The Lutheran Hour
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"The ONE Vote That Changed the World"
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Text: Revelation 7:9-17
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Christ is Risen, He is risen indeed! And life is sure and certain in Him, now and forever. Amen!
So, who won? Oh, wait, that’s not the right question, yet, is it?
Election Day in the United States hasn’t happened yet. But there are many people on television and radio encouraging anyone who will listen to “get out there and vote.” Now, we here at the Lutheran Hour want you to be good citizens as well. Get the facts and vote your conscience. One of the privileges of living in a free country is that your voice can be heard, your vote counts. Millions of Americans will visit polling places on Tuesday to cast their ballots. So, who will win? Who will be elected?
There’s a whole lot of anticipation out there, isn’t there? But, even worse, there’s a whole lot of uncertainty out there too. Now, I’ve got some good news and bad news for you. Your guy may win, but sometimes the guy who wins isn’t necessarily the best one we could have chosen. Sometimes the “shoo in” doesn’t pan out or the underdog was just the one for the job. That’s politics.
And even the so-called pundits, the ones who claim to know it all from the inside out, sometimes even they don’t get it right either. Like 1948. Do you remember what happened in that Presidential election? Thomas Dewey was running against then President Harry S. Truman. Dewey had a strong edge in the polls. Political pundits were confidently predicting his victory. It appeared to everyone that Truman was riding out a lost cause. And so on the evening of the Election Day, a trusted newspaper, the Chicago Tribune went to print with the headline; do you remember, “Dewey Defeats Truman”? But the real picture was clear the next day right on the front page. It was that famous photograph of a smiling and triumphant, newly elected President Harry Truman, holding the Chicago Tribune with the headline: “Dewey Defeats Truman.” One hundred-fifty thousand copies of that paper were printed, every one of them a mistake.
The Chicago Tribune calls that headline its most famous in the 150-year history of the newspaper. And it was wrong.
That’s the nature of Election Day–plenty of uncertainty.
So, how do you feel as Election Day draws near? Are you excited about the outcome? Or are you tired of all the campaign hubbub? Are you filled with anticipation? Or have you become cynical and weary of politics?
Are you concerned about our nation, about your life, and about the lives of your loved ones? Do you worry about who will win and what the future will be? There are many in the United States today saying that this is one of the most important elections in the history of this young country.
But, as vital as that is, as important as that is, in the middle of the clamor of the election season, I want to let you know about a bigger vote, a much bigger vote. It was the vote that made all the difference not just in one country, but a vote that made all the difference for every human being in the world, for you, for me, for all. It was a vote that brought abundant, eternal life for all, real confidence in the middle of chaos, certain hope in the middle of despair.
The ballot cast was by God, Himself. He voted, He decided to send His only Son to live the life that love demands, to suffer and die on the cross that justice demands for your sins and failures, your weakness and weariness. Yes, God decided to punish Jesus as a sacrifice for the brokenness and corruption of the world and offer His abundant life to all as a gift by faith. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
That was God’s vote on your behalf. Yes, God cast the vote that literally changed the world. And in Revelation chapter seven the result of this redemptive vote is made clear:
John says, After this I looked, and beheld, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9-10)The picture is clear; there is perfect unity and peace awaiting us in God’s “administration,” in the glorious heavenly home prepared for us by Christ. Complete restoration and salvation have been won by the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And there’s more.
The Apostle John goes on to say, “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple; he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev.7:15-17).
There will be no more suffering, no more anxiety, no more sadness. God’s ballot cast against His only Son on the cross results in our salvation, our restoration, our perfect peace.
What a picture, what a promise. But you still might be wondering, what about here and now? What if this month’s election doesn’t go the way that you hope it does? What if you feel like everything is out of control? Heaven may be perfect, but this world is corrupt and flawed. Here on earth, there are plenty of errors. In fact, there times even when we think we’ve got it all figured out, and it still goes wrong, right? What about living in this world, right now? Can we be truly confident in the middle of the chaos, hopeful in the midst of the challenges all around us? What happens when all we see seems so out of control?
Remember the “Dewey Beats Truman” headline? Well, back in 1948, Pat Maloney was the Managing Editor of the Chicago Tribune. A perfect storm of flawed circumstances led to a decision that made history. For about a year before Election Day in 1948, a printer’s strike had forced the paper to go to press hours earlier than it normally would. The pressure was on to decide on a headline. The poll numbers were strongly in favor of Dewey. To top it off, the Tribune’s correspondent in Washington, Arthur Henning, was known to be an accurate political prognosticator. He had predicted four of the five previous presidential elections with remarkable accuracy. He assured Maloney that Dewey was a shoo-in. Even “Life” magazine had just printed a photograph of Thomas Dewey with the caption: “The Next President of the United States.” Maloney thought his headline would be a sure thing. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Bible is more blunt about what we can really count on. It says, “The rest, as God says, is His Story, for you, for all.” Things are as God says they are, not as they appear for the moment.
The world of sinful humanity is full of mistakes, flaws, and errors. We live in a distinctly un-heavenly existence. There is corruption, meanness. Economic woes and injustice fill the earth. Your own personal grief and pain strain your heart and soul. Your own failures and sin torment your conscience and complicate your life.
