Sermon Video: Jesus Christ: A Sacrifice of Atonement, Romans 3:25-26

On one level, the Gospel is as simple as knowing and accepting that Jesus Christ did for your sins, it is a message that a child can grasp and accept.  On a deeper level lie the questions about how this works and why it was necessary.  The Apostle Paul explains that the sins (rebellion against God) committed by those who have, or one day will, believed in Jesus are paid for by his shed blood on the Cross.  Jesus was a sacrifice of atonement, a substitution taking our place whose death satisfied the full and permanent cost of our sins, because Jesus was both God and Man, and because his life was without sin, his one sacrifice can cover multitudes beyond counting.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #6: Isaiah 1:11-18

 

Isaiah 1:11-18     New International Version

11 “The multitude of your sacrifices—

    what are they to me?” says the Lord.

“I have more than enough of burnt offerings,

    of rams and the fat of fattened animals;

I have no pleasure

    in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

12 When you come to appear before me,

    who has asked this of you,

    this trampling of my courts?

13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings!

    Your incense is detestable to me.

New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—

    I cannot bear your worthless assemblies.

14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals

    I hate with all my being.

They have become a burden to me;

    I am weary of bearing them.

15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,

    I hide my eyes from you;

even when you offer many prayers,

    I am not listening.

Your hands are full of blood!

16 Wash and make yourselves clean.

    Take your evil deeds out of my sight;

    stop doing wrong.

17 Learn to do right; seek justice.

    Defend the oppressed.

Take up the cause of the fatherless;

    plead the case of the widow.

18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”

    says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

    they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

    they shall be like wool.

As someone who has belonged to and served only small churches (yes, the building we have here is huge, the congregation hasn't been big since the 1970's), I can attest to the desire and hope for growth coupled with the insecurity about the future that typifies small churches and their pastors.  We want our churches to grow, and we want the Church in America to grow.  What I don't want, and what I hope most of my fellow pastors can see to be for what it is, is insincere or coerced growth.  What is the value of a church bursting at the seams if the Gospel is not preached, if lives are not being transformed by the Spirit, and if the prayers offered up are not sincere?

As the prophet Isaiah made clear, God is not impressed with acts of worship from hearts that are far from him, even multitudes of them.  When it seems that everyone in a community is a Christian, the pressure to fit in can result in people being along for the ride, enjoying the benefits (economic, cultural) of belonging to the group without any of the personal sacrifice and commitment demanded of disciples of Jesus.  Bonhoeffer railed against this shallowness in the German Lutheran and Catholic Churches, calling it "cheap grace."  Such a scenario existed in America during the 1950's, for example, often seen as the Golden Age that 'Christian' Nationalists are hoping to bring back, but outward conformity does not guarantee a healthy Church, Jim Crow's power among millions of 'Christians' made that clear enough.

Now, however, with Church attendance declining, the temptation offered by  'Christian' Nationalism is to compel various forms of participation on behalf of an unwilling population, to fill our churches again with the stick since the carrot is not longer available.

One of the clearest example of this type of mandatory participation would be the reimposition of prayer in the public schools.  While millions of American Christians would cheer this as a victory, the cost to future evangelism would be high, and the result far less than what is promised.  Would God suddenly bless America's geopolitical position in the world and economy because school children are required to say a prayer written by a government official?  Isaiah knew the answer to that one.  In fact, God would be angry rather than impressed with such empty gestures.

{The theology of mandated/compulsory prayer in public schools is atrocious, its implementation would be worse.}

In the end, the path that 'Christian' Nationalism offers is a worldly solution (ironic isn't it) to a spiritual problem, both our theology derived from the Bible, and our knowledge of Church History assure us that it won't work.  The Church's ultimate victory will not be won at the ballot box, by legislation, or as has been tried far too many times, by the sword.  

What should the Church be doing instead of scheming to wield political power?  As vs. 16-17 explain, what God actually wants from his people is a (1) rejection of immorality, (2) an embrace of righteous living, (3) and a genuine commitment to work on behalf of those facing injustice and oppression.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #5: Psalm 82:3

 

Psalm 82:3  New International Version

Defend the weak and the fatherless;

    uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.

This verse is among numerous similar portions of scripture that encapsulate what the people of God should focus their energies upon in one simple sentence.  The Kingdom of Israel during the Old Covenant, and the Church during the New Covenant, has a God-given obligation to those on the bottom of society's social hierarchy.  

