The Upside-Down Politics of Jesus
Notes
Transcript
Please turn to Matthew 2.
Matthew 2....Christmas in September.
We only have 2 sermons left in our Sunday morning series on Jesus and Politics...
So far we have looked at:
what are we consuming every day? is it the news or Jesus more?
we have also looked at the role of government - Romans 13
3. and also Jesus’ passage that says give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s looking at how Jesus turned politics and power upside-down. Matthew 22.
I want to explore Jesus and his kingship a little more.
If there is one pastoral prescription I could write you this fall as we approach the election season—it would be to reflect more on Jesus, His kingdom, his teaching, his ministry, his cross and resurrection—his if I can use that word—Politics.
if you are struggling with anxiety this election season and fear—look to Jesus.
if you are struggling with anger, anger, anger, anger—division—look to Jesus.
if you are in politics, serving, bless you—look to Jesus
if you are confused about all this—look to Jesus
if you want to get involved and make a difference look to Jesus...
He makes all the difference.
I want you to turn to your neighbor—and I want you to define the word “politics.”
Let me give you a definition of politics:
Politics: “involves the use of structural power to organize a society or community of people.”
(repeat)
notice words like structure....power…society or community…people
there is organization...
politics involves how things are structured, organized, how decisions are made; how resources are used (economics), who’s allowed into the group or not (citizenship, immigration), sexuality and marriage and family, how to defend the community or organization against attacks (military, policing), how we care for those who lack resources.
Politics applies pretty broadly—because lots of examples have these things—families have politics, schools, businesses, non-profit organizations, even churches have these things.
and everything about Jesus, His person, his teaching, his mission, His politics if I can use that word was so different than the world’s view of it.
it was the reverse of what they expected...
(illustration?)
back in 2007, on a show Britain’s Got Talent—where normal people audition to try to break through with their musical, dramatic, dancing, or unusual skill. Simon Cowell is one of the judges—notorious Simon.
and one such participant was a man named Paul Potts—mobile phone salesman by day—opera singer by night. He gets up to sing—the music starts—you can tell everyone is skeptical and then he begins with this big operatic voice—to the point where people are moved to tears.
b/c his talent is the opposite of what they expected.
he reversed all expectations of this normal looking human being
the passages we are going to explore about Jesus—show that Jesus’ kingdom clashed with the kingdoms of this world. and it was the opposite of what they expected..
Jesus’ life, teaching, and message while very important spiritually—was a big deal politically.
Mark 1:14–15 (NIV)
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.
15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
the kingdom of God...
(note this resource—picture on screen, available in the Book Nook) Exiles in Babylon…I don’t agree with everything he writes—be discerning,
whenever I hear the word “kingdom...” I think we don’t like that term as Americans. After all, we as a nation, rebelled against a kingdom back in the 1700’s. We want freedom from a kingdom. or for some reason I think of King Arthur or Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail.
but that word “kingdom” Jesus said was both “spiritual and in some ways political.”
Yes, Jesus came to save us—to free us from sin and eternal life with God. that’s most important!
God’s reign—his kingdom has come in our hearts. it is very spiritual. it begins in our hearts.
but the word really caught the ears of the people back then—because it had profound social, community, even political ramifications or implications.
“this word kingdom was the same word used to describe other kingdoms in the bible—kingdoms like Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.”
so when people heard it, especially the Israelites, His people,—they got interested. Are you Jesus, bringing a kingdom that will finally overthrow all these empires that we have been subject to? how does this kingdom relate to and affect the kingdom of Rome at the time, the dominant politically oppressive Empire?
Let me give you a few examples that show how Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the Gospel writers, in the NT—wrote about Jesus not just spiritually but politically.
Jesus’ birth
Matthew 2:1–2 (NIV)
1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:3 (NIV)
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
King Herod had been given the title “king of the Jews” by Rome—and he did not like someone else had it-Jesus.
and he sent the Magi to investigate but they didn’t cooperate.
so Herod did this:
16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
this is why he began a slaughter of all the baby boys in the vicinity of Bethlehem, because he perceived a threat to his kingship and kingdom.
the way Matthew tells about Jesus ans family fleeing to Egypt and coming out of Egypt—reminds us of the way Israel in the OT fled from Pharaoh and was rescued out of oppressive Egypt.
Sprinkle says: By mapping the birth of King Jesus onto the events of the exodus, Matthew’s account whispers a dangerous message: the true King has arrived, a new exodus is underway, and earthly rulers are on their way out (like Pharoah was and now King Herod). (Sprinkle, P. M. (2024). Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire. David C Cook.)
Look at Luke 2:1-2 (that was Matthew, this is Luke)
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)
the census was a way for Caesar not only to get money through taxation but to assert his power and oppression over the empire.
