Faith and Politics: Unity Beyond Division

In today's message, we explored the intersection of faith and politics, especially in the context of a divided nation following a recent election. We acknowledged the diverse political views within our congregation and emphasized that neither political party holds the moral high ground. Our primary allegiance as followers of Jesus is to a kingdom that transcends earthly politics. This kingdom calls us to a higher standard of love, unity, and humility, as exemplified by Jesus Christ.

We discussed the tendency of politics to become a new religion in our secular age, where political affiliations can overshadow our spiritual identity. This shift can lead to division and hostility, even among believers. However, we are reminded that our hope is not in political victories or defeats but in the ultimate victory secured through Jesus. Our call is to pray for our leaders, regardless of our political preferences, and to engage in politics through the lens of our faith, not the other way around.

The Apostle Paul's teachings in Philippians were highlighted, urging us to lower the bar for unity by valuing encouragement, comfort, and sympathy, even when we disagree. This approach challenges the zero-sum game of politics and invites us to prioritize relationships over political differences. We are called to embody humility, considering others more significant than ourselves, and to pursue unity without demanding uniformity.

Furthermore, we reflected on the example of Jesus, who, despite being in the form of God, humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. This self-sacrificial mindset is available to us as followers of Jesus, enabling us to choose love and unity in a divided world. We are encouraged to prioritize spiritual growth over political power, recognizing that God's kingdom is not threatened by any election outcome.

Finally, we are reminded of the inevitability of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord. This truth invites us to live with a perspective that transcends political cycles, focusing on our role as ambassadors of God's kingdom. As we navigate the complexities of our political landscape, let us be agents of reconciliation, offering empathy, praying for our nation, and choosing to be more than mere consumers in the kingdom of heaven.

**Key Takeaways:**

1. **Transcending Political Divisions:** Our primary allegiance is to God's kingdom, which transcends earthly politics. We are called to engage in politics through the lens of our faith, not the other way around, recognizing that neither political party holds the moral high ground. [27:59]

2. **Unity Through Humility:** The Apostle Paul urges us to lower the bar for unity by valuing encouragement, comfort, and sympathy, even when we disagree. This approach challenges the zero-sum game of politics and invites us to prioritize relationships over political differences. [32:54]

3. **The Example of Jesus:** Jesus' humility, exemplified by his willingness to die on the cross, sets a standard for us to follow. We are called to adopt a self-sacrificial mindset, choosing love and unity in a divided world, even when culture says it's impossible. [42:18]

4. **Spiritual Growth Over Political Power:** We are encouraged to prioritize spiritual growth over political power, recognizing that God's kingdom is not threatened by any election outcome. Our hope is in the ultimate victory secured through Jesus, not in political victories or defeats. [43:33]

5. **Living with Eternal Perspective:** Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. This truth invites us to live with a perspective that transcends political cycles, focusing on our role as ambassadors of God's kingdom and agents of reconciliation. [46:49]

**Youtube Chapters:**

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Introduction to the Political Climate
- [03:15] - Acknowledging Diverse Political Views
- [06:45] - Politics as the New Religion
- [10:20] - The Call to Pray for Leaders
- [14:00] - The Rhetoric of Elections
- [18:30] - Trusting God's Plan Over Politics
- [22:50] - The Tension of Dual Citizenship
- [27:59] - Transcending Political Divisions
- [30:55] - Unity Through Humility
- [34:55] - The Example of Jesus
- [39:30] - The Kingdom of Heaven vs. Political Categories
- [42:18] - Spiritual Growth Over Political Power
- [46:49] - Living with Eternal Perspective
- [51:48] - Hope for Everyone Initiative
- [55:14] - Closing Prayer

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Philippians 2:1-11

---

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean when he urges believers to "lower the bar for unity" in Philippians 2:1-2? How does this challenge the typical political mindset? [29:30]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of politics in our current secular age, and what impact does this have on our spiritual identity? [24:56]
3. What example does Jesus set for us in Philippians 2:5-8, and how is this relevant to the sermon’s message about humility and unity? [39:30]
4. According to the sermon, what is the ultimate victory that believers should focus on, and how does this differ from political victories? [43:33]

