Embracing Responsibility for a United Democracy

 

Summary

In this special post-election message, I reflect on the state of our nation and the enduring experiment of representative government. The foundation of our democracy, as laid out by our founding fathers, was not a casual endeavor. Despite their disagreements, they crafted a constitution that has stood the test of time, supplemented by the Bill of Rights to protect individual freedoms. However, these rights and laws are not enough on their own. They require a crucial element: individual responsibility.

Our founding fathers understood that while laws can limit government power and protect personal freedoms, they cannot enforce personal responsibility. John Adams famously stated that our constitution is only adequate for a moral and religious people, highlighting the necessity of personal responsibility in maintaining a functioning democracy. Laws and rights alone can foster division if not coupled with a sense of moral duty.

The Apostle Paul, in his writings, emphasized the importance of using our freedom responsibly. He warned against indulging in selfishness and instead encouraged serving one another humbly in love. This principle is timeless and applicable to our current national climate. Our division is not caused by differing political parties but by a lack of personal responsibility and selflessness.

Selfishness divides, while selflessness unites. We cannot legislate kindness, patience, or the golden rule; these are choices we must make individually. As citizens, we should obey the law and exercise our rights, but we must also go beyond that. We should refuse to leverage our freedoms at the expense of others and instead look for opportunities to serve one another.

Our national experiment with democracy can continue to work if we, the people, commit to working it. By choosing selflessness over selfishness, we can overcome division and create a more united and responsible society.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Necessity of Individual Responsibility: Our founding fathers recognized that while laws and rights are essential, they are insufficient without personal responsibility. John Adams highlighted that our constitution is only adequate for a moral and religious people, emphasizing the need for individual accountability in maintaining democracy. [03:31]

2. Freedom and Responsibility: The Apostle Paul reminds us that freedom should not be used for selfish indulgence but for serving others humbly in love. This principle is crucial in preventing the misuse of liberty and fostering a more united society. [07:04]

3. The Dangers of Division: Our current national climate is marked by division, often fueled by selfishness and a lack of personal responsibility. Paul warns that if we continue to bite and devour each other, we risk being destroyed by our own actions. [08:05]

4. Selfishness vs. Selflessness: Selfishness always divides, while selflessness unites. We cannot legislate kindness or the golden rule; these are choices we must make individually to foster unity and cooperation. [08:52]

5. The Role of Citizens in Democracy: Our democracy can continue to thrive if we, the people, commit to working it. By choosing to serve one another and live responsibly, we can overcome division and create a more united society. [09:36]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - The State of the Nation
- [00:33] - Our Role in Democracy
- [00:55] - Crafting the Constitution
- [01:18] - The Bill of Rights
- [02:03] - Individual Responsibility
- [02:46] - Freedom and Responsibility
- [03:31] - John Adams' Insight
- [04:22] - Limitations of Laws
- [05:07] - The Role of Morality
- [06:16] - Paul's Warning on Freedom
- [07:04] - Serving One Another
- [08:05] - The Dangers of Division
- [08:52] - Choosing Selflessness
- [09:36] - Our Role in Democracy

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Galatians 5:13-15 - "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."

Observation Questions:
1. What does John Adams mean when he says the constitution is "wholly inadequate to the governing of any other" than a moral and religious people? [03:31]
2. How does the Apostle Paul describe the proper use of freedom in Galatians 5:13-15?
3. What are some examples given in the sermon of how laws and rights can foster division if not coupled with personal responsibility? [05:32]
4. According to the sermon, what is the relationship between selfishness and division? [08:28]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does the sermon emphasize the necessity of individual responsibility in maintaining democracy? How does this relate to John Adams' statement? [03:31]
2. In what ways does the Apostle Paul's warning about indulging in selfishness apply to our current national climate? [07:04]
3. How does the sermon suggest that selflessness can unite people, and why is this important for a functioning democracy? [08:52]
4. What does the sermon imply about the limitations of laws and rights in creating a moral society? [05:32]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you used your freedom in a way that may have been selfish. How can you choose to serve others humbly in love instead? [07:23]
2. Consider the divisions you see in your community or nation. What steps can you take to promote unity and selflessness in your interactions with others? [08:28]
3. How can you personally take responsibility for your actions to contribute to a more united society? What specific changes can you make in your daily life? [09:17]
4. Think about a situation where you have demanded your rights at the expense of others. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future? [09:17]
5. Identify one area in your life where you can practice selflessness this week. What specific actions will you take to put others first? [08:52]
6. How can you encourage others in your community to embrace personal responsibility and selflessness? What role can you play in fostering a culture of unity? [09:36]
7. Reflect on the Apostle Paul's warning about biting and devouring each other. How can you avoid contributing to division in your relationships and community? [08:05]

Devotional

Day 1: The Foundation of Democracy: Personal Responsibility
The founding fathers of the United States understood that while laws and rights are essential to democracy, they are not sufficient on their own. John Adams famously stated that the constitution is only adequate for a moral and religious people, emphasizing the need for individual responsibility in maintaining a functioning democracy. This highlights the importance of personal accountability in ensuring that the freedoms and rights enshrined in the constitution are upheld. Without a sense of moral duty, laws and rights can lead to division rather than unity. It is through personal responsibility that individuals can contribute to a thriving democratic society. [03:31]

Proverbs 25:28 (ESV): "A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls."

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to exercise more personal responsibility to contribute positively to your community?


