Good evening brethren and happy Sabbath!  There was a slight adjustment to plans and I will actually be in Charlotte tomorrow with Columbia and Hickory tuning in.  Services will remain at 10:30 AM as previously schedule for all three congregations.

Are you registered to vote?

Like you, I've probably heard or seen that phrase a dozen time in the past week or so.  I'll probably hear it again a few hundred times more before the election.

As you might recall from the Council of Elders report that went out last Friday, the church's paper on voting was reviewed and it was decided that no changes or updates were needed.  The conclusion is that while voting is not a sin, we should be very careful not to allow politics to find its way into church and create division.  You can read that paper for yourself here. 

What would Jesus do?

That phrase was made popular a few years ago by the Promise Keepers, a group that promotes that men should live by faith.  While I probably wouldn't agree with much of their theology, the concept of asking yourself that question when you face a difficult question is a good one.

Would Jesus vote? How would He vote and why? What issues might be of key interest to Him? Are there any of His values He would be willing to compromise on? What if He found a candidate that believe as He did on some issues, but not others?

Much ado about nothing

Something I find interesting is how Jesus reacted when Satan offered Him authority over all the kingdoms of the world (Matthew 4).  Jesus said no, primarily because Satan wanted Jesus to fall down and worship him first.  But I have to wonder if there isn't another reason Jesus said no. I have to wonder, did Jesus say no to Satan's offer, because He realized that the kingdoms of this world simply do not have much to offer?

In tomorrow's message we'll examine this question in more detail as we look forward to the Kingdom of God, which has quite a bit to offer not just you and I, but all of humanity!