Lancaster Church of Christ: How The Church Can Help The Nation

HOW THE CHURCH CAN HELP THE NATION

Stanley Sherman

INTRODUCTION:

A. EPHESIANS 6:10-12 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His

might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of

the devil. 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."

1. Even though it may sound erroneous, the fact is that everyone in the world has a reli-

gion that they follow, even though they may not even know it, much less admit it.

a. Everyone has a belief system--even if it is belief only in themselves.

b. Even atheists believe in the philosophy of atheism, although I have never met a

true atheist.

(1) To be a true atheist, one would have to possess all the knowledge of the universe

in order to confidently assert that "there is no God...that God doesn't exist."

(2) No human possesses such knowledge, so we understand the truth of PSALM 14:1

which says, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."

2. The philosophy that is behind the SECULAR PROGRESSIVE movement in our country,

that has been increasing its speed in trying to discredit and marginalize the influence and

public presence of Christianity in this country, --this philosophy, is SECULAR

HUMANISM.

a. John Dewey, who is called "the Father of American Education", penned the

HUMAN MANIFESTO in 1933, along with Roy Wood Sellers and Raymond Bragg,

which is the "bible" of the SECULAR HUMANISM PHILOSOPHY.

(1) John Dewey described Humanism as our "common faith."

(2) Julian Huxley, a famous atheist author, called it "Religion without Revelation".

(3) The first HUMISIST MANIFESTO spoke openly of Humanism as a religion.

(4) And the U.S. Supreme Court citied Secular Humanism as a religion if the l961

case of Torcaso vs. Watkins.

b. Even though now secular humanists have completely reversed their strategy, claiming

that Humanism is not at all religious, but is "scientific"--the facts of history and official

declarations remain--it is a religious philosophy.

3. Simply put, SECULAR HUMANISM denies God's existence, and rather considers MAN

to be the ultimate authority on all matters of life.

4. We can look all around us and see the influence and advancement of secular humanism

upon our society and culture--upon our nation:

a. the explosion of pornography;

b. the increase of profanity--harder and more diabolical in the arts;

c. the killing of babies through abortion;

d. the acceptance and promotion of homosexuality in the media, entertainment, in the

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public schools--even at the kindergarten level;

e. the successful legal attacks by the ACLU against communities, schools, public

organizations--in their attempts to force the idea on the American judicial system that

any expressions of religious faith (and especially Christianity) at any place other than

on private property is unconstitutional;

It's influence is further seen in the decline of church attendance, and the fact that we

lose 95% of our children from church after they graduate and leave home;

f. It is seen in the social mockery of anyone who promotes sexual restraint or

abstinence among our young people;

g. the mockery of those who choose to dress modestly and with good taste;

h. the rise of sacrilegious humor and blasphemy being acceptable in our society;

i. the rise of "diversity" acceptance, which teaches that all ideas are morally equal,

and that to judge another's religion or lifestyle as better or worse, is intolerant and

therefore "sin" in the eyes of secular humanists.

B. ISAIAH 5:20-21 warned, "Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put dark-

ness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe

unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"

1. that is a good description that matches the SECULAR HUMANIST/SECULAR PRO-

GRESSIVE MOVEMENT, which is tearing the moral fabric of this nation apart, and

tearing it to shreds.

2. Christians cannot tolerate or accept this movement in any form.

3 Paul says we are at war against such "spiritual wickedness in high places"

DISCUSSION:

A. I love America primarily for what it has been, but its getting harder to love America for

what it is becoming.

1. Someone has said, "We are living in times of big wheels, crooked deals, fuel spills,

endangered seals, pep pills, cheap thrills, unpaid bills, take-our meals, and when

you can't tell the Jacks from the Jills."

a. Years ago Vance Havner said that at the rate America is decaying morally, we

shall have to change our national symbol from the eagle to a vulture!

b. Axexis de Tocqueville, the French political thinker and histrorian visited America in

1831 and was greatly impressed. He said, "America is great because she is good.

If America ceases to be good, she will cease to be great."

2. One of three things lies ahead for our nation:

a. One is RETRIBUTION.

(1) People ask, "Will God judge America?"

(2) He has already begun judging America. The America we once knew is gone.

(3) PSALM 9:17 "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that for-

get God."

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b. The second thing that could happen is that JESUS WILL COME AGAIN. No one

knows the day nor the hour.

c. The third thing that could happen is REVIVAL, such as one that swept across

America during the 19th Century.

(l) Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a "sweeping, weeping, reaping revival" move

across America from coast to coast and border to border, before we finish

destroying ourselves?

(2) A sign in the front yard of a church building said, "Either this church will have a

revival or a funeral."

(3) Our SURVIVAL depends on REVIVAL!

(4) An old preacher said that our greatest need is "a genuine, old fashioned,

heaven sent, sin-killing, devil chasing, Christ-exalting, soul-saving, saint-stirring

revival!"