---

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "politics as the new religion" affect the way believers engage with political issues? What are the potential dangers of this mindset? [24:56]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that political affiliations can overshadow spiritual identity? How can believers guard against this? [24:56]
3. How does the example of Jesus' humility in Philippians 2:5-8 challenge the cultural norms of power and success? What does this mean for believers today? [39:30]
4. What does it mean to live with an eternal perspective, as mentioned in the sermon, and how can this influence our daily decisions and interactions? [46:49]

---

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your political views. How can you ensure that your primary allegiance remains to God's kingdom rather than a political party? What steps can you take to align your political engagement with your faith? [27:59]
2. Think of a recent political discussion you had. How did you approach it in terms of humility and unity? What could you do differently next time to prioritize relationships over political differences? [32:54]
3. Consider the example of Jesus' self-sacrificial mindset. What is one area in your life where you can practice humility and put others' needs before your own? [42:18]
4. How can you prioritize spiritual growth over political power in your life? Identify one specific action you can take this week to focus on your spiritual development. [43:33]
5. Reflect on the idea of living with an eternal perspective. How does this change the way you view current political events? What practical steps can you take to be an ambassador of God's kingdom in your community? [46:49]
6. How can you offer empathy and understanding to those who have different political views, especially in a divided nation? What is one specific way you can practice this in your interactions this week? [48:23]
7. In what ways can you be more than a consumer in the kingdom of heaven? Consider how you can actively participate in your faith community and serve others. [50:29]

Day 1: Allegiance to a Higher Kingdom
Our primary allegiance as followers of Jesus is to a kingdom that transcends earthly politics. This kingdom calls us to a higher standard of love, unity, and humility, as exemplified by Jesus Christ. In a world where political affiliations can overshadow our spiritual identity, we are reminded that our hope is not in political victories or defeats but in the ultimate victory secured through Jesus. Our call is to pray for our leaders, regardless of our political preferences, and to engage in politics through the lens of our faith, not the other way around. Recognizing that neither political party holds the moral high ground, we are invited to live with a perspective that transcends political cycles, focusing on our role as ambassadors of God's kingdom. [27:59]

Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV): "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

Reflection: How can you actively seek the welfare of your community and pray for its leaders, even if you disagree with their politics?


Day 2: Unity Through Encouragement and Sympathy
The Apostle Paul urges us to lower the bar for unity by valuing encouragement, comfort, and sympathy, even when we disagree. This approach challenges the zero-sum game of politics and invites us to prioritize relationships over political differences. By embodying humility and considering others more significant than ourselves, we can pursue unity without demanding uniformity. This mindset allows us to engage in meaningful conversations and build bridges, rather than walls, in our communities. As we navigate political tensions, let us remember that our unity in Christ is more important than any political affiliation. [32:54]

Ephesians 4:2-3 (ESV): "With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

Reflection: Think of a recent disagreement you had with someone. How can you approach that person with encouragement and sympathy to foster unity?


Day 3: Emulating Christ's Humility
Jesus' humility, exemplified by his willingness to die on the cross, sets a standard for us to follow. We are called to adopt a self-sacrificial mindset, choosing love and unity in a divided world, even when culture says it's impossible. This self-sacrificial mindset is available to us as followers of Jesus, enabling us to choose love and unity in a divided world. By prioritizing spiritual growth over political power, we recognize that God's kingdom is not threatened by any election outcome. Our hope is in the ultimate victory secured through Jesus, not in political victories or defeats. [42:18]

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: In what ways can you practice self-sacrifice and humility in your daily interactions, especially with those who hold different views from you?


Day 4: Prioritizing Spiritual Growth
We are encouraged to prioritize spiritual growth over political power, recognizing that God's kingdom is not threatened by any election outcome. Our hope is in the ultimate victory secured through Jesus, not in political victories or defeats. This perspective invites us to focus on our spiritual journey and the development of Christ-like character, rather than being consumed by the pursuit of political influence. As we grow spiritually, we become more effective ambassadors of God's kingdom, embodying the values of love, peace, and justice in our communities. [43:33]

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to prioritize your spiritual growth over political concerns?


Day 5: Living with an Eternal Perspective
Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. This truth invites us to live with a perspective that transcends political cycles, focusing on our role as ambassadors of God's kingdom and agents of reconciliation. As we navigate the complexities of our political landscape, let us be agents of reconciliation, offering empathy, praying for our nation, and choosing to be more than mere consumers in the kingdom of heaven. By living with an eternal perspective, we can rise above the temporary nature of political conflicts and invest in what truly matters—our relationship with God and others. [46:49]

2 Corinthians 4:18 (ESV): "As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from temporary political issues to eternal values in your daily life?

