Intro Video- Chariots of Fire- I will not run on the Sabbath.
We are in this series, I Pledge Allegiance, where we are asking what faith looks like in action. This faith is not simply a passive belief, but an active, present way of living. This is so vital during this election season where people and parties are asking not only for your vote, but for your trust and your allegiance.
Regardless of how we vote or participate in this year’s political process, we want to engage this season as people allegiant to King Jesus, not a candidate or a political party
Today we want to look at faith through the idea of Loyalty. Faith is demonstrating Loyalty (unswerving in allegiance). And loyalty works its way into and through our lives all the time.
We are loyal to many things, but are we loyal to the one who is King? As we look to the gospel proclamation in scripture, we see more than just a set of beliefs to ascribe to- we see a way in which we live because of what Jesus has done.
Jesus is both our model of loyalty and the object of our loyalty. Why? Let’s begin by looking at this scripture that speaks of the character of Jesus..
Jesus is our
Jesus’s obedience and loyalty to His father. Though King, he is loyal. His mission was one of loyalty. He is the kind of King we can offer our loyalty to.
Politicians will flip flop and disappoint time and again. Jesus is trustworthy.
This is a King deserving of our loyalty, but we so easily are swayed
Jesus is our
Paul’s argument here is that we are always tempted to follow another gospel, another message, another pitch. Where is our trust and where is our loyalty?
Our loyalty should never be to a party or candidate primarily. It should be to Jesus. Instead….
Our Loyalty is to His
Faith is not just a set of truths we believe; it is allegiance and loyalty to a King and his Kingdom and living in light of this truth. The Christian Story and the storyline of the bible is not primarily about us. How we get our sins forgiven and how we get to heaven. It is what God has done in and through Jesus. It is that Jesus is now King!
There will be arguing about which side represents our faith in Jesus the best. There will be arguments that one side represents our faith better than the other one. The truth is neither one fully represents the hopeful kingdom of Jesus. Not fully.
Here’s why this message of Jesus is so important, especially in an election year.
We must not seek The Kingdom without the
Are we longing for a donkey or an elephant or any other political symbol or ideology in 2024 and beyond? No! What we are actually longing for is coming in, with, and through Jesus. All earthly authority will fall short. Every nation is organized with shortcomings, which is why our FIRST allegiance MUST be to Jesus as king.
Jesus’ Kingdom is otherworldly; yet, the kingdom comes as the people of God live in the kingdom and its power, representing the King. We are to order our lives in the kingdom… our money, behaviors, time, and affections… ridding ourselves of malice, envy, greed, striving, and all manner of demanding and lust.