The Politics of Jesus

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: MR. ROGERS. PUT AN IMAGE UP. TALK ABOUT HOW I LOVED HIS SHOW WHEN I WAS A KID. EVERY EPISODE OPENED WITH HIM WALKING INSIDE OF A HOUSE, PUTTING ON A CARDIGAN SWEATER AND TENNIS SHOES, AND ASKING THE QUESTION, WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? NOT WON’T YOU AGREE WITH ME OR MY POSITIONS. HE WAS EXTENDING A CONCILIATORY HAND TO ALL PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND OR BELIEFS…AN INVITATION TO BE CLOSE. THIS QUESTION, THIS WARMTH WAS BIRTHED OUT OF HIS STRONG CHRISTIAN FAITH- HE WAS AN ORDAINED PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER. AND BOY DID WE TAKE HIM UP ON IT. PEOPLE FROM EVERY ETHNICITY AND TAX BRACKET AND POLITICAL BELIEF TUNED IN. HIS WAS A LIGHT THAT SHONE.

POINT: WE NEED MORE OF THIS SPIRIT TODAY. THESE ARE TREMENDOUSLY DIVIDED TIMES, AND IF EVER THERE WAS A NEED FOR THE WITNESS OF THE CHURCH TO SHINE IN THE ILK OF MISTER ROGERS, IT IS TODAY.

THE POLITICAL DIVIDE: QUOTES FROM PAGES 14 AND 89 OF STETZER BOOK.

SERIES INTRO- BRIEF. LIGHTS IN THE MIDST OF A DARK AND POLARIZED WORLD. TAKING THE MONTH TO TALK ABOUT CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT, SHINING AS LIGHTS AMONG OUR FRIENDS IN THE GAY COMMUNITY AND POLITICS...

SALVATION DOES NOT COME ON AIR FORCE ONE.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND OUR PASSAGE WE NEED TO GO BACK SEVERAL DECADES. ROME HAS JUST INSTITUTED THE HEAD TAX ON THE REGION OF JUDEA. IN AD 6. THE HEAD TAX INVOLVED PAYING A COIN THAT HAD AN IMAGE OF CAESAR ON IT DEPICTED AS A DEITY. JEWS WERE SO OFFENDED BY THIS THAT THEY REVOLT UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JEWISH THE GALILEAN. HE MARCHES THEM INTO THE TEMPLE AS THEY SHOUT, ‘NO TRIBUTE TO THE ROMANS.’ QUICKLY SQUASHED, BUT THE WOUND IS STILL FESTERING. SO THAT WHEN JESUS STEPS ONTO THE SCENE THE QUESTION OF TAXES AND POLITICS IS THE HOT ISSUE OF THE DAY FOR JEWS.

APPLICATION: AND IT IS THE QUESTION OF THE DAY FOR US. MOST DIVIDED TIMES OF OUR LIVES. FOX NEWS AND MSNBC. ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME PERSON AND ADMINISTRATION. OUTRAGE HAS TAKEN OVER. WE HAVE A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO SHINE HAS LIGHTS.

THE POLITICS OF JESUS: JESUS SHOWS US THREE KEY POINTS

CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT BE OWNED BY POLITICS- VERSE 15

EXPLANATION: HERODIANS AND PHARISEES. WE ALL HAVE OUR BIASES WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS…A SPORT PLAYED BY THE SUBJECTIVE.

ILLUSTRATION OF GRANDFATHER AND UNCLE HOWARD.

APPLICATION: IF YOU ARE WEALTHY AND YOU WORKED HARD TO ACHIEVE IT..IF YOU ARE POOR.

EXPLANATION CONTINUED: IF I’M JESUS I’M LIKE, I’M JUST HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE KINGDOM…I’M OUT. THAT’S NOT WHAT HE DOES. “BRING ME A DENARIUS”. A DAYS WAGES…18 CENTS. HAD A PICTURE OF CAESAR ON IT. INTERESTING THAT JESUS DOESN’T HAVE IT ON HIM. HE’S NOT CARRYING THE DENARIUS. THERE’S SOMETHING TO THIS. IT SHOWS HE’S NOT DOMINATED BY IT. IN FACT, WITH ALL THE CRAZY LEADERS AND GOVERNMENT STUFF HAPPENING, JESUS NEVER REALLY INITIATES CONVERSATIONS ON IT. HE’S NOT WONDERING WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION, STAYING UP LATE AT NIGHT WATCHING CNN- THE CAESAR NEWS NETWORK…HE’S NOT OWNED BY POLITICS. HE’S GOT A BIGGER AGENDA- THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

TAIL LIGHT/HEAD LIGHT ANALOGY. OR THE HAMMER/NAIL ONE. WE ARE EITHER REFLECTING CULTURE OR SHINING AS A LIGHT.

