Is Jesus Political?

A Meditation for Christ the King Sunday

Lectionary Reading: Colossians 1:15-20

I am one of those people who doesn’t like to talk about politics with strangers, and usually only discuss my ideas with friends and people I respect. If someone who doesn’t know me very well asks for my opinion I’m likely to say, “Oh, I’m not political”. The problem is not that I don’t have opinions and desires about my government. I would love to have equal rights someday, and I care deeply about the issues of immigration, war, and health care. I try hard not to be part of the problem, but, I’m not really part of the solution either. Hence, I am not political. But as a Christian, I have to ask – is Jesus political?

In the liturgical calendar, today is Christ the King Sunday – a day when we celebrate the Kingship of Christ and a traditional early Christian feast day. The title King is a political position – so there’s a clue to the answer. We also are given the New Testament scripture to the Colossians which clearly shows Christ’s political position.

Verse 16: For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by him and for him.

Clearly – Jesus was political. But not the way we see people claiming Christian faith go about politics in our day – with contributions to candidates who espouse their beliefs, pressure on public servants to vote with a particular viewpoint, and a review of a candidate’s religious history. I don’t think Jesus was about the process of politics. When asked, Jesus made a distinction between what was Caesar’s business and what was God’s – and also made it clear that his business was God’s. But he was about the product of politics – justice, mercy, and change. So what does that mean for Christians?

There is an old chemistry joke: “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate!” (well, I think it’s funny)

The precipitate, of course, is a solid mass left behind after a chemical reaction has occurred. It’s an indicator that a chemical change has happened and something new has formed. When I look at the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, I see him as the catalyst – the one sent to create change in our world, and Christians as people who were supposed to be the evidence of the change Jesus is making – so – we are the precipitate.

Christ as King of Justice

One of the roles of any king was be the head judge (and in smaller kingdoms the only judge) of disputes and decision making. The king decided ownership, punishments, and made the laws. A good king made laws for the sake of justice. Christ the King sought justice through many ways. He called upon the temple leaders to create spiritual justice and get rid of cruel temple exclusions and pharisaic law (that got him killed). He called on disciples to create social justice – caring for the widows, the poor and oppressed. He called on individuals to act justly with one another.

As followers of Jesus the Christ (another political title), we too should strive for just actions with one another, and for social justice in the world around us. We should follow the advice of James – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” Imagine if that word “religion” was replaced by the word “politics” – how different would our world be? Would we be at war? Would 1/3 of the homeless be children? Would scandal be the hallmark of our political leaders?

Christ as King of Mercy

There’s an ironic twist to understanding our beloved Jesus as a champion of justice. What he did on the cross was the antithesis of justice. He became grace, and grace is about as far from justice as one can get. The dictionary defines justice as “… the impartial assignment of merited rewards or punishments.” In other words, justice means you get what you deserve. And according to Romans, what we deserve for sin – the willful disobedience of God’s law – is death. But Christ brings grace into the arena – dying in our place so that we can experience salvation, relationship with God, and hope eternal. Because of Jesus we don’t get what we deserve – we get what God desires. God desires relationship with us and love.

As followers of the Redeemer, we too should take mercy into our lives and world. Imagine the immigration debate if it were framed in terms of mercy as opposed to economics, job quotas and punishment. Imagine our health care system if it were designed around mercy for the sick as opposed to how much insurance one carries.

Christ’s grace really isn’t so opposite from justice as it seems. Justice and mercy are the two sides of a coin. They are symbiotic. Thomas Aquinas said, “Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; justice without mercy is cruelty.”

Christ as King of Change

If there is anything distinguishing about the rabbi from Nazareth, it is his capacity to create change. Every life Jesus encountered he changed in some way. For the corrupt temple leaders, his presence made them insecure, defensive and scheming. For the pagan Roman soldiers his message opened them to the possibility of the One God, creator of all. For the common people, Jews and Gentiles alike, his healing gave them sight, mobility, hearing and spiritual freedom from demons and prejudice. We are all born again in his presence. We are all the precipitate – the evidence of his change.

Is Jesus political? You bet. Not in a “mark you ballot and lobby your cause” kind of way – but in a more profound and personal way. As election season begins to run in its fullness, I fear we will all have more politics thrust upon us than we may desire. But as we make our decisions, donations and demands of our government – let us first follow Christ into bringing the products of good politics into our midst. Justice, mercy and change are the fruits of Christ’s labor and should be our priority as well.

As for the rest – let us remember the wise words of Paul to the Colossians – “He is before all things and in him all things hold together.” In other words – it’s all about Him. Not us. Not Democrats, Republicans, Liberals or the Conservative Right. It’s about Him. Let us pause to honor and live to exclaim – Christ the King.