The Jeff Cavins Show (Your Catholic Bible Study Podcast) - Elections & The Power of the Church 

Episode Date: November 11, 2022

Is it possible that we give too much credence to politics and our political leaders? In today’s episode, Jeff helps us as Catholic Christians to navigate through the election outcomes. We might be willing to engage in a political debate with our cousin or with our sister or someone at work. But how many Catholics are willing to bring up the Good News of the Gospel and share it with their opponent?  Snippet from the Show We do not hand off our responsibility to be the agent of change to the politicians in our country. If the Gospel is the thing that changes hearts and we will not share that, guess what? Game over. Email us with comments or questions at [e-mail]. Text “jeffcavins” to 33-777 to subscribe and get Jeff’s shownotes delivered straight to your email! Or visit ascensionpress.com/thejeffcavinsshow for full shownotes!

Welcome to the Jeff Kaven Show, where we talk about the Bible, discipleship, and evangelization, putting it all together in living as activated disciples. This is show 296, Elections and the Power of the Church. Ah, fresh off an election. Isn't this wonderful? Hello, I'm Jeff Kavans, and I am so privileged to spend some time with you today post-midterm elections, which is something that everybody has been talking about for the last several months, and everyone's been putting their energy into it and, you know, prognosticating and, you know, talking about what they think this place will do, this state, this governor, and so forth. And it's been fascinating to be sure, but I'd like to talk about that a little bit with you today.

may not be exactly what you were expecting, but I would like to talk a little bit about the elections, and then I'd like to turn our attention to something that I think is a treasure in the church that really gives us the power to navigate in culture and to gives us a better chance of experiencing the victory that Jesus Christ has called us to. I've got some scriptures for you today. If you do want those, all you've got to do, if you're not on them, the show note, list. All you got to do is text my name, Jeff Kaven's one word, J-E-F-F-F-C-A-V-I-N-S, and text it to the number 33-7-77, and we'll get you on board and we'll give you the scriptures that I have for you today. All right, so let's talk about this a little bit. It's not going to be a

real long show, but I do want to address this whole issue of the midterm elections. And I want to start off by saying, listen, we as Christians have a duty, a right, a privilege of being a part of all of this. And that is, you know, researching and finding out what various candidates are up to, what they stand for, what are the issues at stake. And I'm not talking about Democrat and Republican. I'm talking about just the issues and the people. I try to stay out of the whole politic discussion and start putting labels on things, but I do want to talk about our attitude about politics. And I think that the day after the midterm elections, a lot of people were very discouraged. I don't think we need to be discouraged necessarily, but I think a lot of people

were discouraged because the people that at least I hang out with are very pro-life. And they have the abortion issue on their mind. They are fighting for the unborn. And they see it as a gross travesty, a sin to kill a child inside the mother. They're also interested in other things, like the economy and inflation and the southern border and so forth. And I get that. And I totally understand that. But here's what I wanted to share with you. I do think it's important to be a part of this whole process. My wife and I have been a part of the process for years. We try to stay informed. We vote. We're passionate about it. I get all of that. But I wonder if we put too much credence into politics.

Now, before you judge me or say, well, but Jeff, you just hear me out for a moment here. I wonder if we put too much credence in politics, if we put too much emphasis on individuals. And we think to ourselves that, well, if we can get the right people into office, then things are going to go well for us. They're going to go very well for us so we can just get the right people, our champions, our gladiators, into the right positions. Now, I think a lot of good stuff can happen by getting the right people in the right positions. Don't get me wrong.

That's always a two thumbs up. That is always very, very good. But here's what I have been thinking about, and I have talked this over to several people that you know who are nationally known speakers and writers. And I think we all concur, and that is that the battle that we're, really facing here when we talk about abortion, when we talk about social justice and so forth, is not a matter of changing minds. It might sound funny at first. It's not a matter of changing minds. I think rather it is a matter of changing hearts. That's what I think the battle

is here. And if more of our attention is given toward changing minds, then we get into the debate, it's reason, and maybe we can make some sense and win a debate or win an argument. Yay, that's good. But the problem with that is that the mind, the decisions of the mind, the way people think, is often influenced by the condition of their heart. Now, what I mean by this is that their heart may be bruised. They might have wounds. They might have been experiencing rejection. anger, envy, who knows what's happened within the family that has made them think the way that they do. But my point is that the real battle, I think, is the heart. It's the heart. Now, that's going to be problematic for you and me as Catholics, and I'll explain that in a moment.