Amen. Amen. Thank you all. Thank you, Hanukkah message, Lord.

Well, good morning Menlo Church and welcome. Amen. Amen. For the Bay, this series, and specifically today, a message about how we respond in times like the one that we find ourselves in today at the end of a political campaign and the beginning of a new administration in a deeply divided nation.

Welcome to our Bay Area campuses in San Mateo, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Saratoga, and those of you online with us. We're so glad that you've chosen to join us today.

I recognize that some people today are elated by the results of this week's election and other people are devastated by the results of this election. I talked to people after the last service that assumed that they were the only people that had voted one way in our entire church and people that assumed they were the only ones that voted the other way in our entire church.

You have heard me say this before: neither the Republicans nor the Democrats in America have the moral high ground. We have people here at Menlo that vote differently—Democrats who are followers of Jesus, people that vote Republican who are followers of Jesus. So we are so glad that you're here regardless of which one of those you voted for.

I want to acknowledge that this is way bigger than simply a few minutes on a weekend can cover. If you'd like to dig into this more and perhaps be more equipped for the tumultuous season that we are both in and it appears headed toward, you can check out a couple of resources.

First, last spring we did a series called "Smear Campaign," talking about the impact of the pandemic on our community. We talked about this subject and how we show up in the middle of it. You can find it on our website as well as supporting podcasts and readings with it.

In addition, this week on Thursday at our Mountain View campus, we will host John Inazu, author of the book "Learning to Disagree," for a conversation that may be really helpful for you. Like some of you, you need this conversation to get you ready for Thanksgiving. Some of you need this conversation to get you ready for talking to your neighbor. You can sign up; it's a free event. You can learn more and sign up at menlo.church.com. Hope to see you there.

Now, I don't want to bury the lead today. If you're a follower of Jesus, then you have a hope that is bigger than the setback that some of you may feel right now. And for others of you, you may need to be reminded today that if you feel like you just experienced a political victory, it pales in comparison to the ultimate victory secured for you and me in Jesus.

And if you find yourself annoyed that the church has gotten political, I want to set the record straight for just a minute. It's politics that have gotten religious. So we're having these conversations because in our moment, politics have become the new religion, and that new religion is invading the space of what it means for us to follow Jesus.

Now, don't get me wrong. Some churches have taken strange stands in this conversation. They've become entrenched in political conversations that are not helpful and only divisive. And that's not what I hope you will discover today.

Targeting presidents is a little bit like targeting quarterbacks. They get more credit than they deserve when things are going well, and they get more blame than they deserve when things are going poorly. But as followers of Jesus, we have a clear call from God to pray for our leaders, whether we voted for them or not.

So with that in mind, would you pray with me?

God, thank you so much. Thank you for the gift to be able to be in a nation where we actually get to vote and have elections. Thank you that as flawed as parts of our society are, you can still use it to bring people to yourself and secure freedom and relative peace in a way that is so unique over the course of history.

We pray for our leaders today, the leaders who are in office and finishing their terms and those who are anticipating stepping into theirs, that God, they would be marked by your wisdom, your insight, and God, your humility. We pray for that miracle in our moment today. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, I think we can all agree that the rhetoric around this election in particular feels like it's gotten a little out of hand. You've probably heard phrases like, "This may be the last election," or "Democracy hangs in the balance," or "If our opponent wins, it will spell the end of America."

These can feel uniquely alarming in our moment, but can I give you something maybe reassuring? These aren't new. These have been things that have been said throughout American history. As a matter of fact, author C.S. Lewis warns us of our tendency towards something he calls chronological snobbery, where we bring an uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate to our own age, and this assumption that whatever has happened is out of date and universally discredited. And we should be so careful with that logic. It is not true.

What about this statement? "This is the most important election in our history." Maybe you've heard that one. It seems like we've gotten a lot of runway out of this "may be the most important election in our history." But the thing is, it didn't start in this election. It didn't start in the last election. It didn't start in the election before that. And it didn't start in the election before that.

