Articles
Where No Politician Has Ever Gone
Where No Politician Has Ever Gone
By W. Frank Walton
"Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" (John 18:36-38 ESV).
Pilate, the Roman governing politician, was flummoxed in trying to figure out the seditious charges against Jesus. Christ did not come as a political ruler, as the Jews had hoped and the Romans feared. Jesus came as a spiritual king to rule the hearts of men, by the force of eternal truth, and to enter into healing men’s souls. Here, no mere politician can ever enter.
Lee Atwater was a brilliant, tough political campaign manager for the Republican Party during the 1980’s. In 1990, Atwater was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Just before he died at age 40, he had a religious conversion and sent several apologies to political opponents that had unfairly attacked.
Atwater apologized to a South Carolina Senate opponent: "my illness has taught me something about the nature of humanity, love, brotherhood and relationships that I never understood, and probably never would have.” He then wrote in Life Magazine, “My illness helped me to see that what was missing in society is what was missing in me: a little heart, a lot of brotherhood. The '80s were about acquiring….I know. I acquired more wealth, power, and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn't I trade for a little more time with my family?...It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn….I don't know who will lead us…but they must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumor of the soul.”
Christians, in a democratic republic, certainly have a right, unavailable in the first century, to speak up for what is morally upright, as salt and light for God (Matt 5:13-16). Christians should vote for candidates whose values and proposals are most consistent with Biblical principles (Rom 13:1-4, Prov. 14:34). (Yet, realize you will not find one who agrees with you on every point.)
However, there is no college course in political science that can heal the “tumor of the soul.” Politics uses human wisdom, from various sources including the Bible, to pragmatically deal with civil affairs. What heals the immortal soul is not adjudicated by human wisdom in the political forum as public policy.
To heal the sinful “tumor of the soul,” man needs transcendent truth from the Creator of souls. C. S. Lewis observed, “God made the human machine to run on Himself.” Each individual’s soul is saved or lost by whether or not he or she listens to the truth of Jesus and accepts it by obedient faith (Heb. 5:9). This cannot be imposed by politicians or secular government, but only by personal moral suasion.
Society, as it was in the first century, is changed within, one person at a time, as a spiritual byproduct of the leavening power of the gospel. The truth of Jesus makes a better society simply by making better, moral people in converting them to “King Jesus” (Acts 17:7). This is not a government program. This is the mission of Christ’s church, to know Him and make Him known (1Tim 3:15, Eph. 3:10). The kingdom of heaven will outlast all the kingdoms of men (Dan 2:44). Jesus rules the soul where no politician can enter (1Peter 3:15).
Is It A Letter From You?
By Bob Pullium
Dear Preacher,
I found your note on the door the other day. I just imagine that you came by to see why we were not at the services last Sunday. Well, I feel that I should explain so there will be no misunderstanding. You know that one thing we will never do is miss church without some kind of a real good reason.
Last week was the birthday of the sister of my wife’s sister-in-law (by her first marriage). We never miss attending any birthday in either of our families. So we just had to be out of town. We left here in time to go to worship over there, but they had early services at 10:30. Is it scriptural to have them earlier? Well, anyway, we did not get to go that morning. We planned to return early enough to make the evening services, but the children raised such a ruckus that we stayed until 7:00 PM. The services started over there at 7:30, but we had to leave in order to keep from staying out too late with the kids.
Preacher, it would do you good to be out on the road on Sunday morning sometimes. It would give you some idea as to how careless the world is about worshiping Christ. Many of the people we passed had boats behind their cars. Now you know they could at least have gone to services first. Think of all the money they spent for motors, boats, and supplies. I wonder if they ever thought of giving some of that money to the work of the Lord?
Don’t worry about us; I’m convinced that we should leave our contribution here at home. We gave the new members across the street our $2.00 to put in for us. I hope that they see it pays to be a regular and liberal giver and attend the services regularly.
We will see you Sunday. Oops, I forgot! Deer season opens next week. But after that we will see you every Sunday.
Sincerely, I.M. Weak
A Moments Wisdom
--The funny thing about tolerant people is that they are really only tolerant when you agree with them.
--Kindness is loaning someone your strength instead of reminding them of their weakness.
--In 1963, the Bronx Z00 had an exhibit titled: “The Most Dangerous Animal in the World.” The exhibit was a mirror.
--Love is natural; hate is taught.
--In case you are confused, tolerance is not a fruit of the spirit.
--People ask how I stay so positive after losing my legs. I simply ask how they stay so negative with theirs. (Sgt. Johnny Joey Jones)
--We live in a time where intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won’t be offended.
--Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing at all. (Voltaire)
--The idea that all persons are children of God is not found in the Bible anywhere. (J.I. Packer)
--Some Christians believe they can worship alone in heaven, which is why they are so inclined to forsake the assembly here.
--If it is a priority, you will find a way. If it isn’t, you will find an excuse. (Jim Rohn)
--What exactly is your ‘fair share” of what ‘someone else’ has worked for?
Upcoming Sermons
11/3/24 AM - The Appearance of Jesus to Saul of Tarsus; PM - Congregational Choice of Songs
11/10/24 AM - Spending the Night with Lions; PM - Maintaining High Maintenance Christians
11/17/24 AM & PM - Gospel Meeting with Brent Lewis
11/24/24 AM - Questions that Lead Us to Conquer; PM - Act in Haste; Repent in Leisure
