VLJ 3: What are the 5 political options for Christians? (book ch’s 11,12,13,14,15)
- BEEN VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SERMON – REVELATION
- Today – we have 2 primary political parties & other minor parties
- NT – 2 parties, the people new them, we do not = I will teach
Ancient Parties [lower 1/3]
Acts 5:17 the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy
Acts 15:5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up…
- Days of Jesus & early church 2 major parties & minor/sects = 4 ancient options
I need the 4 faith factions graphic from pg 112 in the book
Option #1: Essenes
The gov’t & culture are too far gone – collapse is coming get ur family out!
- Not mentioned NT – closed private rural society, 2+ yrs qualify, no outsiders
- 175 BC Maccabean Revolt – Greek Hellenism worship Zeus & no Jew holidays. God’s people fled city = underground church (Like Marxism)
- Bible Heroes– Noah (ark family; Lot flee S&G w/family; Elijah vs Ahab/Jez)
- ??John Baptizer??? – off grid, anti-establishment very private/remote, against gov’t
- HS – prophecy, tongues, prayer, worship, angels/demons = Pentecostals
- A bit like Amish – strict rules (Sat bathroom), stick together, avoid outsiders, pacifist
1 slide below]John 15:19 (NLT) The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I [Jesus] chose you to come out of the world…
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world…
2 Corinthians 6:17 (HCSB) come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord…
1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 …aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs…work with your hands…so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
1 Timothy 2:1–2 I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Today – 1). Off grid homestead 2). Move liberal to cons states/cities 3). Suburbs
PROBLEM: Who reaches the lost people?
Option #2: Zealots
Maccabean Revolt – 1-2 Maccabees
Daniel 11 – 5 diff’t polital leaders, 150 yrs = Antiochus the Great lost war, passes Temple, attacked to get gold repay debt Roman gov’t, killed 80k civilians & shut Temple – Jesus can’t come. Demon worship set up Temple. Some priests worship pagan gods. -Mattathias country priest does not, kills priest that does. 5 sons stand w/him. 7k believing men defeat 60k elite soldiers. Antiochus killed by God. Mattathias died battle
Mattathias the priest’s deathbed directives [all lower 1/3]
1 Maccabees 2:49-50 (CEB), “Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he spoke to his sons: ‘Arrogance and contempt are present everywhere. It is a time
of ruin and raging anger. Now, my children, demonstrate zeal for the Law, and give your lives for our ancestors’ covenant.’”
=Zealots = political/military resistance movement
- Zeal – the Bible has a lot of good things to say about zeal in general
- Zeal can cause ends to justify means
Acts 1:13 …they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
Was Judas Iscariot a Zealot? [Lower 1/3]
Judas Iscariot may refer to the “sicarri” or “dagger men” who conceal carried weapons (knives) and were trained in combat to overthrow the government for God.
Acts 21:38 Are you not the Egyptian, then, who recently stirred up a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins [sikarios in Greek] out into the wilderness?”
- Their “prophets” said God would help overthrow gov’t & raise up Messiah/King
- Once Jesus said “My Kingdom not of this world” Judas was done w/Him
Is Jesus a Zealot? [Lower 1/3]
Revelation 19:11-16 I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems…He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations…
- 1st vs 2nd Coming (Zealot w/Sicari)
Zealots Today? 2nd Amend U.S. Constitution: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
A).Tyranny- Gov’t Armed B). Anarchy – Citizens Armed = Tension keep peace
Option #3: Pharisees
- “Pharisee” = means separated
Largest & most influential religious party days Jesus NT 100X mentioned
- Matthew 23 entire chapter of “woes”
Goals: 1). Separation from unbelievers 2). Division w/believers =
=Did not want to leave gov’t/culture like Essenes. Carve out subculture
- Torah & Tradition – Bible & their teachers filling in “gaps” = hate open gaps
- Low on HS and demonic (cessationists)
- Not most educated. Appealed to avg person
- =Closest to Jesus theology. Biggest enemy
Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Paul is the Bible’s most famous Pharisee [1 slide]
Acts 23:6 Paul…cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.
Acts 26:5 …according to the strictest party of our religion I [Paul] have lived as a Pharisee.
Philippians 3:4–6 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church…
Today – XN “fighting” Fundamentalists – under no authority hold others accountable
+ fight/line world -proud/cruel/ignorant/unnecessarily divisive
Option #4: Sadducees
Martin Luther – drunk peasants fall off one side horse then other (Phar v Sadd)
Sadducees 14X NT – “righteous” or “pure” = smarmy progressive media darlings
- Hellenism – pagan Greek philosophy & culture take over (e.g. Marxism)
- Did not accept all Scripture (Red Letter) – no sin nature, miracles, angels/demons, God sovereignty, resurrection or Heaven, entire books like Daniel removed
- Don’t like or agree w/Pharisees but unholy alliance against Jesus
- Political donors/power brokers. Controlled Jewish Sanhedrin & w/govt kill Christ
- Small in #, highly educated, wealthy, influential – cultural influencers mainstream
Progressive = no resurrection or heaven or miracles, just us good people saving planet
Acts 5:17 “…the party of the Sadducees…filled with jealous”
Acts 23:8 the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
Matthew 16:6 Jesus said…“Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
Today:
- Progressive XN’s, Red Letter XN’s, apostate denoms
- Woke: counterfeit born again. Marxism & social justice
- Virtue Signal – BLM; Rainbow Flag; Mask, Closed Churches Covid
- Tolerance NOT repentance of sin
Pick Your Party
Which would you choose?? 1. Essenes. 2. Zealots 3. Pharisees 4. Sadducees
- What government are you under?
- What is your personality?
- What life stage are you in?
The Christian Option
Forward/Backward. Left/Right. Up/Down
James 3:14–17 if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic…But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
Matthew 6:9-10 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