Sprinkle notes “about 1 percent of the population held almost all the wealth and power, while everyone else lived in what would be considered poverty by most modern standards.” By and large, taxes funded the lifestyle of the wealthy and those in power.
but in the midst of that…look at
3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
David—King David! the most famous king in all of Israel’s history...
this brings up political memories—because God has promised from the OT—a king, a Messiah to come in the house and line of David. a king who would rule forever—Isaiah 9 talks about this.
as the Christmas story continues...
Look at Luke 2:11
11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
we use those words Savior and Lord pretty innocently. maybe only spiritually.
Exiles: The Church in the Shadow of Empire 1. The Politics of Christ’s Birth
But in the first century, these titles were widely used to describe the Roman emperor. As we’ll see in the next chapter, they carried profound political implications. The way Luke described Jesus’ birth narrative, then, constitutes “an ideological clash with the saviour of the Christians and that of the citizens of Rome.”
of course, the most important thing about Jesus’ rule and reign and kingdom is it sets us from free from our to be with God forever—but the way all this is phrased—is showing that Jesus’ kingdom has a sharp clash with the kingdoms of this earth—including the Roman Empire.
there is a new king and kingdom in town...
Let me give you another example from Jesus’ life and teaching.
2. Look at Jesus’ example and footwashing:
look at how Jesus taught about power…his example...
—his example — Matthew 20:20-28
Matthew 20:20–28 (NIV)
20 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. (she is the mother of James and John—2 of the 12 disciples that Jesus had handpicked to be with Him, teach, and follow Him in His ministry)
21 “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.” (these are positions of privilege and power)
22 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” “We can,” they answered. (what is the cup—it refers to the cup of God’s wrath—it is an image from the OT—referring to God’s wrath and suffering)
23 Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father.”
24 When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.
25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
this is what theologians call Jesus’ upside down view of kingdom power.
what do I mean?
most of us and the world for all time—view power as a top-down hierarchy. those at the top in leadership, kings, and power and influence—exert their power and commands “top down.” “You go do this...” “you exist to serve me, my vision, my power...”
“those at the top of power get all the benefits and recognition and honor and status!”
but Jesus…was different.
greatness is found not in self-promotion…but in serving...
greatness is in being not the leader who barks out orders, but in being a slave to all...
greatness is found in sacrifice....sacrificial love
Look at his footwashing— John 13:1-5
John 13:1–5 (NIV)
1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4 so…(in light of all that, what did Jesus do…) he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Sprinkle says: For a king to wash his disciples’ feet wasn’t just some random humble gesture on the part of Christ. It was a bold attempt at turning Rome’s view of power and authority upside down.
John set up the story by alerting us to Satan’s power at work in Judas, who was about to betray Jesus (v. 2). John then tells us that “the Father had put all things under [Jesus’] power” (v. 3), so we would expect Jesus to conquer both Satan and Judas. And he did—sort of. He overcame evil not by raising a sword but by stripping down to his loincloth, taking “the form of a slave” (Phil. 2:7 NRSVUE), in order to establish a new political order that was critical of Rome’s values of status and hierarchy.
Roman society, like most other ancient societies, was an honor/shame culture based on social hierarchy. And members of the empire were obsessed with public reputation; it was a fundamental Roman value.”
but in God’s kingdom, Jesus reverses that. all through his ministry...
all throughout Jesus’ ministry…he reversed
He was born in a poor humble family in a stable...
News of Jesus’ birth—his kingly birth—went first to lowly shepherds.
and it was women, who had less social power than men, who were the 1st witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.
his ministry regularly ministered to the lowly, the prostitutes, the lepers, the lame and the poor…and even hated tax collectors.
Jesus regularly said “Many who are first will be last, and last first.”
you gain life by losing
you receive by giving
you are exalted when you are humbled
our weakness is our strength
we rule by serving
this doesn’t mean that leaders or Christians must be weak and doormats and passive.
Jesus had incredible authority and power over demons, sickness, nature—walking on water. all authority has been given to Jesus—the resurrected king!
but true strength and power comes through sacrifice and service—just like Jesus.
and then there is the most powerful example---
3. The cross
so we have looked at his birth
his example—footwashing
now the cross.
One theologian says it like this: “From a Roman perspective, crucifixion was the ultimate symbol of Roman domination… Rome believed their gods created the empire to establish peace and order in the world. Anyone who threatened to destabilize this order should be publicly punished and humiliated to deter other would-be insurrections.”
The ultimate goal was not just pain—but public humiliation and denigration.
one Roman author said — that “when we Romans crucify criminal the most frequented roads are chosen, where the greatest number of people can look and be seized by this fear.” Crucifixion was so horrific that Roman writers urged others not to talk about it. (like at WalMart…or our schools…)
this is why it is so amazing what Jesus did in and through the cross.
The Gospel writers turned the cross from a symbol of Roman power into an ironic picture of King Jesus’ victory over the world.
especially in the book of John.
