Unity in Christ: Navigating Politics with Grace

Summary

### Summary

Good morning, church. Today, we conclude our series, "What We Can Learn from Elephants and Donkeys," which has been more about unity than politics. Jesus, in John 17, prayed for unity among His disciples, knowing that disunity could hinder the church's mission. Our goal is not to agree on everything politically but to maintain unity despite our differences. The history of political symbols like elephants and donkeys shows how easily offense can be taken and how it can lead to division. Andrew Jackson embraced the donkey symbol used to mock him, turning it into a campaign strength. This teaches us that offense is a choice, and as Christians, we should be the least offended people.

Offense often leads to defensiveness and division, distracting us from our mission. Jesus taught us to focus on what we are for, not what we are against. In political conversations, we should emphasize unity and love rather than division and offense. Jesus exemplified this when He was confronted with the woman caught in adultery. Instead of condemning her, He challenged her accusers to reflect on their own sins. This story reminds us that we should lead with grace and love, not judgment and offense.

In our politically charged environment, it's crucial to prioritize our faith over politics. We lose credibility when we let politics overshadow our commitment to Jesus. Jesus' response to the woman caught in adultery shows that He prioritized grace and truth over political arguments. He didn't condemn her but encouraged her to live a better life. This approach should guide our interactions, especially in political discussions.

As we approach the upcoming election, remember that our witness as Christians is not determined by political victories but by how we love others. Let's lead with love, grace, and unity, reflecting the character of Jesus in all our interactions.

### Key Takeaways

1. Unity Over Politics: Jesus prayed for unity among His followers, knowing that disunity could hinder the church's mission. Our goal is not to agree on everything politically but to maintain unity despite our differences. This unity is essential for the church to fulfill its mission effectively. [19:52]

2. Offense is a Choice: Offense often leads to defensiveness and division, distracting us from our mission. As Christians, we should be the least offended people, focusing on what we are for rather than what we are against. This approach helps us maintain unity and avoid unnecessary conflicts. [28:34]

3. Lead with Grace and Love: Jesus exemplified leading with grace and love, not judgment and offense. When confronted with the woman caught in adultery, He challenged her accusers to reflect on their own sins and did not condemn her. This story reminds us to prioritize grace and love in our interactions. [49:19]

4. Faith Over Politics: In our politically charged environment, it's crucial to prioritize our faith over politics. We lose credibility when we let politics overshadow our commitment to Jesus. Our witness as Christians is determined by how we love others, not by political victories. [50:54]

5. Reflecting Jesus' Character: Jesus' response to the woman caught in adultery shows that He prioritized grace and truth over political arguments. He didn't condemn her but encouraged her to live a better life. This approach should guide our interactions, especially in political discussions, reflecting the character of Jesus. [52:12]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[19:52] - Jesus' Prayer for Unity
[21:20] - Embracing Political Differences
[22:26] - The History of Political Symbols
[24:07] - Andrew Jackson and the Donkey
[26:57] - The Culture of Offense
[28:34] - Offense is a Choice
[30:30] - Focusing on What We Are For
[33:14] - The World's Perception of Christians
[35:27] - Jesus' Approach to Offense
[37:50] - The Woman Caught in Adultery
[41:22] - Jesus' Response to Political Traps
[45:04] - Prioritizing Faith Over Politics
[49:19] - Leading with Grace and Love
[52:12] - Reflecting Jesus' Character
[57:24] - Loving Well in Political Seasons
[59:15] - Announcements and Closing

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
1. John 17:20-23 (Jesus' Prayer for Unity)
2. John 8:2-11 (The Woman Caught in Adultery)

### Observation Questions
1. In John 17:20-23, what does Jesus specifically pray for regarding His disciples and future believers?
2. How did Jesus respond to the woman caught in adultery in John 8:2-11, and what was His challenge to her accusers? [47:24]
3. According to the sermon, what historical event led to the donkey becoming a symbol for the Democratic Party? [24:07]
4. What does the pastor mean when he says, "Offense is a choice"? [28:34]

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus prioritize unity among His followers in John 17:20-23, and how does this relate to the church's mission today?
2. How does Jesus' handling of the woman caught in adultery in John 8:2-11 illustrate the balance between grace and truth? [49:19]
3. What are the potential consequences of Christians allowing offense to lead to defensiveness and division, as discussed in the sermon? [28:34]
4. How can focusing on what we are for, rather than what we are against, change the nature of our political and social conversations? [30:30]

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent political discussion you had. Did you prioritize unity and love, or did the conversation lead to division? How could you approach it differently next time? [19:52]
2. Think of a situation where you felt offended. How did you respond, and how might you choose to respond differently in light of the idea that "offense is a choice"? [28:34]
3. Jesus led with grace when dealing with the woman caught in adultery. How can you lead with grace in your interactions this week, especially with those who have different views? [49:19]
4. In what ways can you prioritize your faith over politics in your daily life? Are there specific actions you can take to ensure your commitment to Jesus remains central? [50:54]
5. Identify a person or group you often disagree with politically. What steps can you take to emphasize common ground and unity in your next interaction with them? [30:30]
6. How can you reflect the character of Jesus in your social media interactions, especially during politically charged times? [52:12]
7. Consider the upcoming election. How can you ensure that your witness as a Christian is defined by how you love others, rather than by political victories? [57:24]

Devotional

### Day 1: Unity in Diversity
Description:
Jesus' prayer for unity among His followers, as recorded in John 17, underscores the importance of unity in the church. He knew that disunity could hinder the church's mission and prayed that His disciples would be one, just as He and the Father are one. This unity is not about agreeing on every political issue but about maintaining a bond of love and purpose despite our differences. In a world where political divisions are rampant, the church is called to be a beacon of unity, showing that our common faith in Christ transcends all other affiliations. [19:52]

Bible Passage:
"I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10, ESV)

Reflection:
Think of a recent political discussion you had with someone who holds different views. How can you approach future conversations with a focus on unity and love rather than division?

