The Unknown servants of God.
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Welcome. Thanks.
Delighted to gather to worship God together.
Remind us to PD and adhere to guidelines
We need each other more now than ever before.
The world needs the church more than ever before.
Two services. Wed night/ Friday night.
Jul 1 st - Canada Day. This Canada Day we are facing many issues.
We are living in troubled times, perilous times. Faced with numerous questions and issues.
In our present series, A Season of Reckoning, we are seeking to examine God’s Word to provide a framework, some principles that ought to inform our stance, our position to all that is happening around us.
How do we respond to events surrounding us?
What does the Bible say? As followers of Jesus, our minds have to renewed by the Word of God.
We need to think God’s way. Be transformed by the renewing of the mind
Title: The Unknown Servants of God
Text:
1 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.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3 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,
4 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.
5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
7 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.
8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Two weeks ago:
God created man in His likeness and image.
Human life is of great value.
All men are created equal.
God does not show favoritism
God teaches to treat everyone fairly.
Love the foreigner.
Love our neighbor as ourselves
Love your enemies
As we focus on systemic racism, the question is how to address it?
What about government?
Do we engage, respect or rebel?
Are we to submit partially, completely, conveniently - when I like? Are we to rebel openly?
MV:
English Standard Version Chapter 13
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.
Text is from a church leader’s letter 2000 years ago to the Roman church.
it seems as if Paul was aware that the Roman Christians were needed such advice
There is evidence that various groups in the capital, including Jews, were agitating against the paying of taxes.
You may say: That’s easy for Paul to write. He lived in the NT times, those were the times of Jesus, the world was at peace, there was justice, no corruption.
There was tremendous suffering and persecution under Roman rule.
So why does he say we should be subject to the governing authorities?
5 Reasons:
1. They are instituted by God.
1. They are instituted by God.
v1-
English Standard Version Chapter 13
For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
God has appointed the authorities. v2
21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
Daniel 4.17 “ the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men”
Every country has its own structure - monarchy, democracy
The world cannot operate without an authority structure, a hierarchical structure of power, roles and responsibilities.
As soon as a group comes together - a leader is officially or unofficially recognized, especially if there is a task to be done.
We ask the question: “Who’s in charge here?” “Who makes the final call?”
So no one does as he or she pleases.
Whenever everyone does as he/she pleases, things never turn out well.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
We see in that book when there is no king - rampant sin, oppression, injustice, idolatry, and immorality.
That vacuum of law and order leads to lawlessness. Our sinfulness is manifested in evil and wickedness.
God has mandated authority in four areas of life:
Home
Church
Work
Nation
2. They are respected by God.
2. They are respected by God.
Story in Gen 20
Abraham and Sarah went to a place called Gerar. He introduced Sarah his wife as his sister.
And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.”
4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.”
6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
8 So Abimelech -What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.”
11 Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ 12 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father though not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.
Abraham assumed this was a godless city - yet here was God connecting with the king.
God did not disregard the king although Abraham was His chosen vessel. No favoritism.
Also evident in the NT
Jesus as well as Paul, Peter, respected the law and authorities.
Jesus was not a revolutionary leader, some rebel.
Yes, He upturned the money-handlers in the temple, not the local government.
When HE was being arrested, they came with swords and clubs.
Matthew 26:50–52 Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”
We will review Peter ‘s position at the end.
3. They are in involved by God.
3. They are in involved by God.
Back into Genesis, The Pharaoh -time of Joseph. Joseph was stuck in prison and God gave Pharaoh a dream.
Gen. 41.1 - Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile,
God was going to work through Pharaoh to protect the descendants of Abraham
25 Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, “The dreams of Pharaoh are one; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do.
God has access to the hearts of the most powerful men on earth. They cannot escape Him.
That’s why He taught us to pray for them.
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
The Pharaoh -time of Moses
God sent Moses to Pharaoh - Let my people go.
He had the option. He was given the warning.
Nebuchanezzar
Dan. 2.1 - N. had dreams
God was showing the most powerful man in the world, the leader of the most powerful empire at that time what He was planning.
God showed him all the coming kingdoms - Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman.
God works in and through the leaders. He is in control.
4. They are servants of God.
4. They are servants of God.
4 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.
He is God’s servant. Says this 2x in v4
The word for servant is ‘diakonos’ the same word for deacon.
He is God’s servant for your good.
The same respect we pay to a deacon in the church, we should be paying to a representative of the government.
You say, now you are going too far! That’s preposterous! But Paul adds more
They are even more than servants -
They are ministers of God
6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
The church has deacons and a minister.
I am the minister, we have deacons
Paul calls them servants and now ministers [leitourgus]
Paul is using ecclesiastical phrases in a secular context - exousia, diakonos, leitourgus - authorities of God, servants of God, ministers of God.
He is elevating the governing authorities to seemingly spiritual status.
The same way you pay your tithes for your spiritual care to your church, pay your taxes.
21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
God loves peace, righteousness, justice , law and order. The structure has to be in place.
Is it perfect? No. If the church of the redeemed is not perfect what would you expect from those who are not?
5. They are agents of God’s wrath
5. They are agents of God’s wrath
There are three branches of government:
executive branch [decision-making]
legislative branch [law-making]
judicial branch [interpret the laws]. The judicial branch of government is there to maintain justice in society.
The executive branch enforces the law.
3 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,
4 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.
5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
He carries out God’s wrath. He does not bear the sword in vain.
They are a terror to bad conduct - lawless, evil, wickedness, gang violence, assaults, robberies, injustice.
When you are threatened - safety, robbery - Who you gonna call?
Not Ghostbusters!
On the earth, God has established governments to rule and to judge wrongdoing.
Be in subjection!
For the sake of your conscience - your conscience will prick you when you do something wrong.
Conclusion
13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
How to bring about change?
Pray
Vote
Contact your local councilor, MP, MPP? Join a political party?
Get involved in politics