Rev. David Holwick ZI
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 31, 2004
1 Peter 2:13-17
HOW WOULD JESUS VOTE?
I. A pastor's dilemma.
A. Preach on Halloween or election?
1) Election is scarier. More important, too.
B. Politics and religion are hot this year.
1) Voter registration drives through churches.
2) Politicians preaching in churches, and being endorsed
by them.
3) Scare tactics - Arkansas flyer that suggests Kerry and
the Democrats would ban the Bible.
4) Many magazines have the issue on the front-cover.
Focus is on Evangelicals - "us."
C. Non-partisan sermon.
1) IRS is challenging churches which endorse candidates.
2) I have my preference, but that is not the issue here.
3) Real issue - what difference does it make to be a Christian
voter?
II. Who Jesus would vote for.
A. Bin Laden in the news.
1) Conjecture over who Osama Bin Laden might vote for.
2) His last-minute videotape appeal to Americans.
B. Forget Bin Laden - who would Jesus vote for?
1) Would he see a major difference between the candidates?
2) Would he have a preference?
3) Would Jesus even vote?
III. The politics of Jesus.
A. The political context of ancient Palestine.
We can appreciate how unique and radical Jesus' politics
were when we compare it with the different viewpoints
in the politics of his own day.
Palestine was under Roman occupation during the lifetime of
Jesus.
It was a situation of imperial domination, denying Jews
their political, religious and cultural independence.
This situation provoked a variety of reactions from
different groups, all which can be seen in the Gospels:
1) Pharisees.
The Pharisees were the party of religious and cultural
purity.
Orthodox Jews, they wanted to preserve distinctive
Jewish religious and cultural values.
Politically, they were CONSERVATIVES.
They were not actively involved in political life
except where it affected their own self-interest.
2) Sadducees and Herodians.
The Sadducees were religious liberals.
Like many liberals today they did not believe in a
resurrection or a life to come.
Consequently they put their energies into politics and
the affairs of this life.
They were partners with the Roman government.
The Herodians were supporters of the Herods, the Jewish
puppet kings through whom the Romans ruled Judea.
These two groups were COLLABORATORS, cooperating with
the Roman occupation.
3) Zealots.
The Zealots were at the opposite end of the political
spectrum.
Fanatical Jewish nationalists, they were CRUSADERS,
freedom fighters, and revolutionaries.
They vowed to overthrow the Romans, by terrorism and
violence if necessary.
Some of Jesus' disciples may have been Zealots.
Barabbas, the criminal who was freed in place of Jesus,
may have been one too.
Osama Bin Laden is firmly in the Zealot category.
B. Where Jesus stood.
Against this background we can see how unique Jesus'
political viewpoint was.
He seems consciously and deliberately to have renounced
all three options available to him in the politics
of his day.
1) He was not a conservative, defending the traditions of
the Law in the manner of the Pharisees.
He always based his positions on the teaching of the
Bible, not human traditions (even religious ones).
2) He was not a collaborator, supporting the legitimacy
of the dominant Roman power.
He clearly affirmed that the highest human allegiance
was to be given to God, not to the state.
'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to
God the things that are God's.' (Matthew 22:15-22)
3) He was not a crusader, encouraging revolutionary
violence against the occupying power.
Interestingly, though, accusations brought against him
at his trial tried to suggest that he was.
Jesus uncompromisingly taught nonviolence and love for
enemies (Matthew 5:38-48).
IV. Is Jesus the last word?
A. Being as radical as Jesus would turn our society upside-down.
1) His focus is God's Kingdom, not an earthly kingdom.
2) Christians are not OF this earth, but we are still IN it.
B. Political insight from the rest of the Bible.
1) Old Testament prophets dealt with political issues like
foreign affairs and domestic economics.
a) Our Thursday night Bible study has been going through
the history of Israel's kings.
b) Lots of blood, wars and corruption.
(Kind of like New Jersey)
2) The apostle Paul talked about law enforcement and the
military. Romans 13
a) He said governments don't have weapons for no reason.
b) He also said God put governments here to keep order.
c) Jesus did preach non-violence, but many Christians
think it is reasonable to defend our nation and our
values.
3) Peter encouraged respect for government and leaders, even
though the leaders then were corrupt pagans.
a) Christians must be involved in society.
b) Every Christian should pay taxes, obey the laws, & vote.
1> Mark Noll, a noted Evangelical historian, says he
is so disgusted he won't vote this year. #28504
2> Charles Colson - don't let lack of perfection keep
you from doing what is good. Human candidates
are never perfect.
C. Values that are upheld in the Bible from first to last.
1) Value each and every life.
a) Life begins at conception - if not before.
b) Special concern must be shown for the weak and outcast.
c) Abortion, genetic manipulation, euthanasia - all of
these should be concerns to a Christian.
2) Help the poor.
a) Rich young ruler - don't just give up money, but give
it to the poor, Jesus commanded.
b) The Old Testament makes this principle a classic
barometer of a righteous society.
3) Work hard and with honesty.
a) Simple lifestyles, but also productive lifestyles.
b) Share the extra with others.
c) Zacchaeus - returns extorted money, and on top of it
gives generously to the poor.
4) Uphold law and order.
a) The nation of Israel was a governed by laws.
b) Peter - government is to punish evil and encourage good.
c) Important limit - God's law trumps man's law.
5) Beware of power.
a) The desire to have power can corrupt any human.
1> Christians are not immune.
b) Christian leaders must have a servant attitude.
6) Honor God.
a) God is more important than government.
b) Your religious convictions should influence your
political views.
c) It is popular to say, "I have strong religious views,
but they don't influence my policies."
1> If this is true, you don't have religious views.
V. There are some things government cannot do.
A. It cannot make you happy.
1) Politicians could eliminate taxes, provide free education
and health care, and order vacations to be 52 weeks a year.
2) But they can't make you happy.
a) Happiness and fulfillment are something inside of you.
b) Someone else cannot give them to you.
B. It cannot save you.
1) We often put too much emphasis on politics.
a) Some have said they would leave the country if
so-and-so is elected.
b) Democratic convention for Jimmy Carter - signs that
said "JC will save America."
2) Only God can save us.
a) Only he can fulfill the desires of your heart.
b) Only he can guarantee you a secure future.
Comment by Southern Baptist leader Paige Patterson:
"Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats can save us.
Neither can they destroy us.
Our future resides wholly in the hands of a sovereign
transcendent God." [1]
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SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
Material for section III is from Rev. Rob Yule’s sermon “Politics of Jesus,”
St Albans Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North, New Zealand, March 2, 1997.
It is sermon #19044 in the Kerux Database.
[1] “Politics, Jesus and the church” Paige Patterson, Baptist Press
daily newsletter, Baptist Press, http://www.baptistpress.org/,
October 29, 2004.
#28504 “Imperfect People: Voting And The Christian,” Charles Colson,
Breakpoint Commentary, October 20, 04
These and 25,000 others are part of a database that can be downloaded,
absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/illust.html
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