Day 2: Freedom with Purpose: Serving Others
The Apostle Paul reminds us that freedom should not be used for selfish indulgence but for serving others humbly in love. This principle is crucial in preventing the misuse of liberty and fostering a more united society. In a world where individual rights are often emphasized, it is important to remember that true freedom comes with the responsibility to care for others. By choosing to serve others, we can create a community that values love and humility over selfishness and division. This approach to freedom can help bridge the gaps that often divide us. [07:04]

Galatians 5:13 (ESV): "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."

Reflection: How can you use your freedom today to serve someone in your community in a meaningful way?


Day 3: The Perils of Division: A Call to Unity
Our current national climate is marked by division, often fueled by selfishness and a lack of personal responsibility. The Apostle Paul warns that if we continue to bite and devour each other, we risk being destroyed by our own actions. This serves as a reminder that division is not caused by differing political parties but by a lack of selflessness and personal accountability. By recognizing the dangers of division, we can take steps to foster unity and cooperation within our communities. It is through selflessness that we can overcome the barriers that divide us. [08:05]

James 3:16-17 (ESV): "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to promote unity and understanding in a divided relationship or community?


Day 4: Choosing Selflessness: The Path to Unity
Selfishness always divides, while selflessness unites. We cannot legislate kindness or the golden rule; these are choices we must make individually to foster unity and cooperation. By choosing selflessness over selfishness, we can create a more united and responsible society. This requires a conscious effort to prioritize the needs of others and to act with kindness and patience. In doing so, we can build bridges and strengthen the bonds that hold our communities together. Selflessness is a powerful tool for overcoming division and creating a more harmonious world. [08:52]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Reflection: Identify a situation where you can choose selflessness over selfishness today. How will this choice impact those around you?


Day 5: The Role of Citizens: Sustaining Democracy
Our democracy can continue to thrive if we, the people, commit to working it. By choosing to serve one another and live responsibly, we can overcome division and create a more united society. This requires a commitment to personal responsibility and a willingness to put the needs of others before our own. As citizens, we have a role to play in sustaining democracy by actively participating in our communities and working towards the common good. By doing so, we can ensure that the democratic experiment continues to flourish for future generations. [09:36]

Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"

Reflection: What is one specific action you can take this week to contribute to the well-being of your community and support the democratic process?

Quotes


And my answer to that question is it will continue to work as long as we the people working, but everybody's got to do their part, right? So for the next few minutes, I'm going to define what I'm convinced is our part, by our, I mean my part and your part, but first a little US history to set this up. [00:00:33]

After declaring independence from Britain, our founding fathers went to work writing our constitution that creating this timeless document was not a casual endeavor, to say the least, due in part to the fact that our founding fathers disagreed with each other about so many things. In the end, pretty much everybody involved was unhappy about something, but happy enough about most things to ratify it. [00:00:55]

Government and force laws and rights are not enough. Something else is needed, something that can't be mandated, namely individual responsibility. And here's why I say that. When it comes to freedom, most of us think in terms of individual freedom, not collective freedom. But here's something we all know from personal experience, especially if you're a parent, right? [00:02:46]

Our founding fathers understood this relationship. They knew they could not enforce individual responsibility. That was up to the individual. John Adams, the second president of the United States, put it this way. He wrote, our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the governing of any other. [00:03:31]

Truth be told, our bill of rights actually guarantees us the right to be irresponsible. But if enough Americans exercise that right again, things will go terribly wrong. In fact, my guess is that the issues that currently concern you most about our nation are connected to the irresponsible behavior of its citizens, right? Truth is, laws are limited. [00:04:22]

Laws tell us how low we can go. Well, before we go to jail rights, tell us what we can demand for ourselves. But there's something neither constitutional law nor the Bill of Rights can do. They can't make us more responsible. They can't inspire us to greatness. They don't create a love of virtue or an appreciation for doing the right thing simply because it's the right thing to do. [00:05:07]

While laws tell us what we must do, morality tells us what we ought to do. Rights divorce from personal responsibility eventually undermines personal freedom. Rights apart from responsibility breeds anarchy because eventually my expression of freedom will infringe on yours. In short liberty, apart from responsibility, eventually undermines liberty. [00:06:16]

The apostle Paul wrote the following, he wrote, you, my brothers and sisters were called to be free. In other words, freedom was our creator's idea. It's the cry of the human heart. But the creator knew what we know. We have a tendency to abuse our freedom. So Paul issues this warning. He writes, you, my brothers and sisters were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge. [00:07:04]

Humbly in love His point. Don't be selfish with your freedom. Be responsible with your freedom. True. We don't have to. You have a right not to, but the world changes if we all decide to, if decide to put one another first, to honor one another, to respect one another, or at least treat one another respectfully. [00:08:05]

Selfishness always divides. Selflessness always unites. But again, you can't legislate selflessness. You can't legislate kind or patient. You can't legislate others first. You can't legislate the golden rule. Those are choices. So let's choose them. Let's obey the law, exercise our rights. But let's not stop there. [00:08:52]

Let's refuse to leverage our freedoms, our rights, who indulge ourselves at the expense of other people. Let's refuse to exercise our rights in a way that harm or infringe upon the rights of other people. Instead, let's look for opportunities to serve one another. Let's participate politically, but let's go the extra mile. Let's live responsibly. [00:09:36]

So is our national experiment with democracy still working? It certainly can work if we, the people will work it. So let's get to work. [00:09:36]

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Transcript
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