The Politics of God

Jesus' words and deeds have profound political implications.

As you know, a new political season is upon us. Everyone has an opinion about Barack Obama. Everyone has an opinion about Mitt, Newt, Ron and Rick. Make no mistake about it. The things Jesus spoke, and the things he did in the flesh, have profound political implications.

But let me be clear about this. The Church is not a political movement. The Church isn't an extension of the Democratic, Republican, or Independent parties. Of course, there is also a temptation to mingle the two. This was one of the disciples' greatest temptations. When Jesus talked about his eternal kingdom, they started salivating about overthrowing Caesar and about overcoming the Jewish and Gentile authorities.

Politics was a human invention.

If you go far enough back into your Old Testament, you learn that politics was a human invention. Instead of trusting God as their only Savior and King, the people of Israel wanted a physical king just like all the other nations had.

Look at 1 Samuel 8:4-9 (NIV). "So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. They said to him, 'You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.' But when they said, 'Give us a king to lead us,' this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. And the LORD told him: 'Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do.' "

We complain about unanswered prayer, but sometimes God gives us exactly what we ask for. The Israelites wanted a king to reign over them. It wasn't enough for them to trust God as their Savior and King. They wanted a man, and a man they got! But no man was ever perfect, and this is the problem with politics. Men are fallen and fallible. One man has the perfect family, but you don't care for his ideology. One man appeals to your values, but he's committed adultery! That was King David!

The Israelites were expecting the messiah to be a perfect earthly ruler.

When the prophets foretold the coming of a Christ-King, a messiah, the people were expecting a perfect man to come who would rule on the throne of David. David was the most celebrated and the greatest king Israel ever had. But when God sent his Christ-King, the messiah Jesus, it baffled the Jews. Instead of getting a king like David, God himself came, in the flesh, to again be their Savior and King! They prayed for a perfect a king-- and a perfect king they got! Jesus shows up saying, "It's me again. I'm baaaack!"

But check it out. Just as it was in the days of old, so it is today. There is this temptation that we would trust men to be our saviors and kings instead of God himself. But here is what we say to ourselves. "Technically, I know God is my Savior and King, but..."

Don't you find it interesting that Paul begins his letter to Timothy with these words in 1 Timothy 1:1 (NIV), "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope." Just whose authority are we under? That of a government? That of a man? Or that of God? And just who is our savior and king? Is it not God himself? And in whom is our hope? Is it not in Christ Jesus, our Lord?

Politics is what happens when we stop trusting God as our King and Savior.

Politics is what happens when we stop trusting God as our King and Savior. Look at what is going on around us, not just in this nation, but in every nation. Remember that Israel wanted to be like all the other nations, who had men as their kings. Men always fail us.

In politics, we ask men to provide for our needs. We see men as the source of our safety, health, and wealth. But who does the Bible say is to be our refuge and strength? Who does the Bible say is the source of our life, of our health, and of every good thing? Who does the Bible say gives us the ability to create wealth?

In politics, we elect men to create laws and policies in order to coerce good behavior. Yet society seems to go from bad to worse. It isn't goodness and love that reigns, but depravity! We find that every good and moral law is being overturned to suit the immoral minority and amoral majority. Don't you know that laws and external measures cannot change a man's heart? Romans 8:3 (NIV) says that the, "law was powerless." We have more laws than ever before, yet look at our fellow man. The moral and spiritual depravity is worsening! What power do laws have to save us? None!

Why do we put so much hope in politics? You usually have two men, each seeking the ill of the other and the ill of other man's constituencies. You have one demonizing another, creating a monster out of him, and each man helplessly blinded by his own corrupt ideology.

The whole premise of politics is to create widespread discontentment and fear. If you can create dissatisfaction, if you can cultivate fear, you can justify your claim to power. "An economic apocalypse is on the horizon, so give us trillions! Armageddon is near, so let us take up arms and go to war."

In politics, it's all about who has the loudest voice and who has the most cash to dominate the airways. In politics, character issues are deflected and minimized. In politics, it's all about pleasing one's constituency at all costs, in order to keep getting reelected. In politics, men boast in their themselves. "We're the ones we've been waiting for."

There is no absolute truth in politics.

In politics, there is no absolute truth, only conveniently selected truths that support an ideology that contradicts that of the enemy. In politics, one group is pitted against another. One group is made powerful over another. One nation, and one people, and one race is presumed super to that of another. In politics, one is representing at the expense of another. And when politics fail us, we turn to anger and violence. We ammo up. We speak of revolution!