How then does this verse offer a refutation of 'Christian' Nationalism?  One aspect of that criticism would be the need for Christians who honor the Word of God by taking this obligation seriously to push back against the policies and structures of their society that marginalize and disadvantage the poor.  In other words, American culture, the laws and policies of the American government, and even Capitalism itself must be examined for how they are contributing to the misfortune of our neighbors.  Is a democratic government better than an autocratic one?  Virtually always, but that doesn't make it flawless, and that doesn't make it beyond criticism when 'our team' is in the White House or controls Congress.  Likewise, is capitalism the best economic system of those humanity has tried thus far?  Hard to argue from either history or statistical analysis that it isn't, but capitalism has inherent flaws of its own, ones that favor the rich and powerful and disfavor the poor and weak (as does every governmental and economic system created by man), these need to be confronted and countered, even if it clashes with the politics of 'our team'. 

Because of the deep identification of 'Christian' Nationalism with the society it seeks to control, the prophetic voice of the Church is muzzled, recent history has shown that those within the Church who speak up for the poor are dismissed, often with vitriol, as 'woke' or 'liberals'.  Why the hostility toward those who point out the clear and ongoing flaws in the system?  During a war you don't criticize your own team, supposedly.  And make no mistake, 'Christian' Nationalism sees itself at war, always.  "America, love it or leave it" is a sentiment at home within 'Christian' Nationalism, but if I listen to God's Word as a Christian, I will be called, 

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8b, NIV)

In all honesty, I love America, I consider myself blessed of God to have been born here, but I reject in its entirety the demand of 'Christian' Nationalism that I "root, root, root for the home team".  When America is wrong, morally, we are blessed with the right to say so, even when that criticism needs to be aimed at 'our team'.  The people of God are called to defend the weak and uphold the cause of the poor, no matter who bears responsibility for that plight, thus silence to protect the (unholy) marriage of Church and State is dereliction of duty.

Listen to the Word of God: 62 Scripture passages that refute 'Christian' Nationalism - #4: Psalm 47:7-8

Psalm 47:7-8     New International Version

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

    sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;

    God is seated on his holy throne.

God as "King of all the earth" is a foundational aspect of the Judeo-Christian worldview.  God has no rivals and certainly no equals.  The position and dominion of God is secure, always has been, always will be.  And yet, 'Christian' Nationalism brings the Kingdom of God down into the trenches, pitting nation against nation, viewing the rise of America (or England, the Holy Roman Empire, Rome, etc. before us) as the flowering of God's purposes, and the potential fall of the favored nation as the withering of God's will.  How can this be?  Does God not rule the whole earth?  Is his purpose not accomplished in every nation?

One of the reasons why 'Christian' Nationalism fails to see the big picture is egocentrism, the belief that God's will must revolve around us and our nation because we're just that important (as compared to other peoples and nations of the world, whom God evidently cares much less about).  This was, at times, a flaw of ancient Israel as well, one that Holy Scripture punctures in the story of the prophet Jonah.  The entire book of Jonah is a withering rebuke of Israelite nationalists whose concern about humanity stopped at the boundary of their own ethnicity.  God's concern did not end there, however.  As the prophet Jonah throws a tantrum while watching God's mercy against Nineveh unfold, the book ends with this line:

Jonah 4:11     New International Version

And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The view of Jonah was far too narrow for God, spending three nights in the belly of the great beast of the sea didn't cure him of his folly, so the book ends with us wondering if he hardened his heart following God's rebuke, or repented.

Likewise, the Gospels contain numerous examples in the actions and words of Jesus that refute the notion that God's focus on one nation means that others fall through the cracks.  Two prime examples being Jesus' discussion with the Woman at the Well and the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  

Lastly, there is one caveat to this discussion, one that will be dealt with numerous times in the texts yet to come in this series: Israel had a covenant with God.  Abraham's descendants did have a relationship with God that held promises of great favor AND a stricter level of scrutiny regarding their actions.  Israel is the exception to the rule, but as Jonah learned the hard way, the special status of Israel did not remove the other nations of the world from God's concern.

In the end, the Church is NOT Israel, and America is NOT Israel.  Whatever promises God made to Israel remain with them, they are not transferable.  'Christian' Nationalism fails, in part, because it seeks to focus God's concern on one nation (the one we happen to live in, imagine that), viewing the world in terms of power politics and national rivalries as they impact that one nation.  God's concern is higher, deeper, and much broader.

