The Cross and The Sword

This sermon series actually did change my life. No hyperbole here. If there's anything I would want anybody to read on this entire blog, this is it. It seems to me to be of massive importance.

If you knew me in high school or college, I was really into politics. I'm not anymore. If you wondered why that side of me seemed to fall off so drastically, this blog post is your answer.

This blog post also took a long time, because I felt my notes needed to do the sermon series justice. But then I realized that if I kept trying to write "perfect" notes, this would just never get done. So I encourage you to listen to the sermons if you're interested AT ALL about the relationship between Christianity and politics. I did the best I could with my notes, to keep it short (lol yeah right), but to convey all the information it needed to. In the future, I'll probably be revising these notes constantly anyways.

The Cross and the Sword: Sermon Series


What Kingdom Are We Fighting For?

There is a difference between the "Kingdom of the World" and "the Kingdom of God." And it makes all the difference, and since most Christians don't make a distinction, it has tragic consequences to the people the church are trying to reach AND the church itself.

Kingdom of the World (the Sword) - This is a "Power-Over" type of kingdom. In order to function, it conforms the behavior of its' citizens via threats ("don't break this law, or you'll go to jail"). It ultimately isn't concerned with motives, only behaviors. In other words: the state does not care that I hate my neighbor, it only cares that I do not murder him. Also by nature, it is tribal: it protects a certain group of people from other groups of people that may choose to harm it. It looks out for its' own citizens, they're the #1 priority ("bring jobs back to America!" is a common political sentiment)

Kingdom of God (the Cross) - This is a "Power-Under" type of kingdom. In order to function, it aims at serving its' citizens. This radical love and service will transform the heart of its' citizens, which will lead to changed behaviors, because they are changed people. They'll love because they first received love (1 John 4:19). It's all about the heart. If you hate your neighbor, you have murdered him (1 John 3:15.) By nature, it is also universal: there are no tribal restrictions as to who is allowed to enter the Kingdom of God. Americans aren't the #1 priority: all of humanity is. (Galatians 3:28)