Over the last few weeks, I have been preaching a sermon series entitled, Good Faith: Being a Christian in a World That Thinks You’re Irrelevant and Extreme. It is based, in part, on the book of the same name by Gabe Lyons and David Kinnaman – which you should get and read TODAY. In yesterday’s message, I told our people that, as men and women of Good Faith, rather than wringing our hands in worry over the election on November 8, we needed to commit to raising our hands in prayer on November 9th and beyond. Regardless of who is elected President of the United States tomorrow, disciples of Jesus Christ have a greater calling that goes on regardless of the person who resides in the White House. Below you will find the full transcript of the letter I wrote to the Next President. I am committed to doing these 3 things in the name of Jesus and I invite you to join me.
Dear Mr. President-Elect,
After a grueling and (at times) unbelievable campaign, you have received the votes necessary to become the President of The Untied States. Now the hard work begins: Putting together your leadership team, selecting Cabinet members, connecting with Senators and Congressmen, laying out your agenda for the first 100 days and beyond. The pressure from political allies and foes alike is, no doubt, immense. You certainly have no shortage of voices to listen to. However, we would like to add our voices to the mix and write you a short letter of encouragement explaining to you our commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ, to you, and to the country we call home.
We are a group of Christ-followers who meet together for worship, fellowship, and service to our community which is just south of the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex. We seek to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ in our relationship with Him, our friendship with one another, and influence with those around us. We strive to be men and women of Good Faith – people who seek to love well, grounded in our convictions, and living out the Gospel so that those we come in contact with may experience abundant life in Christ Jesus.
As you step into the Oval Office, we have some things that we would like to share with you as you begin to serve the great people of this great nation. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul writes to a young preacher that he is mentoring. His letter, 1Timothy, details for young Timothy, how a leader is to serve, mold, and lead a young congregation to faithfulness and fruitfulness in an ever-changing world. In chapter 2 verses 1-7, Paul says,
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.
Based on this passage, there are 3 things we would like you to know about what we as a church are committed to do for you over the next 4 years.
First, we will pray for you. The tremendous amount of stress that being President will put on your heart, your mind, your family, and those around you will be more than you can bear on your own. God’s Word tells us to pray to God for His wisdom in difficult situations and trials. God tells us to pray for our friends and our enemies. To pray when we are sick and to pray when we are thankful. In prayer, we connect to God, those we are praying for, and our own hearts. We are committing to you that we will pray for you by name. We will pray for your family. We will pray for wisdom and strength.
Secondly, we will work for Peace and Prosperity. In the Old Testament, God’s people were about to fall into the hands of their enemies and be carted off to live in exile. The prophet Jeremiah, speaking the Word of God to God’s people, tells them how God expects his people to live amongst their new neighbors. He says them to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” We are committed to working for the peace and prosperity of the world around us. It seems as though our country and the world around us are more divided today than at any other time in recent memory. Our God is the God of Peace and his son, Jesus, is the Prince of Peace. Peace isn’t just the absence of war or violence, it is a wholeness and state of being that is a gift from God. Prosperity doesn’t just come in the form of coins and monetary notes. Prosperity is the abundant life that Jesus offers to all who will believe in Him. We are committed to the flourishing of the American people and every other human being on the planet. Rather than be divisive, we will work for peace. Rather than hoarding our blessings, we will seek to be a blessing.
Finally, we will continue to proclaim the goodness and the glory of Jesus Christ. We believe that the pathway to life is through Jesus Christ. Our faith is a personal matter but it is not a private matter. Throughout history, men and women have lived and proclaimed their Good Faith which was formed by Jesus and the Bible – the Word made flesh and the Word of god passed down to us. These people of Good Faith created hospitals to care for the sick because Christ healed us from the greatest sickness of all: sin. They created organizations to help the poor and the down-trodden because Christ cared for us. They took in orphans and gave them families because our Heavenly Father took us in. They fought to free slaves and pushed for human rights because all men and women are created in the image of God. Thank God that men and women of Good Faith didn’t keep their faith to themselves. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are obligated to those who reject God and those who accept Him, both the wise and the unwise, the haves and the have-nots, red, yellow, black and white – that is why we are eager to write you this letter. For we are not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Congratulations on your victory, Mr./Madame President.
Our prayers are with you.