1992 Issue 11 - 1992 Election Day Sermon, The Future of Politicians Who Give Bad Advice - Counsel of Chalcedon

1. mE HISTORY OF ELECTION D Y SERMONS Election Day Sermons have been preached in America from our very beginning. As early as 1633 in Massachusetts and 1674 in Connecticut thepracticeofpreacltingelectionsermons arose. These were delivered before the governor and assembly, (and in meetinghouses in local towns), year by year. Frequently these sermons were printed at government expense and distributed among the town, and the themes discussed were rediscussed in pUlpits throughout England: William W. Sweet, he Story o/Religion in America, pg. 177. 2. THE PURPOSE OF ELECTIONDAYSERMONS push this motto; I push it on three grounds: for America's sake, for the world's sake, for Christ's sake. 1. We demand America for Christ for America's sake. - Divorce your nation from Chtist and you ring its death-knell.... Marry your nation to Christ and you open for it a door into a new future and secure for it a among the nations of the world.... Tell me how the American Republic will treat Chtist and I will tell you the future of the American Republic. - America needs Christ-the rule of Christ, the truth of Christ, the spitit of Christ, the it has generally abandoned the Word of God. Now more that ever, we need ministers of the gospel who will preach only the Word of God and all of the Word of God with boldness, humility, wisdom, forcefulness and in the power of the Holy Spirit of God. We must earnestly pray that our present famine of faithful preaclting would come to an end; that God would raise up an army of fearless preachers of "the whole counsel of God"; and that God would use that preaching, on Election Days, and every Sunday, to tum the hearts of Americans away from their apostasy and to the Living God re vealed in Jesus Christ. 4. IRE CONTEXT OF EZEK1El.ll: 1-25 The purpose of these Election Day Sermons can be stated in terms of Deuter onomy 26: 9 .. thatHe (God) shall set you high above all nations which He has made, for praise, fame and honor; and that you shall be a conse crated people to the ELECTION D Y SERMON Our Election Day Sermon this year (1992) is an exposition and application of Ezekiel 11: 1-25. Little is known about the man, Ezekiel. The two most important facts we know Lord your God .. ." It was the earnest prayeroftheSeventeenthandEighteenth Century preachers of the gospel that through the preaclting and teaclting of the Holy BibleGod wouldcreate, pteserve and perfect a genUinely Christian and thoroughly Biblical social, moral and political orderinAmetica forthe glory of God and as a model "a dty set on a bill for the rest of the world. Nowhere is the purpose of election sermonsmoreclearlyandmoreintensely illustrate d thanina book by David Gregg entitledMakerso/theAmericanRepublic written in 1896. As patriotic Christians there is only one cry in our souls, and that is, 'America for Christ Chtist for America ' Imean to gospel of Christ, and the men of Christ. 2. We demand America for Christ for the world's sake. - ... Ametica taken for Christ means the nations of he world far and near taken for Christ; America a Chtistiannationmeans amightywituess for God among all lands of the earth .... - In he Chtistianizing of ournation the Republic has its lif at stake, society its order, labor its reward, home its happiness, and the world its future." 3. IRE NEED FOR ELECTION D Y S RMONS The pulpit has always been the most infl uential political,socialandmoralforce in Ametica. In the early days it was a powerful force for good, because it was generally faithful to the Word of God. Todayitisamightyforce for evil, because 8 THECOUNSELofChalcedon December, 1992 about him are that: (1). Hewas aptophet of God who prophesied with divine authority; and (2). He lived during the Babylonian Captivity of Israel. He wrote his book to impress upon the israelite exiles that their captivity, and the destruction of Jerusalem, was Jehovah's righteous judgment on their hardened apostasy. He also impresses his readers with the faithfulness, patience and mercy of Jehovah, who freely and sincerelyoffelSforgi venessandrestora tion to all who retum to Him in faith and repentance. One day God's people will be fully restored to their Lord. They will return to the true worship of God. And the name of their redeemed and restored covenant community will be "Jehovah Shammah: i.e., "The Lord is there."

Documents

1992 Issue 11 - 1992 Election Day Sermon, The Future of Politicians Who Give Bad Advice - Counsel of Chalcedon