Bill Link - Class 7: Exhortation

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   Well, at this time, it gives me great pleasure to call upon our brother Bill Link from the Baltimore, Maryland Ecclesia. Brother Bill? Well, we've made it to Bible school, and it's good to be here, isn't it? So many old friendships to renew and new friendships to make. So many memories of Bible schools gone by and how good they've been for us.

2. 0:25

   I remember one Bible school in 1980 when an old friend of mine, after the memorial service the first Sunday, came down the aisle, and he had in tow a new friend, Sister Carol. Yeah, we lived happily ever after. Lots of good things happen at Bible school. Most importantly of all, though, it's a time for us to get together and to reaffirm our identity, to be thankful for the abundant blessings our Father has bestowed on us and the wonderful hope that we have, and to be together with folks who share our precious faith.

3. 1:11

   And so for this, we're all really very grateful, aren't we? So, recently I was thinking about another thing that happened at a Bible school. This one was in 1973, and it was at the Wilbraham Bible School.

4. 1:31

   And I guess, oh, in 1974. What's the difference? 1973, 73, 74. Most of us here probably don't remember 1973, 74. I was a teenager. But the thing that brought it to mind recently was what was going on in the world. And we get together at Bible school, and we can sort of put the world away.

5. 1:54

   And I really hope we're able to do that this week, that all the turmoil and all the stress and all the drama out there can stay out there. But back there in 1974, Richard Nixon was the president. And he was deeply tangled up in the Watergate scandal. So there was a burglary at the Democratic National Party's convention center, and people had broken in and stolen information.

6. 2:28

   And it turned out that Nixon was involved in it. And there was this big old whopping cover-up. And that Congress is involved in investigating it. And we'd come aside from that at Bible school. But somehow word got out that it had reached a climax. And that that Thursday evening, President Nixon was going to resign.

7. 2:51

   Now, back at Wilbraham, you know, we didn't have iPads, and we didn't have Internet and all that. And there weren't any TVs around at the Bible school, except down the street was where they put the young guys in the overflow housing. And we had a TV set. And there was a whole crowd of us gathered around, watching as Richard Nixon resigned.

8. 3:17

   And why did that all come to my mind? Well, I don't think there had ever been a time of political turmoil in the country that hadn't rivaled that at all. And I don't think there ever has been until just recently. You know, the last six months, for those of us, and maybe it's more on the East Coast than out here, I don't know.

9. 3:46

   But everybody is completely consumed with what's going to happen next. The new president is different from anybody that he has had go before. He's undiplomatic. He's inflammatory. He's unpredictable. And he's outrageous. And he seems to be crashing along from one controversy to the next. And some people love him as the ultimate iconoclast.

10. 4:19

    And there's been a growing antagonism toward government in the United States for many years. And a lot of people really relish the new president's populist appeal.

11. 4:35

    But on the other hand, there's a lot of folks who feel like this is a disaster. The country's falling apart. They see his presidency as a danger to the environment. They see it as a danger to the poor people, to the middle class, that the rich are going to get richer at the expense of the poor.

12. 4:59

    They see him as jeopardizing the nation's standing in world opinion. And so what I want us to think about tonight is what ought our reaction to all this be?

13. 5:21

    It's natural for us as Christadelphians to be interested in what's going on in the world. I mean, we read this Matthew 24 that we've read. And these are words that are precious to us, that speak to us of the time when Christ will come back. And his warning that, you know, it's going to be when men aren't looking for it.

14. 5:44

    And so he tells us to watch, to be careful. If the good men of the house had known when the thief was going to come, he would have watched. That's what Jesus says. So you watch. Be ready. And so we watch what's going on in the news and we watch what's going on in the world.

15. 6:00

    And it's exciting to hear about Russia and Syria right on the border of Israel. It's exciting to hear these things. And it's natural for us. We are immersed in society. It's natural for us to think about these things, to have opinions, to see the signs of the times and the heralds of the kingdom.

16. 6:28

    But I think it's also a time for us to examine our citizenship and to stand aside from the world. So I think some of the exhortation I'm offering this evening is something that's probably very familiar to us all. It's something about our fundamental identity. But it's, I think, something that we need to be reminded of.

17. 6:59

    So let's start off by going to Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11. Hebrews chapter 11, starting at verse 8. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise.

18. 7:52

    As in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

19. 8:15

    Therefore from one man and him as good as dead were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received what was promised, but having seen it and greeted it from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

20. 8:42

    For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. Isn't that us, right? If they'd been thinking of that land from which they'd gone out, if they were like Lot's wife, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one.

21. 9:07

    Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. So the perspective of Abraham and of the fathers was that they were foreigners. And the author of Hebrews encourages us to think the same way. In chapter 13, verse 14, he makes the point again saying, we have here no continuing city.

22. 9:36

    We're just passing through. So we're different from other folks. We don't see this life as an end in itself. So we're not consumed with things.