The Climate Change denialism of Evangelicals will be damaging global Gospel witness for generations to come

 

It was painful, personally and professionally, to watch so many of my fellow Evangelicals (as well as Fundamentalists) in America deny the reality of COVID-19 in the face of ever increasing evidence.  It was also disheartening to hear fake 'cures' touted by some of these same voices while the readily available vaccine was rejected (as part of some global, even Satanic, conspiracy).  Having spent time in our area hospital praying with and for exhausted nurses, and having presided over the funeral of a fellow pastor and his wife who died on the same day of COVID, this lack of acceptance of basic facts and the nasty hostility toward doctors and scientists, has left a mark.  I won't soon forget it.  However, when it comes to the grand sweep of history, as traumatic and disruptive as COVID-19 was to the world for two plus years, it will one day be relegated to the history books along with such momentous moments as the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11.  Future generations will be unlikely to continue to hold the mostly politically motivated, fact denying, COVID-19 related actions of millions of American Christians against them.  Climate change is a different sort of beast.  Why?

The affects of COVID-19 are fast fading, wounds of this sort to the human psyche heal when the harms fade away, but the mounting affects of climate change are increasingly being felt.  If the predictive models are true, the ongoing cost will be upon the shoulders of billions of people throughout the world, and not just once, but over and over again with each successive drought, wildfire, flash flood, and hurricane.  COVID-19's impact lasted 2+ years, and we were all so tired of dealing with it, climate change won't have an expiration date, it will build and remain, year after year.  With widespread suffering, and the pain (as it always is with such things) felt more by the poor and powerless, the world will look to blame those who stood in the way of mitigating the worst of climate change's affects in the early decades of humanity's grapple with it, when decisive action might have made a big difference.  There will be plenty of blame to go around, China will receive some of it, but most will fall upon the West, America in particular, in part because only in America has there been widespread denialism and opposition to mitigating steps, even by private businesses. {In Europe, conservative parties disagree with liberal ones about how to mitigate climate change, not about the reality of it.}

To those on the outside looking in, it may seem curious that American Evangelicals/Fundamentalists have been so deeply and vehemently opposed to the scientific consensus regarding climate change {As if, by force of will, you can change facts}.  Four reasons for this stance stand out among others: 

(1) An anti-science attitude that dates back to the Scopes Trial {Young Earth Creationism paved the way for anti-science / anti-vaccine Evangelicals}

How exactly does one witness to those with a degree in science if your theology demands that they abandon generally accepted scientific conclusions on a whole host of topics in order to become a Christian?  This is a long standing issue, but one that has grown in recent years into outright hostility toward not only scientific facts, but those whose work revolves around science.

(2) An embrace of conspiracy theories, especially when they involve the U.N. {For example: An analysis of Rev. Danny Jones, "Is this Coronavirus a Sign of the End of the World?"}

When #'s 1 & 2 combine, we have the increasingly common acceptance of the notion that any scientific consensus is itself evidence of a conspiracy theory, something we saw manifested during COVID-19.  If 99% of global climate scientists agree that our current era's climate change is largely affected by human activity, that fact becomes a primary reason to oppose said consensus.  One of the reasons why is #4.

(3) A political viewpoint that declares that whatever 'they' support we must oppose, to the death. {The proper counter-point: Afraid of being called 'woke' or 'conservative'? Preach the Whole Counsel of God - Wisdom on this issue from John Piper}

We know this to be true: If the Republican party supported policies to combat climate change, and the Democrats (for whatever reason) opposed them, Evangelicals and Fundamentalists would be shouting their support of these policies to combat climate change from the rooftop, and thumping their chests about how important this is to God.  This is certainly not the only issue where we see the Church in America acting as if it has a Red wing and a Blue one, often to our shame.

(4) An in-our-lifetime eschatology that is convinced the End Times are upon us, thus negating any serious commitment to environmental conservation or protection.  If it is all going to be destroyed in the next few years, who cares? {This attitude disastrously applied to COVID-19: The Mark of the Beast isn't what you think.}

Yesterday I saw, for the first time, a meme from a pastor that proclaimed that climate change MUST be false because it violates the sovereignty of God.  A small amount of knowledge about world history will debunk this foolishness.  Humanity has been affecting the environment in which we live for thousands of years, mostly in a negative capacity.  North Africa during the time of the Roman Empire was a productive province, responsible for much agricultural production, things have changed.  God's power and control has not been diminished by this human impact on our world in the past, nor is it in the present.  

In the end, what is sorely lacking in much of the 'Christian' vitriol against the scientific consensus regarding climate change is a proper orthodox understanding of stewardship.  The Biblical narrative begins with stewardship in the Garden of Eden, but somewhere along the way segments of the Church in America decided that environmental stewardship was not our responsibility.  A biblical understanding of stewardship would also act as a check on the rampant consumerism, and disregard for the poort, that affects so much of the American Church, but alas it is a neglected theological imperative.

One hundred years from now, when communities the world over are grappling with the negative affects of climate change, those hoping to share the Gospel in them will have to respond to accusations such as this: "We are in this mess because of American Christians, why should we listen to what you have to say about Jesus?"