Jesus is a politician

I'm serious - he is. Of course his politics - both its ideology and methodology is vastly different than the politics of this age.

When Jesus announced the Kingdom of God he did not announce a platonic, personal, spiritual order - although there is a personal and spiritual dimension to life in the Kingdom between his ascension and return. When Jesus announced the Kingdom, the Kingdom was not merely another word for the Church - although the church is central to the Kingdom of God.

No, when Jesus announced the Kingdom he was announcing a new political order. A monarchy to be exact - with him on the throne. It is a monarchy that was originally set up when all things were created but soon after creation a rebellion happened that attempted to undermine the monarchy of Jesus. Jesus came to earth to take back his throne -- that happened when he was crucified. At his trial and crucifixion he encountered the fallen political order in both the leadership of Israel and the Romans -- both orders being expressed fundamentally by violence -- coercion with the threat and use of death. But Jesus defeated that order by dying and rising again. In doing that he defeated the power that underlies fallen human life and re-established God's reign.

Jesus is a politician - but not a worldly, power driven politician. His politics is cross shaped, love driven and peace shaped. This is the Kingdom of God.