In this rhetoric, we have become the boy who cried wolf with this stuff. And it's so important that we realize that. Now, don't get me wrong. These elections are critical and they matter. And I believe that we are called as followers of Jesus to vote our conscience. And what that means is using our faith as a filter by which we see our politics and engage, not the other way around.

Still, politics is the new religion in our secular age. As we've pushed God to the edges, politics have come to the center. And for some of you, trusting God's plan is really difficult today. If we can't be honest about the pull of a particular party or a politician that can have on us, then we aren't being honest with ourselves.

And that blind spot can do a lot more damage than just the policies of an administration or a party or a particular politician. And that's what I want to talk about today. For some of you, trusting God's plan and trusting your political party feel synonymous. But I want to challenge that today.

If you've been around Menlo for a little while, you have heard me say that neither political party has the moral high ground in America. And I believe that's as true today as it has ever been. While we vote, our conscience will always be in tension between our citizenship in America and, if you're a follower of Jesus, your citizenship in heaven. Not just a place that you go someday, but something you bring with you every single day.

Now, even as we remember the human price of our freedom with a day like Veterans Day tomorrow, where we say thank you to the men and women who have suspended their freedom to defend and protect ours, we should remember and be tremendously grateful for where God has placed us in human history and the nation we get to live in, even as imperfect as we would all admit that it is.

The good news of God's great plan for the world is that God's plan is bigger than parties and politicians. Again, for some of you, that feels flat to how you feel today. But hang with me for a few minutes as we are reminded of the bigger picture that we are all a part of than the political victory you may feel today or the political defeat you may feel today.

A couple of weeks ago, I started a series with you in which we started studying a few verses in the first chapter of the book of Philippians. Today, I want to jump back into that book, but in the second chapter, and discover how the Apostle Paul encouraged the church and how Jesus grappled with human suffering himself.

Paul has just finished a section in which he debates, like legitimately isn't sure if it would be better for him to succumb to the persecution he finds himself in the middle of and die, or to live and help this movement of early Jesus followers spread. He concludes that standing firm and walking worthy of God's call is for all of us, even today.

Then he makes the point that we're going to start with today, that we should lower the bar for our unity. Now, before you get started on that email, give me just a few minutes to show you what he means.

A number of years ago in ministry, there was a family that was loosely connected to our church, and their young daughter, Danielle, had cancer and had been attending on our weekends. We got to know her, and we started praying for her and supporting their family. At one point in particular, this one painful moment in her treatment, I actually visited her in pre-op to pray for her and pray for her family.

I didn't know them very well. But what I did know is that her dad was pretty hostile to church and to faith. But in that moment, all the things that made us different faded away. All the things that might have put us at odds melted in the conversation.

In the months and years that followed in Danielle's life, we were able to begin every conversation from a different place of care and empathy for one another because there was a moment where we were willing to set the weapons down in our conversation.

The problem with that in our politics is that in our politics, we aren't supposed to see each other as human beings. Author Michael Ware defines political sectarianism this way: he says, "We hate our opponents so much, we would rather harm them even if it hurts us to do it rather than concede any ground in conversations."

I just think that that's oftentimes how we end up where we find ourselves. Thousands of years ago, Paul addressed some of the same disunity and division in the early church when he wrote these words. He says, "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy..."

Again, we aren't used to seeing words like "any." We want to see "all." We want to see "meets the standards that we've set." If anybody doesn't hit all of what we want, we push them away. But Paul, remember, he's just come to the conclusion that it's better for him to choose to live for their good than it is for him to succumb to his persecution and die.

And so now he's saying, like, keep listening. If you have found as a follower of Jesus that there's any encouragement, any comfort, any participation, any affection, and any sympathy, he is setting the bar so low on purpose. He is saying that if the value of encouragement, comfort, participation, affection, and sympathy is a value greater than zero—literally any value—keep listening.

How different is that than the way we craft the zero-sum game of politics in our moment? Where if we don't agree on everything, then we can't do anything together. Some of us, we don't talk to loved ones because we didn't start with "any" as the bar for our unity and relationship. We started with "all." And the moment they couldn't agree on who we were going to vote for or a particular issue, they were dead to us.

Now, Paul continues that in this text when he says this: he says, "Complete my joy." He's like, "I'm choosing to live to help you. So if you would just do me a favor, complete my joy by being of the same mind, same love, in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each one of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Can you imagine if Christians in America looked like that? Can you imagine if politicians in America looked like that?

