The USA - our Judea

I preached this message during the August 3 2008 worship service at First Baptist Church.

Text: Acts 1:8, 1 Peter 2:9
Today when we look at our nation, I don’t know about you, but I do so with sorrow. The ungodliness, lives broken by addictions, children exposed to things that would have made people blush a generation ago. Greed, violence, disregard for human life, and so on. And so little regard for God and his word. So many who are rejecting Christ! To call the US a Christian nation is debatable. There is so much in this nation that may cause us to despair. Is there any hope to turn this nation to God?
Jesus spoke to his disciples moments prior to his ascension. He told them to be his witness in Jerusalem and Judea. We saw how that Jersusalem is likened to our home town, but Jesus broadens the scope of this mission beyond the local to the nation. The Jewish nation. The Christians had to adopt a larger view of the mission. To win Jerusalem is one thing, but now Jesus wants them to witness to the whole nation! Translate that today’s terminology, Jesus is saying to you and I that we must be his witnesses to the entire US, our nation!
Now we must remember that although the US may not be a Christian nation, neither was Judea! In fact, Judea as a nation was very much anti Christian. Sure, this nation was God’s chosen people, and they called God their own. But when Christ came as the full revelation of God himself, their true colors shone. They rejected Christ John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. This was not a godly nation, but a nation that rejected Christ. We learn in acts that the early church was so persecuted in Jerusalem that the church was scattered abroad. Today in times of trial and tragedy we see many churches full, but on any given Sunday a small percentage of US citizens are in church. The challenge is great! The challenge was great for the disciples, to be witnesses of Jesus to a nation of people that hated Jesus. The challenge is great to us!
What are we to do? We are just a small church in a small out of the way community. (most of Virginia does not know the state extends west of VA tech). We have limited resources, we have little influence, but church we have a great big God! Look what Jesus did with a few loaves and fish simply because a young man gave them up to Jesus. If we are willing to give up ourselves and our church to Jesus just what could God do? Anything He wants!

Example
Last week we saw that our church should be a refuge for those living in Wise county, but we should also be an example of what God can do with a church to our nation.
1. A chosen generation – concept of family – erases distinctions
2. A royal priesthood - God's representative to man
3. a holy nation – a people under a common banner
4. a peculiar people – purchased people of God
The point is that beyond a shadow of doubt we are God’s people and thereby ought to be an example of what it means to be God’s people.
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. – 1 Timothy 4:12
Word – We are going to have speak up a little bit louder to maker our voices heard. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Conversation – behavior – walk a little straighter than we have ever walked Romans 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
Charity – love with a little more longsuffering than we have ever loved before. I cor 13 4-7 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5: Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6: Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7: Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Spirit – stand a little bit stronger than we have ever stood Ephesians 6:10 – 12 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Faith – pray a little harder than we have ever prayed Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Purity - We are going to have to come a little bit cleaner before God than we ever have James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Exalt
Shew forth his praises – God deserves the glory for all that is done!
Psalm 34:1-8 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2: My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3: O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4: I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5: They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6: This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7: The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8: O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

We must not allow anything to be exalted above our God! We must take every thought into captivity!
2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Extend
Shew forth the praises of him – virtues, or goodness! We must be the hands and feet of Christ to the world around us!
We extend the goodness of Christ by being his ambassador 2 Corinthians 5:19-20 19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20: Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,
Most churches don’t reach much farther than their front door, but if we are to be on misson with God then we must reach a little farther than we ever have, we are going to have to go the extra mile!

Exhibit
Called out of darkness into his marvelous light
1 Thessalonians 5: 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7: For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8: But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
In the light for all to see! 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Christ in our lives ought to be so obvious – we have nothing to hide! – Jesus said ye are the light of the world, a city set upon a hill cannot be hid!
Do people see Christ in you?
Everybody that had been in Christ’s presence it was obvious! The blind man could see, the lame could walk, the leper cleansed, the dead raised, even Peter couldn’t deny it. When you’ve been in the precense of Jesus you can’t hide it! It is obvious! You are in the light!