Political or Prophetic? Part Two (Sermon Notes)
This is part two of a two part sermon, preached during the 9:45am and 11:00am services Sunday 11/2/08.
G. K. Chesterton retells a famous story from church history in a work titled, “Christendom in Dublin,” “St. Dominic…when he was shown the Byzantine glories of the old Vatican, with its gold and mosaic and metalwork, the Pope half humorously recalled the story of St. Peter granting a miracle because he had no money to give to a beggar. ‘You see,’ said the Pope, laughing, ‘Peter can now no longer say, “Silver and gold have I none.”‘ ‘No,’ said the priest, ‘and neither can he now say, “Rise and walk.”‘” The church had lost the power of the Spirit to the power and temptation of money.
Today I think the church is in another similar crisis, although instead of losing our power to a lust for money it has been lost in a lust for power or influence. I’m afraid that we have thought that the real power of the church lies in us moving as a political unit instead of a spiritual force. What determines our prophetic voice? What keeps our relationship with the state healthy?
Luke 20:20-26 gives us some very clear ideas about our relationship with the state.
True obedience to the law (as the Pharisees practiced it) would prevent the faithful from dealing with Roman coinage. Caesar’s likeness stamped on these coins would violate the law against “graven images” (Exodus 20:4). Our best understanding of this specific coin for this tax would have displayed the image of the emperor’s head on one side, and the reverse would contain the ruler’s title and divine status: “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus.” These coins were not just money or propaganda but portable idols. Notice Jesus does not have a coin, but has to ask for one from the Pharisees, which reveals where they already stand.
- What things belong to Caesar?
- Tax (Luke 20:20-26)
- Obedience in accordance with civil law (Romans 13)
- 1 Peter 2:17 sums these all up in one word, “Honor.” We should honor the government, pay the government and it’s servants their dues.
- What things belong to God?
- Let’s answer this from God’s perspective, Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it.”
- But more specifically and practically, we can answer that with Jesus’ own question, “Whose image do you bear?” (Genesis 1:26)
- Our primary identification is Christian, not Democrat, Republican, or Democrican. We lose our prophetic voice when we give our allegiance to anyone but God. We lose our credibility when we speak from human authority and not God’s.
If we are to maintain a pure and unpolluted voice of truth, we as a church must save our allegiance for God alone – Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. His solution of radical love and salvation is the solution we need in the world today. Not a new deal, or a contract with America, or change in politics, or programs in government – the love of Christ, in the body Christ is what we need.
Six Practical Applications:
- Honor and support the government (1 Peter 2:17, Luke 20:25)
- Use the government to your advantage (See the examples of Paul demanding trial in Jerusalem, (Acts 22:25-26)
- Speak truth to power – In the tradition of John the Baptist (Luke 3:1-20). This is not just in politics, but in every arena in life. If you see power misused you must speak out against it in love. (Proverbs 20:28)
- Confess faith in the midst of doubt – evangelism at the highest level confesses faith before complete skepticism. (See the examples of Jesus at his trial, Luke 22:67-69)
- Disobey when your allegiance conflicts (Acts 4:19)
- Never look to the government to solve problems assigned to the church – Only the church can bring salvation.
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