Matthew
22:15-21
In
32 years of Christian ministry, I have never overtly touched the theme of
politics in the pulpit. This past Sunday, that changed. We see so much division
and disruption in our society today because of politics, I decided it was time.
But, what to say? Where to start? I would never dream of using my place of
leadership to turn our pulpit into a partisan megaphone…dividing things further.
So, what to do? I decided to start with Jesus.
Where
does Jesus stand on politics? He says very little to or about the political powers
of his day. In today’s reading, he does recognize both the realities and separateness
of earthly powers and God’s kingdom: Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s,
and to God what is God’s. He says little else about/to the political
reality of his time. However, his selection of disciples reveals something
important. In Matthew 10, we find Galileans (sort of outsiders), a tax
collector (working for the Romans), and a Zealot (one passionate for the Jewish
faith and culture). In Jesus’ band of disciples, we find people from all
political walks of life…much as we find in our congregations (at least in our
larger, urban congregations). Since Jesus chose who he wanted, this reveals a lot
about Jesus’ response to the political landscape.
Where
do we Christians often go wrong in this endeavor of politics? If we have
followed Jesus, if we have read the Gospels, we know that Jesus was fiercely dedicated
to the Kingdom of God, the Reign of God. We see what this kingdom-life looks
like in Jesus and his teachings. In Luke 4, Kingdom
work includes proclaiming good news to the poor, declaring freedom to the
prisoners, declaring recovery of sight to the blind, and setting the oppressed
free. In Matthew 24, Kingdom work means feeding the hungry, giving the thirsty
something to drink, welcoming the stranger, clothing those without clothes, taking
care of the sick, and visiting the prisoners. This is what Jesus focuses on
in his ministry and calls us to focus on. No follower of Jesus would dispute
this. We go wrong, however, when we expect the government to embrace this work
and bring it into reality. If they do, great! But, we should not expect a mere
temporal country to embrace the universal, eternal work of God. Countries and
governments are about self-perpetuation, not about the Kingdom of God.
So,
how do we live as faithful Christians in the 21st political mess we
have? First, we can follow the example of Jesus who says little to or about political
realities, we embrace and take up Kingdom-work in our daily lives, and we let
go of expectations of government to do the work we’re called to. With the freedom
of speech we enjoy in the US, we should use our voices—gently and persistently—to
nudge our nation, our government, and our politicians towards Kingdom values. But,
let’s not get lost in the political muck, putting our trust in governments and
politicians instead of putting our trust in God. And, let's not allow politics to divide us and rob us of the peace and joy God offers us.
Let's trust the goodness of God. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus. Let’s do the work of the Kingdom…today, now, where
we are. Amen.
Sunday, August 10, 2025
“Christians & Politics”
Watch/Listen: HERE
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