Every candidate running for office promises to make the country better. Given on the heels of the highly contentious 2016 US Presidential elections, this message investigates what the Bible has to say regarding this universal desire for a better country.

<p>Every candidate running for office promises to make the country better. Given on the heels of the highly contentious 2016 US Presidential elections, this message investigates what the Bible has to say regarding this universal desire for a better country.</p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Collegedale Korean SDA Church

Alistair Huong

A Better Country

Father in heaven, we are grateful for the Sabbath.

We're also grateful for this season that reminds us to reflect on that which you have given, and you, the giver of all good gifts.

Today as we contemplate some of your promises to us.

May we take them at your word, and may we truly believe, and may we 1 day find ourselves having Thanksgiving on the shores of the Sea of Glass, And may we be ready for that day is our prayer in Jesus' name, amen.

A lot has happened in the last few weeks in this country.

In case you haven't noticed, we recently had an election.

And I would say I haven't been a voting agent that long.

It's the most contentious election in my recollection, and I think many would agree.

It's not hard, you just go on Facebook and spend about 5 minutes and see if you can avoid a political argument.

And I was overseas a couple months ago, right before the election in September.

And let me tell you, the US election was the talk not just of the town, not just of the state, not just of this country.

Everyone I went, everywhere I went, everyone was wondering, so who do you think is going to win?

And it's interesting that this election, Really, even though it's over, it seems as though, to many people, it isn't over.

And I'm not here to make a political statement, I'm not here to influence any votes, because the election is over, But I do want to present a message that is couched within this context.

The climate in which we find ourselves, and I think easily find ourselves getting involved in.

And really, when you think about it, at the root of this, of all elections really, not just this 1, but maybe more exacerbated, we see it more clearly in this 1, is at the root of it, the issue at stake with an election is people want a better country.

1 of the candidates, little slogan, happened to be make America great again.

Who do you think will make this country better than it was before?

I think we can agree on that, putting partisanship aside.

Now, with the current president-elect in transition, there and even before, there were many people threatening to say if so and so were elected, I'm moving to Canada.

They're saying, if this is the path that this country goes down, if this is the decision that's made, I think that I want to move to a better country, because this 1 is not as good as that other 1.

There are many people elated and joyful, but all of this, these emotions are charged because 1 side might think, oh no, our best days are behind us, this country won't be great anymore, whereas the other side, they think, now the country's going to improve.

So at the root of the passion, the root of all the arguing on Facebook, the political emotion that is gripping this country, I venture to say, at the root of it, everyone wants a better country.

So, as Bible-believing Christians, how ought we to respond?

How ought we to process the climate in which we find ourselves right now?

That's why I have selected for our scripture today Hebrews 11, verses 13 through 16.

I want to read that once more together with you and this will form the basis of our study today.

The summary is we ought to be looking for a better country too.

Within the context of Hebrews chapter 11, we're talking about the faithful men and women that have come before.

Those that God uplifts as examples to us, men like Jacob and Abraham and Abel and Moses and many others, what happened to them?

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

And truly, if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.

Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city." So as Bible-believing Christians, we read this passage and I hope by the end of this message we will remember, we will be stirred up to be looking for that better country.

And so I want to take a look at this passage, verse by verse.

How can we apply this as we live in such an uncertain age in the world today?

Verse 13 begins, these all died in faith, Having not or not having received the promises.

But having seen them afar off, we're assured of them.

The Old King James says they were persuaded of them.

So these men and women who died, they never received the promise that they were given, but They were persuaded of them.

And when we think about elections, isn't it all about promises?

A candidate promises when they get into the White House, he or she will do this or that or this or that.

They will put an end to this and this and the other thing.

Promises, but at the same time, well let me before I get there, and people get riled up.

Rallies, campaigning, making phone calls, knocking on doors, pounding the pavement, on the media, and it's all based on this candidate said he's going to do this for me, that candidate said she's going to do that for me.

There is this idea that we can count on the word of our elected leaders.

But yet at the same time, we use the word politician synonymously with people who don't keep their promises.

So in light of Hebrews 11, verse 13, I'm just bewildered sometimes, and I have to ask myself, do we believe the words of politicians more than the Word of God?

Do we actually believe God's promises as much as the promises of men and women who try to run for office?

Because if we say that we do, which if I asked you to raise your hand of course there were good avid responses, yes I believe that, then why are we not as passionate about what Jesus promised us as what the candidates can promised us?

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off.

What is 1 such promise that these men and women of faith received that they did not, that they did not fully receive before they died.

You know this well, keep your finger in Hebrews 11, we're coming back to that.

If it were not so, I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also." In short, the promise that was given here is there is a better country, And that Jesus is coming to take us there.

Yes, that's the promise, but maybe within, using the political analogy that we're playing with this morning, you notice Jesus doesn't just say, I'm coming again, that where I am, where you might, there you might be also.

He says, in my Father's house are many mansions, and I go to prepare a place for you.

So Jesus is actually making a promise of free lifetime government housing in heaven.

Imagine if a political candidate made that promise.

Don't you think there'll be support for him?

Jesus later on in Revelation chapter 22, we won't read that, but when we see and envision John in heaven, he sees a tree of life, he sees a river of life running through it, and he says, the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations.

But do we believe that promise more than the promise that the elected officials give us.

Because we look at that and we say, ha ha yeah, that's a good point, huh, that's cute.

A Better Country

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