See, Paul is writing this letter from prison, and he's saying that if they wanted to complete his joy, if they're like, "Okay. Thanks for continuing to help us, Paul. Thanks for continuing to lean in with us. We're so glad," he's saying, "All right, here's what I want you to do. I want you to choose unity. The bar is low."

Remember just a couple of verses ago, which meant that this same love, this same shared way of thinking, this same way of loving the world and before the neighborhoods and communities you're in, well, it may feel impossible today. Paul gives this further insight into what it might look like.

He says that the way we do this is by avoiding selfish ambition and conceit driving our decision-making. I just wonder in America, what would happen—like, what would we make decisions from in our culture if it wasn't selfish ambition and conceit? That feels like pretty much the only standard right now.

So far, our political sectarianism is probably not helping us in the insights that Paul is giving us. He says that we should choose humility, and you're like, "Well, I'm not sure what that means." He's like, "Let me break it down for you."

Considering others more important, more significant than ourselves. Can you imagine? Now, don't immediately excuse yourself from this one or assume that it doesn't apply or that you do this most of the time. If we could swap out that word "in humility" and consider others more significant than yourselves, if you could swap out that word "others" for some others in your life, how would that feel?

In humility, count Democrats more significant than yourself. Count Republicans more significant than yourself. Count the unborn children as more significant than yourself. Count undocumented immigrants as more significant than yourself. Count underserved communities as more significant than yourself.

When we let this impact our categories, when it's not just "others" but it's the "others" that you've othered, what happens then? Can we still walk in humility? Last week, Javon highlighted how important and central loving our neighbor is. There is no way to import false calls towards unity through humility by lowering the bar to any movement of God in our lives that doesn't agree on everything that we think about if we don't understand the priority of loving our neighbors.

Now, don't get me wrong. Unity in the church isn't about uniformity; it's about rallying around a higher calling that transcends our differences. What are the priorities that transcend our political differences?

Author John Mark Comer said that there are some priorities that transcend our political differences. He encapsulates some of those differences in describing the kingdom of heaven this way: he says, "The kingdom of heaven is about life—life for the poor, the oppressed, the hurting, the immigrant, the unborn, the elderly, the marginalized, and the outcast. It's a whole new world order where love reigns, justice runs like a river, and God is king, and there is no re-election."

See, our political categories don't fit neatly into the kingdom of heaven. And so when we ask our faith to contort and conform to our political preferences, we change our faith rather than the other way around.

The good news is that as important as politics are to our moment—and they are very important—the results of this election and any election are not a surprise to God, and they are not a threat to his kingdom. It neither requires those results nor will it expire because of them. The kingdom of heaven is not at stake in this election or any election.

Remember, God's plan is bigger than parties or politicians. It always has been and it always will be. See, Paul goes from setting the bar for our pursuit of unity really low to setting our standard impossibly high for love.

And Jesus did this a lot, showing us how the kingdom of heaven revealed our inability to participate in it without his direct involvement and grace in our lives. Our self-driven culture flies in the face of this kind of reliance and dependency on God and one another, but that is what we're called to.

This invisible and impossible standard of how we relate to people can feel kind of pie in the sky. Sometimes I wonder, though, if when we say we vote for the lesser of two evils—because that's what we say, that's the way we justify—we have to vote for the lesser of two evils. Sometimes I feel like as a culture we've gotten to the place where we actually don't mind voting for the lesser of two evils.

We actually have come to prefer voting for the lesser of two evils because it justifies all the evil and rage we feel and now get to extend in voting for that evil. Now, I'm not singling out one party or one politician; there's plenty of it to go around.

When we settle for political sectarianism, we become the frog in the pot of boiling water who doesn't realize how dangerous it is until it's too late. I'm not arguing for a false equivalency, but both extremes on the right and the left bear some responsibility for where we find ourselves today.

Author and scholar N.T. Wright challenges us this way. He says, "We urge all readers to challenge dangerous rhetoric, whether it concerns driving Jews out of the land from the river to the sea, or conversely, treating the Palestinians in Gaza as the Amalekites who should have been wiped out long ago," in both cases appearing to invoke biblical precedent or even warrant for the ongoing cycle of violence and wickedness.

