WK 1 | God’s Plan & Our Purpose | Septembe 1, 2024
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Matthew 20:25-28 -
25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
POLITICS & GOD’S PLAN…
THOUGHT 01 |
Genesis 1:26-28 -
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
“From the creation of humans in God’s image, given human authority over the animals — that the Creator intends his world to be run through obedient human beings. That was part of the deep structure of creation’s design.” —N.T. Wright & Michael F. Bird in Jesus & The Powers
“The Creator did not unmake the original purpose…The human vocation is not abrogated: God still desires and intends to work in his world through obedient humans, and he continues to do so even when that obedience is at best patchy.” —N.T. Wright & Michael F. Bird in Jesus & The Powers
John 19:8-11 -
8 When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, 9 and he went back inside the palace “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 “Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.”
“Let that sink in for a moment: Jesus, the Word incarnate, the Son of Man, the Messiah, acknowledges that the pagan governor Pontius Pilate has a God-given authority over him. The Jesus who had declared that the world’s judgment was now on the way; the Jesus who assured his followers that he had himself defeated the world — this Jesus recognizes that a second-rate Roman magistrate is in a position of divinely authorized responsibility and authority over him.” —N.T. Wright & Michael F. Bird in Jesus & The Powers
“Saying that the authorities are appointed and authorized by God does not mean that God endorse whatever they do. (That fallacy occurs in modern democracies, when winning an election is said to give the victors a mandate and reason to act with carte blanche.) The biblical view is that God holds his appointed authorities to account for their actions.” —N.T. Wright & Michael F. Bird in Jesus & The Powers
POLITICS & OUR PURPOSE…
THOUGHT 02 | We
Matthew 28:18-20 -
18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
“As Christians, our primary objective is to profess the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations (Matthew 28:16-20). No other task should be allowed to interfere with or obscure that purpose. If the Great Commission becomes secondary, or if Christianity is understood primarily as a means of accomplishing social or political goals, then we’ve handed to Caesar what belongs to God (Matthew 22:21).” —Justin Giboney in Compassion & Conviction
“Christians should engage politics because doing so provides us with a robust opportunity to love our neighbor by acting justly, promoting human flourishing, and seeking the prosperity of our community.” —Justin Giboney in Compassion & Conviction
Micah 6:8 -
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
“Whether we’re protecting the unborn, supporting fair prison sentences, or making sure the elderly are taken care of, politics provides a forum for advocating for our neighbor’s well-being and pursuing justice.” —Justin Giboney in Compassion & Conviction
ACTION POINT: Evaluate your