This World is not our home
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Good morning it is good to see everyone here this morning. Please turn with me in your Bibles to .
Heavenly Father you know there is nothing I can do to affect and inform the hearts of your people, God you and you alone can reach these hearts, you and you alone can reach my heart. Father please according to your grace and mercy, speak to us this morning in JEsus name Amen.
We have been going through our series about traps snares and faulty mindsets that seek to derail us in our walk with Christ.
The trap of tradition
The trap of fear
The trap of feeling unloved unimportant or insignifigant
The trap of unforgiveness
The “i’ll get things right with Jesus later” trap
This will be the final message in this series and I hope you come back next week because I am really excited about whats coming next. I really feel like the Lord has given me a word for us and has given direction to me in a new way.
But this morning, I want to speak with you on this subject. THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME
“This world is not my home, I’m just passing through
my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue
The angels beckon me from Heavens door
and I cant feel at home in this world anymore
Oh Lord you know I have no friend like you
If Heavens not my home then Lord what will I do
The angels beckon me from Heavens open door
and I cant feel at home ion this world anymore.”
We have sung this song, we have played this song, when I read this song I can hear Gene Kirklands voice sing it, since he was one of the main ones who I have heard sing it.
The song is simple but true THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME ITS NOT YOUR HOME. IN the apostle Paul lays out for us how we should live in light of this reality.
is broken down into 3 sections.
“The Christians relationship with governing authorities”
“The Christians response to his fellow man”
“The Christians response to living in the last days”
You do realize we are in the last days…
Some might say well Paul believed it to, he did, all believers throughout the ages have believed that we are living in the last days and that is the way God wanted it. I believe that if the apostle believed he was living in the last days then we are living in the last hours of the last days.
Jesus can return at any time, I believe that wholeheartedly, when you live that way believing the Lord could return at any time, your living is different. We talked last week about the virgins and their lamps. Some were wise and they made themselves ready they were found faithful and ready when the bridegroom came.
Yet there were some who were foolish, they were not ready, someone brought up a good point this week, that we must make ourselves ready by serving the Lord faithfully until He comes. BUt if you’ll remember the Bible records in that parable that the 5 unwise servants had fallen asleep waiting on the bridegroom to come.
If we look at the world today it is easy to see the coming of the Lord could happen at any moment if we look at the church today we can see that the church in America is asleep at the wheel.
The church is asleep at the wheel because we have fallen into the trap of getting cozy in this old world when this is not our final destination. we have become cozy and comfortable and fallen asleep spiritually.
When we are woke Christians then we believe that our home is in glory and we live differently. If you and I believed that our home would be broken into what would we do?
Theres a vigilience that you have if you live in a part of the world where that sort of thing happens alot where people break into homes and cars on a regular basis you are more aware in the way that you live, you are more prepared in the way you live, if you knew, if you got word that someone was gonna break into your house at 1:30 am on a particular night of the week, youd be ready.
Jesus told oyu He is coming back but He didn’t give you a specific time He just said I am coming back, and you arent gonna know the day nor the hour so be ready, it changes the way we live, thats what the last section of this chapter is gonna deal with.
But there are some things God expects from us as Christians here on this Earth while we are waiting. The first thing God expects from us has to do with government.
The Christians Relationship with Government
The Christians Relationship with Government
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
This was a very real issue at this time and it was a very real question among the early disciples in the church, what should we do with the governing authorities, the reason why is bc they had placed their loyalty in the hands of a king.
So have we, did you know that? You and I are under a King, and you know what He says about His kingdom?
That king made an interesting statement about his kingdom: MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD.
They believed it and we ought to believe it as well. They were being taught things about their citizenship.
but our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
This is what the early Christians were taught, the King that you and I follow is not a King of this world but our loyalty is with Him.
Our citizenship, our address you permanent address is in Heaven.
The Bible tells us we are aliens and strangers on this Earth.
all of that to say we are not at home here, this is not our home, it feels sometime like our home, we treat it like it is our home but we atre not at home.
So if we are under a King the Lord Jesus and our citizenship is Heaven how should we deal with the governement of this world?
Technically speaking our submission is to Jesus and His kingdom, how should we respond to the government of this world?
PAUL SAYS WE ARE TO SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITIES OF THIS WORLD
Even pay taxes
Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires that war against you.
1 Peter 2:11
1 Peter
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the Emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.
It is a clear teaching of the NT that you and I are to be law abiding citizens in whatever government structure we are under. Now when I hear that it is a hard pill to swallow especially when there is such wickedness in our government these days.
One of the reasons we are told to follow the established governing authorities and essentially the law is put in place to keep order. Thats why it is called law and order.
order comes as a result of the law and heres why it matters to God bc God is a God of order.
