About five weeks ago, we started this series called, “Can You Give Your Life for the Cause?” This was the rallying cry of Pastor Adam Crooks. The Wesleyan Methodist Church was founded in 1843, by Orange Scott and four other men. One of the reasons for founding this new church was the belief that all people are created equal and there was no room in that belief for slaves. They also believed that there was too wide a gap between clergy and laity. About five years later a group of Episcopal Methodists who were also abolitionists in Alamance County, NC decided that they wanted to be part of this new church. Adam Crooks, a young preacher from Ohio decided to volunteer for the job.
This morning we want to ask the question, “What is the role of Wesleyans and political action?” Do we have a place in the arena of politics? If we follow the example of these founders, I believe that we will answer the question yes. But what exactly am I getting at? What does it mean to be involved? One of the reasons, we are taking a look at this is because of the nearing of our local elections and in just one year from now we will be electing a new president. As you can see this can be a controversial topic. Our Wesleyan founding fathers were not without controversy. Adam Crooks was sent packing back to the North after several years – believe it or not freedom of speech was not a right given to true Wesleyans in the South in the 1850’s. Several other Wesleyan pastors were also ridden out on a rail in that same period. In fact, at the end of the Civil War only one Wesleyan Church remained in the south and that was Freedom’s Hill. Like I said in previous weeks, Wesleyans have been on the front lines of political action for decades. “What are some of the issues that we have taken on?” you ask. Two of those issues we have already looked at and those are slavery and women’s rights. Currently, because of the work Jo Ann Lyon is doing, Wesleyans are on the forefront of the Human Trafficking issue. I believe that this is one area in which we are starting to make a difference. Unfortunately, we have been silent on issues in the past and silent on current issues. Now, I was just a boy growing up in the sixties, but I never remember hearing any message or any thoughts on Civil Rights as they were being presented in the sixties. Shouldn’t have Wesleyans been there. We were battling with whether we wanted to merge or not. So before I go any further and get myself into trouble, let’s take a look at what God’s Word says.
Paul writes in Philippians chapter 1, “27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.”
One of the things that we must remember is that we really have two citizenships as believers and one supersedes the other. Yes, we are citizens of the United States of America, but more importantly, we are citizens of heaven and everything we do needs to reflect that citizenship. Paul says to conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News. Our heavenly citizenship supersedes our earthly citizenship. Does that mean we shouldn’t try to be good Americans, no, it means that when a conflict arises between the two, our obligation is to go with our heavenly citizenship even though it may cost us. Paul tells us that that’s ok. We have been given the privilege of trusting in Christ and because of that we will also have the privilege of suffering for him. The good news here is that as citizens of heaven, we are all in this together. Paul says, “Don’t be intimated by your enemies.” Because we know the end of the story, we will overcome. Our enemies will be destroyed. I believe that is what our Wesleyan fathers were thinking when they took on the issue of slavery.
Remember what happened to Peter and the apostles as they were preaching the gospel in Acts? There was great opposition to their preaching. They had been jailed over and over and over again. They were told to stop preaching about Jesus. Then Peter replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”
By now you’re probably thinking that I’m a real rabble rouser. Not really, I really don’t want to start anything. I want us to understand what it means to be a Christian—what it means to be a Christ-follower, to use a current phrase. Many times that means we will have to be counter cultural. We have to be willing to stand up for the least of these. Again, World Hope International is doing an outstanding job in partnering with the Wesleyan Church and making us aware of need throughout the world.
Another place where we are helping the least of these is at Hephzibah Children’s Home. Hephzibah is under the authority of the Wesleyan Church an primarily serves the children of the state of Georgia – it provides a Christ-centered, safe, and wholesome residential environment for at-risk children and young people. In addition to Hephzibah there is also Elizabeth Home–The Maternity Home offers a haven of peace, safety and loving care to young women up to age 24 who find themselves in an unplanned pregnancy. Abortion is never an option. The expectant mothers are provided with an excellent program that offers opportunities to continue their education, learn parental skills, develop social skills and participate in spiritual development and private therapy. Clients attend classes in decision making, childbirth, infant care and anger management. Local doctors and hospitals provide professional prenatal and postnatal care.
