GOOD NEWS

JESUS IS GOOD NEWS

Luke 2:8–14 ESV

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Good News is always political.

Christians get weird about politics.

We misuse the Bible.

We need a Biblical Theology of Politics.

Politics: the way power is used or “the exercise of power”

Where does politics first show up in the Bible? Page 1!

GOD HAS ULTIMATE POWER

Right from the beginning we see God use His power and authority.

Genesis 1:1–3 ESV

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

He speaks order to chaos.

He organizes and facilitates life to thrive.

It is GOOD - remember this is functional = it works!!

GOD SHARES HIS POWER WITH HIS IMAGERS

Genesis 1:26–28 ESV

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

IMAGE: tselem = idol/statue

IMAGE = RULE: have power and exercise authority = to organize and facilitate life to thrive.

IMAGING GOD IS RELATIONAL AND COMMUNAL

Genesis 1:27 ESV

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

“CREATED HIM” - SINGULAR

“CREATED THEM” - PLURAL

THEREFOR RULING MUST BE RLATIONAL AND COMMUNAL

IT MUST WORK (FUNCTIONAL) FOR ALL MANKIND AND THE REST OF CREATION. (DOMINION)

MADE TO THRIVE