Missional Politics: That's What He DIDN'T Say

I'm re-posting updated selections from a previous series on Missional Politics during the current political season.
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A few things neither God nor Jesus said:

How, then, can they vote for the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring political campaign points!”

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make partisans of all nations, registering them in the name of the right party and the right platform and the right opinions and teaching them to stick to the party line. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:
     Who should I send? Who will go for Us?
Isaiah said:
     Here I am. But I'm too busy arguing with my co-worker about gun control.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority with whom you agree: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are empowered by their politically zealous followers to punish those who do wrong (according to them) and to commend those who do right (as they see it). For it is God’s will that by speaking the truth bluntly and by sharing hilarious memes you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

Then He said to His disciples, "The candidates are plentiful, but the campaign workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the election to send out workers into His target audience."

Live such politically active lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of holding to wrong opinions, they may see your right-ness and glorify your grasp of truth on the social media. For it is God’s will that by being right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for political correctness; live as God’s spin masters.

Missional Politics: That's what He DIDN'T say

A few things neither God nor Jesus said:


How, then, can they vote for the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring political campaign points!”

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make partisans of all nations, registering them in the name of the right party and the right platform and the right opinions and teaching them to stick to the party line. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying:
     Who should I send? Who will go for Us?
Isaiah said:
     Here I am. But I'm too busy arguing with my co-worker about gun control.

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority with whom you agree: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are empowered by their politically correct followers to punish those who do wrong (according to them) and to commend those who do right (as they see it). For it is God’s will that by speaking the truth bluntly and with hilarious memes you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

Then He said to His disciples, "The candidates are plentiful, but the campaign workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the election to send out workers into His target audience."

Live such politically active lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of holding to wrong opinions, they may see your right-ness and glorify your grasp of truth on the social media. For it is God’s will that by being right you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for political correctness; live as God’s spin masters.

That's What HE Said: Little Faith

"For a religious leader to question a person’s faith is disgraceful.”
          - Donald Trump, February 18, 2016

 "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?"
           - Jesus, Matthew 6:30 

“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”
           - Jesus, Matthew 8:26 

“You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?"
          - Jesus, Matthew 16:18

That's What HE Said

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it.” (Steve Jobs)

• "Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." (God, Hebrews 9)

Indispensable

One of my co-workers died this past weekend.

It's depressing and humbling to watch how quickly a workplace moves on after the death of a key person. We all like to think we’re pretty important, that our leaving (for whatever cause) will leave a big hole.

But it’s kind of like pulling up a tree planted in sand. The unstoppable progress of the living world sifts into the empty spot until it's forgotten about.

“The cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men.” (Charles de Gaulle)

When I heard the news, I briefly considered applying for the now-open job, which would be a significant pay increase. In two years in that position I could be free of debt and could also accomplish some things on that job.

But that job would consume me - my time, my energy, my focus; my Monday evenings, my writing time...

And in the end, when I would eventually leave that job, the sand would quickly rush into the hole I would leave behind.

How much better to live in constant pursuit of the example set by the man who called us to be the ones to fill in the gap left by his absence.

The wise man builds his life upon the rock, even if logic and common sense argue otherwise.

Doom's Day

Doomsday is only a prophecy of doom to those who don't know and aren't eager for what happens after the doom.  The day does not belong to the Doom, but to a Whom:  to Christ Jesus and to those of us who have heard His call..

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3

That's What HE Said

"Magic," the man in the grey suit repeats, turning the word into a laugh. "This is not magic.  This is the way the world is, only very few people take the time to stop and note it.  Look around you," he says, waving a hand at the surrounding tables.  "Not a one of them even has an inkling of the things that are possible in the world, and what's worse is that none of them would listen if you attempted to enlighten them.  They want to believe that magic is nothing but clever deception, because to think it is real would keep them up at night, afraid of their own existence."

from The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

from John 1