Sermon Audio

To listen to the audio of the sermon please click this Dropbox LINK

How Do We Respond: Part 1

 

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

Introduction

Given the climate of our nation today, I want to ask one basic question. It is this:

 

As believers, how are we to respond to the challenges, hostilities, and division that confront us as a nation today? What should we do? How should we proceed?

 

Now to answer this question I want to begin this week by laying the essential foundation upon which our response is based.

 

Then next week in part 2 of our study, I want to look at the specific sort of public response God calls His people make regardless of your party affiliation or your assessment of the events over the last few months.

 

So let’s begin with our foundation. Importance: before we can move forward it is vital that we remember a few key truths that serve as our basis and thus will direct/shape any response that we might have to the world about us.

 

Notice then the first foundation:

 

 

 

I. Foundation

A] First and foremost it is vital that we remember who we are- no matter where you live or who you voted for Scripture reminds each of us that the present kingdoms of this world are not our home. Instead, we are sojourner, ambassadors from a foreign land who have been called to serve as lights and witnesses amid the darkness.

2 Corinthians 5:20 We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Philippians 2:15 that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

 

Notice the result:

First, repentance alone (not bullets or legislation) is what accomplishes our mission

Acts 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

 

Second, our governing hope/focus is God not man

Psalm 146:3 Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.

Isaiah 8:11 For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, ¹² "You are not to say, 'It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. ¹³ "It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. ¹⁴ "Then He shall become a sanctuary; 

 

Importance: remembering who you are begins to set the shape of what you are called to do

 

 

B] Our next foundation is that we need to remember who God is

Isaiah 42:8 "I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to idols.(regardless of whether those idols are carved, or elected, or sold to you on line)

Isaiah 55:11 My Word shall not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Not only that, notice the extent of God’s lordship/sovereignty

Daniel 2:20 Daniel answered and said, "Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and power belong to Him. ²¹ "And it is He who changes the times and the eras; He removes kings and establishes kings;

Romans 13:1 For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

 

 

C] Next, we need to remember why we are

Acts 1:8 you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

John 20:21 Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."

 

 

D] We need to remember how we are (or how we are to proceed).

First, we are people of God’s Word

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.

John 8:31 "If you abide in My word, then you are truly My disciples; ³² and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

 

Second we are people of God’s presence (God has not abandoned us nor will He ever forsake us. Rather, God goes with us)

Deuteronomy 31:8 "And the LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear, or be dismayed."

 

Third, we are people whom God has equipped exactly for our role in His mission

Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;

2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

 

Finally, we are a people who are to reflect our Father’s love (not the world’s hate)

John 13:35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

Luke 6:27 "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

 

 

Bottom Line: it is vital that we remember who we are, who God is, what He has sent us to do, and how He has called us to proceed. Why? It is upon this foundation that our every response to a broken world is to be based. And it is this foundation alone that God inhabits and blesses.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.