The Political Jesus

The Political Jesus

3/17/13

I find it amusing that when political figures are questioned about religion that they always turn towards Jesus as one who would support their ideas about human laws and other human ideas about how things should be set in place for people around the world.  I hear Presidents, Prime Ministers, and many other world leaders compare their beliefs to God and Jesus on a routine basis while they are trying to “relate” to their constituents.  However, when what they do not realize is that when they politicize Jesus for their own potential political gain they are violating the very concept that Jesus did not accept as His own.  Not at any time did Jesus portray Himself as an earthly political figure, His politics stood within the heart of the people in a spiritual manner in order for them to change their worldly hearts and to return to God the Father through relationship, not by political stature.

I am reminded of a time when I was in a McDonalds Restaurant here in the town that I live.  It was at lunchtime and the place was crowded as usual.  I really do not like McDonalds but every once-in-a-while you have to make a sacrifice and listen to where your children want to eat, which provides the setting for this part of the article.  I was with part of my family and we had just sat down to eat.  I had finished praying over the food and had distributed the food to the kids when I looked up and saw a shorter man who was walking on the sidewalk outside the restaurant towards the back entrance.  I could tell he had not had a bath in some time and that he was not very wealthy at all just by the clothes, or lack of them, that he was sporting.  He had a full beard which was groomed but not fully in shape as a full beard should be.  His skin was olive color or very dirty and he presented with no abnormalities to his physical gait.

I watched him as he approached the back door and then reached for the door just as a lady and a child was coming out of the building.  He opened the door and stood to the side while the lady and child passed by him.  Neither of them looked in his direction nor did they even acknowledge for holding the door open while they exited.  From the look on his face he did not seem to mind at all and then once the path was clear he then began to enter into the building.  He came around the back doors and entered into the lobby. 

The man walked about twenty steps into the dining area and stopped.  It was evident that he was not trying to make a scene but I could tell that he had something to say.  With perfect grammar he then blurted out in a firm voice that we all need to repent for Christ is returning soon.  With those words spoken he quietly turned around and walked back out the same doors that he came in from. 

I continued to watch him as he left the building and walked back down the same sidewalk that he had used to enter the restaurant.  He was not mumbling to himself or making any odd or obscene gestures he was just simply walking down the same path that he used.  He nodded an acknowledgement to another person as he passed by her and then continued on his way towards the highway.  I turned back around and began to think that his face looked familiar in some way.  I could not figure out who it was but I knew my mind would continue to “work on it” until the answer came.

The answer came in a few short minutes and the familiar face that I thought I saw was that of Keith Green.  Keith Green was a wonderful singer and songwriter back when he was alive and I still to this day claim his music as my all time favorite.  I loved the messages that he placed into his music and how much he wanted everyone to hear the gospel of Christ.  His sense of humor was portrayed in his lyrics yet it had a spirited meaning that accompanied the comedy which told of God’s love for humans.  Keith always went right to the point in his music and was known for not compromising God’s message by soothing ears that needed to hear and to understand the truth.  This man’s point was very clear, one statement and he was gone.  No politicizing his ideas nor did he wish to push things onto people.  He said what he had to say and then left.  His interaction with the crowd was short and basically uneventful, but his words hushed the crowd for a few moments and that was all.

The one side of this issue some people who politicize Jesus have correct is the fact that Jesus was a political figure but He represented a spiritual political figure and not one from earth.  There are many instances in the Bible that tells of Jesus being around people that did not live within the “highest” standards of life.  There are even examples of Him having dinner with tax collectors who were viewed as political thieves, liars and evil manipulators.  These were common people, ones who roamed the streets during the day conducting their business each day and also it was these people whom He associated with that patrolled the streets at night looking for whatever other types of occupations that the local street would offer. 

There is no mention that Jesus was trying at all to influence these people in any worldly activities nor is there any evidence that would suggest that He was trying to influence them in any manner other than Him being a witness towards them about God’s love for them.  Furthermore, it was not the goal of Jesus to have any intimate and physical relationship with any human being.  Yes, He loved many people but in no way does the Bible suggest that He had any intimate relations with humans.  Jesus’ goal was to bring into light the relationship that God desires to have with His people and to provide one way, and no other way, for this relationship to be restored.

Yes, Jesus spent many hours with these “lowlifes” and “undesirables.”  You want to know why?  It was because these were the people that would be listening to His message.  It was not the political figures or the popular people of His day that He spoke with on a regular basis, for these people were too busy to truly listen to what His mission was to the world.  It was not that the rich and popular people would not understand what Jesus had to offer, it was that they had their own agendas to adhere to and follow.  Jesus did not argue about these agendas with them for He understood them and accepted them as part of the worldly governance that has control over man, one in which man truly believes he cannot survive without; a point in which Jesus brought up when questioned about what to give to the government, think about His statement in this framework and not just in monetary fashion as we commonly refer to it.

 

Jesus had plenty of opportunities to dissect human thinking and reasoning where it comes to the laws of the land versus what is right and wrong.  But He never addressed them and many people take this opportunity to run with the idea that Jesus approved of everything that was occurring with man during His lifetime.  The truth is that Jesus understood the ways of man and He accepted them while He was on the earth.  But His goals were not to change the laws of man but to change the laws within a person’s heart.  Jesus also understood that if a person truly accepts His ways and turns their backs on man’s ways that a man will become truly free and has no need for the diluted thinking that man has to offer.  All of the details of man’s laws will become dim to him that accepts the ways of God which is the foundation of the Kingdom that is pushed forward when Jesus is allowed to influence our lives.

This is one example of why I do not argue with politics with people.  I will share my views with people but I refuse to argue them with anyone.  I will listen to their opinions and I will respect them no less when and if their opinions differ from mine.  But it is not my place to use religion or any other type of political power play to influence another person.  When I speak of Jesus and of God to others I use their names in a manner in which their influences can change the people’s lives in a supernatural way that is difficult to explain but recognizable by all those around.  This is Kingdom work and it the reason why God sent His Son to this earth and it is for NO other reason.  This is the real political Jesus and He cares only for your spiritual heart so that you can see the Kingdom that God has really created in you.

DLB