B. 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 is the ONLY thing that stands between us and revival.

"If my people* who are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray and seek

my face, and turn from their wicked ways, than I will hear from heaven, and will forgive

their sin and heal their land."

* This is not a verse directed to lost people. It is directed to God's people. "If MY people,

who are called by MY name..." God's people at that time was Israel. Paul calls the

church today "The Israel of God" (Gal. 6:l6). So members of Christ's church are the

people of God to whom this universal statement applies today.

(1) God's people are "the people" of revival.

(2) An old preacher said, "God is not going to bring revival through the Chamber of

Commerce or the Kiwanis or the masons or the mooses or the Gooses. It is going to

be through the redeemed, those who have his name, those who know God through

Jesus Christ...And all the dope dealers, baby butchers, and whiskey runners cannot

hold back revival."

(3) People ask, "But what about Hollywood or Washington or Wall Street?"

No, the people of revival are God's people. "IF MY PEOPLE..."

Before revival can ever become a reality, the people of God must meet the four demands

that God mentions in this verse.

1. FIRST of all is the POSTURE OF PREPARTATION--HUMILITY.

"If my people who are called by my name shall HUMBLE THEMSELVES..."

a. This word, HUMILITY, carries the idea of being "under another".

b. Someone has defined humility as "having to look up to see God".

c. It is saying to God, "I can't but YOU can!"

d. When we willingly humble ourselves to the Lord, under His hand, we are acknow-

ledging His Lordship and headship in our lives. We are admitting our weaknesses

and reaching out for His power.

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e. Satan will try to trip us up with Pride. Pride is our enemy and the opposite of

humility.

(1) Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." PROV. 16:18

(2) I am afraid when I see many congregations of the Lord's church being motivated

more by the prideful desire to grow by the excitement of denominational ideas,

and emotional entertainment, rather than the truth of the gospel being preached

to try to win souls to Christ.

(3) I can't see where Christ is pleased with our multi-million dollar edifices of pride

hoping to attract and entice the worldly. It just doesn't fit with Christ's humility

and simplicity. Far more money is going to the banks for mortgage payments

than to supporting mission and missionary efforts. That is not right.

d. Now please note that HUMILITY is voluntary. If we do not humble ourselves, there

may come a day when God will do it for us. And, His ways are not pleasant.

2. Now, while we are on our knees, the next demand is executed.

"If my people...shall humble themselves and PRAY..."

a. Prayer is in essence "humility in action.

b. Prayer doesn't just make a difference, prayer IS THE DIFFERENCE.

c. There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or church or anyone's

heart that did not start with fervent prayer.

d. Someone has said, "Revival is not planned out or worked up, but it is PRAYED

DOWN."

3. The third demand is a call to PASSION AND DEVOTION...making this prayerful

plea a PRIORITY.

"If my people that are called by my name shall HUMBLE themselves, and PRAY

and SEEK MY FACE.

a. Revival and national repentance is not about seeking God's hand, that is, His

provision.

b. National repentance is about seeking God's heart--His will, His pleasure, His smile.

(1) 2 CHRON. 15:2 "If ye seek Him, He will be found of you..."

(2) 2 CHRON. 20:3 Jehoshaphat "set himself to seek the Lord"

c. Someone has said, "God is not the 'spare tire' that you pull out when you are in

trouble. God is the 'fuel' that makes your life go."

d. The word SEEK means to desire something.

(1) The idea here is that we come to the place where God is the number one priority

and desire of our heart.

(2) A.W. Tozer once wrote, "If we yearned after God even as much as a cow yearns

for her calf, we would be the worshiping and effective believers God wants us to

be. If we longed for God as a bride looks forward to the return of her husband,

we would be a far greater force for God than we are now."

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(3) Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, who lived between 121 and 180 said, "The true

worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."

e. God said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." God must be top of our list.

f. Seeking God means more than just coming to church every week, but it is certainly

not less than that!

(1) It is an absolute shame that we have many church members in the area, but as

few as 25% attend weekly services.

(2) Vance Havner has said, "We have a cheap church today because everybody is

in it. Anybody can get in and nobody gets out. What started as a sheepfold

looks more like a zoo!"

g. Jesus said, in giving His great commission in Matt 18:19-20 "Go therefore and make

disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that i have commanded

you."

(1) We talk about inviting people to church, and we try to design our building and

programs and watered down teachings to entice and entertain people into the

kingdom, but

(2) We don't hear much about going out and making disciples who thereby will be

motivated to come to worship as committed followers of Jesus.

(3) Our worship services are for Christians, not for outsiders. That doesn't mean

outsiders cannot come or visit or attend. Everyone is welcome. But our focus

is to go out and make disciples. "Gather to worship, scatter to preach!"

h. SEEK GOD'S FACE with the intent of DOING HIS WILL IN HIS WAY.

