For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:20).
" + "For the most part, the election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States this past Tuesday, November 4, 2008, was met with tears of pride, satisfaction, and an overwhelming and deep sense of fulfillment and shouts of joy and acclamation nationally and around the world. Countless churches held election watch-night festivities and praise sessions after the west coast projections came in around the 11 o'clock hour eastern standard time Tuesday evening, confirming the "history-making" event. Newscasters, black and white alike, around the country continually declared how proud they were to be Americans and commented on the deep, positive impact Obama's election had and will continue to have on the nation's image." + "
Obama's message of hope and change received its vindication this past Tuesday. Isn't it interesting how quickly we gravitated to this message of hope and change from an inspirational politician, a man, in the last two years, while we've been much more hesitant to ascribe to the same message of hope and change that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, continues to make available to us today?" + "
Ours is a desire for a hope and change that we can see, something tangible and identifiable, which caters to our senses and our brand of logic. Just think back. Over the past few months and especially most recently, doubtless, we were all approached by random individuals asking us if we registered to vote. And, as early voting began, surely, several people (if that was all) approached us asking if we voted. Then, of course, on Tuesday, we were asked—just to make sure, of course—if we had voted." + "
Just imagine the impact we could have if we were equally concerned about our brothers and sisters reading, studying and obeying the Word of God. Just imagine the impact we could have if we asked our brothers and sisters: 'Have you prayed today?' or 'Have you given today?' or 'When's the last time you interceded for your brother or sister?' or 'When's the last time you fasted for your brother or sister?'" + "
Well, if "our conversation is in heaven," then study and obedience of the Word and prayer, intercession, and fasting for our brothers and sisters is non-negotiable for we, who call ourselves Christian, that is, followers of Jesus Christ, the God-Man. What is interesting is that the Greek word for conversation, politemua, means community and, most importantly, citizenship. Therefore, we can read the a-clause of Philippians 3:20 as follows: "For our citizenship is in heaven ..."" + "
This heavenly citizenship supersedes American citizenship. John Adams, the second president of the United States defined politics as the art of the possible. That is, politics is the medium through which "able" men and women use their reason and logic to devise national laws and guides for other civic responsibilities that seem right and moral." + "
Well, my brothers and sisters, we serve a God of the impossible. In Matthew 19:16ff, the rich young man approached Jesus asking him what he could do to gain eternal life. After Jesus told him to sell all that he might follow him, the rich young man departed sorrowful. The rich young man's departure drew these responses from Jesus and the disciples in verses 23-26:
" + "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:23-26)
" + "The pivotal questions are these: 'Who embodies our salvation?' and 'Where are we looking for this salvation?'" + "
The contrast between the rich young man and Jesus provides us with the answers to these pivotal questions. The rich young man represented worldly success, power, status, and privilege. Moreover, he represented the foolish self-satisfaction of those of the entrepreneurial spirit, who "pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps" and "made their own way." Finally, and most importantly, the rich young man represented the diabolical mentality that human beings-in and of ourselves-are able to save ourselves by our own power and might. We cannot save ourselves; no man-no matter how articulate or enticing his words may be-can save us. Our salvation is only achieved by the personal act of God in and through Jesus Christ in human history." + "
Ostensibly, Barack Obama is the embodiment of Martin Luther King's dream; but, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of God's dream (John 1:12-14). To the degree that we look for our salvation in the temporal and the finite, this world that is fated to pass away and other men and women, we relegate our heavenly citizenship to an accidental feature of our existence. Jesus Christ, the embodiment of our salvation, also embodies the "New Law" that guides our living out of our heavenly citizenship:
" + "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)
" + "This is God's law which transcends and supersedes man's laws and politics. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, inaugurates the possibility for us to embody this Law as he did and continues to above us, through us, in us, and for us; and, it is our submission to Jesus' way of being in the world that insures that when he returns again, looking for the same brand of faith he witnessed to in first century Palestine, we will look just like him (Galatians 2:20; 1 John 3:2)." + "
Because of the ebb and flow of circumstance, we have come to believe that what we see is all there is and all that there ever will be. We believe that high gas prices, limited healthcare, economic woes, and international crises are the weightier matters that most deserve our attention. This is simply not so. Tomorrow is not promised; consequently, we must endeavor to read, study, and obey the Word, to pray, to fast, and to intercede for our brothers and sisters as if our lives depended upon it, because they do. Hebrews 12:1ff reads:
" + "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith … (Hebrews 12:1)
" + "Brothers and sisters, the problem we face that makes all others pale in comparison to it is sin. This is what Christ saves us from that we might have eternal life. This race, the race against sin and not undue emphasis on a political race, is the one with which we must concern ourselves. For it is this focus on getting rid of the sin and junk in us that prepares us for our translation upon Jesus' return when he "shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself" (Philippians 3:21). See, the hope and change that Jesus Christ makes available to us is not a hope in our ability to save and better ourselves. Rather, the hope and change that Jesus Christ embodies stems from the mercy and grace of God:
" + "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)
" + "So, brothers and sisters, what are we waiting for? We have much work to do. Since the "harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few" (Matthew 9:37), the time is always ripe for doing righteousness. We do not have the luxury of time. Christ is on his way back. Let's begin to act like it. Because we recognize that becoming like Christ is not the miracle of a moment but the work of a lifetime, let us continue to purify ourselves as Jesus is pure in thought, word, and deed through faithful obedience to the Word of God, prayer and intercession, fasting, and cheerful giving one to another. In this manner, we continually cast our votes for Jesus, thus confirming our heavenly citizenship.
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