January 10, 2021
Morning Service

I want to be very transparent with you this morning.  Since last Saturday there has been an oppressive spirit hanging over me.  It is the kind of feeling that something is just not right.  Part of it was our loss of our sister Patty on New Year’s Day and her funeral this week.  I mourned along with her family for the loss, but it went deeper than that.  It all came to a head on Wednesday with all that transpired in our nation’s capital.  That is not who we are and I also mourn for those who lost their lives in the chaos.  I am speaking to you this morning full of many emotions; anger, disgust, disappointment, distrust, uncertainty, frustration and even confusion.  Our nation is divided with each side believing they are right and no one stepping forward to bring us together.  There is a lack of transparency with many things being kept in the dark rather than confronting them in the light.  It is not just a difference of opinion, but there is hate in the voices of those who are talking from both sides.  How did we get here?  How do we get back to the nation we once were?  One of the emotions I mentioned is confusion and we know “God is not the author of confusion” (I Cor. 14:33) so we know the source of it; our enemy.  It is the spirit of evil that is behind all of this confusion and the battle we fight is a spiritual one not a political one.  In the news it seems very difficult to discern who is telling the truth, so I want to go to the one true source of truth this morning and try to set our minds into the proper perspective; place our feet on a firm foundation.  Romans 13 touches on three points that I believe will speak to us in this time of unrest.   It begins with Paul teaching us the perspective we are to have towards our government and those who have authority over us.

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 commands us to be subject to the “governing authorities” because it is God that has appointed them.  Do not ever doubt that fact.  Does that mean we must be silent and suppress our true feelings of frustration?  Absolutely not!  Our country is built as a government “by the people and for the people.”  We are allowed to voice our opinion and stand up for our rights in a peaceful manner.  Do all you can according to the law of the land.  We must make our voice heard through our elected officials and then trust the process that our founding fathers set in place through the Constitution.  It is not perfect but we are still the greatest nation on earth.  The point may come in the near future where if the law of the land dictates to us that we act contrary to our faith, then we will be forced to obey God rather than man as the apostles did. (Acts 5:29) He is the Ultimate Authority over us (Jn. 17:2) and we must be ready to obey Him faithfully above all others.  May God give us the wisdom to recognize it and the courage to do be faithful.  We are not there yet, but the day is coming.  Keep a close eye on any policy that speaks of “equality” and what it will mean to churches.  We are Christ Followers first who are also blessed to be Americans.  Our actions and words should reflect those priorities.  Let’s be true to the scriptures and be “doers of the Word and not hearers only.”  Pray for our nation, pray for our leaders, pray for the church to shine in this time of trouble, and “let all that we do be done with love.” (I Tim 2:2& I Cor. 16:14) That is who we are and that is what we do. That brings us to the second point of this chapter.

 

Rom 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  (9)  For the commandments, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY," "YOU SHALL NOT MURDER," "YOU SHALL NOT STEAL," "YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS," "YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."  (10)  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.  

            Jesus commanded us to love one another; which includes those we disagree with as well as those we consider our enemies.  Love defines us as individual Christians and as a Church.  We love through our actions and our words.  Any hate in your heart needs to be directed towards the evil spirits that are at work not the people who are carrying out its bidding.  This area is where we must display that we are not conformed to this world but transformed into a child of God.  It is extremely difficult to earnestly pray for someone who is despitefully using you or even persecuting you, but that is exactly what we are being called to do. (Matt. 6:44) We are called to be different and answer to a different set of standards than what the world answers to.  We answer to the law of love.  Is this easy?  No way!  It however is our calling because we are assured by scripture that “Love never fails.”  Our world needs to see a church full of Christ Followers who stand together in love, faith, resolve and without fear. (2 Tim 1:7) Through this time of pandemic and political chaos, we must stay on task of making disciples and loving one another.  The enemy will try to use this time to turn us off course, but we must stay focused on our mission for the kingdom.  Pray for one another and keep in contact as we do not need to feel alone.  That brings us to point number three and that is to WAKE UP!

Romans 13:11-14 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now, our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  (12)  The night is far spent; the day is at hand. Therefore, let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.  (13)  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.  (14)  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

            As I mentioned before the battle we are currently fighting is a spiritual one. (Eph. 6:12) Good is fighting against evil as it has from the beginning of time.  I believe Paul is speaking to each of us this morning as he cries for us to wake up and realize that the winds of change are blowing.  Open your spiritual eyes to what is happening.  Pray, fast, and read the Word like never before so you can see clearly and not be deceived.  “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” is Paul’s way of wording that.  Get things right in your life because there are difficult days ahead.  Can God heal our land?  Absolutely, pray diligently for it.  Will He heal our land?  May His will be done, not ours.  Could this be the “beginning of sorrows” mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 24?  Absolutely, so prepare for persecution and trials and don’t be caught asleep at the wheel.  Don’t let this political agenda consume you because it can.  Turn off the news and pick up your Bible.  Focus on the task at hand; the battle is a spiritual one. Take comfort in knowing God is in control; trust Him.  Ask the Spirit that lies within you to lead you into truth, to not be deceived, and empower you to live out your faith in this trying time. (I JN. 2:27) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  (James 4:8) God has a plan for this nation and for each of us.  Be a good citizen, love your neighbor, and spiritually wake up and prepare for what lies ahead.  Let 2021 be a time of spiritual revival in your life, in our church, in our community, and in our nation.

 

Heavenly Father, we cry out to You today to heal our land.  We repent of the our many shortcomings and ask for You to empower us as Your followers to be strong in the faith and live out what we believe.  Make us the Church that You designed us to be; faithful and fearless!