We’re all thinking about the impending election, actively or subconsciously. It’s blaring daily on the news. It’s pasted on billboards and social media feeds. It’s the in-your-face and seemingly inescapable hot topic of the times.

The heaviness sets in as we anticipate the turmoil brewing and festering in our politically divided nation and church. What will happen to the United States post-election? Who will win: Democrats, Republicans, Independents? What is the preacher’s role in all of this? How can we be the voice of reason in a tumultuous political season?

To address some of these concerns, we will learn from 1 Samuel concerning Israel’s longing for an earthly king whom they believed would be “the solution” to their problems? How did that turn out for the Israelites and how can we learn vicariously from their folly?

This article reminds us that when politics becomes an end for Christians, it has traversed from necessity into the realm of idolatry. When we worship a political ruler, or a political party, we forfeit the truth that our sufficiency is in the Lord alone.

I want to remind us that we were made to disagree on non-essential issues and I would place politics in the non-essential category and that it is not core to the Christian faith—though many have done so. How might we preach on politics in the coming months in our politically divided nation?

Context of 1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel 8:4-9 records:

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

The prophet Samuel is placed in a precarious position. As a prophet and prophetic voice of reason for his community, Samuel anticipates the outcome before the request is made. Immediately, following, the text says: “So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you . . . .’”

In the next several verses, Samuel foretells with God’s help how an earthly king would rule harshly and self-servingly. He would take advantage of the people and look out for his interests rather than the good of the people. He would be a user if not an abuser of their children. He knows that an earthly king will be a poor substitute to relying on God alone.

It feels rather pointless and hopeless to broach the subject of politics from the pulpit in today’s volatile church climate. It’s a lose-lose proposition. I’m bound to offend some group of listeners because they have strong opinions and views along political battle lines. Why bother? Isn’t my preaching on politics only going to make things worse?

Yet, 1 Samuel 8 gives modern hearers a glimpse into an age-old problem: Politics and politicians do not and cannot solve our earthly concerns. No matter who it is: Saul, David, or future kings, no man or woman can replace God, the first and last King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In Why the Gospel?: Living the Good News of King Jesus with Purpose, Matthew W. Bates is quick to embolden New Testament Christians (that is, us) to experience “a Jesus-is-king revolution, causing more and more people to recover their divinely intended glory so that they can fully honor the one true God.”

In the three-fold roles typically assigned to Christ, as prophet, priest, and king, we have removed Jesus from his earthly and heavenly kingship when it comes to our political ideology. If Jesus is King, which he is, then no president or political king or queen can also capture our intellects and affections as the chief ruler of our lives and meet all the demands and expectations of humanity. Only Jesus can. That means any time we place our hope in a politician, it’s idolatry. We must name the idolatry and preach against it.

In the rest of this article, we will explore how. Here are three invitations on how to preach wisely on politics.

Preach with Courage

To elevate Jesus as King and dethrone earthly, political rulers from their supposed significance, it will require the preacher to be courageous.

Like Joshua, God seeks leaders who will be strong and courageous. Inner strength stems not from our abilities but rather from remembering that God is with us. As people-pleasers, we may tend to be overly diplomatic so as not to offend anyone. We become wishy-washy and self-preserving.

Avoiding offense is impossible in preaching. Especially when it comes to idolatry, and preaching about politics as idolatry, everyone will be offended in some way. Like the gospel (don’t misunderstand, I don’t place politics on the same level), offense happens naturally because how people view the gospel and even politics are contrary to human nature to be mindful of and to acknowledge our shortcomings and sinfulness.

Just as we can’t save ourselves, politics also cannot save us. We’re essentially telling everyone that their political choice is insufficient and incapable of unraveling our exhaustive number of issues. Rather, in our sermons, we can encourage them to look to Christ as our only source of hope.

Isn’t that a copout, some may ask? No. At the end of the day, would you rather place your faith in a sinless Christ who has your best interests or put your faith in a sin-stained person or political party?

Will you preach courageously on politics by helping listeners remember that politics is not salvific? Political rulers are idols when we look to them instead of looking to God. Be bold. Preach against elevating politics to the level of God.

Preach on Unity

I can’t help but state the obvious. Satan is using politics and political ideologies to divide the church. While numerous topics divide people, politics is probably at the top of the list of topics we avoid at the dinner table.

In this election season, how might we preach sermons that endorse unity and not a political candidate? In Until Unity, Francis Chan writes: “There is nothing you have to do today that is more important than worshipping Him . . . . Our lack of praise may actually be the biggest cause of our divisions. Once we stop worshipping, all hope for unity is lost. This is what unites us: we can’t stop talking about the treasure we have in Jesus.”

Unity and the pursuit of unity may be one of the foremost missing ingredients in our discipleship. Christians look just like the culture around. In fact, I would go out on a limb and say, “Christians are some of the meanest people I know!”

Preach on unity regularly. Pray for unity regularly. Pursue unity regularly. How? We pursue unity, as Chan suggests, through worshipping Jesus, talking about Jesus, and not allowing our political views to be the gravitational pull that partitions us. Easier said than done. True.

Preach on Disagreement

When did disagreement with another person mean that we can no longer be friends or be in fellowship? It became the accepted way of culture when rightness usurped relationship.

Disagreement is synonymous with disfellowship. We erroneously equate the two. Probing under the surface, however, I am convinced that no two people will agree on every single issue even with members of the same political ilk.

Why, then, when it comes to politics, do we raise disagreement to the level of de-friending someone? Simply put, it’s because politics is an idol.

Where do we go from here?

As we preach on politics, remind your church that it’s okay to disagree. There are very few things that Christians should disfellowship over. You can immediately think of some essential doctrines worth splitting over. Politics is not such a topic. Just as some of us like the color red more than the color blue, and vice versa, some of us will prefer one political party over another. The question is why.

It’s perfectly acceptable to disagree on politics, political issues, and political parties. It’s not acceptable to condone and champion disagreement and disunity over our Christian unity in the arena of politics.

Conclusion

Let’s get back to the basics: People are dying every day without hearing the gospel. People are lost and broken in every part of their lives. People are going without food and water. People are houseless. People are suffering from illness. People are also gospel-less. When will we stop fighting over politics and fight over who will have the privilege of sharing Christ and the hope of the gospel with members of our communities?

History repeats itself when we allow it to happen. First Samuel 8 testifies in bold letters that political rulers cannot save. Political rulers are self-serving and not self-less. Political rulers at the end of the day are finite and imperfect human beings, just like us.

Preach on the idolatry of politics. Preach with courage, preach on unity, and preach on disagreement. Your church needs you to be the voice of reason in our day. Preach that our hope is in King Jesus alone!

Matthew D. Kim is Professor of Preaching and Pastoral Leadership and holder of the George W. Truett Endowed Chair of Preaching and Evangelism at Baylor University's Truett Seminary.