Devided by Politics, but United in Christ

پوپ كىرىس سىكىس
November 10, 2024

We don’t talk about politics at this church, but tonight we should pray.
In the past few weeks, several people have asked me who I would vote for.
And I politely told them that it is a secret.
I won’t tell any of you who I voted for, and please don’t try to guess!
Some of you are very happy about last week’s election.
Some of you are very sad about last week’s election.
The question we must ask is this:
How do we love Jesus and our brothers and sisters more than anything else?
How do we love each other, even if we think and vote differently?

Ephesians 2:13-18
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the dividing wall of hostility…
15 His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace…
18 For through Christ we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

In these verses, Paul is talking about the division and hostility between Jews and Gentiles.
Their differences included ethnicity, language, culture, politics, religion—everything.
But notice what Paul says. “Christ has made the two groups one.”
If Jesus can unite Jews and Gentiles, he can do with Republicans and Democrats, communists and capitalists, you and me.
## Great Divide Slide
There are many categories that divide people in the world today.
But notice in this picture that these things that divide people exist in the Body of Christ, and in the World.
The only significant and eternal categories are “Alive in Christ” or “Dead in Sin.”

Ephesians 2:19-22
You are fellow citizens of the household of God…
Christ Jesus is the cornerstone…
Joined together, you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

We should expect in a church like ours that we will have different views on culture, politics, world events, theology–and many other things.
But the people in this room are brothers and sisters.
Presidents and prime ministers come and go.
But we will live in heaven and worship Christ together—forever!
If you are sad about the results of the election, please remember that Jesus is Lord, he is King of kings.
If you are happy about the results of the election, please remember that Jesus is Lord, he is King of kings.

Galatians 3:26-27
In Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

The person sitting next to you might have voted differently than you.
But what matters more is what you both think about Jesus!
Can you love the PERSON you are talking with, more than you love the TOPIC you talk about?
Can you be quick to listen, and slow to speak?
If you can listen for understanding, if you can love someone who voted differently, then it’s okay to talk about politics.
But if you believe that people who vote differently are sinful, or are not Christians, then you need to talk to God instead of your neighbor.
Don’t talk about politics until you can do it in a way that communicates love and understanding.

Colossians 3:11
Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free; but Christ is all, and in all.

My friends, please don’t let politics or any differences separate us.
Because that serves Satan, not Jesus.

Let’s Pray For:
For national and local leaders in the USA.
For leaders in your home country, and places of conflict around the world.
For love and understanding in Body of Christ,
to enjoy our differences, listening well
focus on Jesus who made us one, forever!