23. 9:57

    Where we live. What we wear. What sort of job we have. How well our investments are doing. Whether we'll be able to travel all around the world and eat at the best restaurants.

24. 10:14

    Not that we're to live lives of austere, rigid self-denial. For Paul says that God gives us richly all things to enjoy. But our perspective is that the things we have are from God. That we're stewards of things that he's given us. And so because of our identity as citizens of a heavenly kingdom, we use our finances, we use our resources, our time.

25. 10:47

    We use these things to honor God. We look for opportunities to help the poor and needy. And we have a different view of hardships. Now we don't suffer anywhere near like what the Apostle Paul does. You know when you read in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, when he goes down the list of all the shipwrecks and beatings and all that, and you think, wow, we've got it pretty soft.

26. 11:15

    But we can still say amen to what the Apostle Paul says about our light affliction. This is in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. He says, For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.

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    For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. So this life, with all its difficulties, isn't the end in itself. If we have troubles now, they're light afflictions, not to be compared with the exceeding weight of glory.

28. 12:03

    So we're not really part of this system. And that's one of the great things about being here at Bible School this week, is that we can remind ourselves of what our citizenship is. Now, I bet you anything that you all are thinking, he's going to take us to Philippians. And you're right. Let's go to Philippians, because Philippians has a couple of really good passages about our citizenship.

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    Philippians chapter 3. I like what Paul says in verse 18. This is intriguing. He says, Many walk of whom I've told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is their shame, who mind earthly things.

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    They've got their minds mired in the things of this life. And he says, I tell you about them now weeping. But he says, verse 20, For our citizenship is in heaven, for whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, Philippi was an outpost of Rome. You were a Philippian, you had Roman citizenship.

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    It was a prized thing. And they say that the Philippians were more Roman than the Romans. They were so proud of that citizenship. And so Paul can say back in chapter 2, in verse 27, Only let your citizenship be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. So this week we have a chance to commit ourselves again.

32. 13:46

    To have our citizenship square in our mind. That we're citizens of a heavenly kingdom. And we have a wonderful hope. We don't get tangled up in the politics of our age. And we ought to stay out of the politics of our age. Paul says as much in his second letter to Timothy. Chapter 2, verse 4.

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    No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits. That's the RSV. That he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. If you were a Roman soldier, you didn't have time for those things. And if we're soldiers of Christ, we don't have time to get entangled with the affairs of this life.

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    Now, sometimes folks will object to this. And maybe some young people might say, well, wait a minute. This environmental stuff that's going on. I mean, they're talking about shutting down the EPA, the Environmental Protection Agency. It's bad. Shouldn't we get involved in that? It's a good cause. Shouldn't we be environmentalists? And my answer to that is that if being environmentalist means that we don't throw trash, we don't change the oil in our truck and then pour the oil into the field and let it get down into the water systems, you know, if being environmentalist means we look at the creation and say, this speaks of the creative majesty of God.

35. 15:33

    We look at the bird or the butterfly and we say, that couldn't have happened by chance. If that's what it means to be environmentalist, then good. But if being environmentalist means becoming politically involved in a program that says man is the master of his own destiny and we can solve all the problems just by working together like they did at the Tower of Babel, if that's our idea of what environmentalism is, then no, that's not something we should do.

36. 16:08

    We should stay out of politics. I'm not a Facebook kind of guy. I guess I'm firmly rooted in the 20th century. But I'm told that a fair number of Christadelphians have taken to making political statements and taking stands in these public fora that really aren't appropriate for us. I've even heard, I hope this isn't true, but I've even heard that there's been some brothers and sisters who felt strongly enough about what's going on in the political realm that they decided to vote in the past election.

37. 16:58

    Once in a while, you hear a brother or sister say something about our country. Or maybe it's our football team. But whatever it is, it does, I don't mean to make a man an offender for a word, but I have to say that that kind of phrasing makes me a bit uneasy. I think we're blurring the lines when we say such things.

38. 17:25

    Sure, I carry an American passport, but that's just illegality. Now, to illustrate the point I want to make, I think tonight we have here, we've got some Aussies, we have some Kiwis, we have some Canadians. In my ecclesia in Baltimore, we have a family from the Congo, we have a sister from Cameroon, and the things that bring us together,

39. 17:54

    the shared citizenship that we have is utterly more profound and valuable. It's so much more about who we are than the country that we were accidentally born into. Our citizenship is in heaven. That's where we're looking for our Savior to come from. So maybe I don't think of any government official as my leader, or the USA as my country.

40. 18:35

    There are folks out there declaring Donald Trump is not my president, but they're making a political statement, and that's not our perspective. If we stand apart, it's not because of politics, but because of a greater hope.

41. 18:53

    So I want to say a few things about how this view of citizenship affects the way we act and think. First thing is this. We aren't supposed to be completely outside of society. In fact, in that wonderful prayer that Jesus prays in John chapter 17, you know, when he's on the way to Gethsemane, that marvelous prayer.

