Let me ask you this question, is
our nation engulfed in political turmoil?
Is the Pope Catholic? Here’s a
test for you. Just say to a group of
people, friends or strangers: “I love Donald Trump” or “I hate Donald Trump”
and see what happens.
Our turbulent times revolve
around political and social issues and political personalities. People it seems for the most part, argue, rant
and rave about, rather than rationally discuss issues today. The tone of political discourse is bad. Some people including Christian leaders, have
said on Facebook, “If you voted for the person I didn’t vote for, I will
unfriend you.” We daily see
examples of finger pointing, blaming, fraud, divisiveness, name calling, character
assassination, cover-ups, politicizing, investigations on questionable grounds,
fear, distrust in our elected leaders, party loyalty over national loyalty, baseless
accusations, and incidents of some of the media reporting stories based on
rumor or hearsay. What fun. What a great time to be alive.
The question is: How do we as
Christians and as a church follow Jesus in such a politically charged and
polarized climate?
We know that politics is a broad
concept and has multiple meanings, positive and negative. Governing, running the government, getting
things done in cities, counties, states and at the Federal level is politics. Another meaning relates to power, using power
to further one’s personal or political agenda, using power to defeat or
demonize your opponent whether a person or a political party, using power for
personal and political gain, rather than the common good. From any office in the land to the office of
the White House politics has been around since the first society was
established.
The complex and controversial
issues today are seemingly endless: healthcare,
homelessness, racism, religious liberty, LGBT issues, elections, the role of
the media, immigration, gun ownership and control, energy policies, tax reform,
military spending, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the infrastructure, sanctuary
cities, federal versus state authority, employment, climate change, free speech,
hate speech and incidents of violence associated with it, and being true to the constitutional balance
of powers between the three branches of government to name a few.
Politics existed in Jesus’ day. In our lesson from the Gospel of Mark, the
religious leaders try to trap Jesus with a political question. No, they didn’t ask it because they were
simply interested in Jesus’ thinking about taxes. They knew taxation was a hot button issue. They decide to politicize the subject of
taxes by asking Jesus a question designed to get him in trouble no matter what
his answer. Jesus was growing in
popularity. Crowds were getting larger. Jesus
was a threat. The religious leaders wanted to get rid of him once and for all.
“Is it lawful to pay taxes to
the Roman emperor or not?” If Jesus
said “no, it’s not lawful,” he and his fellow Jews would incur the wrath of the
Roman government for advocating breaking the law and inciting a tax revolt
among the Jews. If he said “yes, it’s
lawful,” he would incur the anger of Jews who hated the Romans and were already
overtaxed. Jesus’ answer – “Give to
the emperor the things that are the emperors and to God the things that are
God’s,” amazed the religious leaders.
Their strategy failed, at least this time.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus
says to his followers: “You are the light of the world, let your light shine
before others.” The question is how
do we as a church do that? It’s easier
said than done in today’s climate. The
thing is that Christians, churches, have different answers; we don’t agree on
the answer to this question about how we shine the light of God to the world.
One answer is chill out, forget
about it, the political atmosphere today is no different than any other time in
our history. It’s politics as usual. Get over it.
It’s the same old thing. It’s nothing to be concerned about. Every president, every administration, has
had its problems.
Another answer is stay out, stay
out of politics. That is not the
church’s business. The church must keep
out of the political and social issues of today. Never bring issues up in worship, that is, in
sermons or prayers or even in adult classes.
Stay on the sidelines. Let people
vote on politics as American citizens, but stay out as a church. Some churches do.
A further answer is get involved,
but don’t take sides, try to stay neutral, non-partisan, and fair. Realize that people in the church have
different viewpoints. We don’t all agree. Some people are liberal and some conservative,
some Republican and some Democrat, and others are Libertarian or unaffiliated. The idea here is let’s work together in the
world for the Lord. Don’t condemn this
political figure or that political party.
Pray for God to guide the church on what issue or issues it should
become involved in. God loves the world
and wants his followers to engage in His work in the world.