The political left in America wants the kingdom of heaven without the king. And the political right in America often fights for the king but ignores or underemphasizes the kingdom that he wants.

It's only when we understand and acknowledge this tension that we can see the import of where Paul takes us next in our passage today. He says these words: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself."

This is a theological term called kenosis, if you want something to talk about at lunch. "By taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men, and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

See, when we take a look at this passage and what Paul is reminding us of, he's saying that we actually have this available to us, this mind that we can share. If you're a follower of Jesus, it's yours in Christ Jesus. Everything that he goes on to in the following verses is about this amazing gift that because of Jesus, if you're a follower of Jesus, is available to you.

If you are a follower of Jesus, Paul is saying this is a mindset that is already yours. Just like you can choose unity and love in the verses before, you can choose to adopt the self-sacrificial mindset of humility of Jesus in your daily life, even if culture says it's impossible.

And then he breaks down what it means. See, Jesus didn't come to earth with an S on his chest, just waiting until he turned 30 and then showing how easy all of this was for him. He really suffered. He was really tempted. He really wept for human loss.

And he was so humble that the creator of the universe was willing to die for the universe and submit to the plan of God to win back people to relationship with himself. Because God's plan was worth the weight of the moment, he was willing to die on the cross, the most embarrassing way to die at the time, for our sake, so that in choosing to follow him, we would live his life for ours, what's sometimes been called the great exchange.

That's the example of the kind of standard we are meant to follow in our love. Can you imagine? So how's that going? It may feel pretty impossible. And without Jesus doing this work inside of us, without him being the one shaping us and forming us, it absolutely is impossible.

Jesus, sometimes we want a martyr mindset, but we're unwilling to sacrifice or surrender anything in our lives the way that Jesus did. The kind of dying to self can seem so foreign to our regular patterns of life.

And I want to ask you a question to make it a little bit more practical that I was recently asked, and it's a very challenging question, which is, how many of us would be willing to win spiritually if it meant losing politically?

See, I think for some of us, we're willing to win spiritually as long as we are also able to win politically. And this idea of I'm willing to lose in the short term that I might have the long-term outcome of a pursuit of God in relationship with him, modeled by Jesus, by the way, demonstrated in humility—that I think has become so countercultural for us.

Jesus asked the question, "What is it to gain the whole world but to lose your soul in the process?" He wasn't talking specifically about the 2024 election, but it feels close.

What would you give up? Like, what would you do to gain the legislative, judicial, and executive branches? How much hope have you placed in the political system of our moment? Has your political identity become your idolatry, your main identity, the thing that shapes your decisions?

Have you let the outcome of this election give you disproportionate hope that should only come from God, or disproportionate pain that God will not give you? And I want to ask you, what is it that God wants to meet you in?

Have you sacrificed spiritual growth in pursuit of political power? That's what the religious leaders did in Jesus' time, and it's what concerned him the most.

There's good news and bad news in what comes next in our passage that Paul shares with us today. It says, "Therefore," like based on everything we just read about Jesus doing, "God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

There is an inevitability that he finishes this passage with, and when we think about "every," that's all of us. If you go, "Well, I'm not a follower of Jesus, Phil. I'm not sure that I'm ever going to bow. I'm not sure that I'm ever going to confess." But this looks forward to a one-day, someday day in the future in which we will stand before the throne of God, and it will be unequivocal that whatever skepticism we bring, whatever doubt we wrestle with, we will not help but be able to worship Jesus.

Sometimes when I'm teaching and I'm talking to only pastors or Christians, I'll explain, "Hey, sometimes I explain why I worship Jesus." I'll explain why I kneel praying before I start speaking, and I'll reference this passage, and I'll say, "One day every knee is going to bow, and so I just figured I'd get a head start."

Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. And if you're not a follower of Jesus, that's not a threat; that's an invitation that you would do it in time for eternity.

See, because of Jesus' humility, he was exalted forever with a name that is greater than any name. There is an inevitability to every knee bowing down, every tongue confessing that Jesus is Lord. No election can ever change that. And the justice that you long for, it's coming.

We desire to have the world put back the way that it was designed to be. And even if you're skeptical, God hasn't forgotten about the pain and the problems of our world. As a matter of fact, he's enduring them and waiting because he is patient towards us, because he wants more people to come to know him forever. That's why he's waiting.

