The following is a compulation of several messages on politics and Election Day taken from SC pastors. A Power Point Presentation is available upon request.
The Final Election
INTRO: Should Jesus tarry, this Tuesday could very well be THE FINAL ELECTION. This could be the last time we will have to watch and listen to the politicians make promises they can’t keep Do you remember the 2000 Presidential Election Deadlock that captured the attention of America. We’ve sat glued to our television sets until the wee hours of the morning. We did not know the future of our nation for nearly a month.
There was name calling and fighting in court houses, and in Florida’s State Capital.
We can tell you all about Election Exit Polls, Florida hand re-count laws, overseas absentee ballots and “Smokes for Votes.” We can tell you all about the pros and cons of the Electoral College and the Popular Vote. We’ve learned more than we would ever care to know about “CHAD’S” in their various forms – pregnant, dimpled, pimpled, hanging, loose in one corner and double-punched.
And now 6 years later, I grow weary from the negative campaigns that are going on, but it will soon be over.)
* The Mid Term Election will take place on Tuesday. On Wednesday we will know what the pun dents and the politicians will say about the immediate future of our country. Well at least for the next two years…but much more important than the Mid Term Election on Tuesday is the Eternal Election spoken to us in this morning’s scripture.
THE FINAL ELECTION is all that really matters this morning. Your eternity is on the line.
TEXT: 2 Peter 1:10-11 – Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;
for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
* You may/may not plan to vote Tuesday in the Mid Term Election, but you will vote in the Eternal Election.
* This FINAL ELECTION is a two-party ticket. You won’t be registered as a Republican, Democrat, or Independent. You’re either a Christian or a Non-Christian….
When you see the letter “R” (in the Eternal Election), you won’t be pulling the lever for the “Republicans”. Rather, you will sign your name under the list of names who have been “Redeemed”.
And when you see the letter “D”, you won’t be pulling for the lever for the “Democrats”. No, you will be casting your vote to be among the “De’ - livered”!
You cannot afford to be wrong in this THE FINAL ELECTION of all time, so cast your vote as though your soul is depending on it.
Question: What are the some of the things you need to know as you make your decision on the most important election of your life?
I. THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES TO CHOOSE FROM. When you register to vote, you have to choose between being a “Republican” or a “Democrat”. Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”
The Mid Term Election a complicated election, but the FINAL ELECTION is not complicated at all! There are no confusing ballots, because Eternity is on the line.
Just one ballot with only two names…you’ve got a choice to make.
In THE FINAL ELECTION, YOU EITHER CHOOSE GOD OR CHOOSE THE DEVIL:
A. VOTE FOR GOD. If God wins your vote, you will have elected to serve a proven leader. His record of personal integrity and moral purity is spotless. He has never sinned. He is not a man that he should lie. He has a 100% pro-life voting record. He wrote the book on education (hold up Bible) and it has remained a best seller. He is anti-violence. He believes that if we get His love in our hearts, we won’t need guns to protect us from being attacked.
Isaiah 54:17 – No weapon formed against me shall prosper…
A vote for God is a vote for health-care and financial security. He “heals all your diseases,” (Psalm 103:3) and “supplies all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) If you cast your vote for God in THE FINAL ELECTION, you are electing as King Jesus as the Lord of your life.
Vote for God because He believes that every man, woman and child in the world counts and that they were all created equal no matter their race, color, language, or gender.
Acts 10:34-35 “God is no respecter of persons but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what it right.”
All of these things are important reasons to choose God as the Lord of your life, but the MOST important reason to choose Him is this:
You can’t make it into heaven without Him.
It’s election time. Your eternity is on the line, and God has set in place some very clear election rules.
1. The Bible says we’re all sinners and that sin has separated us from God. But “God so loves the world that He sent His Only Begotten Son that whosoever…” –
This is the only rule for electing God as Lord of your life for all eternity: Receive the gift of His Son who gave His life in your place on the cross as a sin sacrifice.
John 14:6-7b – “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…”
Acts 4:12 – “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
What this means is that all other votes (for any one or anything else) are invalid. The Other Votes I am referring to are good deeds, church membership, giving to worthwhile charities, religion, etc…al of these Other Votes be rejected.
Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace are ye saved through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not of works lest any man should boast.” –
Listen to me. God wants your vote. He wants you so bad he gave up His only Son to prove it.
Actually - God’s not into politics. He’s into sacrifice. He laid down His life for YOU. You can have your sins forgiven and heaven as your eternal home. But you’ve got to choose to do things God’s way.
John 3:7 – “You must be born again.”
Transition:
YOU EITHER CHOOSE GOD…
B. YOU CAN CHOSE SATAN. You make this choice whenever you disobey God, or reject God, or even ignore God.
Matthew 12:30 Jesus said, “He who is not with me is against me.” If THE FINAL ELECTION were tallied for you’re life this morning, who would win? You’ve either cast your vote for God or you’ve chosen Satan. You sit here this morning either knowing that you’ve made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, or you haven’t.
Did you know that it really is easy to hate God?
Jesus said, John 16:23 –
“He who hates me hates my Father as well.”
You may be saying, “Pastor, I don’t hate Jesus.”
OK, that’s great. But do you LOVE him? Do you love him enough to serve Him?
Jesus was in the Temple teaching one day and I am not sure that the people were listening closely to what He was saying. Jesus had to get very adamant about what He was saying,
John 8:42-44 – “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me…Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil,...’”
