I was reading an interesting article today, it was actually a transcript of a sermon preached by an evangelical, conservative pastor who graduated from Liberty University, one of the most conservative Christian Colleges around.
He had listened to the Speech given by presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and in listening he heard him say a lot of things that sounded a lot like John the Baptist.
In fact he started saying things that sounded a lot like Jesus too.
Now you probably know I am a pretty conservative guy at least in theology and traditionally in politics. But I'm coming to see that political conservatism doesn't equal Christian Conservatism, and for the most part political conservatives aren't very nice people. Now don't get all in an uproar. Fiscal conservatives want to be reasonable with money... they want to know how things are going to be payed for BEFORE we spend the money... and that makes a lot of sense. But then I realized, Jesus never considered the cost, he just did, and the cost was taken care of.
I suppose when you know that you are going to be paying the ultimate price the minor costs don't really matter. So that means we as Christians don't have... hmmm wait a second.. arn't we supposed to lay down our lives for a brother? Didn't jesus say that in that day he will say I was hungry and you fed me I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was cold and you clothed me homeless and you sheltered me... and the ones he says that to will say Lord? When? I don't remember seeing you. Sure I made sure that everyone could get to a doctor, yeah I did my best to make sure that no children went hungry, I tried to provide housing for everyone.. I welcomed immigrants, I didn't care if they were legal or illegal or had the same creed as me... but Lord, I don't remember seeing you. I was looking, but I never saw you. Then Jesus will say when you did it to the least of one of these, you did it to me!
The others will say, Lord we gave money to the missionaries, we took up donations for the poor, we built huge churches filled with thousands of people who we tried to fit to the mold to be just like me, uhm I mean you, and I did it all for you. Then Jesus will say get out of here I never knew you.
Do I have to be politically correct? no,but I should be polite. Do I have to let people walk all over me? no, but I should turn the other cheek.. You realize that when businesses or people who are proclaimed people of faith are attacked by the world... if they had been doing all those things Jesus did, then there would be FAR more people coming to their aid and defense than those going against them. who would it be? the Conservative candidate? no it will be the people who they helped who they fed and sheltered and provided for
they will say, no this person is more like God than anyone I have seen...
One more thing, and my time will be WAY over... 'The Communist Manifesto' by Karl Marx has a very unusual parallel, one that most people will really flip a lid over when I say it. The design document for communism, could have been copied chapter and verse from the second chapter of Acts.. with one MAJOR exception communism denies God while the second chapter of Acts is all about being Christ like.
Where does that leave us? hmmm well I'm not as conservative as I thought I was at least not socially, if I want to be a Christian and be Christ like, then I really can't be. That doesn't mean I agree with the left, it means I want to walk according to the word of God and not in the way of sinners. I want to listen with the ears of Christ, and not with my own fingers plugging my own ears. I want to look with eyes of compassion, like Jesus did when he looked at Jerusalem and wept. When I reach out my hand I want do it like Jesus did when he healed the blind, lifted the worshipful, blessed the loaves. When I walk I want it to be in the footsteps of Jesus.
What does all that mean? Come with me, lets find out.
My peace I give to you.
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