“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6

Politics is “powerful”. Its ability to excite or incite, stir up or depress, exhilarate or exacerbate, is as old as the tower of Babel. Wherever mankind congregates, rivalries and factions lurk in the shadows. Parties are formed. Egos and selfish ambitions raise their ugly heads to squelch wholesome and righteous ideals. Things get dirty. Corruption festers.

God saw through the innocence of Babel’s “let us build” slogan, exacting quick and decisive judgment upon their misguided pursuit. Jesus, too, sidestepped the impulse of the masses to make him king after he had just fed them to utter satisfaction with five loaves and two fish. Think of the movement He could have started! But His way was higher, and He kept His eyes on the prize. When pressed to reveal His motives, Jesus’ answer was clear: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight…” (John 18:36)

Sometimes we find ourselves voting for eternal things and fighting for temporal; when, of course, it should be exactly the other way around. The irony of this predicament is nowhere more clearly illustrated than in those pristine weeks between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to Heaven. For forty days, Jesus spoke to His disciples of things pertaining to the kingdom of God. I sure wish we could access those meetings on YouTube! Despite constantly whetting their appetites for eternity, the fact that they could still ask Him if He was finally ready to become king of Israel is quite a head-scratcher. Really? The Son of God— risen and all-glorious—is about to sit on the throne over all authorities in the seen and unseen universe and you want still want to crown Him king over the tiny nation of Israel?

Though the disciples had spent three years sitting at his feet, he had in fact given them no prescription for political solutions. The fact that this was still foremost on their minds reveals how difficult it is for fallen man to lay down his dreams of reformation. Such is the magnetism of politics. Its noble causes and lofty aspirations dangle like scrumptious carrots of justice, equality, prosperity, and liberty before us. It can be intoxicating; and that is exactly the point. If we are finding ourselves reeling and rocking right now, we probably had too much to drink these past few months!

I’m not saying I didn’t pull up to the counter and order some “shots” myself! Who could blame us? We had been losing so many battles. Finally there was some momentum. Finally an advocate, a voice, a fighter in our corner! So much was within our grasp!

Or was it? Jesus did not acquiesce to their cry then; and it seems He has not heeded all of our cries either. His silence may be a quintessential act of mercy! His response to “will you at this time restore” in the first century was actually to give them something better, which is the very thing I am hoping He will do for us two thousand years later. Let me paraphrase His answer:

Guys, don’t get yourselves all worked up, and don’t grow discouraged because things aren’t turning out the way you were hoping. Dad knows what’s best, and this ain’t it! That’s because His timing is perfect and His best is so much better. He is preparing to release earth shaking power and authority by the Holy Spirit to all of you who will make it a priority to move only after I have clothed you with extraordinary ability and favor from on high. When it comes upon you, there is no place and no people anywhere on my whole planet who won’t be transformed by its impact! (see Acts 1:7-8)

The prescription Jesus had in mind was not going to proceed from halls of power, nor be borne on the back of any man. Man builds towers. Men devise structures to rule and execute decisions. Jesus said, “I will build My church”, the pillar and bulwark of the truth, the agent by which even the the angels will be awestruck when she puts on her beautiful garments.

We have yet to see the full manifestation of the “greater works” Jesus spoke of. If our hope is not completely set on the promises of even richer spiritual empowerment, if we lower our gaze onto any other and lesser source, we may find ourselves horribly disappointed. Beloved, this is a great time to proverbially prepare a pot of black coffee and quickly get ourselves sober. Neither donkeys, nor even elephants can save us. But the One who walks in the midst of the seven lampstands, whose eyes are flames of fire and whose voice is like the sound of many waters—the King of kings, He is worthy of all our adoration and devotion. I will gladly and faithfully vote for the best and most qualified people to serve in public office. His government, His rule, His everlasting Kingdom…well, this is truly worth fighting, and even dying for.


PS My intention here is not to downplay the importance of righteous rule and the election of people who will be catalysts for justice, human rights, or Kingdom values. While we should hope for these things, our hope is not in them. The manifold wisdom of God—His power, righteousness, and glory—will be made known through the Church, His Bride (Ep 3:10). He is jealous only for her. The answer to our pressing need is now as it was then: that awesome power—real power—would be poured out upon us by His Spirit to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.