Page = Title

The Cornerstone Evangel

Ephesians 2:19-21

<= ![if !vml]>

Of Countries, Crosses, and Christians

Pastor Dale McIntire

<= ![if !vml]>

1 Cedar Grove Lane, Grand Marais, MN 55604

218=97387-2090

<= ![if !vml]>

= =20 The flags will fly along the promenade at the Harbor. People will throng = the=20 parade route. There will be food and music and tourists and fireworks. = It will=20 be the fourth of July and we=92ll celebrate Independence Day. =

= =20 And we should celebrate with authentic and sincere thanks to God and = gratitude=20 to our country men for the blessings we have attained. There is no = reason to be=20 stingy with praise when we experience the richness of God=92s gracious = patience=20 and mercy on us and on our nation. But Christians, our celebration = should be=20 markedly different than those of the unbelievers around = us.

= =20 You see, we are not dual citizens. When a person comes to faith in Jesus = Christ,=20 they become a citizen of the kingdom of God and take up a life lived on = entirely=20 different principles, and with entirely different goals, than what we = claimed=20 when we were BC (before Christ.) Dual citizenship would mean that we = were=20 entitled to all the rights enjoyed by citizens of both countries, but = that is no=20 longer the case with the believer. We no longer have the right to choose = the=20 world=92s way over God=92s ways in our lives. We no longer have the = right to make=20 ourselves and our self-interests the driving factor in our daily living. = We no=20 longer have the right to ignore the needs of others, to avoid = compassion, or to=20 spend our lives serving only ourselves as THE priority of our existence. = We can=20 no longer crucify others with our words and actions while we avoid the = cross=20 ourselves. We can no longer feed on the weaknesses of others in order to = strengthen ourselves. We can no longer dismiss God as irrelevant and his = Word as=20 archaic. We live in the world, but we are no longer of the world. Our=20 citizenship has not been =93added on to=94 but entirely = transferred.

= =20 Life in the kingdom of God is life lived not merely in the shadow of the = cross,=20 but on the cross. Remember that Jesus said, =93Take up your cross and = follow me=94?=20 He was not suggesting that the cross would make an attractive ornament = that=20 would please the world and increase your friends list on Facebook. He = commanded=20 the cross because that=92s where the world will hang you when they = realize you=92ve=20 changed allegiances. Kingdom life anticipates the cross. In fact, it = anticipates=20 two crosses, his and ours.

= =20 The countries of this world, even our country, the United States of = America, are=20 not the kingdom of God. When Christians live truly Christian lives, the = world,=20 the nations, the people of the world and the powers of the world strike = back as=20 their own deficiencies and defects become more clearly seen by the = increasing=20 holy lives of those who follow Jesus. As we observe Independence Day and = celebrate freedom, we ought do so as those who are not just politically = free or=20 socially free, but radically free from all the tyranny of this world. We = should=20 live in opposition to all that opposes Christ, both within us and around = us. And=20 we should live radically in the kingdom of God for Christ=92s=20 sake.