Hamilton Through The Eyes of the Gospel: The World Was Wide Enough

Key Bible Verses

• Matthew 7:13-14
• Proverbs 18:12
• Deuteronomy 20:15-20

SERMON QUOTES

From Pastor Josh Laxton

"I want to reverse engineer Hamilton and Burr's choices and behavior that led to their premature deaths vocationally and physically. Then I want to reconstruct what should have been their choices and behaviors that would have led to life."

"Christians should be the least offended people because we serve a God who can defend Himself. He can defend His children. He doesn't need His children to defend Him, nor themselves, when attacked."

"The only way to make the world wide enough that leads to life is to travel down the narrow road that very few go down. The way that leads to destruction is to travel down the wide road that most go down."

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DIGGING DEEPER

In the song "The World Was Wide Enough" from the musical Hamilton, Burr and Hamilton express the heartache resulting from their duel. Burr and Hamilton had been initially friends and became bitter political enemies due to various circumstances. Both men were prideful. Neither looked for or sought out an opportunity to see reason and reconcile their differences — except by dueling. Burr, Eliza, and Angelica mourn Hamilton's senseless death at the hand of Burr via a duel.   

Hamilton questioned if this bullet from the duel would be his legacy. He shared that a legacy was "planting seeds in a garden you never get to see" and that he was "running out of time, I'm running, and my time's up." 

Imagine if Hamilton and Burr had been willing to work through their pride and differences. Hamilton would not have been killed in the duel. Burr would not have suffered the political ramifications that caused him to be viewed by many with suspicion and distrust. Burr reflected at the end of the song that he "should've known the world was wide enough for both Hamilton and me." 

Every day we are presented with a new 24 hours during which we can make a difference in our lives and the lives of others. We can make prideful or sinful decisions. Or we can seek ways to make a positive difference in our lives and in the lives of others that honors our Lord and Savior, King Jesus. Ephesians 2:8-10 states, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Let us strive daily to leave a legacy that pleases and honors God as we serve God and others, knowing that the world is wide enough for all of us. 

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WHAT NOT TO MISS

The overarching principle we learn from Hamilton and Burr is:

• When you go down the WIDE road that most go down, it NARROWS your world that leads to LOSS.
• When you go down the NARROW road that few go down, it WIDENS your world that leads to LIFE.

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If Burr and Hamilton had lived by the ten commandments listed below, based on Scripture, they could have lived life to the fullest without suffering. (These are not the Ten Commandments found in Deuteronomy.)

1. Find a God big enough to fully save and satisfy, rather than you living to constantly save and satisfy yourself.

a. Burr and Hamilton were driven by power.
b. Only God can fully save and satisfy.

2. Become unoffendable by avoiding gods that need defending.

a. Burr and Hamilton felt the need to personally defend what was offensive to them.
b. We live in a day like that of Hamilton and Burr, where people are easily offended.
c. Our God does not need defending. We do not need defending because God fights our battles.

   3.  Embed your identity in a God that is secure with who He is and who He declares you to be.

a. When you live by what the world says about you—what others say about you—you will die by what others say about you.
b. When you live insecurely, you will die prematurely.
c. God says you are wonderfully made, and He loves you.

  4. Rest your body, soul, and mind.
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a. Tired people make terrible decisions.

5. Live under authority and listen to wise counsel.

a. These men were under their own authority and did not listen to wise counsel.
b. Dependence and interdependence are better than independence.
c. Listen to wise counsel, and don't isolate yourself.

6. Don't play God. God is much better at His role than you are.

a. When we try to play God, we end up not playing by God's rules.

7. Be ready to say "I'm sorry", or "I might be wrong". Doing so might cover a lifetime of regret.

a. Only pride gets in the way of saying "I'm sorry" or "I might be wrong."
b. Pride poisons people.

8. Extend forgiveness to the offender, doing so will pay the price for the offender's freedom.

a. Resentment and bitterness poison life.
b. Unforgiveness kills the one who needs to extend forgiveness.

9. Don't play the world's game in a Christian way. You'll most certainly lose.

a. Hamilton played the world's game of dueling, but in a Christian way: He would throw away his shot. Burr did not play by these rules.
b. As Christians, we are not to love the world or be of the world.
c. When Christians play the world's game, they lose.

10.  Make sure you are playing the right game. Playing the wrong game in the right way may win your battle, but it will end up costing you the war.

a. Burr played the wrong game. What transpired cost Burr the war.
b. Ultimately, everyone must figure out what life is all about. The purpose of life helps determine what the right game is.

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 Which road are you traveling down?

Don't take the road that Burr and Hamilton took! Take the one that God sets before you. Take the narrow road of life and live life to the fullest.

Life Application

Think about who you might have a rivalry with or might have expressed negative opinions about publicly. Look at the root of your negativity toward this person or persons and see if pride and its resulting sin are a factor in your feelings. Determine how you can change your attitude, realizing the world is wide enough for both of you. 

Additionally, think about your legacy. Make a list of significant accomplishments you have already achieved that somebody will remember you for. Also, list what you would like to accomplish as you continue to walk on the narrow road as a follower of King Jesus in the days and years ahead. Pray and ask God to give you guidance, wisdom, and direction as you embrace this present day and look forward to the future God has planned for you.  

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Small Group Discussion Questions

• What is something that you have done that you are proud of?
• Why do you think the Bible talks about pride so much?
• How does Scripture describe the narrow road and the wide road?
• What differences and consequences occur when we take the wide road and not the narrow road? 
• What decisions and behaviors must you modify to be sure you are firmly on the narrow path that leads to life?

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Daily Devotional Bible Passages

• Day 1- Pride-Proverbs 8:13; Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6‍
• Day 2-Protection-Isaiah 54:17; Psalm 46:1; Deuteronomy 31:6
• Day 3- Purpose-Psalm 57:2; Ecclesiastes 8:15; James 1:5
• Day 4-Forgiveness-Colossians 3:13; Psalm 32:5; Ephesians 4:31-32
• Day 5-Legacy-Psalm 145:4; Philippians 4:9; Proverbs 22:1

Prayer

Lord, I know You do not want me to be a prideful person without room for others. I want to travel with You on the narrow road that leads to life. I know Your goal is for me to love others just as you have loved me. Keep sin from causing me to be jealous or speak harshly about others or arrogantly about myself. Let me realize that my strength and security reside with you. Cleanse my thoughts and let the words that come from my mouth be positive and uplifting to others. Let me leave a legacy of love as I travel along the path You have for me, showing the world how much I love You and am obedient to You. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)

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