The Bible tells us that in our God is not a God of disorder He is a god of order and bc He is a god of order He wants us to be established in following the order of law of the land. Christians should be the most obedient respectful people on the planet.
Thats the way we oughtta be bc the flipside of order is disorder and chaos. We dont serve the god of anarchy and lawlessness.
In Thessalonians Paul speaks of the antichrist to come as one who will be called the lawless one. In fact that is the spirit of the antichrist. isn’t it interesting there is such an outcry against those in authority. Did you ever think that we would see our police officers treated so poorly?
Not once or twice, but every single day?
There is no repsect for those in authority today, and it is bc we are under a antichrist spirit of lawlesness in our nation.
Lawlessness
The question comes down to who are we gonna reflect in the world are we going to reflect the spirit of our Father who is in Heaven the One who establishes order in the universe or are you and I going to reflect the lawless one the rebellious one?
Whether we like it or not, this is what Gods word has to say on the subject, now what Paul doesnt mention in this passage is the issue of a Christians right to disobey.
It is a Biblical right to stand when the governments of man try to overrule what God has commanded.
So for example if the US government tells me I can no longer preach the Bible or preach in the name of Jesus Christ I WILL DISOBEY.
If the government informs me that prayer in certain places will not be allowed I will disobey.
If the government informs me that I must perform same sex marriages I will disobey.
So this command does not mean that we are to allow the government to dictate our obedience to God and His word actually it says the opposite.
But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Now this was the time when they were being ordered by the governing authorities DO NOT PREACH IN THIS NAME ANYMORE now that was the law and they had the right to come up with any law they wanted to come up with.
These disciples responded to that law respectfully judge for yourselves whether it is right to obey God or man, were gonna have to obey God. In this case God trumps you.
Now listen I don’t care what you think God told you, you cannot go 75 miles an hour in a 45 mph zone.
That ain’t God telling you that, you cannot claim that God told you to disobey the law, unless they are forcing you to disobey God.
This will happen more and more as these last days wind down.
There are many countries where it is against the law to preach the gospel, to witness to someone about Jesus Christ and you can get thrown into prison.
(cake maker)
(Pastor)
YOU OBEY GOD NOT MAN IF MAN TRIES TO GET YOU TO DISOBEY GOD YOU IGNORE MAN, YOU LISTEN TO GOD
Right now it is just socially unaccaptable to share CHrist but who knows whats coming?
“The city of Houston has issued subpoenas demanding a group of pastors turn over any sermons dealing with homosexuality, gender identity or Annise Parker the cities first openly lesbian mayor. Those ministers who fail to comply could be held in contempt of court.”
FOX NEWS 2014
2016 this happened in GA
who knows when the day might come when the gospel goes from politically incorrect to illegal?
I believe that unless God intervenes I will see this day in my lifetime.
When that day comes are you going to contiue sharing Jesus even when it is illegal?
Have you thought about it?
One question?
IF you are not sharing Jesus now in your freedom, how will you have the courage to share Him when it could cost you everything?
Its something we probably should think about.
Now if you think the leaders here are bad they were even worse in Paul’s day.
They got nothing on Nero, even the roman people considered him to be out of control and wicked. When Paul wrote this remark and He is writing to the Christians living in Rome during the time of Neros reign, obey the government.
BE OBEDIENT
Jesus commands it
Be law abiding citizens, if you owe taxes, pay them, if you owe the government pay them, its not fair listen I dont make a killing at tax time if I break even I am doing good.
We cannot cheat and lie and then expect Gods blessing.
Not only that we should honor elected officials we should respect the office.
Because we are obeying Christ
The Christians Response to His Fellow Man
The Christians Response to His Fellow Man
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:9-
The commandments:
Do not commit adultery;
do not murder;
do not steal;
do not covet;
and whatever other commandment—all are summed up by this: Love your neighbor as yourself.
Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
It is our obligation to love it is a debt we owe
This should be the distinguishing mark of our Christianity.
We should be the most respectful law abiding people, we should also be the most loving people.
LISTEN TO ME THIS MORNING CHRISTIAN HE BEGINS BY SAYING LOVE ONE ANOTHER
DONT YOU TELL ME YOUR IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IF YOU ARE NOT LOVING ONE ANOTHER?
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING WRONG BETWEEN MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND GET IT RIGHT
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN YOU AND ANOTHER CHRISTIAN THEN GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER AND GET IT RIGHT!
This is how we ought to live.
How are we doing?
HOW AM I DOING?
