Kaboom! The Politics of Trump and The Ministry of Jesus

 

October 27, 2024                            NOTES NOT EDITED
Ka-Boom:  The Politics of Trump and the Preaching of Jesus
Lk 7:24-50

SIS: Whether in politics or religion, the key to progress is blowing up the status quo.

Donald Trump is a lot like Jesus. That’s a shocker. It shocks even me when I say it. But, there is at least one similarity that justifies that statement. BOTH BLOW UP THE STATUS QUO. Beyond that similarity, Trump who openly and boldly declares to be a follower of Jesus has a lot of growing to do.

When Trump was first inaugurated president after the 2016 Election, he ignited a political bomb that is still blowing up the political speech 8 years later.

When Jesus came to earth, he exploded the religious status quo that is still blowing up today. Jesus exploded the establishment religion of his day, referred to as the Pharisees, and continues to challenge and demolish “man-centered, works-based, establishment religion” today. Write that down: man-centered, works-based, establishment religion.” Jesus blows it apart. The “Christ-centered, grace-based, revolutionary” movement Jesus founded is like an atomic bomb that blows up status quo.

With Trump, the corrupt Washington establishment is running like cockroaches when one turns on the kitchen light at night in an infested apartment. Similarly, the unrighteous Pharisees ran for cover under the dirty shroud of Pilate when Jesus exposed them.

Here we are, six years after an well-known celebrity but a political novice exploded all expectations and became president of the U.S. This was a huge explosion in 2016 and the reverberations continue strong to this day. That’s the nature of a movement that “explodes the status quo.” Nothing will ever be the same again. As with Trump’s politics, so it was with Jesus’s ministry. Both TOTALLY EXPLODED THE STATUS QUO.

Jesus was nothing if He was not a revolutionary. God is called the Lord of Hosts, which means the Lord of the Armies of Heaven. Jesus dropped a holy bomb on humanity and the explosion exposed the many cracks and weaknesses of religion--which is the human efforts to obtain what only God in His grace can bestow. That explosion started a war that continues to this day—and will until Jesus, the Lord of the Hosts, returns.

Our passage is long today, but this simple truth of Jesus challenging, disrupting, and explosively demolishing the status quo ties this section together. Indeed, this theme ties the entire Bible together being woven into the fabric of truth from Genesis to Revelation.

I expect there will have to be at least someone who disagrees with my premise. I'm led to disagree with it myself if I were truly honest. It seems at best insane and at worst blasphemous to suggest that Trump and Jesus in their respective political and spiritual campaigns have anything in common.

Let’s read just a portion of the text showing how Jesus collides with the religious establishment resulting in a great explosion.
READ LUKE 7:24-33. Jesus Explodes Four Foundations of the Pharisees False Religion (Each One Closely Related to the Others)

1.  Jesus Exploded the
     WRONG ATTITUDE of the Pharisees (24-35, esp 30)

The Pharisees represent lost people with a particularly bad attitude of thinking they could please God without surrendering to Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior.

{30} But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 

The Pharisees rejected John’s baptism for two reasons: one, he preached the need for repentance. They believed their deeds made them righteous; two, John pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). Again, the Pharisees trusted in their religion of good deeds to take away sin, not Jesus. 

The disciples of John the Baptistjust came from a meeting with John.  At that meeting they reported to their beloved leader all that Jesus had been doing. Apparently, John and Jesus had not spoken to one another for quite some time, since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry when he was baptized by John.  All the excitement over the miracles and powerful teaching of Jesus had raised questions about the identity of Jesus, even in John’s mind.  Jesus pointed out that John was a man of strong conviction and willing to make a strong stand for righteousness and preached devotion to Jesus. (Eventually John would be martyred for his strong stand).  Jesus reminded them about John’s strong convictions about the Coming Messiah, Jesus.  Look at verses 24-28:

After John's messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? {25} If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. {26} But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. {27} This is the one about whom it is written: "'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' {28} I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." 

John was the greatest prophet to have lived and he preached Jesus was the Only Savior. Remember, as I just said, it was John the Baptist who firstidentified for the crowds of people that Jesus was the Messiah, “the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.” (Jn. 1:29). John’s preaching pointed out Jesus’ identity and the miraculous deeds of Jesus confirmed it.  For the most part, the common people accepted who Jesus was—but not the Pharisees.

The Pharisees had bad attitudes.  First, they refused to repent no matter what Jesus said or what miracles he performed. They rejected Jesus in the face of undeniable evidence. (Compare Psa. 14; Rom. 1:18-20). Look at the Pharisees attitude again in vv29-30 

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptized by John.  {30} But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.) 

{31}"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? {32} They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.' {33} For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' {34} The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."' 

Jesus embraced sinners. The Pharisees considered themselves righteous and “better” than others. That’s a BAD ATTITUDE. Sadly, a lot of Christians look down on the “down and out” and have an attitude of contempt for those struggling with sin. 