It's going to be problematic because in some ways it seems easier to change someone's mind by arguing, quote unquote, facts, the facts of the matter. Well, in my experience, I have not found this to be terribly successful in just arguing with people or trying to make sense out of the parts of the argument overall. And the reason is is because something's going on in their heart that will not allow them to see the common sense of your argument. And I've seen this over and over and over to where, for example, I can win an argument about abortion. I can get into biology and science and so forth. And I think I can make a very good case. And I did did in college, I actually wrote quite a comprehensive paper about this, I think I can win

an argument using Aristotelian logic. If we're just going to be logical, I think I can win an argument. But what I found out after I thought I won an argument, maybe you can resonate with this, is that somebody would say, well, after basically I've got them pinned with both shoulders to the ground on the mat, I think I won the argument, and they'll say, huh, well, I still think a person needs to choose and it's like oh where did my argument go how come i just put together a very good argument and you just went back to well that's just the way i feel ah that might be the key it's the way you feel had i known that we were talking about feelings i wouldn't have wasted all that time talking reason. See what I mean? And so this is something that I feel so very strongly

about, and that is that we do not hand off our responsibility to be the agent of change to the politicians in our country. What I mean by that is that the agent of change, the message that changes the heart is not a debate about public issues. In political issues, the message that changes the human heart is the gospel. It's the good news. Oh, Jeff, you're so simple. And people aren't got, no, stop. You're shortchanging the gospel. You see, the gospel was given eight times in the book of Acts, the Acts of the Apostles. And the gospel, yes, sounds simple. God loves you and has an amazing plan for your life. Sin broke the plan. Jesus died for your sins. He wants you to radically reorient your life to him. He wants you to be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit, and enjoy life in

his family, the church. Yeah, right, Jeff. That seems too simple. Ha, unless the Holy Spirit uses those words in my conversation with someone and confirms the message. As far as I can see, this is the only way that we can move the dial is if hearts are changed. Now, don't go away and say, well, Jeff doesn't believe that we should debate or reason. No, no, I'm saying all of that we should do, but I'm telling you the thing that I have seen over and over that moves the dial is the change of heart, not just a change of mind. The mind, hmm, you know, that's another animal, but the heart, the Lord can move in a person's heart. This is, I think, very, very powerful. Now, here's the problem facing us, okay?

There is a certain percentage of Catholics in the United States today that might, might be willing to engage in a debate, might be willing to engage at the level of reason with their cousin or with their sister or someone at work. They might be able to throw out a few sentences and reason. That's good. It's all positive. but how many Catholics are willing to bring up the good news of the gospel and share it with their opponent? Share it with the person who is opposite of them. Share it with the one who is emotionally tied up and angry about issues. How many Catholics will rise up and lovingly and in a transparent way share the good news of Jesus Christ to people.

Now, if the gospel is the thing that changes hearts, and we will not share that, guess what? Game over. How could we possibly expect to move this country in a different direction if we're not even willing to say the very message that sets people free? I'm passionate about this, my friend. I almost want to say enough. enough of us going to conferences in reading books and music and everything else, but we will not share the liberating message that let people know the truth and the truth will set them free.

I have so much more confidence in the gospel and proclaiming the gospel to broken people than reasoning with people who want to argue. Now, you can say, whoa, Jeff, you're kind of stirred up about it. Yeah, yeah, I am. You know why? Because my grandkids are going to grow up in this world. My kids are growing up in this world. And we're not moving the dial. In fact, we're losing people, but we can turn all that around if we would,

but share the good news with people who are broken. You almost want to say at times, speak up or shut up, you know. And I'll say that in a mean way, but it's like, come on. We have the good news. We have the message. And the Holy Spirit will confirm that message if you will find a way to generously and in beautifully and humbly, share what God has done in your life, and invite people into a relationship with Jesus. I love what Paul said to the Colossians in Colossians 2, verses 3 and 4, he said,

Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, I say this in order that no one may delude you with beguiling speech. We don't devise fine-sounding arguments, Paul said. I'll say that again. This is Colossians too. We don't devise fine-sounding arguments. We speak the truth in love. That is powerful, isn't it? We speak the truth in love. The carigma, the proclamation of the gospel, is the truth. And the truth goes to the heart. Even if you think it's too simple, even if you think it's a simpleton message, so it is. But listen to what Paul said to the Corinthians in chapter 1, 1, 1st Corinthians 1. Paul has challenged the Corinthian church and the saints to look around when they go to church.

He said the church does not primarily consist of wise people, scholars, and celebrated debaters on national television. The church is not made up of the cultural elites. He goes on and Paul tells them to look around in the church to see who's actually attending. It's not the elite, he says. but rather the rejected and despised of society. He says, God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong and the base things of the world and the despised.

God has chosen the things that are not that he might nullify the things that are. You see, politics is not our primary arena. even though we're called to be a part of it. It's our civic duty to be informed and vote. But politics is not the arena that we excel at. It is friendship with people and sharing the good news with people who are broken because if their hearts change, guess what happens at the voting booth? They vote accordingly.

