It is not at all unusual for us to defend our own peculiar perspective by painting our opponents in the worst possible light. There is genuine disagreement over whether political issues have any place in preaching. Those who stand opposed, however, lob their arguments against those who wrap their sermons in the American flag, who create six part sermon series on why poll taxes are more biblical than property taxes. Those who are more eager for sermons dealing with political issues, on the other hand, argue against Gnostic preaching that seems to suggest that anything outside of prayer, preaching and the sacraments is worldly, off limits. Very few are that extreme, in either direction.
The answer to the question- what should pastors preach, is simple enough. They should preach the Bible. The Bible, according to the Bible, equips us for every good work. There is nothing of importance, and surely all would agree that liberty is important, that the Bible does not speak to. Where it speaks so so ought the preacher to speak. We don’t come to the Bible, or any of its texts, hoping it will support our own message. Rather we come hoping we will communicate its message.
The more difficult question is one of priorities. The question is not if we should preach against the grasping state, but how often ought we to do so? And that, I would argue, is answered not by knowing the Bible, but by knowing one’s congregation. Too often we tickle the ears of the flock not by speaking well of them, but by thundering against the sins of their enemies. A steady diet of “We are the oppressed minority who are being overrun by the state that hates us” may increase our blood pressure, but isn’t likely to increase our holiness.
Preaching should both call us to repent of our sins and look to God’s promises in Christ. That may mean calling a congregation to repentance for treating the state as an idol, looking to it to give us this day our daily bread. It may mean calling a congregation to repent of its indifference to the enslavement of their neighbors by the state. But it is likely also to mean calling a congregation to repent of worshipping mammon, or bowing before the god of personal peace and affluence. It might also mean calling a congregation to stop acting like Chicken Little, and implicitly denying that God raises rulers and brings them down for the sake of the sanctification of His bride. It might mean calling the congregation to repent of its pride, if we are given to thinking, “I thank you Lord that I am not like other men. I read Breitbart and have anti-government bumper stickers on my car.”
Or, as we consider the size and scope and tyranny of the state that ruled during the time of the New Testament church, we might preach like this- Do not be surprised when the world hates you. It hated Jesus, and we servants are not greater than the Master. They may persecute us. They may take our property. They may silence us. They may put us to death. But, we are princes in the kingdom of God, seated with Christ in the heavenly places. We have been set free of the greater Monster, our own sin. And we are to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome the world.
That will preach.