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    I went to a murder brother say, you know, our Father, which art in heaven, alibi, they call that the Lord's Prayer, but this really was the Lord's Prayer, John 17. We get to hear Jesus in his hour of extremity praying for us.

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    And here's what he says in verses 15 to 18. I do not pray that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in thy truth. Thy word is truth.

44. 20:13

    As thou didst send me into the world, so have I sent them into the world. So think about this. Brothers and sisters, young people, Jesus has sent us into the world. He sanctified us with the truth, with his word. We are so blessed with our knowledge of the scriptures. We're so blessed with the Bible reading plan.

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    I mean, we're so blessed. We're so prepared to be in the world, to be a witness to the world. And we do that by lives of holiness, like that of our Lord Jesus. And so we don't get entangled in the affairs of this life. It's very, very difficult for me. I gotta say, I work at a wildlife research center, and wildlife research is very much tied to the environment.

46. 21:17

    And the folks I work with are pulling their hair out, practically weeping over what's going on in the government. It's a constant topic of conversation. I don't know, maybe it's not that way so much for you. But it has been for me a reminder that I have a special identity, a special relationship.

47. 21:44

    friendship. Strangers and sojourners, really. It's not really my football team. I mean, I like watching a football game just as much as anybody else. But it's not my, it's not the focus of life. We can't see evil behavior or good behavior in national leaders and not say, that's good or that's bad. But we can't get involved in politics.

48. 22:13

    Frankly and simply, as Jesus was not of this world, we aren't either. Now, the Bible's very plain about what our attitude should be. And I find 1 Timothy chapter 2 to be a challenging chapter.

49. 22:30

    And so I'm going to challenge you with it. 1 Timothy chapter 2, specifically verses 1 to 6. Paul says, I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

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    For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

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    Now, I read verses 1 and 2 where it says that we're to pray for kings and for all that are in authority, and it kind of makes me squirm a bit.

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    Really? I think? Maybe I should be praying for Mr. Trump? And then I read the rest of verse 2 where it says that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. And I say, oh, that explains it. It's just I'm supposed to pray for him so that it'll be good for me and for all the other believers.

53. 23:45

    But there's more to it than that. Because it says in verse 4 that God desires that all men be saved. Now, I'm going to have to leave you to work this one out for yourselves. But it sounds, though, as though we're to be earnestly praying for all men because God wants us to be.

54. 24:13

    One thing for sure is that we should be doing our best to refrain from bad-mouthing anybody. And in particular the president. And it can be a challenge, but come on over with me to Titus chapter 3.

55. 24:38

    I'm thinking of verses 1 to 5 where Paul tells Titus, he's speaking about the people there, the believers in the Isle of Crete. He says, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.

56. 25:03

    For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we've done, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

57. 25:30

    Now recall that Paul's speaking to Titus about the folks in the Isle of Crete and he's had some harsh words to say about the Cretans himself earlier, saying they're always slow bellies and liars, but Paul says that we're to speak evil of no man. He doesn't say unless they really deserve it.

58. 26:04

    It reads like a blanket prohibition. It doesn't mean ignoring or excusing evil. You think of John the Baptist, right? He didn't ignore or excuse the evil that Herod was doing and he wound up dying for it. But maybe it means steering our conversations away from what are essentially political conversations. And I think it's especially important in our conduct with folks who are not believers.

59. 26:43

    Given the turmoil that's being generated in this country, we're going to find ourselves being confronted with a lot of opportunities. and we should have it on our mind that this is an occasion for us to speak of our hope. And we can't just be speaking to Republicans if that's the way we lean or we can't just be speaking to Democrats if that's the way we lean.

60. 27:12

    We want to be reminded of the things that matter most to us. Along with the faithful of all ages, we're looking forward to the return of Christ.

61. 27:26

    And so are we worried about the environment? Well, think about what we read in Psalm 72. Are we concerned about injustice? Think about what we read in Psalm 72. Are we concerned about international relations? Think about what we read in Psalm 72. Think of Isaiah chapter 2 when it talks about swords being beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.

62. 27:52

    That's the hope that needs to be on our minds and in our words. Paul says in Colossians chapter 3, if then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is. See that on the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above and not upon the earth.

63. 28:23

    So I think back of the Lord Jesus how when remember you got word that John the Baptist had been killed and he says to the disciples come apart into this desert place alone because Jesus knew that they and he needed refreshing.

64. 28:52

    We've got a week in front of us where we can be refreshed to come apart to be with our Lord to recommit ourselves to heavenly citizenship and to heavenly conduct. So let's build one another up. Let's make this a good week. Let's put all the world and all its cares aside and be convincing ourselves reassuring ourselves that our Lord's coming soon.

65. 29:28

    We want to be ready for him when he comes. Amen.