POINT: WHEN WE ARE NOT OWNED BY POLITICS WE ARE FREE TO CRITIQUE EVEN OUR OWN TRIBE, AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.

ILLUSTRATION OF MINISTER TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

APPLICATION: YOU MUST BE ABLE TO CRITIQUE YOUR PARTY…IF YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY NOT ALL THE VIOLENCE IS FROM MEXICO. IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY KILLING BABIES IS HORRIBLE. THE LATEST RULING IN NYC IS DEPLORABLE. DON’T FILTER THE BIBLE THROUGH YOUR POLITICAL PARTY, FILTER YOUR POLITICAL PARTY THROUGH YOUR BIBLE.

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN POLITICS- 16-17

EXPLANATION: AGAIN IF I’M JESUS I DON’T WANT TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, BUT JESUS DOESN’T AVOID IT, HE WADES INTO IT. THE TENSION: IF HE SAYS PAY TAXES HE BECOMES A FRIEND OF CAESAR AND AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. IF HE SAYS DON’T PAY TAXES HE BECOMES A FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE AND AN ENEMY OF CAESARS. NO WIN SITUATION. HE WADES RIGHT INTO IT HIS RESPONSE IS COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONARY. RENDER TO CAESAR. IMPERATIVE. COMMAND. JESUS IS SAYING TO OPPRESSED PEOPLE TO ENGAGE IN GOVERNMENT! GOVERNMENT IS INSTITUTED BY GOD- . GOD WANTS YOU TO BE ENGAGED IN GOVERNMENT. AND THERE’S ACTUALLY POWER IN IT.

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE ILLUSTRATION…GOD HAS RAISED YOU UP FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION. THIS IS HOW SLAVERY WAS BROUGHT DOWN.

APPLICATION: VOTE! SOME OF YOU HAVE AN ANOINTING TO RUN FOR OFFICE. BE ENGAGED.

CHRISTIANS SHOULD BE BEYOND POLITICS- VERSE 17

EXPLANATION: JESUS IS BACKED INTO A CORNER. BUT HE GIVES A REVOLUTIONARY RESPONSE. GIVE TO CAESAR…AND TO GOD. WHY? VERSE 16…KEY WORD IS IMAGE. EIKON. HIS ARGUMENT IS STUNNING- IMAGE IS OWNERSHIP. THE COIN HAS HIS IMAGE ON IT SO HE OWNS IT, GIVE IT TO HIM. BUT THEN …GOD’S IMAGE IS ON US. SO GIVE CAESAR MONEY, BUT GIVE GOD YOUR LIFE!

ILLUSTRATION: SOME OF US HAVE HAD OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS HACKED. A SEVERE VIOLATION FOR THEY BEAR OUR IMAGE, AND WERE CREATED BY US, BUT ARE BEING USED FOR VASTLY DIFFERENT PURPOSES. EMAILS ARE BEING SENT, PEOPLE ARE BEING SOLICITED. THIS IS UPSETTING. WHY? WE EXPECT THAT IF IT BEARS MY NAME, MY IMAGE AND IS CREATED BY ME, IT MUST BE USED BY ME AND FOR MY GOOD INTENTIONS. IT HAS MY IMAGE ON IT.

APPLICATION: GOD HAS TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HACKED HIM. WE BEAR HIS IMAGE, AND WERE CREATED BY HIM BUT ARE FUNCTIONING FOR OUR OWN AIMS.

CONCLUSION: THE CHURCH IS AT ITS BEST WHEN WE PUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN ALL CAPS, AND USE LOWER CASE FOR GOVERNMENT. SALVATION DOES NOT COME ON AIR FORCE ONE. CONSTANTINE ILLUSTRATION.