Transforming Nations Through Faith and Action

Faith That Transforms Nations

Welcome! Today, we delve into the profound message of faith that has the power to transform not just individuals but entire nations. The world often feels like it’s on a downward spiral, but what if I told you it doesn’t have to be that way? It’s time to challenge the belief that we’re destined for decline and instead embrace the call to be kings and priests, empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Great Commission: A Call to Action

The Great Commission is not just a command; it’s a divine invitation. Jesus instructed us to go out into the world, making disciples of all nations. This isn’t merely about converting individuals; it’s about bringing entire nations into the obedience of Christ. It’s about embodying His grace, mercy, healing, and delivering power. We are called to communicate human dignity, freedom, and the fullness of life that He offers. This is our mission, and through the Holy Spirit, we are equipped to fulfill it.

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The Covenant of Redemption

At the heart of our faith lies the Covenant of Redemption made between the Father and the Son. This covenant promises that the nations will be His inheritance. It’s a reminder that God is actively working throughout history to bring about His kingdom on Earth. This truth can stir us to recognize that we are not mere bystanders in a chaotic world; we are participants in a grand narrative of redemption.

Overcoming the World

What does it mean to overcome the world? Many often think of it as resisting sin, but it’s much broader than that. Overcoming the world means engaging with the brokenness and disorder that surrounds us. It’s about bringing light into darkness, love into hate, and hope into despair. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world, as highlighted in 1 John 5:4-5. It’s the belief that Jesus is the Son of God, and through Him, we can effect real change.

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Authenticity in Our Walk with God

Authenticity is crucial in our relationship with God. It’s about being real with Him, expressing our struggles and victories alike. Many of us feel pressured to present a polished version of our faith, but God desires honesty. When we are authentic, we open the door for His transformative power to work within us. It’s through our weaknesses that His strength is made perfect.

Creating a Better World

We have a role in creating a better world. This doesn’t solely mean grand gestures; it can be as simple as treating others with kindness and respect. It involves using our gifts and talents to uplift those around us. As we embody the values of the kingdom, we contribute to human flourishing. Our everyday actions can lead to significant changes in our communities and beyond.

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The Power of Faith

Hebrews 11:33-34 speaks of heroes of faith who subdued kingdoms and worked righteousness. These individuals exemplified how faith can lead to tangible outcomes. They didn’t just believe; they acted on their beliefs. Their faith allowed them to challenge injustices and bring about change. We can do the same by standing firm in our faith and taking action.

Enculturating Values

Enculturating values that align with God’s kingdom is essential for shaping our communities. It’s about instilling principles of love, justice, and compassion in our families and societies. As we embody these values, we can influence others to do the same. This is how we become the salt and light in a world that desperately needs it.

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Hearing God in Pain

In times of pain and suffering, it can be challenging to hear God’s voice. Yet, it’s often in our brokenness that He draws closest to us. When we bring our pain to Him, He meets us with comfort and guidance. It’s in these moments that we can hear His still small voice guiding us towards healing and hope.

The Church as the Soul of the World

The church is not just a building; it’s the soul of the world. It has the power to connect people, to humanize, and to restore. When the church loses its mission, society suffers. We must recognize our role in bringing God’s kingdom into every sphere of life. The church is called to be a guiding light, advocating for justice and compassion in our communities.

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Restoring the Soul of America

America is at a crossroads, and it’s time for the church to rise and restore its soul. This restoration begins with each of us acknowledging our role in God’s plan. We must act from a place of love and authenticity, seeking to build bridges rather than walls. Together, we can transform our communities and ultimately our nation through faith.

Conclusion: Faith in Action

Faith is not a passive belief; it’s an active force that transforms lives and nations. We are called to live out our faith in tangible ways, impacting those around us. Let’s embrace our identity as kings and priests, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and commit ourselves to the mission of bringing God’s kingdom to Earth. Together, we can make a difference, creating a world that reflects His love and grace.

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A Move of God is Dawning in America, Pt. 5

(Preaching Outline)

1)      A move of God is dawning in America

a)      The dawn of the Kingdom of God in the gospels:

i)        A world being healed

ii)      Beatitudes – The laws governing walking in the Kingdom of God

2)      Blessed are the peacemakers – sons of God (9) – Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God (8)

3)      The inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr. for becoming peacemakers in our generation.

a)      We left off taking about faith

b)      1 John 5:4–5 (NKJV) — 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

c)      Hebrews 11:33–35 (NKJV) — (THE HEROS OF FAITH ACCOMPLISHED) 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

d)     Faith makes us operate with a good Spirit, believe in the church, believe in the Lord, not driven by duty or self-righteousness 

e)      By faith we create a better world.

