Jesus Was Not a Community Organizer
It is intriguing, is it not, that during the height of the political season, Jesus is being used as a selling point to the American people. The most recent example of this can be found in the comments made by Representative Steve Cohen who said:
Those of us who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ cannot allow Him to be painted in colors of blue or red. Furthermore, we cannot allow ourselves to be identified with a political party or set our hopes on anyone who would sit in the Oval Office. Jesus Christ was not a community organizer nor would He be running for President of the United States. Let’s be clear on that.
The off-hand comments of ill-informed politicians in Washington D.C. can do us good by causing us to consider afresh the life and mission of Jesus Christ. One look at His story will reveal that He is anything but a community organizer. The change He brought was not by empty promises packaged in campaign slogans but soaked in blood which confirmed the covenant of redemption settled before anyone had a vote. His healing and teaching could amass thousands, but His final hour left Him despised and rejected. He could have lobbied with the greatest in society but chose to dine with those who had nothing to offer. In his hometown, He was without honor, and the fickle crowds that cried “Hosanna!” are the very people that voted for His crucifixion.
Indeed, Jesus was not a community organizer. Jesus is the Son of God who inaugurated a kingdom that cannot be shaken and whose rule has no end. May we who have such a King neither set our hopes nor settle our consciences with any other naive notion to rival the cosmic-changing cry, “Let your kingdom come.” Only then will we remind ourselves that Jesus is not a talking point but the Lamb who sits on the throne.
Tags: Community Organizer, Jesus, Politics
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
September 16, 2008 at 1:41 pm
The blasphemy is so thick in these “community organizer” sound bites, you can almost cut it with a knife.
I also find it interesting that there are some in the “evangelical” community who are actually flabbergasted that some Christians are examining recent political events in light of Scripture.
September 16, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Amen to all that.
September 16, 2008 at 2:19 pm
This comment as found legs in the main stream media as evidenced by Tom Brokaw repeating it on Meet the Press this past Sunday. I’m personally outraged by this statement. Aren’t these people comparing Barack Obama to Jesus Christ? I wish we had Christian leadership that would challenge this kind of rhetoric instead of turning a deaf ear to it.
Thanks for your willingness to challenge it.
September 16, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I sure would like to see a lot more rendering unto Caesar… and unto God…
To me, the separation of church and state is good for both and cuts down on religious hypocrisy.
September 16, 2008 at 9:20 pm
The blasphemy is rather brazen. I suppose Representative Steve Cohen is happy that Christians don’t run around wearing bomb vests.
September 16, 2008 at 10:08 pm
“Furthermore, we cannot allow ourselves to be identified with a political party or set our hopes on anyone who would sit in the Oval Office.”
In the statement above, are you suggesting that Christians should not be involved partisan politics of any kind, at any level?
September 16, 2008 at 10:53 pm
BDW,
No. As citizens between two worlds, we should be actively involved as responsible citizens of our country. However, we must do this with a conscious commitment to the supremacy of Christ and preemptive allegiance to His kingdom that checks our attitude and challenges our actions according to the principles of God’s Word.
I am more inclined to the tradition of Kuyper and Wilberforce than Wallis and Sider.
September 17, 2008 at 6:26 am
[...] and politics Posted on September 17, 2008 by bkingr here is a helpful reminder from Timmy Brister: Those of us who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ cannot allow Him to be painted in colors of [...]
September 17, 2008 at 8:46 am
Excellent! Just thought I’d mention my observation of your writing style and the distinct differences I have noticed depending on the subject matter. God clearly uses the gifts He has given you best when you are using them to defend our King! This short little post had a “spurgeon-like quality” It was powerful; God glorifying; and, Christ exalting.
I would even bet that if you look back years later, you will say, “Did I actually write that?” That is when we know it is God working in and through us for His glory.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
September 17, 2008 at 9:04 am
Good comments. However what is not being said here is that the evanglicals (Dobson, pat robertson and others) in the republican party and supported by most christains (nothing wrong with that) are sorely responsible for dragging our Lord in all this. The Dems seem to be thinking that this is the new way to win an election. If I were to attempt to balance your equation, I would agree that Jesus was not a community organiser, but neither did he come from a proud marine family tradition. Like one said, politics + christianity = politics. Let us all eschew partisan politics.
I am for Kuyper’s tradition as well.
September 18, 2008 at 11:45 am
Just as with many politicians, exploitation of anything they think will get them votes is commonplace. Once it has achieved what they wanted, they immediately abandon whatever it is whether it be Jesus or race or children.
September 19, 2008 at 5:08 pm
The first thing that came to my satirical mind after I heard the “Jesus was a community organizer, Pilate was a governor” remark was A) Jesus did not use government funding to organize his “community” and B) if the analogy holds, that means McCain (along with his governor running mate) will win the popular vote.
That said, I like your response better than mine.
September 25, 2008 at 8:30 pm
[...] Timmy nails it: May we who have such a King neither set our hopes nor settle our consciences with any other naive notion to rival the cosmic-changing cry, “Let your kingdom come.” [...]