February 10, 2008 Message

February 10, 2008
Romans 5:12–19; Matthew 4:1–11
“Radical Politics”

Apostle Paul – “Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right.” – Romans 5:18-19 (The Message)

Here are some of the dumb things our presidential candidates have said so far.
- “I'm pretty sure there will be duck-hunting in heaven and I can't wait!"
- "We are going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."
- "You know that old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran? Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran."
- "Three words: Vice President Oprah"
Makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Well, last Tuesday was a very special day all around. For presidential candidates, their supporters, the news commentators and political experts - all chasing the holy grail of politics in this country - it was Super Tuesday. For the millions of people, in this country and throughout the world, celebrating Mardi Gras before the fasting associated with Lent, it was Fat Tuesday. For those in this community and all across Iowa, concerned whether they could get to work or there would be school on Wednesday, it was the day “the snow storm of ‘08” began.

I had no plans to celebrate Mardi Gras this year, although we were preparing for Ash Wednesday activities and the beginning of Lent. And I’m not what I would consider a very political person, although I do know who the candidates are and some of their positions on the issues – enough, I hope, to vote ‘intelligently’ when the time comes. It’s hard to get too excited though, when it comes to picking a winner in past presidential elections -– I’m a terrible 0-10.

So this past Tuesday - as I was keeping tabs on the weather updates of the impending storm AND watching the caucus and primary results on CNN AND indirectly observing Fat Tuesday (I know I ate way too much food and could use a good fast) – I found myself wrapped up in everything that was going on and probably stayed up way too late.

But every night has a morning, and in the Christian calendar this year Ash Wednesday follows Super Tuesday. Even though there were no clear winners when the dust settled, no school and no Ash Wednesday service when the snow fell - Lent began. Just as Israel spent forty years in the wilderness, and Jesus spent forty days in the desert fasting, praying, and battling temptation, since the fourth century Christians have set aside the forty days of Lent as a time for repentance and self-examination – typified by practicing an attitude of humility, self-denial, and abstinence.

Some Christians give up something for the forty days of Lent, such as chocolate, or an hour of TV, or something else they do every day; some fast and don’t eat certain foods or maybe don’t eat a whole meal; and some perform acts of mercy, doing something for someone else that they may not be able to do for themselves. In a culture that glorifies excess and indulgence, Wednesday's ashes signify a shocking, counter-cultural act of humility and moderation.

Creativity and imagination are good qualities during Lent, as we look for things to give up among those things that take up too much of out time or try to imagine ways to simplify life or set aside our lists of things to get done in order to put the interests of others before our own.

All of this then leads to my question for today: Would any of us be better off giving up politics for the 36 days remaining in Lent? Think about it. Wouldn’t that be the Christian thing to do?

In the Gospel this week Jesus is tempted by the glory of "all the kingdoms of the world." All he has to do is, "bow down and worship." But Jesus doesn’t take the bait. He doesn’t waver. And you know what - throughout his life, Jesus went on to challenge the political status quo with a revolutionary alternative. So, when politics starts to consume us to the point our lives are centered on the election and begins demanding deep sacrifice, unquestioning obedience, and unwavering allegiance, we can also turn our backs on politics in favor of Jesus’ alternative.

After those forty days in the desert, Jesus began his ministry by proclaiming a new and different type of kingdom or rule – a different sort of politics, if you will. (Mark 1:15) And because of it, he was considered a troublemaker and charged with political sedition or treason. But his was an example the early Christians took seriously.

In the book called The Christians as the Romans Saw Them, Robert Louis Wilkin, a University of Virginia historian, describes a time when Christians held a very cautious attitude toward political power and the state. “During the first hundred years,” he wrote, “They were invisible to most people in the Roman empire. But over time they developed a reputation as an anti-social ‘fringe’ group and were viewed by others as fanatical, subversive, and rebellious.

These early Christians rejected Roman religious traditions. They refused military service. And they were indifferent to civic affairs. Their attitude seemed to others as undermining society and their reliability as citizens was questioned. But, when Jesus had announced and embodied a new community - one in which God was king and ruler of the world and the rulers of this world were not – they listened and responded. These early Christians took Jesus seriously. So they gave up the politics of their day – and had no use for a political state or political solutions.

Imagine today if God ruled the nations instead of Bush, Musharraf (Mu-shar-raf), Putin, Kim Jong-il (Kim Joung-eel), or Ahmadinejad (ah-ma-deen-ah-zhad). Or imagine after Bush it isn’t any of today’s candidates – it’s God? Every aspect of life would be turned upside down, wouldn’t it? There would be peace-making instead of making war, liberation instead of exploitation, sacrifice rather than conquest, mercy rather than retaliation, care for the helpless instead of privileges for the powerful, generosity instead of greed, truth instead of propaganda, humility rather than bravado, and embrace rather than exclusion. The ancient Hebrews had a great word for this sort of life - shalom or human well-being. Jesus did too, when he taught his followers to pray: “God’s kingdom come, God’s will be done.” So, every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer… we imagine a kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven - where God rules our lives.

With Mardi Gras and Super Tuesday now past history, the season of Lent offers an opportunity to think about politics, and all of life, in a radically different light. What if, as was suggested earlier, we gave up our political activism and replaced it with something even more subversive - prayer. Think about it! If we honestly prayed the Lord's Prayer – everyday - it would be the most radical political manifesto ever: "Lord, may your kingdom come, may your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Whether Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, capitalist, socialist or communist, democratic or theocratic – that would be a radical sort of politics for sure! Let us pray.