What does it look like when people who claim to follow Jesus are actually following earthly empires instead?

It looks like cheering on Pharaoh while condemning Moses for “being too political.”

It looks like getting enraged at the prophet Nathan for rebuking King David for his horrid sins and telling him, “You need to pray for him instead of critiquing! God can use a filthy minded wealthy man to accomplish good things!”

It looks like bowing to the statue of Nebuchadnezzar.

It looks like hearing God command that part of the nation’s taxes and resources are to be used to help the immigrant, the poor, and the vulnerable (Deuteronomy 14:28-29) and saying “my taxes better not be to going to pay for stuff like that.”

It sounds like telling the prophets of the Old Testament that they must “want lawlessness” for daring to stand up for the rights of the immigrant, the poor, the sick, the widow, the orphan, and the hungry.

It looks like telling John the Baptist he doesn’t love God or his country because he spoke the truth about King Herod’s abuse of power.

It looks like bringing good news to the rich and powerful and bad news to the poor and powerless.

It looks like hearing Jesus say “love your neighbor as yourself” then replying, “and who is my neighbor?”

It looks like the Samaritan bending over to help the injured man on the side of the road and saying “before I treat your wounds and pay for your continued care, are you here legally?”

It looks like little boy asking Jesus before he shares his loaves and fishes to feed the +5,000, “have you made sure everyone here has a job and isn’t just looking for a handout?”

It looks like accepting the temptation from Satan that Jesus rejected, to have power over all earthly kingdoms.

It sounds like the crowd choosing Barabbas.

It looks like seeing Jesus hanging on the cross and saying “well, he should’ve just obeyed the law.”

It looks like hearing God say “I will pour out my spirit on all people” (Acts 2) where all nations, languages, and tribes were present then protesting by saying “America first!”

It looks like treating the fruit of the Spirit, like gentleness, as a weakness while praising the ruthlessness of the state as a strength.

It looks like using Romans 13 to justify uncritical obedience to the “governing authorities,” no matter how unjust their actions might be, while forgetting that Paul immediately follows it with “Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

It looks like standing at the foot of Caesar’s throne and saying “This must be God’s will” while ignoring the crucified King who said, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

It looks like using the Bible to seek first the power of the empire rather than the kingdom of God.

It looks like worshiping power rather than loving God and our neighbors.

It looks nothing like Jesus.

Jesus called his disciples together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. It must not be like that among you.“ -Matthew 20:25-26