If I saved someone's life, don't you think they would sort of side with me? if Jesus saves an individual and breaks the bondage of addiction in their life, don't you think that their vote is going to change? I do. I really do. Romans 12 too, do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is the good and acceptable and perfect will.

You see, minds are transformed when the heart is converted and we spend that time with Jesus, the mind will be transformed. But again, if we're not willing to go out there and share this, seriously, what kind of world do you think we're leaving our grandchildren? Do we think that if we just continue doing what we're doing that somehow we're going to grow and that the world is going to experience this revival? Because we just kept on doing what didn't work? We have to change.

We have to change. Paul told the Corinthians, 2 Corinthians 5, he said, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come. That's what happens in a conversion with Jesus. Sometimes I wonder, do we really believe this? I've seen hundreds of people, if not thousands of people, come to the Lord by a simple invitation

for God to come into their life and change their heart. One of my favorite verses recently, and you know that I talk about love. life verses, like Galatians 2.20 is one of my Acts 20 and verse 24 is also becoming a life verse for me. And I love what Paul says. He says, but I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself. If only I may accomplish my course and the ministry, which I received from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. I'm telling you, my dear friend, you know I love you. You know that. I'm not rant. on you. I'm just

I'm just wound up about this, about not being willing to share with all kinds of excuses. It's not my gift. I'm not good at that. I don't know. None of that is valid because it's a matter of sharing what Jesus has done in your

life. If we're not willing to do this, I say, pack it up because we're not going to win debates left and right all over this country, nor are we called to do it. That's what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2. He said, and I, when I came to you, brothers, I didn't come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. He said that.

He said, I didn't come with this lofty speech of wisdom, but it was the power. It was the power of God, the power of the cross. Again, he said to the Colossians and Colossians 2A, see to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ. So I guess what I'm saying is if you're really discouraged about midterm election results, which, by the way, I think there's a lot of wonderful things to celebrate. I do.

I think there's a lot of wonderful things to celebrate. But if you're discouraged about that, then I'm going to formally challenge you to take out the big weapons, the gospel of Jesus Christ, learn those, that carigma, I've done many shows on that learn it and then ask God for courage to begin to share with people what God has done in your life that that God loves them and has a plan for their life and letting them know that sin has broken us and admit it in your own life you don't even have to tell them what they've done they know what they've done you don't even have to define it really and then let them know that Jesus loves them so much he died for them and he's asking them now to

reorient their life to him that's what life is about. That's where conversion takes place to become part of the church, baptized, filled with the spirit. This is how lives change. And voting changes when life's change, minds change when hearts change, and you and I have been sent out into the world to proclaim this gospel. We either do it or we don't. We either do it or stop complaining. That's my thing. That's what I'm saying today. Now, I'm going to take a quick break here. When I come back, I want to turn our attention to something different that is a treasure that has been given to the church that I think will become a real tool in this victory that I'm talking about and will help to form you and to give you

language to share with others. You're listening to the Jeff Kaven show. Hi, my name's Father Mike Schmitz, and we know, right, as disciples of Jesus, we need to be encountering God's word on a regular basis. We need God's word to transform our minds, to move our hearts, and yet if you're anything like me, sometimes you sit down to read the Bible and just you fall asleep. Or you get caught up in the names and the events. It can be a confusing set of books. We've created an answer. And the answer, we think, is the Catholic Bible Any Year podcast. It is produced by Ascension and hosted by me. For more information, you can go to ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year. And thank you for coming back. I have to say I'm

relieved. I thought you might leave after that first half of the show. But thank you for coming back. I want to share something with you. It's not going to take very long here, but I want to share something with you that I have to say is a game changer for me. It really is. I'm sitting in my office right now. I'm not deep in the woods today. I'm actually at home. And I am surrounded by books in my library here. And I have a lot of books and some really good ones. And there's other ones that are pretty good, you know. But I have in my hand right now, right now. you can hear it. You hear that? There it is. I have this book in my hand right now. It is gorgeous. It is new. It is white. It's called the Ascension Catechism of the Catholic Church. I have my copy. You can't get yours until December because that's when it's released. But as part of the team on this, I got a copy. And Father Mike and I have already taped the very first show of Catechism in a year coming out. There's three other speakers who are going to be joining him. And I have been looking through this new catechism, which is, you can go online and look at this. It's color-coded. Each of the four pillars has a color. We've got blue for the creed.