Let me explain something to you. Satan is one smooth opponent. He is slick. He is crafty. He is deceptive. He knows how to say the right things to manipulate your life. Let me give you some examples. You know it’s wrong to sleep with your boyfriend/girlfriend but the devil will whisper in your ear to do it anyway because it’s “socially acceptable.” If you give in, you’ve just cast your vote for Satan. The devil will convince you that you can lie, cheat, steal, sleep around, watch pornographic movies, rip of your boss, go out and get drunk or pop some pills with the gang and as long as you come to church once in a while, you’re OK. It’s NOT OK! None of that stuff is OK for a Christian!! What it IS is SIN and you can label yourself a Christian all you want, it you’re running around in sin and you don’t even care to confess it and get forgiveness, you’ve cast your vote for the devil!!! You’d better hope today’s not Election Day!!
Let me tell you what the devil’s campaign theme is: “Whatever’s best for you.” He’ll tell you he wants you to be happy and that you have the right to do whatever it takes to be happy. I’m telling you that THAT kind of philosophy will send you to hell! He wants to make you INDEPENDENT from God. And INDEPENDENCE from God is a VOTE FOR THE DEVIL. If you care more about what you want than what God wants, I question whether you’ve truly made Jesus Lord of your life. There are only two candidates on the ballot. Don’t tell me you love God when you run around all the time voting for the devil. “Choose you this day whom you will serve…”
Cast your vote carefully. This one’s for all the marbles. If you elect the wrong leader to govern your life, it will be hell to pay. These are the official election rules. Hiyra Krishna’s not on the ballot. Buddha and Mohammed are not on the ballot. They’re dead. Sun Myung Moon, Shirley McClain and Dionne Warwick are not on the ballot. They’re all wrong. It’s between God and Satan and a vote for anything else but God and His plan is a vote for Satan.
I. THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES TO CHOOSE FROM.
II. YOU MUST CAST YOUR VOTE BEFORE YOU DIE. “Today is the day of salvation.”
A. IF YOU’RE BREATHING, THE POLLS ARE STILL OPEN.
If you’re alive, you can still cast your vote. You can still change your mind. The polls are still open for you this morning. Get out and vote! Don’t mess around! Romans 10:9 – “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” You don’t know how many more chances you’ll get. Your life is a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. Good news! The polls are still open!
10:13 – “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
You’re alive. You’re breathing. You’re hearing this message. God’s reaching to you this morning. The election is still wide open. So are God’s arms. Run to the altar and cast your vote. Everyone here is a registered voter. My eternal voter registration card has a big “R” stamped on it in red. It’s stands for the “REDEEMED” party.
“Redeemed how I love to proclaim it…”
Come to the cross. Throw your life at the feet of the Savior. If you’re alive, the polls are open just for you this morning.
B. IF YOU’RE DEAD, THE ELECTION IS OVER. Hebrews 9:27 - “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that, the judgment.”
How much time do you need? How much more time will you get? Some of you have had 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 years or more to cast your vote. Time’s tickin’ away. Life is uncertain. You can’t cast your vote from a casket. The polls are still open for you this morning, but tomorrow might be too late. When you’re dead, the election is over. And…
THERE WILL BE NO RECOUNTS! “Today is the day of salvation…” Get to the polls. Run to the altar. Kneel at the cross.
DON’T PROCRASTINATE! James 4:13-15 – “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”
DON’T MAKE EXCUSES! READ Luke 14:15-24 - Parable of the Great Banquet. Excuses, Excuses! Excuses won’t work once the polls close! No one will be called in to re-count or hand count your ballot in once you die because the One who knows and sees all will read your heart like an open book. He knows the score. He knows who you voted for. Stop procrastinating. Get rid of the excuses. Get to the polls!! Run to Jesus! Eternity is on the line.
John 15:22 – “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin.”
I. THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES TO CHOOSE FROM.
II. YOU MUST CAST YOUR VOTE BEFORE YOU DIE.
III. WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE THE LORD THE “FINAL ELECTION RESULTS” WILL BE IN. READ Revelation 20:11-15
A. THE CANDIDATE YOU CHOSE WILL ALREADY BE RECORDED. Verse 12b - “The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
If you’ve voted for God during your lifetime, your name will be in the books. Your name will be listed in the Lamb’s Book of Life. You will have been numbered among those Redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Lamb. Is your name in the book? Are you registered among the Redeemed? Or will the Lord search through the Book in vain finally pronouncing the following sentence: “Depart from me, ye worker of iniquity, for I never knew you.”? What if this were the day for you? What would the Final Election Results reveal? The polls are open this morning. Do you need to cast a vote? Eternity is on the line.
B. THE CANDIDATE YOU CHOSE WILL DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR FUTURE. Verse 15 – “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Those aren’t my words. We’re not playing by my rules. We’re not playing by the rules of the United States of America or the State of Florida. In fact, we’re not “playing’ at all.
CONCLUSION: These are God’s election rules:
I. THERE ARE ONLY TWO CANDIDATES TO CHOOSE FROM.
A vote for anyone else is a vote against God.
II. YOU MUST CAST YOUR VOTE BEFORE YOU DIE.
If you’re breathing, the polls are open.
When you’re dead, the election is over. No recounts. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t make excuses. Get to the poll. It’s actually a poll with a crossbeam attached to it.
III. WHEN YOU STAND BEFORE THE LORD THE “FINAL ELECTION RESULTS” WILL BE IN.
Is your name in the Book?
Eternity is on the line.
2 Peter 1:10-11 – “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your ELECTION sure. (MESSAGE - “Confirm God’s invitation. Don’t put it off; do it now.”) For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
You cannot afford to be wrong in the final election of all time so cast your vote well.
