The other day, I heard about a pastor who refused to preach on topics he deemed “political.”
Really?
I’d expect his sermons to be very short since our culture has politicized everything from choosing a state insect to off-shore power generation to dog licenses. Never mind issues about beginning and end of life, marriage, immigration, and homelessness.
Plus, Jesus was political.
The angel Gabriel told Mary that her son would have the throne of his father David. If we’re talking about a king, we’re talking politics.
Jesus’s first sermon was, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand” (4:17). A kingdom? We’re talking politics. By the way, John the Baptist preached the same message.
Jesus went throughout all Galilee proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). He sent his disciples out with the same message (10:7).
On Palm Sunday, Jesus was hailed as king as he rode into Jerusalem. He advocated paying taxes to Rome. He told governor Pilate about his kingdom. The sign over his head on the cross hailed him as the king of the Jews.
If Jesus was anything, he was political.
- Do you want to talk to Jesus about that unborn baby? Go ahead. He knit that infant together in his mother’s womb. Give it your best shot.
- Do you want to talk to Jesus about end-of-life pain and suffering? Go ahead. Better yet, do so while he’s dying on the cross.
- Do you want to talk to Jesus about all the undocumented immigrants? Don’t forget he came from out of town.
- Want to talk to Jesus about homelessness? Fine. He had no place to lay his head. Tell him all about it.
Please don’t portray Jesus as apolitical. He’s right there in the mix. You don’t have to agree with him. You don’t have to like him or his opinion. But don’t avoid the discussion.
Hey, preacher, your flock wants to know what Jesus has to say about all of these things. Don’t deny them. You don’t have to take sides. Just preach the word.
Waite for it... 