Do you find it interesting that Jesus had the power to overthrow Herod the king, and Caesar the king, and Pilate, but made no overt effort to do so? Why not? Why didn't the early Church, the apostle Paul, or the apostles Peter and John, seek the overthrow of Nero? Like all nations, Israel had good kings, bad kings, and wicked kings. A momentary gain may be achieved by replacing one fallible man with another, but what is ultimately gained? God had something better in store for Israel, and he has something better in store for us!

The Church is a movement to restore God as Savior and King over all humanity. What does that look like? Let me suggest three non-negotiable priorities.

Our hope is in God.

Look what Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 (NIV). "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."

Politicians aren't the people we should pray to, they are the people we should pray for. But you don't pray to politicians, right? Yes you do! You pray to politicians whenever you put all your hope in them to provide for your needs.

And when they don't deliver, what do you do? You start fighting and disputing with others. You go about complaining, blaming them, finding fault, and stirring up dissension, as if they could provide everything you need!

What if we trusted God with one tenth of the stuff we trusted politicians to provide? What if we saw God as the source of life, our health, our wealth, our security, our prosperity, and of every good and perfect thing? What if we understood the abundance of God, and his ability to provide everything we need for life and godliness? Those who put their trust in God are able to live peaceful, quiet lives filled with all godliness and holiness.

In 1 Timothy 6:17 (NIV) Paul writes, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." In 1 Timothy 2:8 (NIV) he says, "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."

Our posture should be one of prayer and ultimate dependence on God. It should not be one of anger and violence, hateful speech and ungodly rhetoric. God is Savior. Christ Jesus is our hope. King Jesus is our hope!

Our concern is for all men.

Paul urges us to make requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving to God for everyone. In fact, he tells us that this should be our utmost priority. Look at 1 Timothy 2:1 (NIV) again. "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone." In 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV) Paul says, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

A question we have to ask ourselves is whether we share God's concern for people. God cares as much about the 99% as he does the for the 1%. God cares as much about the illegal as he does for the legal, for the American as much as he does for the foreigner, for the rich as much as he does for the poor, and for the powerful as much as he does for the powerless. Heaven is comprised of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation- people of every race and ethnicity. English probably won't be the language spoken in heaven.

When Saul was persecuting the Church, and dragging off mothers and fathers away from their children to have them thrown in jail, and having them stoned to death for their faith, what do we find the early Church doing? Do you know? They gathered together for prayer! Now who do you suppose they prayed for? They prayed for Saul! And God answered their prayer, didn't he? Now when Paul speaks of praying for kings, who do you think he is asking the church at Ephesus to prayer for? King Nero!

In your politics, is God Savior? Is Christ Jesus your hope? In your politics, are you seeking the good of all men, even evil men, or just people like you?

Our man is Christ Jesus.

In 1 Timothy 2:5-7 (NIV) Paul says, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given in its proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle-- I am telling the truth, I am not lying-- and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles."

In these verses, Paul is telling us that Christ Jesus represents us before God. Christ laid down his own life. Christ gave himself as a ransom for all men. He paid the penalty for our sin by shedding his blood and breaking his body for our sins. Christ Jesus represents our greatest self interests before our holy Father. He is our representative!

But notice what else Paul says. Just as Christ represents our best interests, so we are to represent God's best interests before men. Paul says, "And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle..." A herald is one who proclaims good news! An apostle is one who is sent on behalf of a king or person in authority.

God's given us a message! Our message is that God is Savior! God is King! Christ Jesus is our hope! God wants all men everywhere to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth! Christ gave himself as a ransom for all men! In Christ, God is reconciling all the world to himself, not counting mens' sins against them! The gospel is a message of hope and change. Hope in God and change through the power of Christ Jesus!

Lift up your hands in prayer.

1 Timothy 2:8 (NIV) is where we end for today. Throughout history, men have raised their hands as a revolutionary acts. Often, men have raised their hands in violence. Paul says, "I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing."

Prayer isn't an act of passivity. It's one of most politically potent, revolutionary acts we can commit. God wants us to raise our hands and voices in prayer.

Let me see your hands. What will you do with them? Will you sit on them? Put them in your pocket? Raise them in anger and disputing? Or raise them in prayer to God our Savior?