November 1, 2020
Morning Service

Last week Paul reinforced what we have been saying around here for a long time; we are better together.  He instructed us to “bear one another burdens” and to “never grow weary in doing good” knowing that our efforts will reap us great reward in the end.  This is very encouraging knowing we have brothers and sisters around us that will be there in our time of need and also challenging to be that person for others.  Today, the Lord has led me slightly off of our normal path to address an issue that comes to fruition this week with the elections being held in our country.  This issue has been one that is causing a great division in our country and I feel compelled to address it to the church.  Each of us here today are proud citizens of the United States of America and I hope realize we are blessed to be living in the greatest country in the world.  We, however, are also followers of Jesus, Christians, that put our faith and our relationship with God above even our citizenship.  How can we put that perspective into play in our lives during this difficult time of political division?  Michael Youssef put out a short paper entitled “A Biblical worldview of government” that I have based this message on today.  It points us to scriptures that helps us understand the role of government in our life, and how we are to play our part as a Christian first and citizen second.

How are we as Christians to view our government?

Rom 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.  (2)  Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.  (3)  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.  (4)  For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.  (5)  Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.  (6)  For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing.  (7)  Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

          Paul writes this to a society that was being ruled by the Roman rule of law with Nero as its leader.  Nero was a cruel dictator that persecuted Christians without reason, yet Paul commands them to be subject to his authority.  We are to be loyal subjects to the government God has put into place.  It is God who puts governments into power and it is He that can change them.  He uses them as He did Pharaoh to fulfill His plan for this world.  We are to be good, faithful, law abiding citizen subject to the authority we live under.  If you resist that authority, you are resisting the ordinance of God.  When Jesus was questioned about paying taxes as a trick to trap Him in His words, He spoke this wisdom to us:

Mat 22:19-21 Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius.  (20)  And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  (21)  They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

          Jesus clearly showed them and us that to love God we are to obey the temporary authority of government as well as the eternal one of God.  By honoring the government, we honor God up to the point where they ask us to step outside of our faith and then we must draw the line and choose to follow Christ.  Jesus said this to the early disciples:

Mat 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  (25)  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.  (26)  For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

          Christ is to come before self, family and country; He is first always.  We are “in this world, but not of this world.”  A true Jesus follower knows exactly what that statement means.  When given a choice, we must obey God who gives eternal life over the authority of a temporary government.  We need not fear taking that stand for Christ, as He will empower you to overcome any obstacle.  We have not reached that point in America, but that day may come and we must be ready.

          A quick summary then is that we are to be faithful to Christ first and foremost, and also to be subject to the authority over us.  America is unique in many ways especially in how our founding fathers based much of our government on Biblical values.  It is also based uniquely as a government “by the people and for the people.”  We each play a part in our government by casting our vote for those who will lead us.  I believe it is our responsibility to have our voice heard as a Christian community through our votes.  God is in control, but we are to do our civic duty.  The issue we must deal with is that the people we are voting for are not perfect as we all know the only perfect One.  It is important then for us to therefore look at what policies they are promoting.  Vote for the person who best represents your Biblical worldview, despite any of his faults.  As a citizen we should examine how the candidate will best uphold the oath they will take to “Support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.”  That is what our country is based on.  Who will uphold the constitutional values of freedom of speech and religion?  Whose policies best reflect what I believe as a Christ follower?  Choose wisely with an American point of view but mostly a Christian point of view.  By doing this you fulfill your role as a Christian citizen of the USA.

          That said, the results will be what they are.  If we have done our civic duty, then we must except the results and move forward.  The people have spoken and God is still in control.  What should our reaction be either way?  What attitude should we display as Jesus followers?  Jesus said this:

 Mat 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  (14)  "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  (15)  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

          God has designated us as the church to be the “salt of the earth and the light of the world.”  We are to make things here on earth taste better and to illuminate those who are in darkness to come to the true Light of the world.  Without us proclaiming and living out God’s love in this world, who is going to do it?  In this time of division and unrest let’s let our light shine brightly for Christ.  He is the One true and perfect leader that we need to be faithful to.  When asked by Jesus when controversy arose in His ministry if he would leave as well Peter said this: “To whom shall we go, You have the words of eternal life.”

          By faithful following Jesus and loving our neighbor as ourselves, it will come natural for us to be good citizens of our country.  I encourage you to be the calm voice in this time storm and unrest in our country.  I will close with this description from the Roman writer for us to follow that will keep our minds focused on what really matters and how we are to be “salt and light.”

 

Romans 12:14-21

 

Prayer