Turn to the book of John...
when the Jewish leaders brought Jesus to the Roman governor Pilate—look at this encounter (we see a clash between Jesus’ kingdom and earthly empires/kingdom)
John 18:33–40 (NIV)
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
Keep reading:
John 19:1–12 (NIV)
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe
3 and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. (it’s all very ironic—b/c the man they mock as king—is actually the king of the universe)
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there, “Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him.”
5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted, “Crucify! Crucify!” But Pilate answered, “You take him and crucify him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against him.”
7 The Jewish leaders insisted, “We have a law, and according to that law he must die, because he claimed to be the Son of God.”
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid,
9 and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.
10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”
11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
12 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.”
13 When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge’s seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha).
14 It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.
16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.
Pilate gave into Political pressure—had Jesus crucified...
skip forward—while Jesus is on the cross…we read this:
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”
29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.
30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
we see a clash of 2 kingdoms...
while Rome seemed in control—Rome wasn’t—God was.
Rome was like a pawn in a divine chess game. all this was part of God’s plan. God was completely in control...
Jesus took Rome’s most feared symbol of power—the cross...and turned it on its head--
on the cross—Jesus was simply fulfilling what He had planed to do. to come.
to live, and die for our sin in our place. so we could be forgiven of our sin.
on the cross—Jesus was ruling and reigning as king—and the resurrection proved that He is king who conquered.
ironically—Jesus reigned through death, weakness, submission, and service, accomplishing the most glorious feat—payment for our sins.
so if we view Jesus, his birth, ministry, teaching, death, and resurrection, through a lens of politics and how his kingdom and kingship was so upside down—a great reversal of what is expected....what does this mean for us now as we enter this political and election season?
Application:
Jesus’ upside-down kingdom…
Should make us cautious about fitting Jesus into a political side. (another way to say it—don’t force Jesus into your political views)
in other words—don’t start with your political views—whether left or right—and try to fit Jesus into that mold, but start with Jesus.
One writer says it like this: The problem is that Jesus doesn’t neatly fit into any one point along our modern political spectrum. His kingdom is not of this world, and neither are his kingdom values. As my friend Paul Anleitner once said, “It’s checkers to chess. The board looks the same, but Jesus isn’t playing the same game. But if all you’ve ever known is checkers, when Jesus makes a move that looks like it’s within the rules of that game, people go, ‘See! He’s on our team!’”
Instead of starting with the left/right categories of Rome (or Babylon or Panama or the United States or wherever), we need to start with the political vision of Christ. We need to cultivate the habit of letting Christ’s kingdom and its ethic determine our political values, because Christ’s kingdom—and our membership in it—is a political identity. (Sprinkle, chapter 5—last section)
2. Jesus’ upside-down kingdom.... should change our focus, our motivation, and our hearts.
what do I mean? Instead of our focus being on earthly kingdoms or politics, it is on Christ’ kingdom clashing with those. Christ’s kingdom should cause us to be careful about fully aligning ourselves with one side or another. We can lean, we can even serve and get involved in politics of this earth—but we dare not bow. We may have opinions and preferences—and that’s fine...
but we don’t belong ultimately to the kingdom of this world—but to Jesus’ kingdom which He brought.
if we have this focus—it will make us cautious about aligning with the world’s systems and power structures....we will be cautious about 100% trusting a political candidate—because they are human-they are not Jesus.
it should take the edge of our emotions this election season—we shouldn’t be so angry when we watch the news—b/c Jesus’ kingdom has come and one day will fully be here.
we won’t be so anxious and fearful—when we watch the news....that if so and so gets elected, life will be miserable for us…it may be…but it shouldn’t ultimately be—because Jesus is king.
it will change our motivation with politics—the church does not exist to win and dominate—but to serve, humbly like Jesus did—to see all peoples come to a saving knowledge of Jesus.
this is part of the irony of all this—we think we win—when we win the election—but the Gospel wins by sacrifice, service, love, and even death on a cross. our purpose is not to win the culture wars—whatever they are—but to win people to Jesus Christ.
it should change our hearts - Jesus is Lord—not Trump or Harris or any political party, but Jesus.
3. Jesus’ upside-down kingdom.... should change how we treat people who disagree with us.
we don’t get ahead by destroying those who disagree with us—we are called to love our enemies, including what we view as our political enemies.
Jesus’ established his kingdom by sacrificial love—we should do the same.
He reigned by saying on the cross— “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
4. Jesus’ upside-down kingdom... should change how we view our mission.
our mission is not to gain political power…when the outside world sees us just as a voting block or promoting a political party or agenda—they think we exist because of every other group or demographic—to gain power or influence.
no, we exist to establish Jesus’ kingdom.
We do this by a few verses:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
so let me write you a pastoral prescription…drink deeply of Jesus...
spend more time with Jesus than Fox News or CNN...
let Jesus shape how you approach politics, social media, division, debating...
let’s keep the focus on Him.
Let’s pray.
