Free From Politics

Series Summary: What did Jesus mean to the people of His day? This series explores the ministry of Jesus through the eyes of the people who watched Him, heard Him, and encountered Him for the first time. Before we reconsider what the Gospel means for us today, we step into the sandals of those who lived with Him. They too experiences tensions of fear, shame, expectation, oppression, and longing. What did freedom feel like to a person who had only known bondage? How shocking were Jesus’ words in real-time? How would His actions have challenged everything they believed about law, illness, wealth, politics, sin, and hope? Through this 6-week study, we will deepen our understanding of Jesus’ mission to set people free and rediscover how those same freedoms continue shaping the Church.

WEEK 4: FREE FROM POLITICS

Matthew 22:15–21 (cf. Joshua 24:15; Psalm 20:7; Romans 13:1–7; John 18:36)

Big Idea: Jesus offers an alternative from letting politics define our identity, our hope, or our allegiance.

Introduction

Series Summary

Our series From the Outside Looking In explores the ministry of Jesus through the eyes of real onlookers.

Today, we need to make our response to Jesus.

But His contemporaries were responding to Him, too.

Their perspective might be helpful to shape ours.

This series asks: What did Jesus mean to the people of His day? We’re exploring His ministry through the eyes of those who watched, heard, and encountered Him in real time. To give us a new perspective on what the gospel is.

 Where We’ve Been & We’re Going

So far, we’ve seen that, through words and actions, Jesus frees people from:

Weight of the Law

Burden of Illness

Wounds of Shame

Tonight, we’re going to shift to a source of external pressure, often thought to be an adult-problem. Jesus frees people from: politics.

Q | Why do governments exist?

Q | Why do politics feel so intense today?

Q | What kind of political pressures do students feel?

Q | What role does religion play in politics?

Q | Think back to the Biblical world, what kinds of political pressure were they juggling?

Politics Feels Like “An Adult Problem”… But Students Already Feel It

Students hear political language everywhere, online, at school, in memes, in youth sports, and of course in their homes.

They feel pressure to take sides before they even know what the sides are.

They feel afraid to share opinions, and sometimes afraid not to.

They’re told: “Your side = your identity.”

Jesus frees people from politics, but not because they don’t matter,

but because they do not carry the same weight as the hope that we have.

Getting Into The Word :: Matthew 22

Full Bible Passage: Matthew 22:1-14, 15-21

Jesus Tells A Parable

Matthew 22:1–14 ESV

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Before anyone asks Jesus a political question, He tells a story about allegiance, honor, identity, and misplaced priorities.

What Onlookers Would Notice:

Wait a second, this sounds harsh?

A king invites guests to his son’s wedding, this is the highest honor imaginable.

It sounds like they previously accepted the invitation, but when it came time, they chose other things.

Discussion Questions:

Q | What kinds of things were more important than the kings celebration?

Q | In this parable, who are the first group? The second group? The unwelcome guest?

Everyone is invited into the Kingdom, but only those who are dressed for the part are welcome in.

The Political Challenge

Right after the parable, the Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus about… taxes?

Matthew 22:15–21 ESV

Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

What Onlookers Would Notice:

If Jesus says “Yes, pay Caesar” → He looks like a traitor to Jewish nationalism.

If Jesus says “No, don’t pay Caesar” → He can be arrested for rebellion against Rome.

Okay, Jesus… then pick a side.

Political Weight Lifted: your heart doesn’t belong to Earthly authorities.

When we get wrapped up in earthly political fights, we risk:

giving politics God-level importance

letting fear dictate our identity

seeing people as enemies instead of neighbors

thinking human leaders can solve spiritual problems

OT and Identity

Joshua 24:15 — “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

Not “choose your political side.” Choose your master.

Psalm 20:7 — “Some trust in chariots…”

In the ancient world “chariots” = political/military power People trusted the wrong things for security.

Jesus is warning:

Don’t give political power the place only God deserves.

Let’s Talk About It

Q | What kinds of relational or social pressure do students face around politics?

Q | How does identity in Christ push back on those pressures?

Q | What kinds of things in our life belong to God or belong to Caesar?

Q | How should our eternal identity shape how we vote?

I often think… how do yall have so much time? Think about Jesus, who was about His Father’s business.

Conclusion: Jesus Frees Us From Politics

this parable exposed their hearts:

• They are the invited guests who refused the King. • They are the ones too busy with their own power to honor God. • They are the ones who want the kingdom without the King. • They are the ones who demand allegiance to their system, not God’s.

So they try to trap Jesus with a political question, because they think political power is the true path to identity and allegiance.

Jesus exposes the opposite: Political allegiance is not ultimate, God’s authority is.