We can choose to remember this God, his kingdom, and our calling in the middle of it. But let's remember that we have a world watching us in how we respond in this moment.

And while this quote may sting a little, author Tim Keller shares a warning we would be wise to remember when he says, "If we look at our political leaders as saviors, we're actually making idols out of them. Instead, we should view politics as a way to serve our neighbors and pursue justice, not as a place to find ultimate hope or security."

Regardless of how you voted and how the results have impacted you personally this week, if you're a follower of Jesus, never forget the unwavering king you serve—not as an excuse to be uninvolved, but as a way to be involved in the process of serving our world and the person of Jesus.

I think we all know that the results of this election will result in a wave of decisions that will change the way we think about our world. It will not likely reflect bipartisanship, given the election results. But to be honest, we haven't had bipartisanship for a while, and the climate that we find ourselves in culturally will likely only intensify.

And if you think you can just wait things out until they settle down, you are going to be surprised because in a culture that pushes away God, politics become the religion, and it will never settle down.

That leads me to the question of what do we do now? If you're a follower of Jesus, how can we be for the Bay, for the nation, and wisely walk through a time of pain and confusion? I want to give you a few suggestions.

First, offer empathy to those who are hurting. There are people today who have been in echo chambers of news and social media that gave them confidence in the outcome this week at the local, state, or national level that was completely wrong. They aren't just grieving loss. They're actually wondering what this means for the sources of truth that they've assumed in some cases their entire lives.

Keep this in mind. See, we find ourselves at the end of an election where both sides said that if the other side won, America would lose, that the other side wasn't just wrong; they were evil, that unimaginable destruction and the end of our nation was likely inevitable if the other side won. And the more news that we consumed, no matter the format we consumed it, the more we believed it.

Can I be honest with you? You know, I don't spend a whole lot of time on social media, but as I went on social media this week, what I got to see was a group of people, some of whom felt like they had just won politically, and they had forgotten how to win with class. And I saw some people who felt like they had lost politically, and they forgot how to lose with class.

Let's be people who can win or lose with class, with kindness, and offer empathy. The more news we consume, the more we get pulled into this rip current of rage and anger, and it's by design.

Second, pray for our nation and its leaders. If you're a follower of Jesus, your first and primary citizenship is in heaven, but you are an ambassador of that kingdom to the nation that God has placed you at this time. And praying for it is a mandate that we have as a part of our calling from God.

Some of you are praying for leaders that you voted for, and actually what you need to pray for is God to right-size your expectations of that leader or those leaders that you're praying for because you revere them in a way that does not honor God or help them.

For example, if you're a follower of Jesus, your first and primary citizenship is in heaven, and for others of you, you're praying for someone that you hate. And God has regularly used and restrained leaders from the worst fears of its citizens as they have prayed for them.

We've talked about the priorities of the kingdom of heaven today, and you can pray for those priorities to be exemplified and forwarded in any leader or party, regardless of who you voted for, and I would encourage you to do it.

And finally, choose to be more than a consumer in the kingdom of heaven. For some of you, this means that next time you need to vote, or God's calling you to advocate for a specific cause locally or nationally in the years to come.

But even though we are in a ruggedly individualistic society, we can choose to resist that temptation and work for the good of all. No matter what transpires in our nation, as a faith community, we will walk through it together and do our best to point all people to the hope of heaven while we bring that hope to the spaces in which God has placed us.

The kingdom of heaven has no re-election. The king of heaven has never and will never be elected. Don't give credit and stakes to elections and politics in our world that they actually don't carry.

Now, speaking of hope, we have been finishing a lengthy series in something we call "Hope for Everyone." And I want to give you an update before we finish today. We've called today Giving Weekend. It's at the end of a long conversation about the next three years and the next decade of where we believe God is calling us as a church to be together.

If you missed any of it, you want to play catch up, you can learn more at menlo.church/hope. Today is a day when a number of people are making their first gift towards a commitment that they've made financially. Our family has made a major gift from stored assets today. It's just a statement to say we're in. We really believe this. The thing we felt called by God to give, we're going to honor.

But I've been providing updates on participation percentages over the last few weeks. And today, as people are making that first gift towards their commitment, I wanted to provide a final update on the percentage and where we are regarding our total financial expectation over the next few weeks. And that's going to take us to the next three years.

