God is not for or against our political parties (Joshua 5:13-15)

Sermon Outline

Introduction

Historical Setting

1. 1. From Egypt to the Banks of the Jordan (Num 13:1-14:10)
   2. Preparing on the Banks
   3. Planning for the Attack (Josh 5:13)
   4. The Question (Josh 5:13)
      1. Joshua – bold as he approaches the man
      2. The Answer (Josh 5:14)
   5. The Response (Josh 5:14-15)
      1. Reverence
      2. Realignment
      3. Worship

Bringing it forward

1. 1. Political Parties
      1. Reverence – Do the parties understand their place when confronted by God?
      2. Realignment – Are the parties willing to align their priorities to God’s priorities and to listen to the Lord?
      3. Worship – Do the parties recognize the necessity of seeing this world as God’s and worshipping him alone?
   2. President Lincoln’s 2^nd Inaugural Address
   3. Applying it Today:
      1. I Believe, God would have us
         1. Remind yourself and your elected officials that those holding opposing political viewpoints are not your enemies
         2. Urge them to Cooperate (Psa 133:1-3)
         3. Remind yourself and your officials that attitude is as important as the substance of what one does (Rom 12:16)
         4. Remind yourself and your officials that we are 1 Nation (1Cor 12:14ff)
      2. If we can remind ourselves, our officials and others that
         1. We are not enemies
         2. Cooperation is better than war
         3. Attitude is as valuable as action
         4. We are 1 nation
      3. Then we will go a long way to becoming a people who don’t make Joshua’s first mistake of assuming it is US-Them.

Conclusion (Isa. 9:6-7, Heb. 12:28-29)