Another answer is take sides; the
church should be in the forefront of political involvement. We saw it in the
American Revolution. We saw it in the Civil
Rights Movement. Be honest and say - our
church is liberal or our church is conservative. Promote, be an advocate for the issues which
support your perspective. For example, the
worship committee and I could bring in political speakers and analysts from
time to time. Worship could on occasion
become like watching CNN or Fox news. Some
churches do.
I have had people, not church
members, but people outside the church ask me, “Where does your church stand
on immigration? You are close to the
border. Do you believe in building a
wall?” If I say yes, I’m a racist
and bigot and so is our church to some, and if I say no, I am anti-American and
a law breaker to others, since I’m not endorsing America ’s history of orderly legal
immigration. I answer by saying I am not
speaking for the church, but here is my opinion. I speak for myself. How do we follow Jesus in such politically
turbulent times? I offer these
guidelines.
As followers of Jesus, who sent
his disciples into the world, to engage in their mission, we need to engage in
issues and problems of the world, but give our ultimate allegiance to no one
party or leader. We certainly give our
allegiance to our government, we are Americans, but our ultimate allegiance, our
ultimate loyalty, belongs to God alone. We
follow Jesus’ principle about rendering unto Caesar and rendering unto God. We place our deepest trust in Jesus alone.
Second, as Jesus’ followers we
proclaim the worth of every human being, no matter their birth, gender, ethnicity,
culture, or creed, because they bear the image of God and are the object of his
costly love in Jesus’ death on the cross.
We proclaim that God is a God who created and loves every human being
and therefore is deeply concerned about justice and compassion and the welfare
of the poor.
Third, as Jesus’ followers we
need to train ourselves to listen to others even when we disagree. Communicate reasonably. Listen respectfully and patiently. No personal ad-hominem attacks. Be bridge-builders. Be a Christ-like example. As one pastor said: “Jesus started a
revolution that still changes the world. But it is not rooted in coercive human
power; it is rooted in God’s love.” People
do get rather emotional and unreasonable discussing politics. It becomes extremely important, as a follower
of Jesus, to control your emotions to an extent so we can communicate with
those with whom we disagree. We should
try to speak with facts as well as opinions.
Is this easy? No, but this is what Jesus wants of his followers as a way
of obeying his command to love our neighbor.
Fourth, as Jesus’ followers we
should be informed. Study the issues. Read about them. Think about them. Talk about them with both people you agree
and disagree with. Connect your thinking
to scripture and to your faith. Try to
speak from your understanding of God and your faith in Christ.
Fifth, as Jesus’ followers we
must remember our central mission. We
are a church which operates in a broken world.
Our mission according to Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28 is to go
out and make disciples, to witness to the gospel of God’s saving love in Jesus
by word and deed. We are not in the
policy-making business; we are in the disciple-making business.
Sixth, as Jesus’ followers we
should continually engage in prayer. Prayer
changes things. God responds to prayer. Jesus
called us to pray: “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.” I Timothy says: “I urge,
then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be
made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live
peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
A Christian said: “I realized
there have been presidents where I spent more time complaining about them than
praying for them.” A pastor wrote: “It’s
interesting that the Bible never commands us to complain about our leaders or
to defend them. But it says a lot about
praying for them.” Pray for our nation. I am committed to praying for our
President and our government and our country daily. How about you? Pray for the media. Pray for people who feel
vulnerable. Jesus said: “Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your
Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5:44-45)
Seventh, as Jesus’ followers we
must act wisely. “Be as gentle as
doves and wise as serpents” Jesus teaches.
We must seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are tax exempt as a church. Churches and religious organizations have a
tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Service. There are certain rules which must be
followed. There is a line that one needs
to be careful not to cross. By breaking
this rule, the IRS may deny or revoke the tax-exempt status of the church.
Jesus never called his followers
to be passive, to run, to hide, to become hermits. Jesus said go into all the world. God so loved the world. Jesus calls his followers to act, to teach, to
serve, to witness, to care for the least of these, to love their neighbor, to
give sacrificially, to share joyfully and to make disciples.
Yes, it’s a great challenge for
Christians and the church today. Maybe
it has been for every generation through the centuries. Let’s trust in God, for Christ is coming and
will establish a new earth. Trust in God,
in God’s power and grace. Let us be a
light to the world and let our light shine before others. Amen!
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