I think I need to begin by explaining the title of today’s sermon. Back in 1992 William Jefferson Clinton’s campaign slogan was, “It’s the economy, stupid.” His campaign manager, James Carville, formulated the saying to keep the Clinton campaign focused on an issue that was sure to beat George H.W. Bush. It worked. The economy apparently did matter more than the former president’s numerous accomplishments.
During Clinton’s second term, the president was embroiled in an ugly scandal. He had an affair with Monica Lewinsky, lied about it under oath so as not to have to turn over evidence in another case, then went on national TV, looked us right in the eye and said, “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.” Later he admitted to the affair with the lame excuse that he didn’t consider their actions as constituting sexual relations. There’s reason he was nicknamed Slick Willy.
When the Clinton scandal broke, the country was divided into two camps: those who thought he’d broken the law, violated our trust, and should be impeached and removed from office; and those who said, that what the president does in his private life is no concern to us as long as the country is running well and the economy is good. In other words, the character of the leader doesn’t matter. It’s the economy, stupid! Remember?
This morning I want to tell you, it’s not the economy, stupid. The character of people in high places matters. Whether it’s a politician, movie star, sports hero, singer, author, civic leader, university professor or even a public school teacher – the example of those who are looked up to matters. Why? The erosion of values always runs downhill. The bad character of people at the top of any society inevitably dulls the conscience of those below them. Just as water follows gravity downward, the morality of any culture flows from top to bottom.
Let’s think about the effect of President Clinton. Yes, the economy was robust during his tenure. Never mind the fact that the president has little effect on the economy and that Congress was majority Republican at the time. What happens in the minds of young people watching? Hey, if the president doesn’t consider it to be sexual relations neither will I. Some have cited statistics that certain types of sexual behavior actually increased during the Clinton era. I know a church member who thought it was quite appropriate that her daughter have her hair styled just like Monica Lewinski. What kind of message does that send?
Even worse, look at the bigger message that was communicated: It doesn’t matter how you live your life as long as the results are positive. That line of thinking is right out of one of the most hellish books ever written called The Prince by a Renaissance Italian named Niccolo Machiavelli. He’s the guy who came up with the idea that the ends justify the means. His idea was a bit more provocative. He said that rulers should feel free to throw morality aside and do whatever it takes for the good of the state.
That sounds reasonable until you consider the residual effects or in military terms collateral damage. The people under you are watching your behavior. They are being influenced to follow your pattern. The erosion of values always runs downhill. Leaders with bad character dull the consciences of those they lead. What’s demonstrated at the top becomes the norm all the way to the bottom.
This is what happened in the years leading up to the Genesis flood. Society was so completely corrupt that God decided to wipe humanity from the face of the earth. Genesis says God was actually sorry that He’d created people. His heart was broken at the depravity and violence taking place in the land. Most versions inadequately express God’s response as grief. He probably was sad that humanity had drifted so far from Him, but God could also be described as enraged and indignant at the sin happening before His eyes.
How did this happen? What perverted society to the point that God had no alternative but to wipe the slate clean and start over again? It was an issue of leadership. The people who were supposed to be administering justice were instead abusing their power and oppressing the people over whom they ruled.
The “sons of God” were most likely kings who claimed to be descended from the gods. In other words, they purported to be semi-divine beings or demigods. The earliest written records indicate this tendency among ancient kings. The Mesopotamian city-state rulers as well as the early Pharaohs all considered themselves to be gods. They were the elite with unquestioned authority.
Genesis tells us that these god kings abused their authority and power. Rather than look after the interests of their people, they spent time building harems of the most beautiful women in the land. They may have even exercised the ancient practice of the right of first night where the king is allowed to sleep with the bride before the groom. To enforce their will, the god kings appear to have employed the might of warriors called Nephilim. Get the picture in mind: oppressive god kings who lived hundreds of years took advantage of their subjects through the use of mercenary muscle.
The net effect: The erosion of values always runs downhill. Those at the bottom began emulating the practices of the beautiful people at the top. Genesis 6:11, which we’ll get to next week says:
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. Genesis 6:11 (NIV)
The consequence of this trickle down corruption was God’s imminent wrath. He set a day for their destruction.
Our society’s slide into the moral sewer has largely been top down too. When did the majority of Americans begin to believe that women have a right to abort their unborn babies? In 1973 the Supreme Court decision called Roe v. Wade the elites invented a right to privacy which is not found in the Constitution. How did we arrive at a place where marriage between people of the same sex is not just to be tolerated, but affirmed and sanctioned by the state? Sexual deviants in Hollywood pointed their diamond studded fingers at the unwashed masses and told us that gays and lesbians have a right to it. We’ve believed them because they entertain us so well. They make us laugh and cry and scream. We want to emulate them, so we accept their point of view. Then the scientists, who have prolonged our lives and made it so comfortable came along and said homosexuality is biological. No one would choose this lifestyle. And we bought it, hook, line, and sinker. We consume perversion on a daily basis through music, TV, internet, and videos. The movers and shakers say it’s okay. It must be. When did we begin believing that accumulation of possessions was the path to happiness? Lifestyles of Rich and Famous. Hollywood’s red carpet galas where the beautiful people appear in all their luxury among the lowly. We’re constantly bombarded with media messages portraying the good life as that which is filled with more and more stuff.