Revelation 7 lays it on the line. This is the future and the future can be yours now. But, the question that needs answering is, “In what do you put your hope?” Or, even more pointedly, “In whom do you put your hope now?” Will it be in politicians, in political prognosticators, in secular gurus, in temporal heroes? Where is your hope, my friend? If you’ve lived long enough, you know the results of elections can quickly dash any sense of optimism and make you feel as if everything is still out of control. The world seems to thrash wildly between self-aggrandizement and self-loathing.
And, even when you think you’ve elected just the right person for the job, you soon realize that that doesn’t solve the issues in my life necessarily, that doesn’t make the pains of my guilt go away. The Founding Fathers of the United States experiment did something radically unique in history. They wanted us to elect leaders who would protect our personal freedom. But, even if those leaders were elected, that was just to be the beginning for “We the People” to truly solve our own problems, to live our own lives, to do that, they said, “We must be a religious people.”
Well, Revelation chapter seven says it even more clearly than that. To really know the power of living life to its fullness, we must know God the Savior, God the Life-giver and Sustainer. Verse ten declares, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
Jesus, the risen Savior, the victorious Lamb of God, is revealed in the book of Revelation as the One who sits on the throne. He’s not just a leader who balances budgets and keeps the temporal peace. He conquered sin and death. He overcame eternal corruption and error, grief and pain. And the One crucified and risen from the dead, Jesus, is the leader of all things in heaven and on earth, the One in whom you can put your trust now and forever.
God is in control, even when there seems to be chaos in this world. Just look at the Bible and see how God Himself has kept His promises to His people.
Do you remember when the people of Israel were trapped on the shores of the Red Sea as the Egyptian army closed in on them? They had nowhere to go. They would either drown or be destroyed by a hostile army. But God changed everything. He parted the Red Sea and His precious people made their way safely on dry land.
Do you remember the Old Testament story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when they were about to be thrown into a fiery furnace? They insisted on worshiping the true God, ready to die for their allegiance to the Lord, in a land that was open to everything else but that. Their political enemies literally stoked the fires of the furnace to incinerate them and their point of view. But God changed everything. The men were tossed into the inferno, but they were miraculously saved by the angel of the Lord!
Or do you remember when the Apostle Peter was in prison facing certain death for proclaiming Christ? Sixteen soldiers guarded Peter. He was bound with chains. Escape was impossible. James had already been put to death. Peter’s turn was drawing near. But God changed everything. He sent His angels to loose the chains, to open the prison doors, and to usher Peter past the guards to safety.
But do you remember the most important event in history? Do you remember that day when Jesus, the Son of God hung selflessly on a cross for you? Followers wept. Disciples hid in fear. The One who worked miracles was dying. All seemed lost. But God changed everything. On the third day, as His followers went to tend to His corpse, they found an empty tomb! God the Father raised Jesus from the dead! He broke the bonds of sin and death so that we could walk in new life! Your Lord and your Savior lives!
When Jesus is your Lord and Savior, your worries, your hurts, your grief, your pain, they’re in the right hands. Because of Him, they will not prevail! Because of Him, this struggle is only for a moment! Because of Him, nothing in this life can separate you from the love of God. So, even when everything seems out of control, there is something more at work–someONE more at work!
After His resurrection, Jesus looked into the teeth of the “hells of this world” and the uncertainties of the future and for all to hear He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). He is in control! He is leading the way! The chaos of the world is the chaos of a world that is still rebelling against the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Your life doesn’t have to be in that kind of chaos today. Jesus Christ is Lord of all! Will you trust Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit; will you trust Him to be your Lord and Savior today too?
Yes, God reigns. He prevails. All kings and rulers are in His hands. There is no need to lose hope. There is no need to be afraid.
But, remember, this world has its pre-emptive headlines for your life, just like that fateful one that Pat Maloney tried to distribute before the certain truth came out in 1948. This world will try to spread the news that “You’ve Failed,” or that “You Have No More Second Chances,” or that “You Have No Reason to Hope.” It will try to trumpet the headline that “All is Lost,” or that “Hard Times Will Never End.”
But those are circulation errors. You see, because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, those are unreliable print jobs. The real headline about you, the accurate news, is found in the Word of God. Revelation 7 goes on to say: “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”
Yes, this is God’s Word about your life in Jesus Christ. This is the true story of the hope that you have. And this is the hope our nation can have on every Election Day.
God’s vote to send His only Son changed everything. And the future looks bright in Him. As Revelation 7 says, I looked, and beheld, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Rev. 7:9-10)
So, Pastor Seltz, what can I do, then, to live in that future today?
Well, first of all, you’ve got to make sure that you are getting the right information to feed your faith. Back in 1948, late in the evening on Election Day, when the news of Truman’s victory became certain, the Chicago Tribune changed its headline. It circulated the correct information. Everything was different. They got it right, after the fact.
