Roman 13 Sermon
Subject: Submission Preaching Portion: Romans 13:1-7
Theme: How to submit to civil authority Sermonic Process: Exposition
God Rules
Intro.:
1. ** Stuffmart – speed
2. Understanding the hierarchy that God has established
Explanation:
1. We have to understand what God expects in order to obey him
2. The context of these passages – to unvisited church, government centre, between love passages
3. Timely in a world trying to reclaim law and order.
Prop.: As Christians we have a duty to submit to civil authority
T.S.: Paul asserts that as Christians we have a duty to submit to civil authority by understanding the obligations outlined in Romans 13:1-7.
1. For God’s Sake – v 1, 2
U Everyone – psyche Gk. soul - inclusive
U No Authority but by God.
U Rebelling is against God.
U Misuse – Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar Daniel 4:19-28, 5:18-23
U Judgement for Misuse
U Judgement for Rebelling
Submitting To Civil Authority For God’s Sake
2. For Your Own Sake v. 3, 4
U Honest Citizen’s have no fear –** Radar Trap
U God’s agents/servants effecting justice on earth
U We are not permitted to avenge ourselves Rom. 12:17-19 ** Thief
U All Judgement doesn’t wait for Judgement Day
U Paul used legal system to avoid mistreatment – Acts 16:35-39; 22:22-29
U Government acts as avenger– even to extreme of capital punishment Gen. 9:6 Paul didn’t
Challenge right to sentence to death
- Cornelius to how to gain remission of sin but still soldier Acts10:43
Submitting To Civil Authority For Your Own Sake
3. For Conscience Sake v.5-7
U Believer is cognizant of God’s will and purposes
U Never taking lightly what God ordained
U Doing “right” easy on conscience **Key for Till
U Parting with money is difficult – but taxes to God’s servants
U Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s. Matt 22:21
U If we have freedom to exercise opinion then do it properly and Christlike ** Tax Revolt
U 2X taxes and revenue then 2x respect and honour
Submitting To Civil Authority For Conscience sake
Conclusion: So by understanding the obligations outlined in Romans 13:1-7. We see that as Christians we have a duty to submit to civil authority.
(Application)
ü We are to be good witnesses submitting for God’s sake - speeding
ü We are to protect ourselves from discpline – For Your Own Sake
ü We are obligated to be honest and pay our taxes – no illegal short cuts
-no “victimless” crimes i.e. cable
For Conscience Sake
1. For God’s Sake 2. For Your Own Sake 3. For Conscience Sake
Rom 13:1-7
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.
4 For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing.
7 Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (NIV)
Dan 4:25-28
25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like cattle and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.
26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
27 Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue."
28 All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. (NIV)
Dan 5:18-23
18 "O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor.
19 Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled.
20 But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
21 He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and sets over them anyone he wishes.
22 "But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this.
23 Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from his temple brought to you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways. (NIV)
Rom 12:17-19
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
(NIV)
Gen 9:6
6 "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.
(NIV)
Acts 16:35-39
35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men."
36 The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."
37 But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."
38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.
39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city.
(NIV)
Acts 22:22-29
22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!"
23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
24 the commander ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and questioned in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."
27 The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.
28 Then the commander said, "I had to pay a big price for my citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied.
29 Those who were about to question him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
(NIV)
Matt 22:21
21 "Caesar's," they replied. Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."
(NIV)