Sermon Tone Analysis

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Just leaving the Holiday Season
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year 2018
Family and Friends, Celebrate, Parties, Gift, Meals
Two subjects generally off limits (Sanity): Religion and Politics
Today I get to speak about both…lucky me
All joking aside, there are many implications in today’s text
About War and Peace
Regarding Dictatorships and Democracies
Concerning Law and Justice
On Taxes, Voting, Speed Limits, Seat Belt Laws
This is a small section, but is no small text
This is not about Democrat, Republic, Libertarian
This is not about Conservative or Liberal
My prayer is that we will see guide post for future thinking when we consider our responsibility to civil authority as the body of Christ.
End of Romans 12 “What marks a true believer”
Love - Let love be genuine (without hypocrisy)
Generosity - Contributing to the needs of others (time, money, gifts)
Hospitality - Making a friend of the stranger
Peace - As far as it depends on you
Not stirring up trouble - Not looking for opportunity to fight
Not seeking revenge (Law of Talon) Eye for an Eye
Responding in an respectable way to those who would seek to harm us
Why now, make mention of Governing Authority here?
An extension of society (Same Realm) (God-Man-Society)
Common to all - no ungoverned places/people in the world.
Grand Scale - A form of Central Government
Monarchies, Democracies, Dictatorships
More remote places: Tribal or Clan leadership
Minor Scale - Various Authorities Around Us
Judges, Police Officers, Bosses, Teachers, Parents
Some form of Hierarchy is present in all societies/cultures
This transcends the Roman Empire
Not just for them
Americans, Koreans, Iraqis (all nations)
For Nomadic and Tribal Cultures (all peoples)
Citizens, Immigrants, Employees, Students
This extension is to be included in our seeking to benefit society, not excluded or ignored
Paul was probably addressing mounting tension in Rome
Jewish people, even Christian Jews were kicked out of Rome in 55AD under Emperor Claudius for disturbances.
Most likely tied to arguments over who Jesus was.
Roman Citizens were skeptical of Christianity, due to superstition.
For example, many believed Christians practiced cannibalism because of their observance of communion.
Eating His Flesh/Drinking Blood
Many in Rome thought that Christians wanted to overthrow the government.
This lead to Christian persecution under Emperor Nero, who blamed Christians for the fire he started while he was drunk, that burned down 2/3 Rome.
All who read his letter, Christian or Roman Official, saw that Christianity was not about disrupting government, because Christianity recognizes God’s purpose for government.
God’s Purpose in Government / Authority
Romans 13:1-2
We know God has a purpose b/c government is appointed by God (OT is full of God using Governments for Glory)
Pharoah enslaved the Hebrews, was used to show God’s power
Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon and Syria and God uses him to rebuild the Jewish Temple
Josiah was 8 when he became king and destroyed all the pagan alters and idols in his kingdom
Pilate was a governor with authority and God uses Him to release Barabbas and hand Jesus over to be crucified.
Daniel 2:20-21 After God reveals meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
Paul is assuring believers, that God is not asleep at the wheel
The authority in your life might be a godly person, or they could be one of the most vile people you know; God can use either to serve His ultimate purpose and reveal His glory.
No matter who is in office, who gets the promotion and becomes your boss.
…God is not taken by surprise, and He is not pacing the floor trying to come up with plan B.
God has a purpose for those He has placed in authority, and sometimes it is greater than what we can see in the moment.
So when the election is over REMEMBER: How we react is evidence of two things
It shows our trust and faith in God (or lack of it) That He is sovereign and in control
It shows where our hope is: Is it in a president, is it in man’s wisdom and power; or do we wait/long for the day that Jesus comes to restore all things - no matter the results.
Are we continually sharing with others our belief that “WE” can’t fix this, that our hope is always solely in our God.
PS - If we passed only christian laws in America, it would not make us a Christian nation…
We cannot legislate conversion, neither can you create converts by the sword.
Our hope is not in legislation that changes action, it is in a Savior who changes hearts.
We can rest, and endure knowing that God is sovereign, and place all our hope in His wisdom, His power, and His purpose
The primary responsibility of those in authority is not to save the world, but it is the restraint of evil.
We see this in movies, these dsytopias, cities or towns in chaos w/o order (Think Judge Dredd or Tombstone)
Tombstone
Wyatte Earp, Doc Holiday go to Dodge City
The Town is in chaos, no law…the Clanton Gang runs wild
Wyatt Earp calls for backup; He, His brothers and Doc Holiday clean up the town…they bring law and justice…they bring order to chaos
In scripture, Judges…without leadership, we see over and over, everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
God sends in these judges to rescue and salvage His people before they destroy themselves.
Romans 13:3-4
God has purposed that government restrain evil
Remember we said last time, we are called to love our enemies, to live peaceably as far as it depends on us…but this does not mean we forget about justice…it is not swept under the rug.
Romans 12:19
There is a future justice
If they repent…Jesus has suffered their wrath, they are forgiven by God
If they refuse to repent....God’s wrath eternally, separation from God forever in Hell
But there is also justice now
Even if they repent…there still may be a fine, or jail time
God has purposed that civil rulers have the authority and the responsibility to punish evil.
When you report a crime to the police you are seeking justice by God’s good design.
When our armed forces searched for those responsible for murdering thousands in the world trade centers, they were seeking justice by God’s good design.
Paul says these authorities are God’s servants for our good because they are a restraint to evil, and they approve of what is good…it is for our benefit/protection.
Paul is implying that government should be a good enforcer of God’s moral law, of what is “right and wrong”
He is not saying the government defines “right and wrong”
He is saying that they are tasked with upholding a standard of right and wrong, and Paul is suggesting that the standard they use be God’s.
v3 - They are not a terror to good, but bad conduct
This is like saying “We don’t burp at the table”, not meaning we never do, but implying we shouldn’t…it is rude
If you do good…God’s good, then they should approve of this good.
If you do wrong...God’s wrong, they carry out punishment.
So if God’s purpose of government is enforcing moral law, approving of good and punishing evil, how should Believers respond?
What is Our Responsibility?
Romans 13:5-7
Our responsibility as Christians is submission to God first, and because of our submission to God we also submit to the authorities He has placed us in subjection to.
So we pay all what they are due:
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