Well, God has it right for you before, during, and after your life. In your life today, it’s key to start getting the right information to feed your faith, get into His Word, there you’re going to find a message that speaks about the dignity of human life, the power of self-sacrificial service, and the Good News of grace that makes all of life work now and forever. You need to bathe your faith in the forgiving power of Jesus Christ; you need to move forward in the power of the Holy Spirit that comes certainly from His gifts, the Bible and the Sacraments. Get the Word of God into your life because the Word creates, empowers, and sustains faith as well as the life of faith.
In political seasons, people remind us incessantly that we must “Get out the vote” or all is lost. Well, I do think elections are important and I want everyone listening today to fulfill your duty as citizens, wherever you live; get out there and vote. But, if you really want to make a difference in this world or make a difference in the life of someone you love, get out God’s Vote for them. Get out the message of what God has done for all in His Son, Jesus Christ. That’s the vote that ultimately matters. That’s the vote that changes everything, it means everything, and when the final day comes, the only headline that matters will be clear for all who trust in Him.
With this hope and this perspective you can move boldly toward Election Day, the one this month and the one that all will see when Christ returns in glory. You know your vote counts, but even more, isn’t it great to know that God’s Vote–in Jesus Christ –changed everything for you and me? I sure think it is. God bless you. Amen.
LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for November 4, 2012
Topic: Being Salt and Light, Politically?ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions. I’m Mark Eischer. When the Bible says we are to be salt and light in this world, does that also include politics or are Christians too involved in politics nowadays?
SELTZ: Wow! Well Mark, we are in the “political season” here in the United States and politics is a “messy yet necessary” business in many ways, not just for Christians but for everybody. So, let’s talk about how a Christian might be involved then. First of all, the Bible says, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” That means that we have some responsibility in both areas.
ANNOUNCER: And when Jesus speaks of “Caesar”, if we applied that to us today, that could be a way of speaking about your political involvement, right?
SELTZ: Right. It sure could. But, back in those days it would probably have to do with paying taxes or tribute or serving in the army. But in the United States form of government, in fact in most all free, democratic countries, we aren’t ruled by kings anymore; we elect our elected leaders and hold them accountable to specific leadership expectations and tasks.
ANNOUNCER: In that sense, then, in a democratic society, the Christian has the obligation to be involved politically because they’re part of the community which sets the standards for society and sets up what’s to be done.
SELTZ: Right, and the basic way we do that, then, is “to vote” and to make our opinions evident and to seek to implement just laws and to elect righteous leaders for the sake of all, for the common good for all people, Christian or not.
ANNOUNCER: And, in that regard, your involvement as a Christian in voting or even as an office holder, could be one way in which you could be “salt and light” and exert a positive influence on society for the good of society.
SELTZ: Influencing those community standards is a way that Christians can participate in laying down godly, protective, societal boundaries that benefit all. The Bible does say, “Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh.” Why? His laws are just and they’re trustworthy for all.
ANNOUNCER: Yeah, but when Christians do that, aren’t they, then, “forcing their morality down somebody else’s throats”? Government actually puts a limit on your involvement because you talk about this “separation of Church and State.”
SELTZ: Wow, that’s a mouthful. But, let me just say it simply. The talk of “separation” was actually to “protect religion and religious people,” not to prevent them from meaningful citizenship. And, “legislating morality” is what all law is about, it’s what every citizen, “Christian and non” is doing when they step into that voting both. So, when a Christian votes or advocates for a certain leader or law, they just need to realize that “just because the Bible says it,” that’s probably not going to be enough to convince others that it is right for them too. We Christians need to try to explain why!
ANNOUNCER: But that takes a lot of work and our main work as Christians is not to establish political rules and regulations but rather to get the “good news of Jesus Christ” to everybody so that they might believe.
SELTZ: That’s right, and the listener’s concern here is well taken and our main work as Christians in this world is to “get the Good News of Jesus” out there. But, it really isn’t an either/or thing. It’s a both/and thing. It is important to realize that the political solutions we’re talking about this season are temporal while Christ’s good news of life and salvation are “eternal.” But it still is important that we exercise our citizenship faithfully to God and to our communities, no matter what the outcome of the votes.
ANNOUNCER: Because “we are in the world, but not necessarily of the world,” right?
SELTZ: Right….but I like to add that “we are in the world, not of the world, FOR THE WORLD. So, when we vote or when we serve the community in some political way, we try to influence our communities to be just and fair, with a high value of human life because it’s good for all of us. But, even if the Christian has some success there, one always needs to know that the real problems of humanity can’t be solved in the voting booth, they had to be laid on Jesus on the cross.
ANNOUNCER: Very important. In closing, God is at work through our leaders, to preserve peace and freedom, and we use those temporal blessings, then, to further the work of the church that we can get the word of grace out there for all to hear and, we hope, also to believe. Thank you, Pastor Seltz for this reminder that we exercise our citizenship because it pleases God and also could be a blessing for our neighbor. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.
Music Selections for this program:
“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.
“Lord, ‘Tis Not That I Did Choose Thee” by the Lutheran Hour Choir. Used by permission.
“Behold a Host, Arrayed in White” From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)
“Concerto in d minor” by J.S. Bach. From Bach at the Sem, 2005-06 Series by the American Kantorei (© 2006 Concordia Seminary)