Even Christians have been taken in by the influence of those at the top. One of the places I see this so clearly is in the sexualization of our girls. Have you noticed how much skin is showing these days? Belly buttons uncovered, jeans that are cut way too low, cleavage on display, skirts way too high? I was filling in preaching at a friend’s church once and a young lady in the second row had a top so low cut that I had to intentionally avoid looking in that section of the audience. I was there to preach the word of God, but distracted by a teenager’s prominent advertisement of her sexuality. What troubles me even more is that parents no longer overlook it. They actively promote, encourage, and finance their children dressing like prostitutes.
Where did this relaxation in dress come from? The stars. You can hardly turn on a TV without having it shoved in your face. What would have been called pornography a few decades ago is called art and fashion today. The dress and actions of those who our kids aspire be influences them. We, the church, either look the other way or join in the sewer slide ourselves. If we don’t stand against it, we will fall with it when God’s inevitable wrath against sin shakes this nation to its core.
The generation of the flood might have been spared if they’d followed the lead of the one man who swam against the tide. Noah, the Bible tells us …
… found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Genesis 6:8 (NIV)
Verse 9 tells us that …
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Genesis 6:9 (NIV)
He didn’t allow the trickle down immorality of the influencers to dictate his behavior. He trusted that God’s way was the best, followed His ways, and stood out among his generation. As a result, he and his family escaped the wrath of the flood.
Personally, as bad as things are in this nation, I don’t think the situation is irreversible yet. Our God is a God of grace. He delights to give second chances. He doesn’t desire the death of the wicked, but that all would come to repentance. It is imperative, however, that we do our part, not just to escape the wrath to come, but to reverse the erosion of values corrupting our land. It requires swimming upstream. You’ll be considered a freak or a Puritan. But you’ll be on God’s side with His favor. Let’s spend a few minutes an consider our part in …
Reversing the Erosion from Above
1. Let your goodness light the darkness.
Our world is in desperate need of people who adhere to Kingdom values. It is not enough to say that you believe IN Jesus anymore. You’ve also got to believe WITH Him. You must not only espouse biblical values, but you’ve also got to live them out.
When politicians or entertainers or scientists say something’s okay and you know it violates scripture you must resist their ideas and practices and live out the truth. Go God’s way rather than the world’s way in your lifestyle, in your language, in how you spend your time and money, in the way you dress, in the way you treat people, in the way you handle conflict, in the way express your sexuality.
Jesus said that the way we live will make a difference to the dark world around us:
“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)
2. Go on the offense against evil.
Stop allowing the trickle down effects of evil to rule your life. Turn the trash off when it comes across the TV. Stop giving money in ticket sales and rental to those who mass produce perverted messages. I absolutely refuse to buy from Hardees restaurants. I really want one of those thick burgers, but I refuse to fund a company that airs such sexually suggestive commercials.
You might up the attack against evil by becoming an activist. William Wilberforce began a grassroots movement in England that eventually ended the slave trade. The elites of his day hated his activism because it interfered with their profit margin. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a peaceful and successful attack on segregation in this country. The racists ensconced at all levels of society railed against him, but he persevered unto death. Both of these men were Christians and they expressed their calling through political activism. They effectively shut down top down evil. They sharpened the consciences of their generations which had been dulled by selfish and arrogant leaders.
3. Dethrone the demigods.
There’s a simple way squash powerful people who erode moral values: Vote the bums out of office. As election season roles around please do me a favor … Don’t just vote for someone because of their party affiliation. Don’t just vote for someone because they are charming or good looking or can deliver a pretty speech written by other people. Take a look at their stand on important moral issues of the day. Examine their character. Use the power God has given you as a citizen of this great republic to vote the right people into office.
You can also dethrone the demigods by de-funding them. Stop handing your money over to actors, musicians, authors, athletes, and TV personalities who are morally corrupt. Boycott them. Make fun of their lifestyles and opinions in front of friends and family. Teach your kids and grandkids to laugh at their lunacy. Take them down off their thrones anyway you can as a person of faith. As Christians, a good portion of our ministry must involve tearing down before building up with the gospel of Jesus. Paul, who spent enormous amounts of time debating and tearing down corrupt ideas, wrote about the methods we are to use:
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)
We’re promised that we have the power to rip down the influence of demigods if we’ll only “man-up” and go on the attack. The god kings and their hordes look terrifying, but remember with God on your side even a boy with a rock can defeat a Nephilim.
4. Lead with extreme caution.
If you lead, understand the power of your influence. Also remember that God will hold you accountable for it. Leaders, entertainers, teachers, parents are doubly responsible for how they exercise their influence. Your life will either dull or sharpen the consciences of those you who follow you. This is why God said let not many of your aspire to be teachers. It’s because they’re held to a higher standard. Church elders were to be held in high esteem in the early church because they were responsible to God for their leadership. Old Testament kings could literally bring the blessings or the wrath of God in their generation because of the trickle down effect of their character.
My former principal, Mr. Cliff, is a very passionate guy. He expresses it in his voice and actions. One of his students came to him one day and told him of an encounter with his youth leader. The youth leader had declared his support for abortion rights during a student meeting. Afterward, this kid went back to the office and took him to task for his ungodly stand. He said, “Mr. Cliff I was yelling and pushing furniture I was so fired up.” When he asked the kid the source of his passion, he said, “From you, Mr. Cliff. From you.” Mr. Cliff’s appraisal: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
We all lead someone at some point in our lives. People are watching. Lead with extreme caution. Make sure that you are sharpening rather than dulling consciences for Christ.
