PreachingHelp.org Did you know that there was once a nation whose leader was known for:
- Hosting and participating in sexual orgies.
- Having a library of pornography.
- Raping men against their will.
- Engaging in pedophilia; even engaging in sexual acts against infants.
Eventually, he was assassinated, and in his place, a new leader came to power who earned a reputation for:
- Having an incestuous relationship with his sister.
- Showing his dominance over other men by having sexual relations with their wives; Even stopping a wedding to have sexual relations with the bride-to-be.
- Murdering children and forcing their parents to watch while he murdered them.
- Claiming to be a god.
As you may have guessed, the nation was Rome and the emperors were Tiberius and Caligula (pictured above). What you may not know is that these men reigned during the lifetime of Jesus and the early ministry of Paul. Yet, according to Scripture, neither Jesus nor Paul called for:
- Governmental reform.
- The ouster of Tiberius.
- Opposition to his successor, Caligula.
- The censure of Christians who were unwilling to engage in political activism.
Instead, what Jesus and Paul did was to:
- Preach righteousness.
- Condemn unrighteousness.
- Pray for boldness and peace.
Friends, Christianity does not need the right form of government, the right party in power, or the right leader in order to succeed. It simply needs disciples who love the Lord more than life itself. My prayer is that God’s people will be known for:
- Being more vocal about Jesus than our presidential candidate.
- Being more passionate about the success of the church than the success of our nation.
- Being more moved to action by the gospel than by a political platform.
At the end of the day, the best candidate, representing the best political party, codifying the best political platform falls woefully short of King Jesus, and the perfect laws by which he governs his kingdom. May we all conduct ourselves in such a way that we are able to convince our friends, family, and co-workers that we are more invested in the eternal Kingdom of God than we are the temporal kingdoms of men.
(P.S. – The pictures of Tiberius and Caligula are facial reconstructions from ancient busts. If you would like to see what other Roman emperors looked like, you can click here).
Thank you Brother…am always encouraged by your efforts and generosity to share.
Well said. We live in an age of massive and multiple distractions but we individually bear the responsibility of time management. We need to consider that the Evil One is a powerful being and has used the above to cause confusion and wasted time. It continues to amaze me how scripture gives us the answers we need to combat sin. You have listed a couple and there are more. Thanks for refreshing my mind and heart is these troubled times. Your brother in Christ, John Mahon a member of the Watermill assembly in Springfield Missouri
Wonderful and right on, brother. If such were the case, and the focus was on Jesus first and foremost, then political choices would be more clear cut. The world in the dark votes for the darkness, not the light. In the end, God is in control.
Excellent article, Steve. This is something I have been thinking of quite a bit recently. I love our country and am so disappointed in the direction it seems to be headed. But I love Jesus more and I know where his kingdom is headed.
Your article encouraged me to be more bold. “Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
Great article, Steve. Hope you’re doing well!
Amen.
The good news of the King and his kingdom changed the ancient world for the better, without a single protest march, banner, insurrection or as much as a raised fist.
Insightful, Powerful & Timely.
Thank you!