The Kind of Culture We're Trying to Create: Part 4 - A Different Kind of Citizen
1. Righteous God, in humility and repentance
we bring our failures in caring, helping, and loving,
we bring the pain we have caused others,
we bring the injustice in society, of which we
are a part, to the transforming power of your grace.
Grant us the courage to turn again toward the sunrise
of your reign, that we may walk with you in the
promise of peace you have willed for all. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
5. THE KIND OF CULTURE
WE’RE TRYING TO CREATE
Part 4: A Different Kind of Citizen
6. • The Declaration of Independence
NAME SOMETHING THAT
ISN’T IN THE BIBLE, BUT
SOME FOLKS ACT LIKE IT IS
7. • The Declaration of Independence
• The U.S. Constitution
NAME SOMETHING THAT
ISN’T IN THE BIBLE, BUT
SOME FOLKS ACT LIKE IT IS
8. • The Declaration of Independence
• The U.S. Constitution
• The Bill of Rights
NAME SOMETHING THAT
ISN’T IN THE BIBLE, BUT
SOME FOLKS ACT LIKE IT IS
9. • The Declaration of Independence
• The U.S. Constitution
• The Bill of Rights
• The Pledge of Allegiance
NAME SOMETHING THAT
ISN’T IN THE BIBLE, BUT
SOME FOLKS ACT LIKE IT IS
10. • The Declaration of Independence
• The U.S. Constitution
• The Bill of Rights
• The Pledge of Allegiance
• God Bless the USA, by Lee Greenwood
NAME SOMETHING THAT
ISN’T IN THE BIBLE, BUT
SOME FOLKS ACT LIKE IT IS
13. Christian
a person who professes enough
faith in – and commitment to –
Jesus, that they seek to live out
his teachings with their whole self
DEFINITIONS
14. Faith in Jesus is best described
as allegiance to him as king…
(this welds concepts like)
mental agreement, Belief
professed fealty, Confession
and embodied loyalty… Citizenship
Consistent trust in situations
of duress over a lengthy period
of time is allegiance.
16. • Foster strength in unity
• Systems for justice/accountability
• Safety/security domestically
• Provide for the nation’s defense
• Promote citizen’s general welfare
• Protect people’s liberties
FUNCTIONS OF A NATION
17. KINGDOM IN THE BIBLE
1. A King YHWH/Jesus
2. Who rules God/Messiah
3. Over a people Israelites/Church
4. With a law to live by Old/New covenant
5. And land to live on Canaan/World
18. • Freedom of self expression
• Freedom of religion
• Right to a prompt/fair trial by jury
• Right to vote in public elections
• Right to run for elected office
• Pursuit of life, liberty, happiness
SOME RIGHTS AS A CITIZEN
19. • Support/defend* the Constitution
• Stay informed re: community issues
• Participate in democratic process
• Respect/obey fed/state/local laws
• Participate in your local community
• Pay taxes honestly and on time
• Serve on a jury when called upon
• Defend the country if need be*
SOME RESPONSIBILITIES…
21. Christianity neither is, nor ever was,
a part of the common law. Jefferson
The government of the United States
is not in any sense founded on the
Christian religion. Treaty Signed by Adams
22. Christianity neither is, nor ever was,
a part of the common law. Jefferson
The government of the United States
is not in any sense founded on the
Christian religion. Treaty Signed by Adams
Religion and government will both
exist in greater purity the less they
are mixed together. Madison
23. Putting religion and politics together
is like mixing ice cream with horse
manure. It doesn’t hurt the horse
manure; it ruins the ice cream.
TONY
CAMPOLO
25. The “take American back for God”
slogan (presumes) it must have once
belonged to God, but it’s not at all
clear when this golden Christian age
was…Was it before, during, or after
Europeans “discovered” America and
carried out the doctrine of “manifest
destiny” (leading) white Christians
to conquer the native inhabitants and
steal their land?
26. Was it when whites massacred these
Native Americans by the millions,
broke just about every covenant
they ever made with them, and
then forced survivors into isolated
reservations? Was it before, during,
or after white Christians loaded five
to six million Africans on cargo ships
to bring them to the newfound
country…?
27. Was it during the two centuries
when Americans acquired
remarkable wealth by the sweat
and blood of their slaves? (Or was
it following the Civil War, with)
Jim Crow laws, along with ongoing
violence , injustice, and dishonesty
towards Native Americans?
28. America as a nation has clearly
never looked remotely like Jesus.
There was nothing distinctively
Christlike about the way America
was “discovered,” conquered,
or governed in early years.
The way (these things happened)
was a rather typical, barbaric,
violent, kingdom-of-the-world affair.
35. For many in the United States and
around the world, the American flag
has smothered the glory of the cross,
and the ugliness of our American
version of Caesar has squelched
the radiant love of Christ.
36. White Christian Nationalism is the
most urgent threat to democracy
and the witness of the Church
in the United States today…
- Dr. Jemar Tisby
37. THE HARM DONE BY
CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
• Damages God’s reputation
• Damages our integrity/witness
• Undermines our ability
to be Christlike participants
in a pluralistic society/world
• Contradicts our basic command
to love our neighbors
38. ALLEGIANCE TO JESUS AS…
1. A trustworthy King
2. Who rules non-coercively *
3. Over all of creation
4. With a guiding law of love
5. Spreading all over the world
39. A MATTHEW 5 CITIZEN
• Justice beyond the letter of the law
• Doesn’t allow anger to become
contempt, or lust to be entertained
• Doesn’t use words to manipulate
• Doesn’t succumb to revenge
• Loves enemies, requires them
to reckon with human dignity
40. A MATTHEW 6 CITIZEN
• Gives generously and quietly
• Prays earnestly and privately
• Fasts without drawing attention
• Refuses to succumb to worry,
but trusts in God’s goodness,
faithfulness, and daily presence
41. A MATTHEW 7 CITIZEN
• Rejects self-righteous superiority
• Treats others how you’d want
to be treated…and how they want
• Looks for good/rotten fruit
and the actions/thoughts/words
that produce them
• Gives full allegiance to Jesus and
the kingdom of God above all else
42. A MARK 12 CITIZEN
• Loves God with their whole heart,
soul, mind, and strength
• Loves their neighbor as they
love their own self
• Recognizes the indelible link
between the two
43. A ROMANS 12 CITIZEN
• Doesn’t conform to the pattern
of this world, but is transformed
by the renewing of the mind
• Hates what is evil, clings to
what is good
• Doesn’t repay evil with evil,
but overcomes evil with good
44. A GALATIANS 5 CITIZEN
• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness • Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control
Seeks the filling of the Spirit
in a way that produces:
45. A PHILIPPIANS 2 CITIZEN
• Lives humbly, considering
the needs/concerns of others
• Lives peacefully with one another,
not succumbing to needless
complaining or arguing
46. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US
• We will never tell you who to vote for,
but we will always challenge you to
participate in a way that demonstrates
allegiance to Jesus (if that applies for you),
or in a way that considers the impact
of policies and perspectives on the
every-day lives of the vulnerable
people Jesus spent his life serving
47. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US
• We will continue to resist the rise
of Christian Nationalism, and the
imposition of Christ-less Christianity
49. O God, you do not delight
in pomp and show, but in a humble
and contrite heart. Overturn our love
of worldly possessions and power,
and fix our hearts more firmly on you,
that our allegiance would always be given
to your Son, on behalf of all you have made.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER