The Christian & Politics (Part 2)

We’re Doing a Study Series that I’m Calling:

The Christian & Politics

It Took Me a Few Days to Figure Out How I Wanted to Approach this Topic

I’m Not Particularly Interested or Knowledgeable…

Of the Inter-Workings of American Politics

And I’m Not Sure that a Deep Dive in American Politics…

And How it All Applies to the Christian…

Would Be that Beneficial for Us to Study

Someone More Knowledgeable Than Myself…

Could Probably Do an Excellent Job with Something Like that

I’ve Decided to Go a Different Route

Several Months Ago, I Bought a Book Title:

“Political Gospel” By Dr. Patrick Schreiner

I Began Reading it When I Bought it…

But I Didn’t Get Very Far…

Because I’m a Slow Reader

And Being a Slow Reader with 2 Small Children…

Means You Rarely Get to Finish Books

But I Picked it Back Up in Preparation for this Class…

And I’ve Found it Incredibly Interesting and Beneficial

It will Transform the Way You View Christianity

The Primary Point that He Makes in this Book is:

“Christianity is Extremely Political”

But Not in the Way We Often Try to Make it Political

To Americans, Religion and Politics Don’t/Shouldn’t Mix/Overlap

But to the Biblical Writers, They Completely Overlapped

There was No Separation of Religion and Politics

And the Point of the Book and of this Class…

Is that Modern Christians should Share Viewpoint…

That Our Religion & Our Politic should Walk Hand in Hand

But, So You Don’t Misunderstand Me…

Overlapping Religion with Politics Doesn’t Mean:

Bringing the Present American Political Climate into the Church

Endorsing Certain Parties or Candidates

Patrick Schreiner Defined Politics in Several Ways:

“Political” simply means the activities associated with the organization and governance of people.

Politics is simply how we partner together for the flourishing of humanity and the world.

Politics answers the questions: How do we live together? How do we deal with money? How do we treat our enemies? What is authority? How should we love? Whom should we love? What does it mean to be human? How do we form communities? What is justice? Who is in charge? And how do we disagree?

The Church is a Community of People Who Belong to the Kingdom of God…

Which is Ruled By King Jesus…

Who Governs Us with Laws/Principles that We’re to Live By

Citizenship is Attained By Birth

(Repentance & Baptism = Death and Rebirth)

Citizenship is Revoked Upon Refusal to Obey the Laws/Principles

Christianity is Our Religion

But Christianity is Also Our Politic

Where Religion is Often Viewed as a Personal Thing

Politics is Recognized as a Community Thing

Where Religion May Govern Your Individual Life/Behavior

Politics Governs Our Collective Lives/Behavior

Jesus isn’t Just Lord/King of My Life

He is Literally the King of All Other Kings

Last Week, We Ended Class By Touching on…

Submission vs. Subversion to Governing Authorities

This will Be a Main Theme that We’ll Continue to Come Back to

But This Morning, We’re Going to Look at…

Words that We Categorize as “Religious”…

But that the 1st Century World Categorized as “Political”

Gospel, Christ, Church, Kingdom, Faith, Salvation, Lord, Son of God, etc…

Are Primarily Religious Words to Us

But to the Jews, Greeks, and Romans…

They were Highly Politicized Words

We’ll Start with “Gospel”

What is “Gospel”

Our Extremely Simplified Answer Often Goes Like this:

Gospel Means “Good News”

And the Good News is that Jesus Died, was Buried, and Rose Again…

To Save Us From Our Sins

There’s Much More to it than that…

But that’s the Typical, Religious, Nutshell Answer

But in Ancient Times (OT & NT Times)…

The Word “Gospel” Meant “Political Victory”

In Literature Outside the Bible…

To “Gospelize” or Share the Gospel…

Was When a Messenger was Sent From the Battlefield…

To Proclaim Victory Over an Enemy

“Gospel” was Also Used When Speaking of…

The Emperor/Ruler’s Birth, Coming of Age, or Enthronement

There’s an Inscription that Speaks of the Birth of Emperor Augustus…

As the Beginning of Good News

Listen to How Similar the Language is to How We Talk About Jesus:

“[Augustus] has made war to cease and put everything in peaceful order; and the birthday of our god [emperor] signaled the beginning of ‘the gospel’ for the world because of him.”

There are Lots of Similar Inscriptions Like that…

Connected to Emperors, Military Victories, and Politics

Let’s Look at “Gospel” in the OT:

The Hebrew Equivalent to “Gospel” (Greek = euangelion) is:

(Noun) bĕśōrâ = “message; good news”

6 Times in the OT

(Verb) bāśar = to announce a message; to share good news

24 Times in the OT

Let’s Look at a Few Examples:

After Saul and 3 of His Sons Died in Battle Against the Philistines, We Read:

1 Samuel 31:8–9 (NASB95)

8 It came about on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.

The Enemy King has Been Defeated

Time to Share the Gospel

When 2 Men Killed Another of Saul’s Sons, Ishbosheth…

And then Brought His Head to David…

Thinking They were Proclaiming the Gospel to Him…

This is How David Responded

2 Samuel 4:9–10 (NASB95)

9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 10 when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.

When David’s Son, Absalom, was Killed…

The Priest’s Son Wanted to Share the Gospel with David…

2 Samuel 18:19–20 (NASB95)

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and bring the king news that the Lord has freed him from the hand of his enemies.” 20 But Joab said to him, “You are not the man to carry news this day, but you shall carry news another day; however, you shall carry no news today because the king’s son is dead.”

This was “Gospel” to All Those Loyal to King David…

But Not to King David Himself

Because it Meant His Son was Dead

When Adonijah, David’s Oldest Son, Assumed the Throne…

He Heard an Uproar in Jerusalem

He Assumed it was in Celebration for Him Becoming King

1 Kings 1:41–42 (NASB95)

41 Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is the city making such an uproar?” 42 While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a valiant man and bring good news.”

But the Uproar was Not for Him

It was Because David Made Solomon King

The Gospel of the New King was Being Spread Throughout the City

When the Arameans had Besieged the Northern Kingdom’s Capital, Samaria…

The Israelite People Began to Starve

But then Elisha Prophesied that God would Give Them Food

Then Some Lepers Who were Outside the City Gate…

Found the Camp of the Arameans Deserted

God had Scared Them Off

So the Lepers Began Eating the Food and Taking the Treasure

2 Kings 7:9 (NASB95)

9 Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

Isaiah 52:7 (NASB95)

7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

The Gospel that the Messenger is Bringing is:

That the God of Jerusalem Reigns

And this Meant Salvation for the People

God is Once Again King Over His People

No More Exile in Babylon

Isaiah 61:1 (NASB95)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

Not Long After Jesus Began His Ministry…

He Read this Passage in His Hometown Synagogue…

And He Applied it to Himself

He was Anointed By God as King to Share the Gospel

When We Get to the NT, We Find Gospel as the Word:

euangelion = “good news, good message”

euangelizomai = “to proclaim good news”

In the Beginning of Mark’s Gospel Account to the Romans, We Read:

Mark 1:1 (NASB95)

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

This Sentence Doesn’t Stick Out to Us Very Much…

But it is Very Political

Gospel = Good News Typically About a New Ruler or Military Victory

Christ = Anointed King

Son of God = Sent From God, Special Relationship with God…

And Also Common Title of a King

And When Jesus Began His Ministry, We Read:

Mark 1:14–15 (NASB95)

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The King has Arrived and His Rule is Soon to Come

It’s Time to Repent of Rebellious Living…

And Believe/Place Faith in/Give Allegiance to the King

Seeing Gospel as a Political Word and Not Just a Religious Word is Important…

Because it Further Opens Our Eyes to the Truth

Jesus Didn’t Just Come to Save Us From Our Sins

He Came to Become King

And as King, He is Rescuing Us From Our Sins, Yes…

But Much More Than that

He’s Come to Defeat All Evil

He’s Come to Destroy the Effects of Sin (Corruption and Death)

He’s Come to Rescue Us From All These Things…

And Give Eternal Life to His People

He’s Come to Make All Things New/Good Again

Understanding the Fullness of the Gospel Message…

Will Encourage Us to Share it and Share it More Accurately

When We Share the Gospel with Others…

We’re Sharing the Good News that There’s a New & Better King

We’re Sharing the Good News that Satan, Sin, and Death have Been Defeated

We’re Sharing the Good News that Justice and Peace have Been Established

We’re Sharing the Good News that We are Going to Be Rescued When the King Returns

King Jesus has Come to Establish a New World Order

Jesus isn’t Just a Spiritual Teacher Who Tells Us How to Be Good

He is a King that is Going to Set Things Right for Those Who are Loyal to Him