The Politics of Jesus Part 2 - Thy Kingdom Come

Essential Church Podcast

The Politics of Jesus Part 2 Thy Kingdom Come Essential Church November 3, 2024

Summary -

1. The speaker addresses the topic of Jesus' politics and how it is often misunderstood or used to support certain political views.
2. The speaker examines the interaction between Jesus and Pilate, where Pilate asks Jesus if he is the "King of the Jews" and Jesus responds ambiguously, saying "You have said so."
3. The speaker explains that Jesus was not interested in establishing a political or theocratic kingdom, but rather a spiritual kingdom in the hearts of people.
4. The speaker cautions against deifying or sanctifying political candidates as being God's "anointed" choice, as this is not supported by Scripture.
5. The speaker acknowledges the truth in the proverb that "when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice," but argues that it is not always clear who the "righteous" candidate is.
6. The speaker suggests that the founding principles of the United States were aligned with biblical principles, but that the country has since drifted away from those foundations.
7. The speaker emphasizes that the primary calling of the church is to lead people to a relationship with God, not to promote a particular political agenda or candidate.

Discussion Questions -

1. What is the main point the speaker is trying to make about Jesus' politics and the relationship between Christianity and politics?
2. The speaker discusses the idea of a "theocracy" and how the people in the Old Testament asked for a king, which displeased God. What is the significance of this and how does it relate to the speaker's views on Christianity and politics?
3. The speaker references various Bible verses and passages that are often used to justify certain political views. How does the speaker analyze and interpret these verses differently?
4. What does the speaker mean when he says that Jesus' kingdom is "not of this world" and that Jesus deliberately gave an ambiguous answer to Pilate's question about being a king?
5. The speaker cautions against "deifying" or "sanctifying" any particular political candidate as God's "anointed" choice. Why does he think this is problematic, and what does he suggest should guide Christians' political views and voting decisions instead?
6. Overall, what is the speaker's perspective on the relationship between Christianity and politics, and how does he think Christians should approach political issues and elections?