One of the social concerns of our day is the sanctity of life. We believe that life is special – World Hope, Hephzibah and Elizabeth Home are part of our effort to make a difference – to give our life for the Cause as a denomination. Are we doing all we should? No, it would be great if we could have Hephzibah’s all over the country. Since the start of the war in Iraq 3,829 soldiers have lost their lives. (First, hear what I’m not saying. I’m not saying that those lives lost in Iraq are not important, but almost all of those men and women signed up willingly to go into the military.) Each day in our country 3,700 unborn children are aborted. In one day, we lose slightly less children to abortion than we have lost in the entire Iraqi war. Where is the outcry? Unfortunately you won’t hear it. Where are the congress people talking about saving the lives of the unborn? Why is this not a major issue? We don’t even hear about this much in the church. I think sometimes we are embarrassed (I know I am) the way others have handled this issue. To go and bomb abortion clinics or to shoot and kill doctors is not the way to handle the issue. This strikes me too much like those who opposed those early Wesleyans on the slavery issue. Violence is not the answer.
Let me just shortly address several other issues:
· The sanctity of marriage – we dealt with this last week. Our culture has completely reshaped our moral code. We need to take a stand.
· Foreign affairs – I’m all for creating solid relations with other nations, however, the recent recalls (especially by toy manufacturers) only increased my concern about China. China will be hosting the Olympics in 2008, despite the constant reports of human rights violations, especially of Christians. Is it morally right for us to support in light of these violations.
· Immigration – talk about your hot topic issue – I want you to seriously think about this one. I know that I have. How do you feel about immigration? How do you feel about those who come to this country and more importantly, how do you feel about those who come to this country illegally? I don’t have an answer. How do we balance what it means to give a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name with protecting our own citizen’s jobs and yet give newcomers the same opportunities our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents and beyond had? This is an issue that will be part of next year’s national election as well as the others I have mentioned.
Speaking of elections – What is a Christian to do? What is a Wesleyan to do? I believe that as citizens of the country we live in, we should participate in the democratic process. I urge each one of you to go out and find out as much information as you can on the candidates, especially as this pertains to next year’s presidential race. Again this is a hot topic issue. There are those who claim to speak for all Christians – there are those who claim to speak for all evangelicals – there are those who claim to speak for all Wesleyans, but I believe that we need to make these informed choices ourselves. While abortion and marriage are two key issues there are others. What other issues should we take a look at?
· Environment – we are to be good stewards of the place that God has given to us
· The poor – the lease of these
· Health care – why don’t we have some sort of national health care system>
· Minimum wage – as it stands currently, minimum wage is a joke. We all know what it cost to go to the grocery store. At our current minimum wage, if you work 40 hours, you will make $234 for the week. That’s a little over $934 for the month – hardly a living wage.
· Equal taxation – there are far too many loopholes for those who can afford to pay their taxes. On a similar note, I believe we need to do a better job in the area of corporate taxation – I know we call them tax incentives to get corporations to move to are area, but they place an unfair burden on those (the poor) who already can’t afford it and (I’m a sports fan) I believe if a sports team wants a new stadium, they should pay for it themselves and not expect the public to pay for it.
· Foreign Policy –
These are just a few of the issues that will be before us next year as we enter the election season. I want us to think seriously on these issues. One thing I do know is that God is in control. The election of 2008 needs our prayers. I want to bring Paul’s words to Timothy into play here:
1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.
Several years ago while living in Indiana, I was asked by my father-in-law to come and lead worship at a campmeeting he was directing. This would have been in the mid-ninety’s. President Clinton had been our president for several years. The speaker was a godly man and part of our holiness tradition. I remember sitting on the platform when he said that he never criticized a president. God had put him there and we aren’t commanded to criticize but we are commanded as we just read in Timothy to pray for all who are in authority. Is it hard, when you don’t agree with what they do? Absolutely, but maybe if more Christians had prayed for our president instead of the constant criticism (and I’m preaching to myself, because I was a big critic of that administration), maybe, just maybe, things would have turned out differently. We need to be in prayer for next year’s election, that God would put into office the person He desires and whether that person is Republican or Democrat, they need to be prayed for. Am I concerned with the possibilities of who will be our next president? Yes. That is why more than ever Christ’s church needs to be in prayer. Pray that someone would be raised up to bring leadership to this great country of ours. Adam Crooks asked, “Can you give your life for the Cause?” What will you do?