Sacraments and liturgy is burgundy. Green is life in Christ. And the purple is prayer, is prayer. And it is set up in a beautiful way. and you know for years I've been talking about these four pillars of the catechism in this ascension catechism it's the regular catechism you don't change anything that's between rome and our bishops that's not that's way above our pay scale so none of that's changed but the layout is gorgeous and it starts with the first pillar which is the creed and it is

what we believe the second pillar which is sacraments and liturgy is entitled how we worship. And then the third, which is life in Christ, the moral law, is how we live. That's the life of Christ. And then the fourth is how we pray. And they're all color-coded, and they have a timeline chart like the Great Adventure. This really looks like the baby brother of the Great Adventure Bible timeline. And it goes through all of history and the development of doctrine and so forth. And now here's why I'm bringing it up today to you. Is that the catechurchase, the catechurches, it does a phenomenal job of bringing the past into the present. If I told you that we were going to have a conference next week and there is going to be a panel

discussion, and in that panel discussion, we have St. Athanasius, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, St. Teresa of Lusuf, Teresa, Mother Teresa, and then we have Pope John Paul II on there and Gregory the Great. Would you be interested? How many people do you think would come? Would you come? Would you be interested in listening to that panel discussion and you can ask questions? Of course you would. I would too. And so what has happened to me in the last three weeks since I got my copy of this, about a month now, it's renewed my hunger for the teaching of the church. And I can't tell you, it's renewed my hunger. And it's so beautifully laid out. And I'm looking right now on page 735 it has this really neat part of the index in the back and it's the timeline of ecclesiastical

writers from the second century all the way to the 20th century and it gives just the dozens of these writers like St. John and Chrysostom and Jerome and Augustine and Cyril of Alexandria and you got Gregory the Great and St. Benedict and who else we have here? St. Athanasius of Alexandria, St. Ironaeus, St. Clement, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp, Justin. Oh, it's just so rich. And so what we basically have in the catechism is we've got all of these superstars from the past who are with the Lord now their saints. And what we're doing in the catechism is bringing all of that treasure of knowledge into the present and feasting. Now the reason I think that's so good in light of what we're talking about with the mid midterm election results is that in addition to

the corigma the proclamation of the gospel we can be fortified and encouraged by the collective wisdom of the saints of all time and so you're not standing alone in your arguments you're not standing alone in your reasoning you're not standing alone in your proclamation of what god has done for you you have an All-Star cast behind you that is available now in the Catechism. So the primary reason for me mentioning this is not to sell it, but you can go to Ascensionpress.com, get your pre-order. It's just going to go like pancakes. Not like pancakes, hot cakes.

Is that what this? Yeah, it's going to go like hot cakes. I don't know what goes like pancakes. But it's going to go like hot cakes. And you're going to see this everywhere. And I hope you do get a copy because it's going to help. educate you and to give you reasons for what we believe and ways of communicating it to people. There, that's what I wanted to share with you. I just wanted to let you know that I am experiencing

a little revival here in my love for the catechism. My other one's sitting over here on the desk too. That one's well marked up and that one's got some miles on it. I'm really looking forward to kicking the tires on this one and bringing it down the road. It's really cool. It's really cool. When you see it, you're going to be thinking, ah, I got to get one for all my friends. So go to ascensionpress.com and look up more. I'll try to put those in the show notes for you, too, so you can go and find out a little bit more about that new categism. Now, let me wrap up all of this real quick for this week. Again, I just was compelled to share with you after the midterm election results that, number one, this isn't the way we change the world.

It is a way that change can take place. yes, but the way that the world changes is a change of heart, and the change of heart is not as the result of cleverly devised arguments in the wisdom of this world. It is not lofty speech. No, it's everyday people like you and me who are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, even with those who are pretending to be wise and lofty speeches and all of that, and God will break through the darkness with that message. She's just looking for people to believe him. Do you believe them?

My friend, do you really believe that this gospel is powerful? If you do, I'm going to pray here in a moment. I want to encourage you to say, Lord, I want to take another step with this. And if you have not read my book, The Activated Disciple, I'll put that in the show notes too. The Activated Disciple, taking your faith to a new level, read it. It's not a big book. It's a quick book. Read it.

It's about living your life as a disciple and learning to share Christ with other people. This is our hope for our country, the gospel. Let's pray. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Lord, we lift our hearts up to you today. And we know, Lord, that ultimately you are the one that changes the hearts of human beings. And so, Lord, we side with you when we say, help us to share the gospel with the Bible with the people that we know. Help us to avoid aimless arguments that get nowhere and get to the heart of the matter literally and share the good news with people. Lord, I pray for a revival, a revival of

evangelization where people learn to share the gospel. Years ago, they said that we wouldn't be studying the Bible the way we are now. But Lord, you have done a great work in this world with scripture. Lord, we believe that now for evangelization in sharing the good news. We commit ourselves to you in Jesus' name, amen. My friend, I love you. I'm praying for you and I ask you to pray for me and together we're going to do the hard work here and we're going to encourage each other as iron sharpens iron and we're going to go forward and we're going to bring this message to the world. God bless you. Look forward to talking to you next week. Thank you.