Jesus will destroy your party

It's coming. Get ready. Soon the wrists of all trendy youth group kids, promise keepers attendees, and pro atheletes with multiple girlfriends will be adorned the new W.W.J.A. bracelets. That's right, Who Would Jesus Assasinate??? It's an inspiring way to remind you of the true nature of our Lord. For those tough times when communists, Islamic fundamentalists, fascists, and especially Democrats oppose you, think of Christ . . . . . and shoot them.

Yes, I'm sure we've all heard about Pat Robertson by now. There was a great political cartoon in the paper this morning that portrayed him wearing such a WWJA shirt. Good to know he apologized today . . . . after absolutely denying it on some FoxNews show a little earlier. It appears he was taken out of context by the liberal media . . . which have evidently infiltrated the television station which he is in charge of. Crazy liberals, getting some Pat impersonator (and a dang good one I might add) to say such lies and ruin his good name. . . .

I typically avoid political discussions. I know considering my own views I would likely anger the vast majority of people I know, including my close friends. And, the truth is, I don't really care that much. I think politics are a smoke-screen for the things that really matter. Anytime you believe an affiliation of any kind makes you inherently right and others inherently wrong, you have sold out to a lie. These are things we need to repent of, not pride ourselves on.

But what about Jesus??? He did ride into Jerusalem on a donkey . . . oooo subtle jab to the moral majority.

No, I don't believe he would be a Democrat, and at least if he lived in Texas I feel he would blast the Republican party. The truth is Jesus never spoke of large-scale politics, but let's not pretend that means he was apolitical. Jesus was someone who was concerned with "microstructure". This is because he was much smarter than us. He knew the hopelessness of creating a better world through government.

Here is truth: as long as people are sinful, any and every moral or political system will be overpowered by that sin. The U.S. can spread democracy to every nation in the world, and the world will still be sick with corruption, oppression, violence and death.

So, what did Jesus do? He made it possible that we would no longer be sinful. He redeemed a small group of people, and in doing so placed his Spirit in them. Suddenly a small sect of Judaism set out with power and authority not to challenge political ideologies (and make no mistake there were plenty in his time), but to fearlessly reverse all the consequences of evil and sin they saw. They cared for the oppressed. They upheld women. All the vulnerable of society: widows, orphans, the impoverished and uneducated, they invited into their community and gave them value. They freed slaves! They healed the sick! The most radical and conflicting political ideologies met around the Lord's table, remembered Jesus, and walked away despising their former affiliations!!! (Read Phil. 3:7 realizing that being a Pharisee was a very political position) To be a disciple of Christ meant you could no longer turn a blind eye to the darker sides of your party, your government, your nation, or yourself. To follow Jesus is to call out evil, with power that's not your own, and attack it!

Make no mistake, this will ruin a nation! There is no country in our world that is not somehow built on greed, violence, and oppression. There is no political party that is free of the same cancers. If George Bush prayed for John Kerry's good and the financial well-being of those who support the Democrats (especially the poor) in the previous election would he have been elected? What if he did so during a debate? If John Kerry had prayed God's blessings on Bush in the midst of his caucus would he have even been in the election? What if we stormed the cities of Iraq not with tanks, but only with food trucks and medical units? If we did we would probably be gunned down, or at least just exploited. The economic loss would be staggering, but it is what Jesus calls us to do.

Without concern with our own rights, privileges, or even our own lives we are to fearlessly go out and do good in his name. If Jesus' teaching is truly and fully applied on the political scene, the only answers are absurd answers. Would our corporations support candidates who believe corporations should pay more taxes to export aid to the millions starving in Niger as we sleep tonight? Especially when they will probably never benefit our economy in the future? That is what the "macro-political Jesus" would call us to do. Which is why Jesus didn't do that; he called those who love him to follow his politics. They are politics that will unquestionably undermine all other political parties and systems.

Jesus' political stance is pure and unadulterated. His politics consist of light vs. dark, good vs. evil, himself vs. sin, and God's Truth vs. Satan's lies. He is an unwaivering monarchist. (Americans take note) He will be the only king. None will succeed him, and he will never defer to Parliment. We can try to breed somekind of party-line Christianity. It will be born deformed and revolting every time. In Christ there is fellowship between political opposites, because all other governments will fall. When his Kingdom increasingly comes democratic America will crumble beside communist China. Monarchal Bhutan will crumble with socialist Canada. If you believe in Jesus as the King (Christ), he tells you that the Kingdom is already here. One government rules, and the only politics are as pure and unadulterated as the one who revealed them.