4. And, this conditions us to obey the fourth demand of this passage:
"If my people will humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face and TURN FROM

THIER WICKED WAYS..."

a. We are sinful, and the only way we can have a relationship with a holy God is by

having those sins covered by the blood of Christ.

b. PSALM 66:18 "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me."

c. So this is a call to purity--repentance. The phrase "turn from their wicked ways"

is self-explanatory. God wants his people to stop sinning.

d. We don't like to face our sins.

(1) We have a tendency to take credit for our successes and blame others for our

failures.

(2) We must stop fighting for our sins and start fighting against them.

(3) As long as we waste time trying to defend or justify ourselves, we will never

have a revival.

C. But what if we get serious about our responsibility and HUMBLE ourselves, and PRAY

and SEEK GOD'S FACE and TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS,

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then God says that we will REALIZE the PROMISE OF REVIVAL:

"THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN, AND WILL

HEAL THEIR LAND."

God will HEAR US...God will HELP US (He'll forgive our sins)...and God will HEAL US.

`1. Why do we want revival?

a. For America's sake? That's not good enough.

b. For the church's sake? That's not good enough.

c. For our children and grandchildren's sake? That's not good enough.

d. For the unsaved? That's not good enough.

e. We should want revival for the glory of God!

2. Moral changes can only come to the hearts and lives of people who have encountered

God.

a. If there was ever a time when we as a people needed to seek God and cry out to

Him for mercy that is now.

b. Now is the time to turn to Him, re-commit our lives wholeheartedly to Him and

work with Him in rebuilding the spiritual foundations that have been destroyed.

c. This also involves awakening to our citizenship duty to vote and to vote responsibly.

(1) Given the increasing threat to our nation by the ungodly,

(2) And realizing our salt and light ambassadorship we are called to be by our Savior

our message is more important than ever.

(3) If we fail to exercise our responsibility to vote, then a government will develop

that is not our government.

3. The pain America now feels does not have to be the agonizing pangs of death.

Rather, it can be--no, it MUST be, the REJOICING PAIN of birth--the rebirth of

ONE NATION UNDER GOD WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

CONCLUSION:

A. Why not now begin to turn our nation around by turning yourself around, and making your

peace with God. How do you do that in God's way?

1. If you have not yet brought your life to Christ, in order to become a Christian, why not

right now come to Him in FAITH, believing He is God the Son, that He did die for your

sins on the cross, was buried in the tomb and rose from the dead for your justification;

and, because of this, He can save you from all your sins, freeing you from the guilt of

those sins.

a. Jesus said, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall died in your sins: for if ye believe

not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." JOHN 8:24

b. ROMANS 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing from the word of

God."

c. FAITH CHANGES YOUR HEART TOWARD CHRIST.

2. Let your faith cause you to humble yourself before God by REPENTING OF YOUR

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SINS, making up your mind to leave off your sins, to change from your old life to

embrace a new life directed by Jesus Christ as a disciple of His (Matthew 28:18-20).

a. Jesus said, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

LUKE 13:3.

b. ACTS 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted

out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"

c. REPENTENCE CHANGES YOUR DECISION FOR LIFE DIRECTION.

3. With your belief in Jesus and decision of faith to change your life, be willing to openly

CONFESS YOU FAITH IN JESUS before others.

a. Jesus said, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess

also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men

him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." MATTHEW 10:32-33

b. ROMANS 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and

shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be

saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth

confession is made unto salvation."

c. An example of confession is found in ACTS 8:36-38 "...And the eunuch said, See

here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest

with all thy heart thou mayest. And he answered and said, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS

CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD. And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and

they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized

him."

d. CONFESSION EXPRESSES TO OTHERS YOUR COMMITMENT OF FAITH AND

WILL.

4. Now you are ready to have your sins washed away in Jesus blood through BAPTISM.

a. Jesus said, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." MARK 16:16

b. ACTS 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy

sins, calling on the name of the Lord."

c. GALATIANS 3:26-27 "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For

as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."

d. Your action of faith in BAPTISM ESTABLISHES YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH

JESUS CHRIST. (Romans 6:3-8; Acts 2:36-47; I Peter 3:20-21; Colossians 2:10-

13).

5. JESUS ADDS YOU TO HIS BODY, THE CHURCH (Acts 2:4l-47; Ephesians 1:22-23)

and exhorts you to "...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."

REVELATION 2:10.

B. If you became a Christian, but you have not been faithful to Jesus and you would like to

turn to Him again, why not make this day the day of your revival?

1. Jesus says to Christians who have fallen away, "Remember therefore from whence

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thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly,

and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." REVELATION 2:

2. John wrote to Christians in I JOHN 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to

forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

C. O LORD, REVIVE US AGAIN!!

--Stanley Sherman