The Politics Of Jesus

There are only two shows that I’ve ever watched the entire series. One of which I still own on DVD and have watched the entire series 3 times. If there was any show that I’d love to see still running today it would be this one. I’d love to see how it would interpret and respond to the issues of our day. That show is The West Wing. Just in case you never watched the watched the show, let me fill you in.

The show centers around the likeable, moral, yet conflicted President Jed Bartlett a moderate Democrat from New Hampshire who wins the election with only 48% of the popular vote. The show gives you a peek inside the inner-workings of Washington and how the credible and crooks work together for the American people.

The show hasn’t been on air since 2006 and similar shows that have tried to humanize and romanticize politics haven’t been successful. Perhaps because congress’ approval rating is 13% as of last week.

When discussing politics, I’ve seen the best of people exhibit some of the worst attitudes. As if that’s not bad enough, the moral majority is, most of the times linked to Evangelical Christians, who have been the loudest of the bunch, creating this false equivalency between being Christian and being a Republican. One particular preacher who gained his following during COVID through angry videos on social media has stood in the pulpits and proclaimed that if you’re a Democrat then you are demon-possessed and he wants you out of his church.

I’m not a Republican, not plagued with the demonic but I’m also not a Democrat. I am an Independent. Neither party represents me and as of April 2023 studies show that nearly half of the electorate are like me.

For many Christ-followers, politics has stirred within them a hunger for justice, law and even a deeper curiosity with prophecy. Those in themselves aren’t bad but when you mix these feelings of righteous indignation with policy and law, the cocktail becomes too bitter for most people to stomach, especially those outside the church.

The Scripture that I read to you a bit ago is one of the lectionary options for today and I believe it reflects some of the sentiments that I hear from the church.

Hear how the Message translation words Psalm 1:1 –

How well God must like you—

you don’t walk in the ruts of those who are blind-as-bats,

you don’t stand with the good-for-nothings,

you don’t take your seat among the know-it-alls.

I know people on both sides of the political spectrum who classify their opponents in such a way. Blind as bats are the ignorant and uneducated. Good for nothings sound like the entitled and the know it alls well they are the snobby elites.

Each side believes they have the right answer, the correct interpretation and some even the anointing from God to govern as they see fit. But I want to paint a different picture this morning. Instead of me blaming anyone else for our woes, let me present to you the politics of Jesus. But instead of just giving you a few bullet points and then asking you to apply them this week, I want to take a different approach.

Let’s pretend that I’m sitting down with you for a position on the campaign staff to elect Jesus as president. But instead of the usual question-answer format, I want to present to you the vision of our campaign given to us directly from Jesus and validated by Scripture. Then, you’ll simply decide if you’re a good fit for associating yourself with this movement. But I must give you a disclaimer, many think they’re a logical fit but many are surprised and some are offended by our vision. Let’s begin:

(MOVE CHAIR TO CENTER STAGE, SIT IN CHAIR, USE CLIPBOARD)

First of all, we don’t believe in holding grudges or political retribution. Our campaign secretary, Matthew, used to work for the IRS and many of our other staffers had to be called out repeatedly for harassment. If someone is a part of our team (some of us call it our ministry), they are accepted and given the same grace that we are given.

When we get into the thick of the campaign, no doubt Jesus will get hate ads directed at him. I’m sure those on the right will call him a liberal snowflake and those on the left will call him a fundamentalist. Here’s what makes us different here. We will be known for what we are FOR, and not for who we are against because, truthfully, we don’t fight against “flesh and blood,” as Paul, our campaign manager once said. Jesus couldn’t agree more.

We don’t call names and seek to return “evil for evil” as most people would. Easier said than done, but it’s an expectation here.