If God will take you to it, He will take you through it.”

Say this slowly with me,

“Goooood’s innnn Cooontrooool!”

Please surrender as Master of the Universe and let God be God. Win or lose, we’re in God’s Hands and He gets the last word. Ask the unfortunate souls on the North East US coast.

        This sermon explores David’s response to the possibilities of becoming King of Israel in place of his antagonist, Saul.

 

Agape,

Pastor Phil   <><<

 

Sheepfold Ministries – November 4, 2012 – Election Weekend

pastor Phil Roland

 

ELECTION WEEKEND ATTITUDES

Psalm 131:1-3

 “In two days the American people will go to the polls to decide which type of government will rule them. We have been engaged in 40 days of prayer leading up to the election, and believe that God is in control!”     Pastor Phil

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7  and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”                                                                         Philippians 4:6,7

INTRODUCTION:

Many Bible scholars believe that David wrote this particular psalm
shortly after God had chosen him to succeed Saul as king. While David patiently waited for his time to come, Saul accused him of seeking the throne out of the pride of his heart. David had been content feeding the sheep and being a good shepherd but these accusations caused him to do some soul searching. The text deals with man’s pride, his fleshly desire to be first, to be the best, to be the one in charge.

I. DAVID RENOUNCES HIS OWN PRIDE - v. 1a

". . .LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. . .”

            A. Renounces the Haughty Heart – Arrogance – Romans 12:3

”For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you,

 not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think

 soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”

1. Problem of Self-Righteousness is Self-Awareness

                        2. When you become aware of your own righteousness,

                            you probably aren’t!!!!

                        3. Pride and Destruction go together - Proverbs 16:18

             ”Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.”

B. Tension for politicians, they must convince you of their

     Worthiness and Righteousness

            1. We called it in my childhood, “Tootin’ your own horn”

2. “I am worthy of your vote! If you don’t believe me just ask me!

C.Politicians are Unwise in God’s Eyes – 2 Cor. 10:12

”We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who

  commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and              compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

1. David is no Politician in this Psalm

            2. What is Wisdom in God’s eyes? - James 4:17-18

”But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,

 gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without

 partiality and without hypocrisy.18  Now the fruit of righteousness

ELECTION WEEKEND ATTITUDES, cont., p.2

 is sown in peace by those who make peace.”

 

II. DAVID REJECTS HIS LOFTY LOOKS - v. 1a

     ". . .LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. . .”

 

A. Pride of the Eyes - Proverbs 6:16-19

”These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart

  that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false

  witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.”

1. God will Humble those with Lofty Eyes - Isaiah 2:11

”The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, The haughtiness of men

  shall be bowed down, And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that

  day.”

2.  Your Eyes can lead you into sin - Ecclesiastes 11:9

”Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you

 in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the

 sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you

 into judgment.”

B. Spirit of Pride causes Discontent on many levels:

                        1) Discontent with our jobs, our spouses, our possessions

                        2. Overly Concerned with the affairs of others

                        3. Compare ourselves with others

                        4. Insatiable demand/ attention, adoration, accolades of others

                        5. Sense of entitlement, Others owe you their admiration

 

III. DAVID EMBRACES HUMILITY – V. 1b, 2

“. . .Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me. 2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
            A. Although David will be a King, he chooses Humility
                        1. Before Honor is Humility – Prov. 18:12

”Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes

  before honor.”

                        2. David chooses to put others first

                        3. David isn’t Selfish or Self-Seeking

                        4. He is content knowing God is leading him

                        5. David doesn’t have to prove to others he is a King

            B. We are called to Serve and not be Served – Matthew 20:27-28

"And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave;

 "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to

  give His life a ransom for many."

                        1. We are called to the ministry of the Towel and Basin

2. Our ministry is to Jesus Christ

3. We do our service as unto Him

 

ELECTION WEEKEND ATTITUDES, cont., p.3

IV. DAVID DOESN’T SEEK THINGS BEYOND HIS KNOWLEDGE

“. . .Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.”

            A. Ever tried to communicate with a “Know It All?”

                        1. Interrupt conversations with their “Two Cents”

                        2. Claim to have an opinion on nearly every subject

                        3. “You have two Ears and One Mouth,

                                    So, Listen twice as much as you Speak.”

                        4. James agrees in his epistle, James 1:19

            “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,

              slow to speak,…”
            B. Our world is full of experts shouting out their theories as facts

1. Global Warming theorists are like that

2. The rich are the problem with the world’s economy

3. Everyone is an expert in their own eyes

            C. David was content to Live by Faith and Trust in the Lord

1. The just shall live by faith - Hebrews 10:38a

“Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul

  has no pleasure in him."

