Christian Citizenship in an Election Year

Matthew 23:1-12

Albertville, MN

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Rev. Michael A. Trask

You know what? I can’t wait for election day! Not so much because it is an opportunity to exercise my privilege as a citizen to vote, as it will bring and end to the cacophony of political advertisements. Imagine it, we will be able to listen to our radios, watch our TV’s, get our mail, answer the phone, answer the doorbell, and take a walk in the neighborhood without being confronted by some poor schlub who’s trying to get himself elected.

Presidential election are particularly tiresome. They can make a person kind of cynical. We not only begin to despise the whole process, but also the government it is meant to serve. Let me read you a few quips about government from some noteworthy people.

•Here’s one from PJ O’Rourke (a modern free lance writer): “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.”

• “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.” Will Rogers, (comedian from the early 1900’s)

•“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe when the legislature is in session.” Mark Twain (From the late 1800’s)

•“A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.” Thomas Jefferson (late 1700’s)

So you see, we are not the first generation who might have negative and cynical feelings about the government. There was never a pristine period when everybody in the country felt wonderful about our government. You have perhaps imagined a time when that was so, but it never was. The theologian in me knows why: People are born sinful, and therefore they are born with built-in authority issues. We come out of the womb bucking authority. Because of this, people will bristle at the notion that they need to be governed. Take that basic flaw and mix in a little free speech you’ve got the situation we’ve been enduring for the past 2 months.

What happens at the end of every election cycle is that whoever does end up being our president; senator; or representative will have been so vilified; so disgraced by those campaigning against him or her that it becomes difficult to garner any respect or support for the job ahead. I honestly don’t understand why anyone is even willing to run for president though I’m glad they do.

In the last four elections or so, the ill feelings have become so rancorous that people simply refuse to let them go after the election is passed. I’ve noticed that many of those whose candidate loses the election will say “He’s not my president”. Besides being rather pouty, such statements are simply not true! Whoever is elected in this election will be your president according to the constitution of this country! Unless of course, you want to renounce your citizenship.

Of course, since we are Christians, we are interested in knowing if our Lord has anything to say about all this. Actually, he’s got a lot to say about authority in general, and human leaders in the specific. You probably noticed that in two of the scripture lessons for today the Lord openly denounces those who have abused their authority. In the Old testament lesson, He condemns three different types of authority figures in Israel. HE says Of Israel through his prophet “Her leaders Judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for a price, her prophets tell fortunes for money.” (Micah 3:11) The leadership in Israel was consumed by corruption and the Lord denounces them for it.

And then, in today’s Gospel Lesson, which is my text, Jesus denounces the the scribes and the pharisees. He talks about how they abuse their position to gain and status and prestige. (Matt 23:4-5). So you see, even way back in biblical times, the people who ran things were often unscrupulous and the Lord rightfully upbraided them for it.

I think we understand this part of the text. “You tell ‘em Jesus!” we say. “Give them a sound thrashing” There’s something in us, I think, that finds it most gratifying to see bad politicians get taken to the woodshed. We understand it all too well.

And, since we so readily understand that leaders can sometimes be corrupt, I don’t think I really need to explain it any further because we already know it: bad authority figures should be denounced and exposed for what they are. We understand this. So rather than dwell on this part of the text that we already understand, I think we should focus on the part that we do not understand at all. Where you listening when I read it? Let me read it again. Concerning the very same guys that he was about to so clearly denounce, Jesus said “The teachers of the law and the pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you.” Whaaaaaaaat? Is Jesus telling them to obey them? Maybe something was lost in the translation! Maybe it’s one of those odd passages of scripture that we will never really understand.

Well, what you do when you don’t understand one piece of scripture is see what the rest of scripture says about the same sort of thing. Jesus is saying that we must recognize the authority of those who are leaders; even though they might be sinful human beings. Are there other places in scripture that cover the same thing? You betcha! Do you remember the story of the ten lepers (Luke 17:11-17)? Do you remember what he told them to do? He said “Go and show yourselves to the priests!” (Luke 17:14) : So even though he knew that these guys were trying to kill him and that even though they were corrupt, he still recognized their authority in regard to declaring a leper disease free.

Or how about the time, when the pharisees asked Jesus if one should pay taxes to caesar or not (Matt. 22:15-22). Remember what he said? He said “Give to caesar what is caesar’s and to God what is God’s” In otherwords, pay your taxes.

And then there was the time when Jesus stood before the representative of caesar, the Governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Pilate said “Don’t you realize that I have the power to free you or crucify you?” And Jesus acknowledge the power he had and said that it was “given” to pilate “from above.” (John 19:10-11)

So why did Jesus do this? Why did he submit to the authority of Pilate? Why did he submit to the authority of the priests? Why did he submit also to the authority of Caesar? Why did he tell his disciples to submit to the authority of the pharisees and the teachers of the law. Why didn’t he just raise and army and take over the world and set things right for once? Because Jesus wasn’t about that. When Pilate asked him if he was a King, Jesus said that he was but he also said “My Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36). In another place he says his kingdom is within us. (Luke 17:21).

So Jesus didn’t come to conquer the world as the zealots wanted him to do, he came to conquer the hearts of men. That’s what Jesus was about. You and I and every other human being on earth is born sinful and under the power of the devil and will die eternally unless we are redeemed. Pilate did not understand what was going on. He could not see the revolution that was beginning right before his eyes. Jesus would go to the cross to win forgiveness for the whole human race! And this revolution marches on; not in the streets or the mountains or in the fields or in the air or on the high seas...but in here, in the hearts of people who hear the gospel and are saved.

At the end of time every knee shall bow before Jesus (Phil. 2:10) and all kingdoms and countries will go away as the kingdom of God comes. But we’re not there yet. And our Lord is very clear that in the mean time we are to submit to earthly authorities. Paul would explain it in detail in his letter to the Romans, (Romans 13:1-2) He says “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. Authority on earth has been established by God! It’s true. It’s something that God built into humanity. Whether it’s in the country, the state, the city, the schools, the baseball team, or the the home, there is always a structure of authority built in. And this God-given structure that we’ve seen throughout our lives has served us very very well. It’s a good thing.

Of course the institution of government carried out by imperfect human beings will not be perfect, but that doesn’t mean we should toss it out. Another institution of God is marriage. Sometimes people who get married behave badly in their marriage. Are we then to conclude that the institution of marriage is bad? Of course not. Marriage is good and a gift from God. Government is good and is a gift from God! I truly believe that. Of course, there will sometimes be bad and or incompetent and just plain stupid people elected into positions of authority. And if they truly are bad, they usually end up being exposed for who they are.

So as Christians what do we owe the government? First our obedience to it’s laws, as long as they do not demand that we violate the laws of God(Acts 5:29); next our prayers, but then also our participation. What’s cool about our country is that we get to vote for who leads us. It’s cool, but its also a big responsibility. For we end up getting the leader that we ask for good or bad. And God can use that for our blessing or judgment as a country. We should never vote by our emotions or by our wallets; instead we should take into account the morality of the candidates. Can they be trusted to do what is right by us and what is right in the sight of God? Of course, there’s a lot of static in a campaign that must be cut through before we can see the real person. It’s better, I think, to listen to how each candidate describes himself or herself rather than to allow their enemies to define them for us. It’s also helpful to look at what they’ve done and said in the past...the things that are a matter of public record. It might also be helpful to see what there circle of friends and associates are like. You’ve got two days left. Do your homework; do your duty as a citizen of this country and as Christian who is accountable to God. AMEN