### Day 2: Choosing Not to Be Offended
Description:
Offense is a choice, and as Christians, we are called to be the least offended people. When we take offense, it often leads to defensiveness and division, distracting us from our mission. Instead of focusing on what we are against, we should emphasize what we are for. This mindset helps us maintain unity and avoid unnecessary conflicts. By choosing not to be offended, we can better reflect the love and grace of Christ in our interactions. [28:34]

Bible Passage:
"Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense." (Proverbs 19:11, ESV)

Reflection:
Identify a situation where you felt offended recently. How can you choose to respond with grace and understanding instead of taking offense?

### Day 3: Leading with Grace and Love
Description:
Jesus exemplified leading with grace and love, not judgment and offense. When confronted with the woman caught in adultery, He challenged her accusers to reflect on their own sins and did not condemn her. This story reminds us to prioritize grace and love in our interactions. By leading with grace, we can create an environment where people feel valued and understood, rather than judged and condemned. This approach is especially important in our politically charged environment. [49:19]

Bible Passage:
"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:6, ESV)

Reflection:
Think of someone you have judged harshly. How can you show them grace and love in your next interaction?

### Day 4: Prioritizing Faith Over Politics
Description:
In our politically charged environment, it's crucial to prioritize our faith over politics. We lose credibility when we let politics overshadow our commitment to Jesus. Our witness as Christians is determined by how we love others, not by political victories. Jesus' response to the woman caught in adultery shows that He prioritized grace and truth over political arguments. He didn't condemn her but encouraged her to live a better life. This approach should guide our interactions, especially in political discussions. [50:54]

Bible Passage:
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, ESV)

Reflection:
Reflect on your recent social media activity. Are your posts and comments more focused on political arguments or on reflecting the love and grace of Jesus?

### Day 5: Reflecting Jesus' Character
Description:
Jesus' response to the woman caught in adultery shows that He prioritized grace and truth over political arguments. He didn't condemn her but encouraged her to live a better life. This approach should guide our interactions, especially in political discussions, reflecting the character of Jesus. By embodying His grace and truth, we can be a positive influence in a divided world and demonstrate the transformative power of His love. [52:12]

Bible Passage:
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2, ESV)

Reflection:
Consider a political discussion you will have this week. How can you ensure that your words and actions reflect the character of Jesus, prioritizing grace and truth?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The best opportunity to look like Jesus is when we respond to our own anger and offense with love. Love. Love. God loves us. And he loves you. And he's called us to lead with love. And you can choose to live your life being offended and in your disagreements. You know, chucking stones and throwing words and posting pictures. But I'm telling you it doesn't move the mission forward." [55:09] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "You win. By how you love people. So let's love well." [57:24] (7 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We have received your love in all of its fullness. And I pray that in the midst of. So many conversations. So much disunity. So much emotion. Your church would be calm. As we find ourselves this morning on a firm foundation. Filled with your spirit. With an incredible story of God. moved on our behalf sending his son down to this earth. And his son dying for us. So that for those who may believe. We would receive life." [58:11] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "If you wanted this community to be the best it can be, then we actually have a lot in common because that's what we are for as well. We want this place to be the best. The best it can be. And I know that when I say that, there's more behind that because Jesus is the source of my salvation. But I start with what we're for way before I ever get to what we are against or potentially what we don't have in common." [32:18] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "How can we expect those outside of the faith? To take us seriously, to sit down and have a conversation with us when we allow our politics to lead first before our faith. Faith. I'm just telling you. It leads with love. I didn't make that up. Jesus preached it. John taught it. Paul reminded all the churches about it." [50:54] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The goal of this series isn't for our church to all agree on everything politically. It's never going to happen. And I think that's an okay thing. In fact, the more diverse we are, the more positive disruption we make in our community. So it's okay, we're going to disagree. But in the midst of our disagreements, I hope, and I hope you hope, that as we do this, we're going to be able to do this. If we disagree, we don't automatically become cause for disunity." [21:20] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "I would argue that Christians, okay? Christians to be the least offended people on the planet. Because when you allow offense to creep into your life, you get weighted down. All of a sudden, you take your eyes on the most important things in the context of church. That would be, you know, the mission that God has called us to. All of a sudden, when you become offended, then you get defensive or you go on the attack. And all of a sudden, we kind of lose. We lose sight of all the other, you know, important things and potentially the most important things." [28:34] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "How can we expect those outside our faith to take us seriously when they see us prioritizing politics over Jesus? How can we? We lose influence. We lose credibility. We become hypocritical. In certain conversations, and we do this in politics a lot, when we begin leveraging political things. First, before we go home, go, what does Jesus say about this? Well, you know, how would Jesus respond to this? You know, what would Jesus do with this?" [45:04] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Jesus' approach, he leads with grace. Ray before he leads with truth. And he does lead with grace. He leads with truth. But again, here's the question. I'm just telling you. Come on. How can we expect those outside of the faith? How can we expect those outside of the faith? To take us seriously, to sit down and have a conversation with us when we allow our politics to lead first before our faith." [50:15] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We have forgotten, friends. We have forgotten that your salvation and my salvation, if you're a follower of Jesus this morning, did not come from your own self-righteousness. You did not save you. Jesus saved you. And in a moment when Jesus could have did an approach by throwing stones, instead he called everybody to put them down. When everybody else was outraged. Not so with our Lord and Savior." [53:00] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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