Christians and good government

Posted by Jacob Dell on

Proper 23

Amos 5:6-7, 10-15; Hebrews 4:12-16; Mark 10:17-31

An old hymn, since excised from our modern hymnals, has this verse:

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;

Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;

We naturally admire those who take a stand against civic evil, the martyrs who pay with their lives. We bask in their courage (as if it were ours) and claim we would do the same, yet few do. For that we may even feel a bit guilty.

This Sunday's reading from Amos offers our consciences a reprieve. The prophet counsels the prudent to "keep silent in such a time; for it is an evil time."

Keep silent? I thought silence was violence. Well, maybe there's more to these things than slogans can convey. But will we ever see good government restored?

The answer is yes.

Watch or read the sermon here to learn about the mysterious reversal taking place during which Jesus tells us that "many who are first will be last, and the last will be first" and the role those last-become-first have to play.