John lived a brutally holy life alone for the most part in the desert living off grasshoppers and wearing a camel-skin coat. His righteousness was impeccable and noted as such by Jesus. Yet, the Pharisees considered John’s behavior as “having a demon” (33). Jesus spent all his time with drinkers, gluttons, and tax collectors, and the Pharisees despised him as “A drunkard and friend of low lifes” (34). Nobody could live up to the Pharisees standards—the religious status quo.  You just can’t reach some people no matter what you do!

People get stuck in status quo. They get chained to false ideas based upon their experiences, not the evidence. This can happen to anyone. Football players. T.V. producers. Or even morticians. Three women got together for lunch on Saturday. The wife of a prominent football player said, “You know, I hate it when my husband refers to leftovers as “replays.” The wife of a T.V. producer chimed in and said, “Yea. My husband calls them, “reruns.”  The third lady’s husband was the local funeral director and embalmer. She sighed, “Well, at least you don’t have a husband calling your leftovers, “remains.”

We can fall into a pitiful pattern of seeing everything from our own narrow perspective and develop a bad attitude of viewing our religious status quo as more important than the Savior’s mission. 

Jesus exposed the WRONG ATTITUDE of the Pharisees. 

2.  Second, Jesus Exploded the
     WRONG FOCUS of the Pharisees (37-48)

Since the Pharisees didn’t think they needed Jesus to save them, they focused on their religious program, not helping struggling “people.”

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. {37} When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, {38} and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. {39} When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner." 

The Pharisees focused on their religious programs not lost people. 

Everyone knew this young lady – She was a “working gal” and I don’t mean selling Avon!  It was perfectly acceptable that this woman come into the party. 

According to the prevailing custom of the day, the poor were allowed to visit the banquets of the rich to receive the left-overs.  But, this lady had something else in mind. She bowed at his feet anointing His feet with expensive perfume, and washing the dust with her tears of repentance. This humble act was something Simon, the Pharisee, had no intention of doing (vv 44-46) 

Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. {45} You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. {46} You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. {47} Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little." {48} Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are FORGIVEN." 

The world is full of religious people who focus on the sins people commit but have no love for the souls of those sinners. Pharisees, status quo Christians, focus on programs, not people. 

Christianity is about “people,” not programs. There are people in every church that will fight at the drop of the hat if you change part of the religious rituals of the church, but these same people won’t lift a finger to reach out to lost people.

Jesus raised a ruckus with the religious because He showed more concern for lost people than He did the Pharisees empty traditions. 

Literally thousands of churches have drifted into oblivion because they did not want “their” church filled up with undesirable people. Let, me give you a little hint about God: there are no undesirable people except perhaps people like the Pharisees.

Jesus exposed the wrong focus of the Pharisees– they worshipped worship rather than work to find God’s lost sheep. 

3.  Jesus Exploded
     WRONG PRACTICE of the Pharisees (46).

The Pharisees worshipped their religion and so focused on their behavior, but Jesus pointed out their practices without a love for people made them hypocrites.

{46) You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet . 

The Pharisees did all the right things for all the wrong reasons. The Sinful Woman was the “wrong kind of person” who did all the right things. That’s the ugly irony of religion—it values programs but ignores real people. The Pharisees proudly said, “Look at all we DO.” Jesus said, “Look at what you DID NOT DO.” Practicing all the religion in the world is no substitute for a devoted love for Jesus.

The Pharisees meditated on Scripture. The Pharisees worshipped regularly and passionately. The Pharisees gave regular offerings. The Pharisees spread the message of their beliefs religiously. The Pharisees were “so religious” in their practices Jesus actually mentioned it, Himself. He said in Matthew 23:15 (NIV84):

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, . . . You travel over land and sea to win a single convert. Then in 23:23 Jesus remarks on the Pharisees meticulous approach to “tithing” (giving a tenth):

23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

Jesus did not condemn the religious practices of the Pharisees  themselves. He said clearly, “you should make converts; you should pay your tithes.” Jesus recognized the intensity of their devotion. What made the practices “wrong” were not the acts themselves but the reason the Pharisees practices them. Jesus was exploding the “wrong practice” of SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS that did “right things for the wrong reason.” Their godliness began and ended with themselves—that is, what they did for God and completely rejected, dismissed, and devalued God, Himself, Jesus Christ.

Religion says, “Look at me what I am doing.” True faith says, “Look at Jesus what He has done.” The Pharisees saw their self-righteousness and did nothing for Jesus. The Sinful Woman saw her Savior and anointed His head and kissed his feet.

This is why the self-righteous Pharisees had zero tolerance for the “reckless, extravagant devotion” of this common sinner-a woman no less. Do you see the irony that the Self-righteous Pharisees valued their practices more than they valued the souls of sinful people? Let me ask you again, “Do you see the irony that the self-righteous Pharisees valued their practices more than they valued the souls of sinful people?” 