f)       In spite of the noble affirmations of Christianity, the church has often lagged in its concern for social justice and too often has been content to mouth pious irrelevances and sanctimonious trivialities. It has often been so absorbed in a future good “over yonder” that it forgets the present evils “down here.” Yet the church is challenged to make the gospel of Jesus Christ relevant within the social situation. We must come to see that the Christian gospel is a two-way road. On the one side, it seeks to change the souls of men and thereby unite them with God; on the other, it seeks to change the environmental conditions of men so that the soul will have a chance after it is changed. Any religion that professes to be concerned with the souls of men and yet is not concerned with the economic and social conditions that strangle them and the social conditions that cripple them is the kind the Marxist describes as “an opiate of the people.”[1]

i)        Moses spoke to Pharaoh, no more straw, beaten.

ii)      Exodus 6:9 (NKJV) — 9 So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

iii)    They did not listen “because their spirit was broken and because the labour was harsh.” In other words: If you want to improve people’s spiritual situation, first improve their physical situation. That is one of the most humanising aspects of Judaism. Maimonides emphasises this in The Guide for the Perplexed. The Torah, he says, has two aims: the well-being of the soul and the well-being of the body. The well-being of the soul is something inward and spiritual, but the well-being of the body requires a strong society and economy, where there is the rule of law, division of labour, and the promotion of trade. We have bodily well-being when all our physical needs are supplied, but none of us can do this on his own. We specialise and exchange. That is why we need a good, strong, just society.[2]

4)      The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide and the critic of the state, and never its tool. If the church does not recapture its prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.[3] (Blessed are the peacemakers)

a)      What was unique about the society envisaged by the Torah is that every individual mattered. Justice was to be paramount. The rich could not buy special treatment and the poor were not left destitute. When it came to communal celebrations, everyone – especially the orphan, the widow, the stranger – was to be included.[4]

b)      THIS WAS THE BIRTH OF AMERICA – A COVENANT COMMUNITY

i)        Societal freedom cannot be sustained by market economics and liberal democratic politics alone. It needs a third element: morality, a concern for the welfare of others, an active commitment to justice and compassion, a willingness to ask not just what is good for me but what is good for “all of us together.” It is about “Us,” not “Me”; about “We,” not “I.”[5]

ii)       Market economics and liberal politics will fail if they are not undergirded by a moral sense that puts our shared humanity first. Economic inequalities will grow. Politics will continue to disappoint our expectations. There will be a rising tide of anger and resentment, and that, historically, is a danger signal for the future of freedom.[6]

5)      Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. (7)

a)       Ancient Greece, like Japan, was a shame culture. Judaism and the religions influenced by it (most obviously, Calvinism) were guilt cultures. The differences between them are substantial. In shame cultures, what matters is the judgment of others. Acting morally means conforming to public roles, rules, and expectations. You do what other people expect you to do. You follow society’s conventions. If you fail to do so, society punishes you by subjecting you to shame, ridicule, disapproval, humiliation, and ostracism. In guilt cultures what matters is not what other people think but what the voice of conscience tells you. Living morally means acting in accordance with internalised moral imperatives: “You shall” and “You shall not.” What matters is what you know to be right and wrong. People in shame cultures are other-directed. They care about how they appear in the eyes of others, or as we would say today, about their “image.” People in guilt cultures are inner-directed. They care about what they know about themselves in moments of absolute honesty. Even if your public image is undamaged, if you know you have done wrong, it will make you feel uneasy. You will wake up at night, troubled. “O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!” says Shakespeare’s Richard III. “My conscience hath a thousand several tongues / And every tongue brings in a several tale /And every tale condemns me for a villain.”4 Shame is public humiliation. Guilt is inner torment.[7]

b)      We can be right and still so wrong: Cancel culture, DEI and affirmative action culture.

c)      So different than a color blind society that judges people on the content of their character.

6)      Do not be conformed to this world

a)      Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV) — 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

b)      This hour in history needs a dedicated circle of transformed nonconformists. Our planet teeters on the brink of atomic annihilation; dangerous passions of pride, hatred, and selfishness are enthroned in our lives; truth lies prostrate on the rugged hills of nameless calvaries; and men do reverence before false gods of nationalism and materialism. The saving of our world from pending doom will come, not through the complacent adjustment of the conforming majority, but through the creative maladjustment of a nonconforming minority.[8]

c)      We’ve been looking at some of the traditions of men in the church that are robbing the world of the kingdom of God.

d)      A move of God begins with us!

7)      Build on the rock

a)      Matthew 7:24–27 (NKJV) — 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”