Sermon Tone Analysis

Historical Parallels

Roman Gov’t drafted edicts that greatly and tragically effected the lives of both Jews and Christians alike.

Orosius references Jewish expulsion in 19 AD and 50 AD during the reign of Claudius.

Jews & Christians return after Claudius’ death in 54 AD and by 57 AD Jewish & Christian communities were flourishing.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.”

Roman historian Suetonius describes Christ and Christians as, “a pernicious and baneful class of people.”

US Gov’t becoming more and more antagonistic to a Biblical World View.

Laws protecting and promoting abortion.

Laws that redefine marriage

Incorrect interpretation of 1st Amendment phrase “freedom OF religion” as “freedom from religion.”

Responses

Essential Truths

Roman Gov’t drafted edicts that greatly and tragically effected the lives of both Jews and Christians alike.

Orosius references Jewish expulsion in 19 AD and 50 AD during the reign of Claudius.

Jews & Christians return after Claudius’ death in 54 AD and by 57 AD Jewish & Christian communities were flourishing.

“After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.”

Roman historian Suetonius describes Christ and Christians as, “a pernicious and baneful class of people.”

Jews & Christians return after Claudius’ death in 54 AD and by 57 AD Jewish & Christian communities were flourishing.

US Gov’t becoming more and more antagonistic to a Biblical World View.

Laws protecting and promoting abortion.

Laws that redefine marriage

Incorrect interpretation of 1st Amendment phrase “freedom OF religion” as “freedom from religion.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Essential Truths

These truths ought to encourage us and help us have peace during a political environmental of unprecedented toxicity.

God blesses the world by giving GOVERNMENT to the people and for the poeple.

Gov’t as an objective institution is a blessing from God.

God places men and women in authority to govern - to provide order to life to ensure prosperity.

Roman laws actually protected many Jewish customs and rites.

By extension early Christians enjoyed these same protections because the gov’t saw the as a subset of Judaism.

Gov’t chief purpose is to reward good and punish evil behavior.

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Not all government is GOOD government.

Not all government is GOOD government.

Why? SIN.

The “political crisis” that we are experiencing is the result of sin and is nothing new and is not unknown to God.

Gov’ts go astray - they always have.

And when they do we must stand on the Word of God.

Jesus himself recognizes the tension and reminds the crowd in “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

Early in Peter’s ministry he comes face to face

Acts

We must remember that God grants authority to fallen men and women so that they may do good and reward good.

Therefore, when they pass laws and try to enact controls that go against what God has determined to be Good we must stand

Despite the extreme brokenness of government, God is still in CONTROL.

Throughout the Bible God uses foreign governments to accomplish his purposes.

God is

Government is

Many of us go into this time with a great deal of fear because we forget that God is in control.

Yes we will experience hardships,

Yes, laws will be

How should we to respond?

Christian citizens are called to REPENT.

The mark of the Christians life is to be honest about our present condition and to turn away from - not just once but continually.

We all have gone astray in how we think and act towards those in authority and those across the political aisle.

We must look inward and ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts to identify and weed out sin.

VERTICALLY - in our lack of faith and the God truly is in control no matter who is in the White House or the Governor’s Mansion.

Regardless of which party control which house or who might be appointed to as State, Federal, and Supreme Court Judges - GOD IS IN CONTROL!

HORIZONTALLY - in our own disobedience to PRAY for those in authority and to PARTICIPATE in the process.

Communion will offer us the opportunity

Christians are called to PRAY.

Titus

SUPPLICATION - the ask

Clement at the end of the 1st Century offered this prayer even after the fiery persecution from Nero and Domitian that occurred during the last half of the 1st Century.

His prayer was that those who have recieved “glory and honour and power” over earthly things from God, the eternal King, “that they may administer with piety, in peace and gentleness, the authority given to them.”

Even in light of terrible persecution Christians prayer earnestly for their rulers.

INTERCESSION - Passionate and persistent prayer on behalf of another person.

THANKSGIVING - Praising God for the good he accomplishes through men and women in leadership.

This is also publically and privately recognizing their good work.

Christians are called to PARTICIPATE.

I is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.20

Jews & Christians return after Claudius’ death in 54 AD and by 57 AD Jewish & Christian communities were flourishing.

SUBMIT

This is an action of the will.

Every man, woman, and child must determine that they will place themselves under the authority of another.

Obvious meaning - that as citizens we are to obey the laws of the land.

Nuanced meaning - Every candidate that has ever run has wished that more people would participate in the process.

They have asked and we should respond

VOTE with an informed position and not just down party lines.

Volunteer for candidates that need your support and align with what is good - THEY MAY NOT BE OF THE SAME FAITH and that is okay.

Write letters and let your voice be heard.

Support organizations that fight for Good and defend the Character of God.

Throughout Bible God uses men and women of faith to exert His influence in the political sphere

Daniel to nebuchadnezzar

Joseph to Pharoh

Paul to the Roman Proconsul Sergius Paulus

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Wayne A. Grudem, Politics according to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 75.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Wayne A. Grudem, Politics according to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 75.