Jesus explodes the “wrong practices of empty religion” that puts a high value on practices and programs and NO VALUE on people. The religiously blind Pharisees saw a dirty sinner wasting valuable perfume. Jesus saw a “needy sinner” eternally grateful for the gift of forgiveness.

In the practice of the Pharisees, just touching the woman would make them ceremonially unclean.  Sinners had no value to the Pharisees.  In fact, to the Pharisees this woman would probably have been viewed as a liability, rather than an asset.  What could this poor prostitute do for the church?

I read an interesting story about a dentist that died.  When the family went through his belongings they discovered a key to a safe-deposit box.  Going to the bank they thought they would find a few pieces of jewelry, or perhaps some important papers.  WHAT THEY FOUND WERE–OLD ROTTEN TEETH!  For years the dentist had been buying the old rotten teeth of his patients.  They were all rotten, but they were all filled with gold or silver.  They looked nasty.  But, one of the sons of the dentist made a few contacts and found someone who would break away the old rotten tooth material and refine the gold and silver so a value could be placed on the material.  The son was surprised to learn that the old rotten teeth, nasty and disgusting to look at, netted a check from the refiner for $4000. Jesus sees the gold in each of us, while the world may only see “rotten teeth.”

Jesus created quite a commotion by “exploding the wrong practices of the religious Pharisees.” He’s still rattling the cages of the religious elite even to this day.

4.  Jesus raised a ruckus with the religious by exploding their WRONG EXPECTATIONS (47-50)

The Pharisees, representing many religious or spiritual persons today EXPECTED their religious activity would save them without a love and devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Here Jesus really ruffled their feathers—and ruffles feathers today. People who expect to get to heaven without show the lavish, sacrificial love of Jesus demonstrated by the Sinful Woman should expect to be eternally disappointed in hell. 

{47}Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."  {48} Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." 

Jesus is using figurative speech here in the form of exaggeration. Nobody can literally be “forgiven little.” This is a figurative way of saying “those who are self-righteous and feel no need for a Savior.” The Pharisees had no love for Jesus because, since they were saved by their own works, Jesus did nothing for them in their minds.

Not long ago, a group were out boating.  The boat sprung a leak near the stern (back).  Most of the passengers were in the back bailing out water frantically.  Toward the front of the boat was a self-righteous couple who thought they were above such a menial task as bailing water.  As the boat started to sink, the wife turned to her husband and said, “I’m certainly glad the leak is not in our end of the boat.”

These people are like the Pharisees and so many today thinking, “I’m not that bad so I don’t need to accept Jesus to save me. I’m even a fairly regular church-goer.” The Bible says otherwise,

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). And, “The wages of sin is death (hell)” (Rom. 6:23).

Friend, if your religion is like that of the Pharisees–you are going to get wet when you die (actually hot).  The trouble is, most people who are like the Pharisees are like that couple on the boat–they don’t even realize how much danger they are in. They just ‘EXPECT’ they will be saved because . . . well, because God saves everybody on this boat of life, and I’m not that bad anyway. 

The Pharisees felt they would be saved because, they weren’t “sinners like the woman.” Jesus exploded the wrong expectations of the Pharisees: they were wrong to think that by being religious they would go to heaven. Jesus ends this section by pointing out the only way to heaven: 

{50}Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Faith: trust in, rely on, cling to Jesus as Lord.

Are you willing to “fall down at the feet of Jesus and wash His feet with tears of repentance” and the perfume of humble service–that’s the only way. The Pharisees expected to get to heaven by their own works and good deeds. Jesus said, the woman alone was forgiven because she recognized Who Jesus was and relied on His deeds—namely living a sinless life and dying on OUR cross.

What is the basis for any expectations you have for eternal life? Are you trusting in being good? You can’t be good enough? Are you trusting in being religious? Religion only makes you a self-righteous Pharisee as lost as a teepee in a tornado.

Jesus completely exploded the status quo of false religion of good works in His time on earth and continues to explode wrong attitudes, wrong focuses, wrong practices, and wrong expectations of people trying to gain Heaven any other way than through faith and extravagant devotion to Him as the “Only Way, the Only Truth, and the Only life.” This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. The only gospel that saves.

Any time the gospel is preached in power, somebody won’t like it as evidenced by the Pharisees reaction to Jesus. 

This is where I see a great similarity between the Politics of Trump and the Ministry of Jesus. Both are exploding the status quo and those vested and invested in the status quo are reacting violently. In politics, the Swamp of Status Quo reacted violently with 39 Federal Indictments and two Failed Assassinations. In regard to the Ministry of Jesus, the status quo reacted by crucifying Him on a cross.

The echoes of Jesus exploding the false ideas of His day can be heard clearly today, if you open your hearts and listen. I believe strongly that the Politics of Trump may be at least a part of that echo reminding us that there is only One King and One Savior, Jesus Christ.