            2. David meditated on God’s word – Psalm 1:1,2

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,

  Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the

  scornful; 2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law

  he meditates day and night.”

            3. Nothing wrong in admitting it if you don’t know an answer

            4. Knowing the God who does have all the answers is enough

5. Even Presidents, Heads of State, World leaders or Top

                          Military brass have to surrender to matters too Great or

     High for men

V. FOLLOWING DAVID’S EXAMPLE, WHAT DO WE DO?

          A. Go to the Polls and Vote on Tuesday

            B. Exercise your Freedom to Choose

            C. People have died for your Liberty and Freedom

            D. Live the Christian Life – Romans 12:9-11

            “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is

             good. 10  Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love,

             in honor giving preference to one another; 11  not lagging in

             diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord”

  

ELECTION WEEKEND ATTITUDES

Psalm 131:1-3 (NKJV)
1 A song of Ascents. Of David. LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me.
2 Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul, Like a weaned child with his mother; Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
3 O Israel, hope in the LORD From this time forth and forever.

 

 Ten Things Christians Need to Remember About This Election Season

1. People in both political parties go to church. God is neither a Democrat nor a Republican. No political party has a monopoly on the will of God and there are good, Christian people who affiliate with both parties.

2. Talk radio and cable “news” only want ratings — it’s about the money. Remember, we live in a time where news stations would rather incite than inform the electorate if it means better ratings.

3. Those who argue about politics don’t love their country more than others. Our passion for issues comes out of a deep and abiding love for country. Just because someone disagrees with you does not mean they somehow hate the country.

4. Thinking a party’s platform is not flawed is a mistake. A lot of wheeling and dealing goes into forming a party’s platform. Compromises are made and it quickly becomes a document for a large group of constituents. This means it attempts to please everyone in one way or another. Think of it as more of a work-in progress.

5. Scripture tells us to pray for governing leaders (2 Timothy 2: 1-4) and to respect those in authority (Romans 13: 1-7) — whether we voted for them or not. When we mock or denigrate current or future leaders, the Holy Spirit is grieved. Christians are called to offer a witness to the world that rises above name-calling and insults. Period.

6. Don’t be paranoid. America has functioned and even thrived under both Democrat and Republican leadership. God is the only one truly in charge. Great leaders come in all shapes and sizes. We will not fall apart as a nation as a result of a single election.

7. Stop saying, “This is the most important election in our history.” We’re not nearly as unique as we might want to think we are. There will be another election and another one after that. We’re all striving to grow and become a better nation with every election.

8. Don’t spread those toxic political e-mails. Be the one to stop the circulation of propaganda-driven materials. Lovingly ask friends to stop sending them to you and be a witness for civility.

9. Don’t circulate partisan materials at your church. Encouraging people to vote is good. Telling them who to vote for from the pulpit or any other sacred space is not why the church exists.

10. Hold a prayer service the day after Election Day. With Election Day on a Tuesday, this could be a great way to use your weekly Wednesday time at church. Hold a service of prayer. Open your church all day for people to drop in and pray. Distribute liturgy and prayers for our nation and encourage people to make that a part of their day. We are the church, and that means we’re a people called to prayer.

[Original article here: http://www.macon.com/2012/09/22/2185949/ten-things-christians-need-to.html#storylink=cpy]

 

                                

Top Ten Things You Should Do During Election Season

 

Warning: This top ten list will not tell you who you should vote for.

10. Get bumper stickers and yard signs to campaign for your candidate. Get involved in politics this year. Be a part of the political campaign of the candidate of your choice. There’s no better way to feel like you’ve contributed.

9. Go to a political rally. Political rallies are a lot of fun and very informative. There’s music, high school bands, cheers, and speeches. If one is being staged near you, consider going.

8. After studying, decide what role you believe government should play. This is vital to deciding who you should vote for. Do you think the private sector should be responsible for making lives better or should the government be in control of that.

7. Watch the speeches. This is one way to become informed. But remember to check out the facts politicians give in speeches. It’s hard to believe, but sometimes politicians lie.

6. Watch the debates. Debates are one of the best ways to tell what each candidate supports because the candidates have the opportunity to challenge each other.

5. Listen to liberal and conservative news commentators. One of the best ways to stay informed is to listen to commentators on both sides of the aisle. That means listen to CNN and FOX. That way you get a balanced approach to the news.

4. Study the platforms and records. One minute commercials are not the best way to stay informed. Study the records of the candidates.

3. Be respectful of people whose opinions are different than yours. Not everyone who disagrees with you is stupid or uninformed. They may be seeing things from a different perspective. No matter who you’re voting for, be respectful.

2. Pray for our leaders. This is important no matter who wins the election.

1. Vote. Too many people died for your right to vote. Don’t give it away. Vote every election.