Political Life: Daily Duties
Notes
Transcript
Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.
INTRO—
“JESUS IS LORD.” … (say it with me…)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is more fundamentally political than the politics of our day (or any given point in our history, etc.) … R. Albert Mohler, Jr. — “When politics deals with allegiance and loyalty, there is nothing more fundamental about allegiance and loyalty than the claim that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
The most powerful political statement anyone can make (to be sure, it is much more than a political statement—but it is not less than an important statement impacting politics)…to the Matthew’s of Jesus’ day = Jesus is Lord, not Caesar (today, the President)…to the Simon’s [Zealot] of Jesus’ day = Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s (today, anti-authority/government(s)).
Last week, we saw that our ‘giving to Caesar...’ is a sacred, Christ-honoring responsibility (Matthew 22.15-21)…I mean, Jesus said it…preserved it in the Bible after all.
This being the case, we need to look to the Bible to see what our daily duties are in relationship to government… government authorities.
CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES (Romans 13.1-7; Titus 3.1-2; 1 Peter 2.11-17; 1 Timothy 2.1-2)
Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience. And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.
Include...
Submitting to Governing Authorities (Rom. 13.1-2; Titus 3.1; 1 Pet. 2.13)
Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority
“Submit” — To rank (‘line up’) under; to understand and live rightly in your position in relationship to… (Rom. 13.1b-2)
To those making and those enforcing the laws...
Do What is Good (Rom. 13.3; Titus 3.1; 1 Pet. 2.14-15)
Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
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. For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.
God created & saved us for good works (Eph. 2.10), including being the best, most-exemplary citizen this country has ever seen!
Accept Correction [Discipline] (Rom. 13.4; 1 Pet. 2.14)
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.
Breaking the law of the land comes with just (right) consequences.
No law enforcement doesn’t have anything better to do than carry out the enforcement of the laws of our nation, state, county, city.
Submit (re-emphasized), Because it’s the Right Thing to Do (Rom. 13.5; 1 Pet. 2.16)
Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
Want to reduce stress in your life? Obey the law...
“As God’s slaves”…Romans says we are slaves of righteousness.
Pay Taxes (Rom. 13.6-7)
This one I mentioned in my preview this week!
We can debate tax policy as Christians. We cannot debate paying taxes.
Pray for Government Leaders (1 Tim. 2.1-2)
First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
This we did today! This we must do so regularly, daily.
[Planned Tangent: “Yeah, we did this because the President is God’s man!”...
Ok…but be careful. What do you mean by this? (Well, we elected him…)
AND…did you say this about the previous President (Pres. Obama)…or Pres. Bush [either one]…or Pres. Clinton…or Pres. Reagan…or Pres. Carter? If not, you’ve been doing it wrong.
God’s man…to accomplish what? I would say we’re typically not very good judges of God’s purposes…especially on this aspect.
For these reasons, we pray for our leaders…and ourselves.
CIVIC CHALLENGES (Acts 4.19-20; Exodus 1.15-21; Dan. 1.3-21)
So…how many are already squirming? But what about…?!
The Bible clearly shows that government authority is not absolute (Only One has absolute authority and the right to command/require absolute obedience!).
BUT, let me be honest—I’m not going to spend much time on the exceptions…because we honestly need more work on the requirements than always trying to find a ‘reason’ not to fulfill our Civic Responsibilities.
Challenge 1 = When the Government Calls for (Requires) Us to Sin.
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives—the first, whose name was Shiphrah, and the second, whose name was Puah—16 “When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them as they deliver. If the child is a son, kill him, but if it’s a daughter, she may live.” 17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had told them; they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife can get to them.” 20 So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became very numerous. 21 Since the midwives feared God, he gave them families.
3 The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the Israelites from the royal family and from the nobility—4 young men without any physical defect, good-looking, suitable for instruction in all wisdom, knowledgeable, perceptive, and capable of serving in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the Chaldean language and literature. 5 The king assigned them daily provisions from the royal food and from the wine that he drank. They were to be trained for three years, and at the end of that time they were to attend the king. 6 Among them, from the Judahites, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 7 The chief eunuch gave them names; he gave the name Belteshazzar to Daniel, Shadrach to Hananiah, Meshach to Mishael, and Abednego to Azariah. 8 Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself. 9 God had granted Daniel kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch, 10 yet he said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and drink. What if he sees your faces looking thinner than the other young men your age? You would endanger my life with the king.” 11 So Daniel said to the guard whom the chief eunuch had assigned to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.” 14 He agreed with them about this and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days they looked better and healthier than all the young men who were eating the king’s food. 16 So the guard continued to remove their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables. 17 God gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind. 18 At the end of the time that the king had said to present them, the chief eunuch presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king interviewed them, and among all of them, no one was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they began to attend the king. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and mediums in his entire kingdom. 21 Daniel remained there until the first year of King Cyrus.
[Also in Book of Daniel… Disobeying decrees— Shad, Mesh, Abed (Dan. 3.1-26) & Dan (Dan. 6.1-24)]
Challenge 2: Speaking Prophetically to Government Leaders
14 King Herod heard about it, because Jesus’s name had become well known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that’s why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.” 16 When Herod heard of it, he said, “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him. 21 An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When Herodias’s own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He promised her with an oath: “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” “John the Baptist’s head,” she said. 25 At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter immediately.” 26 Although the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
Multiplied OT prophets (Elijah, Nathan, Isaiah)
CONCL—
Ultimately politics is not ultimate!…JESUS IS LORD.
Mohler (again) — “If politics is ultimate to you, then Jesus Christ isn’t Lord to you. If politics is unimportant to you, you’re not obeying Christ when He says, ‘Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
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.”