First, our participation number of people who have said yes to pray, serve, and give towards this first step in the journey that we believe God is taking Menlo on to reach 3% of the Bay Area in hopes of actually catalyzing a revival in our region that might help and impact the world. That percentage of engagement sits roughly at 32% today.

32% of households here at Menlo have said yes. Now, it's not 100%, but if you've been here over the last several weeks, you know that that percentage has grown every year, every week. And my encouragement to you is if you're a part of the 68% who are sitting on the sidelines, who have not said yes, that you might continue to ask God what it might look like for you to respond in faith and then just simply do what he tells you to do.

I believe that this represents an important and significant step forward. On the financial side, we had a target of $80 million to provide ministry funding, ministry improvements at all of our campuses, permanent spaces for the campuses that we currently lease in San Mateo and Mountain View, and actually increased support from what we currently do for our For the Bay and Beyond partnerships locally and around the world.

And as of today, between the cards we've received and our current giving patterns, we sit at roughly $65 million of the $80 million that we had targeted. So we're very thankful, and if you've been around Menlo for a little while, you know that we will be clear and direct, even if it's not the number we'd hoped for or the full total yet, we're going to communicate directly and honestly about where we are.

Now, in the coming days and weeks, we will communicate directly with those who have committed to let you know, "Hey, what does this mean about spending priorities and timelines?" All of our priorities are the same. I believe that the direction God's called us on is the direction he wants us to go, but at where we sit financially, it will take us longer in some of those spaces to move forward.

And I just encourage you to continue to pray as we see more and more people say yes to what this looks like in their life and get them involved in the life of what God is doing through Menlo.

I'm so thankful for the season that we're in as a church, and I believe that no matter who is in the White House, the State House, or any realm of government, that we have a king on the throne.

The White House is not heaven. The Oval Office is not the throne. The one who sits in those places isn't going anywhere. We can trust him with all of this, no matter how you're feeling today, whether you feel like I just took some air out of your balloon or maybe I gave you just a little bit of a reminder of the hope you have in heaven.

I hope that God uses it to shape you. I hope that God uses it to shape you today. Would you pray with me?

God, I'm so thankful that we can be a church where we don't have to agree politically to agree spiritually, that we can choose unity even when there are areas with which we might disagree. Thanks, God, that church can be one of the last places in a culture where the person sitting next to us or in front of us or behind us might have voted differently, and yet, God, we can see your hand in their life.

We can extend love to them and receive love from them. Would you help us to be a place, God, that models what it looks like to learn how to disagree, to extend empathy, to pray for those in our world, and to believe, God, that you're not done, that we can actually participate in your kingdom in this world?

Would you help us, God, as we navigate the days ahead and conversations with friends and family and colleagues, to be agents of reconciliation, peacemakers to a world that so desperately needs it. It's in Jesus' name. Amen.

If you're a follower of Jesus, then you have a hope that is bigger than the setback that some of you may feel right now. And for others of you, you may need to be reminded today that if you feel like you just experienced a political victory, it pales in comparison to the ultimate victory secured for you and me in Jesus. [00:22:08] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


While we vote, our conscience will always be in tension between our citizenship in America, and if you're a follower of Jesus, your citizenship in heaven. [00:28:26] (11 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


The good news of God's great plan for the world is that God's plan is bigger than parties and politicians. [00:28:44] (8 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


Because God's plan was worth the weight of the moment, he was willing to die on the cross, the most embarrassing way to die at the time, for our sake, so that in choosing to follow him, we would live his life for ours, what's sometimes been called the great exchange. [00:42:18] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


What would you give up? Like, what would you do to gain the legislative, judicial, and executive branches? How much hope have you placed in the political system of our moment? Has your political identity become your idolatry, your main identity, the thing that shapes your decisions? [00:43:59] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


Regardless of how you voted and how the results have impacted you personally this week, if you're a follower of Jesus, never forget the unwavering king you serve, not as an excuse to be uninvolved, but as a way to be involved in the process of serving our world and the person of Jesus. [00:47:24] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


The kingdom of heaven has no re-election. The king of heaven has never and will never be elected. [00:51:29] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)


God, I'm so thankful that we can be a church where we don't have to agree politically to agree spiritually, that we can choose unity even when there are areas with which we might disagree. [00:55:40] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)