Jesus & Politics

Was Jesus political?

Are Jesus followers to be engaged politically?

How are followers of Jesus to engage in these politically divisive times?

The Religious Political Landscape of Ancient Israel:

- The _______________ Empire
The Great Sanhedrin [Jewish Supreme Court]
- The _______________ [Conservative]
- The _______________ [Liberal]
- The _______________ [Separatist]
- The _______________ [Extremist]

Messiah: literally means “Anointed One,” a savior and liberator, Israel’s final King.

The Sermon on the Mount: Jesus’ manifesto of how citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven are to live on earth.

13  “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14  “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  15  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  16  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. 17  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18  For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19  Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20  For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus _______________ you for _______________ service.

• You are the very _______________ and _______________ of the World

Salt: flavors, preserves, purifies
Light: reveals, grows, brings life

• Salt & Light do not _______________ for _______________.

How can we be salt and light if we have no contact with society?

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Good [Greek: Kalos] – pertaining to being attractive in outward appearance, beautiful.

• Give Jesus your ultimate _______________.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:17

We want a “religious” leader, not a king! We want someone to save our souls, not rule our world! Or, if we want a king, someone to take charge of our world, what we want is someone to implement the policies we already embrace, just as Jesus’ contemporaries did. But if Christians don’t get Jesus right, what chance is there that other people will bother much with him?

- N.T. Wright

Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Jesus [Matthew 22:21]

America is NOT the _______________ _______________.

Jesus is NOT aligned with a _______________ _______________.

The return of Jesus NOT the return of “American values” is our hope.

Develop a _______________ Worldview.

Worldview: the lens by which you see, understand and navigate life

Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

We allow ourselves to be indoctrinated by political, academic, and pop culture leaders and to surrender our convictions to avoid disassociation and criticism. In many cases our perspective has been so thoroughly shaped—or even discipled—by worldly ideologies that we mistake our flawed ideological positions for Christian positions.

- Compassion & Conviction [Gibson, Wear & Butler]

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

• Practice the _______________ ways of the Kingdom of Heaven.

_______________

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.   For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Matthew 7:1-3

_______________

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Matthew 10:16

_______________

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:36-40

“It is our care of the helpless, our practice of loving kindness that brands us in the eyes of our opponents.”

- Tertullian

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Compassion & Conviction by Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Chris Butler

Jesus Outside the Lines by Scott Sauls

Reading while Black by Esau McCaully

Insider Outsider by Bryan Lorritz

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark

Lectio 365 [A daily devotional App]