Thats what we should be asking ourselves
OWE NO ONE ANYTHING- this some people take and they use it to say that the Bible forbids incurring debt ever and so they say we should never be in debt. Staying out of debt is a good idea but this phrase is better understood NEVER LET DEBTS GO UNPAID
BOTTOM LINE JESUS TEACHES US TO PAY WHAT WE OWE AND THAT IS HARD SOMETIMES It essentially means if you have given your word be true to your word let your yes be yes and your no no.
if you sign on the dotted line and say you’ll pay something then do what you say, be true to your word
He says all the law and prophets are summed up in love
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF
LOVE DOES NO WRONG TO A NEIGHBOR
Are you doing someone wrong?
Have you done somebody wrong?
Then make it right.
The Christians response to the second coming
The Christians response to the second coming
Besides this, knowing the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk with decency, as in the daylight: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.
He says this YOU KNOW THE TIME
Do we?
Where is our time talent and treasure being spent?
AM I aware of the fact that Christ is coming again? Can people tell I love Jesus by the way I live my life by the way I talk?
Are we really aware of the hour we are in?
DO you guys remember when Jesus addressed the religious leaders?
The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.
He answered them: “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.
Now obviously the signs of the times was dealing with the coming of the Messiah and He is telling them “you’ve missed it” you have missed all the markers that tell you who I am. But I wonder sometimes if Jesus spoke to the church today if we might receive a similar rebuke. You know how to predict and look at things you can predict the weather you can look at all the models and sattelites so you can be able to see when this is going to happen when that is going to happen, but YOU DONT TAKE SERIOUSLY THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The prophetic reality of living in the world we live in today.
The night is nearly over, and the daylight is near, so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
The dawning of the time or the day of the Son of man the day of the Lord. Paul says since this day is fast approaching, there isonly one conclusion to draw...
LETS US DISCARD THE WORKS OF DARKNESS AND PUT ON THE ARMOR OF LIGHT
Now If Cory were in sin, I wouldn’t go to him and say you need to discard all of these deeds of darkness. I wold say something like this, brother you need to repent of this stuff in your life and lets get back on track with the Lord.
You need to put on Christ
But thats what Paul is saying here He is saying we need to reject the lifestyle of those whose natural state is to live in the darkness of this world. Let me put it another way, WHY ARE WE LIVING LIFE THE SAME WAY LOST FOLKS DO WHEN WE CLAIM TO KNOW JESUS?
We need to reject that, out it off.
Here we are living in this world that isnt our home, and yet were here. But were called not to act like the world. So Paul says in light of the reality that Jesus is coming backand by the way there are more prophetic markers today for His second coming than there were for His first coming.
So we know beyond any shadow that Jesus is returning to this Earth, coming for His church and coming to rescue Israel and He is coming to redeem the land and will usher in the milleniual kingdom and we know this is coming these are not questions, these are realities.
We have every expectations that these things are coming, so how are we living?
Paul says dont live like those who live in darkness!
How they treat money and people and choices how they treat relationships and parenting, your lifestyle is to be different it is to be other than the world. We are to live this way bc Jesus is coming back to judge the darkness of this world.
So he says dont be caught in it, dont be found living in that darkness, se he says put on the armor of light this means to embrace the character of Jesus embrace His life that He wants you to live and he wants to live through you.
As you walk through the dark world we live in.
But know this, living like Him letting him live through you, thats going to look very different from the kind of lifestyle than the people living today and that means your going to stand out.
But not in a good way, in a way that the rest of the world is going to be offended by you. The world will be offended if you decide to stand out and live for Jesus. They will accuse you of being a biggot and full of hate and intolerant, they will accuse you of having a small mind or a closed mind.
You will come to know in a very personal way what Paul said to Timothy
In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
The flesh is so strong how do we say no to the flesh?
Notice the last verse of the chapter
Romans
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires.
Thats is one of the most interesting statements
That the Bible gives about how to resolve those things the world calls addiction.
What is an addiction?
It is a repeated behavior that has become a rut in your life, something you have repeated over and over and over
and now you have very little control if any at all bc you’ve given in to that behavior for so long, so what is the answer?
Make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires in other words take that thing, out of your hands in terms of your ability to freely engage in it.
When it comes down to how much you wanna be free from that thing, you really find out who wants to be free and who does not.
How about we literally take away so that you will not do this?
What is it that has you stuck?
Are you willing to carry a cell phone where there is no temptation?
Are you willing to remove things from your life that ave always been there?
Do you want Jesus that much?
We need to be respectful to the ruling authorities
We need to love one another
We need to remember Christ is coming, and if we are to be found ready we must set aside those hidden things we dont reveal to anyone, God knows theres no poiint in hiding, but the beauty is He sees and He still loves you.