God is kind. In His kindness, He gave us his Son, Jesus Christ. His kindness is behind every good gift. There is a major blessing for any people that put God first. The Bible says, “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD whose people he has chosen as his inheritance” (Ps. 33:12). Who wouldn’t want good gifts? Who wouldn’t want God’s blessing, peace, joy, health, and loving relationships?
God is not legalistic. Thank God that he doesn’t play ‘gotcha.’ If he did we’d all be done by now. Thank God that He never forces His will on any nation, but waits patiently for men and women to put Him first. The Bible tells us to honor God with our wealth and with the best part of everything we produce (Proverbs 3:9). But how do we do that? In a guilt-filled manipulative way when we demand others tithe? No! Paul does not do that here and neither should we. Ever.
This is a sensitive area for Americans. God forbid the nation that tries to tax Americans. How did that turn out for King George? We all hate to have someone breach our freedom, our free will. I certainly do.
But I contend this isn’t so much a chapter on giving and tithes and church budgets. That is not the point. It is that, but it is much more. It is a question of who has our heart? Or what has our heart? Everyone has something on their flag. What is on yours?
You know, you hear a lot of talk these days - negative talk - about Christian nationalism. I actually love it because it really is a litmus test. For the questioner and for the receiver of the question. Are you ashamed of the Cross of Jesus Christ? Or will your first action be to give yourself to God and mark your heart, home, family, community, and nation as the sole possession of God Almighty?
I get it - at least I think I do as I’m keenly aware that I’m a sinner saved today only by the Grace of Jesus Christ. It is really a question of free will. The questioner is asking: Are you going to force your will on me? The answer I contend is that God is the Rock; He is their stumbling block, not me. God does not impose His will on the questioner and He doesn’t impose it on me. God can impose His will if He chooses - and His intentions always prevail. But He doesn’t impose His will on us. He wants people to freely choose Him.
You see a lot of stuff on flags. Stars, stripes. In Muslim countries, you see crescents and half-moons. In some nations, you see a big Cross (think Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland). And some nations hide a cross in there (the old Canadian flag, the Union Jack, etc.). Communist nations make no bones about their hammer - and they use it whenever they can. Every person. Every community. Every nation. Everyone puts something in charge of their life. So blessed is the nation who collectively says Jesus Christ, our loving God and King is our blessed Saviour and the Giver of everything good. Our rescue and our blessing are from one source: the Cross of Jesus Christ.
We see here the paradox of freedom and blessing in obedience to God. The Macedonian's first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to their brothers and sisters in Christ (v. 5). God won their hearts - but note this - it was by their own free will (v. 3). They were poor, but rich in Christ. Oh, what a blessing to be that person. Oh, that God would talk that way about our Church community.
Metaphorically they put the Cross of Jesus Chris on their flag. The flag of their hearts. They boldly stated - by their free will - that they belonged to Jesus Christ. That was their first action. This is exactly what God wanted them to do. He is patient and kind. He waits for us and He, though he sees our wicked hearts and our falls and failures, yearns for us to draw close to Him.
Thank you, Lord Jesus. For this day and this life, you give us. Help us to honor you today with everything we have and may our words and actions be pleasing and good. Please bless our nation and help all people to turn to you today for forgiveness of sin and new life. Amen.
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