Dakota Community Church
September 23, 2007
Doing the Stuff - II
II Timothy 2:3, 4&7
Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.
… Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
How do we engage the forces of darkness?
Quick review:
1. Spiritual Stuff.
Do we need to pray? – YES
Is that all we need to do? - NO
2. Mental Stuff.
The battlefield of the mind
3. Physical Stuff.
This is the part I really want to focus on this week.
Question:
Where and how does the Kingdom of Light clash with the kingdom of darkness in the physical realm?
- Is it in the fight against gay marriage?
- Is it in the fight against abortion?
- Is it in the battle to have the Ten Commandments displayed in public buildings?
- Is it in the fight to have prayer in schools?
- Is it in the political arena, in getting representatives to support “Christian” legislation?
Most Christians think that the way we engage the forces of darkness is through signing on to these kinds of issues. We think that we should be trying to achieve a “Christian” government in Canada. We think it is our job as Christians to see that laws get passed that uphold our moral code. THIS IS A COMPLETE MISTAKE!
I want you to know that for years I held this point of view – it is wrong!
The Christian faith has no call to create Christian national governments that force non-believers to live by Christian morals for their own good. There is only one government for Christians and it is world wide and has no boarders, I am talking about that rock that was cut out, “not by human hands” in the book of Daniel.
Jesus took on the forces of darkness in the most effective way it can be done – remember He is the one who is unclouded by sin, He is the one that Satan has nothing on, He is the one who does ONLY what He sees the Father doing.
Jesus did not make any political appeals of any kind. He did not chastise the horrible Roman government of His day. He did not criticize the Roman law (Extra Mile for example). He did not talk about the importance of enacting legislation to protect human rights.
Jesus attacked the kingdom of darkness in the physical realm by meeting the needs of those around him, by loving unconditionally, by receiving and embracing all who came to him, by sacrificially giving, by taking up the cross and by pouring out his life in service to everyone – even those who would not accept his gift.
Followers of Jesus must make His agenda our agenda!
Clearly He was concerned about more than simply making it possible for people to have relationship with Himself. (Though you would never know that by looking at the typical evangelical church.)
Jesus took a radical stance on many social issues – and so must we, but remember, we need to do it His way!
(A.) Jesus exposed greed and poverty to the light.
Luke 11:40-42
Turn both your pockets and your hearts inside out and give generously to the poor; then your lives will be clean, not just your dishes and your hands.
"I’ve had it with you! You’re hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God’s love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required.
Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Luke 12:32-34
"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Jesus repeatedly encourages his followers to meet the needs of the poor.
Luke 7:22-23
So he replied to the messengers, "Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
- The blind are no longer blind
- The lame are no longer lame
- The lepers no longer have leprosy
- The deaf are no longer deaf
- The dead are no longer dead
- And the poor – what?
Question:
When do we deal with greed (Put money in its place) and help the poor?
(B.) Jesus exposed the darkness of racism.
Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Luke 13:28-30
"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last."
Luke 4:25-28
I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian."
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.
It is not enough to simply proclaim, “I am not a racist”; we need to enter the battle and accept as brothers and equals everyone. If you would exclude someone from something based on race, you are a racist. (Say marrying your son or daughter.)
Question:
When do we do more than talk about not being racists?
(C.) Jesus battled social elitism by shining the light of universal acceptance.
Jesus embraced the social and religious rejects, and he faced opposition for doing it.
Matthew 9:11-12
When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?"
On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.
Question:
Have you ever been criticized for being too accepting of social rejects?
(D.) Jesus shed the light on sexism.
Jesus treated women like no leader of his day, even women of ill-repute. In a time when women were treated like property, denied education and relegated to serving men – Jesus associated with, traveled with, ministered to and respected women as children of God entitled to full membership in the Kingdom. Seriously, we have got to get over this ridiculous gender prejudice in the Body of Christ.
Matthew 21:31-32
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.
I do not have time to go into a full study of all the instances where God anoints women for leadership – but they are many and beyond reasonable doubt.
Question:
What have we done to ensure women are treated as equals in society and in the Body of Christ?
Galatians 3:28-29
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
(E.) Jesus fought religious legalism by shining the light of grace.
Matthew 7:3
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
Our job is to love, serve and sacrifice for sinners – not argue about passing laws against them. For we are to know that, whatever sin we see in others, our sin is much worse.
Question:
When are we criticized, like Jesus was, for being to accepting of sinners?
Let’s get busy! Let’s get involved in the real war of the worlds! Let’s let our light shine – like Jesus did!
Next Week:
The final week in the series I want to do a Q&A. Start bringing your questions on this topic now or send them to me by e-mail.
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
