Apprenticing Jesus A Series Through the Gospel of Luke The Politics of Jesus Sermon Synopsis: Jesus is on a mission to make all things new. And he s starting w/ people who can give him nothing in return. Themes: apprenticeship, grace Luke 4:16-30 (ESV) NEWS: hurting/longing (parkland, gymnasts, BHM, displaced, fire/mud) 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll It was customary in synagogues for the congregation to stand, while the preacher sat while preaching. This is what s happening here with Jesus. #apprenticingjesus! GOD S MISSION (What God is doing) By quoting a passage from Isaiah 61, about the heart and mission of God s kingdom 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. The mission of God Salvation, liberty, healing, etc. For whom? For individuals, but also people groups (societal) His vision is a spiritual and social transformation in a new community 1 that teems with liberation of hurting people groups and justice for those who have been oppressed. 2 1 Darrell L. Bock. Luke 1:1 9:50. (BECTNT; Baker Academic, 1994). 407 2 Richard B. Hayes. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New testament Ethics. (HarperOne, 1996). 116 Chris Lazo February 25, 2018 1 of 5
God s mission = raise up the lowly, to find those who are lost, and to lift burdens off the oppressed Many evangelicals tend to love personal transformation and spiritual salvation, but not societal, systematic, or institutional change. Example: when social issues are brought up in pulpit You re being political! But there is no such bifurcation between spiritual/physical or individual and social in the moral vision of God s plan for humanity, now/later. Now.on the word political They say you should never discuss religion or politics at a meal. So Ima do both I want to address the common and immediate pushback to politics Politics is not bad it s simply the process of organizing a community or society. When the Bible speaks on behalf of a group of disenfranchised people, or calls us to make good changes in the community, or speaks truth to power, or calls out injustices in society guess what! The Bible is by definition being political, and that s good. Most people are probably not cringing from politics per se, but partisanship. Partisanship = prejudice in favor of a particular cause/ideology We are fist of all followers of Jesus, and endeavor to adopt his views about everything. We can adopt a particular ideology if it helps give us categories that help think about larger issues. But the moment ideologies clash with the views of Jesus, we err. This is when a follower of Christ is more loyal to a particular ideology or political party than what Jesus said, or even worse, reading what Jesus said through the lens of a partisan ideology, reinforcing it. That is idolatry. Christians worship and are allegiant to Christ alone, and must constantly conform their beliefs and heart to His. TEST: can you find anything wrong? The politics of Jesus Jesus was not apolitical he had his politics (i.e., Sermon on the Mount) Anytime you hear Kingdom or Gospel you are hearing political language 3 Difficult for democracies to grasp, because we have no categories for monarchy. So whenever you see Kingdom of God/Heaven, just read politics of Jesus. Jesus had his politics! 3 "The language 'kingdom,' 'evangel,' is chosen from the political realm."john Howard Yoder. The Politics of Jesus. (Eerdmans, 1994). 28. Also Richard B. Hays, Moral Vision. It should never be forgotten that talk about the kingdom of God was potent political language in Jesus time. 127 Chris Lazo February 25, 2018 2 of 5
They are just hard to reconcile with the politics of a me-first, militaristic eco superpower Jesus politics begin with the least of these, unlike the world s rulers They re hard to adopt when your team is the one in power Because Jesus speaks truth to power and calls them accountable, w/least of these as the base It s hard to be a real Christian in America. Because the culture milieu here is that of a powerful empire, watching out for our own interests, not God s kingdom. 4 Examples: America-first! Accumulate wealth. Safety/security. Individualism. We read the Bible making it all about us Oh, he s speaking to me! I m for sure the good guy in this story! Gods values are different (Isaiah 61) Litmus test: Matthew 25:40 if it s not good news for the least, it s not good news! It s hard to be a Christian! Yes it was hard for Israel too. Background: Isaiah 58 Isaiah 58:1-6, 8 (ESV) Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard God s people dropped the ball! 4 Michael Card. Luke: The Gospel of Amazement. (IVP Books, 2011). 69 Chris Lazo February 25, 2018 3 of 5
GOD S METHOD (How God is going to do it) 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son? Jesus delivers a nine-word sermon, and the place is beside itself! God s people dropped the ball So God sent his Son to go to the unlovely, the pushed around, the outcasts, the disenfranch People: WHY???? That s not how you win! GOD S MIRTH (Why God is doing it) AP! Mirth amusement, especially as expressed in laughter 2 Samuel 22:20 (NIV) he rescued me because he delighted in me Deuteronomy 7:6-7 (NIV) For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you God enjoys championing the lost cause, turning the world s values upside down to do so But Israel got so privileged that they lost sight of this, and turned their backs on God s passion So Jesus left the building 23 And he said to them, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself. What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. 24 And he said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and Chris Lazo February 25, 2018 4 of 5
none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away. Zarephath, in the land of Sidon Naaman the Syrian Luke 14:21-24 (NIV) The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Sir, the servant said, what you ordered has been done, but there is still room. Then the master told his servant, Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet. *You may think you re worthless, but you re the type of person God throws a party for You ve been running. It s time to stop, turn around, and run into the arms of Christ who for the joy set before him endured the cross, that you might be raised to life with Him. *It s also possible to drift so far away from God s heart that you don t even realize he s left the building. Where is he? Liberating captives. Go back to the things you used to do that captivated you about Jesus. Chris Lazo February 25, 2018 5 of 5