Those in Authority
Ecclesiastes: Follow God's Command • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsWickedness is everywhere, even in authority, but though it seems like it goes unpunished, know that God is just and it is best to fear God
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Jeff Deskovic
1989 class mate killed and assaulted
DNA Excluded him, no physical evidence, but a coerced confession
after 16 years in prison, finally freed and all charges and convictions removed from record
Justice does not alway go the way it should
it seems that many go without ever seeing it
Yet God is in control
Solomon teaches us that God is the one who gives out justice,
so over and over he says, “Fear God”
not in a scared way, but honor him.
Wicked in authority (1-9)
Wicked in authority (1-9)
wisdom guides
Holy Spirit guides
Paul before Aggripa “you almost converted me”
Daniel before many kings
Face to beam
blessing from God
Numbers 6:25 The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;
Stephen’s Face (Acts 6:15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.)
Though darkness surround, wisdom on the face of a man will guide his way
Wisdom and wickedness
Those in Authority
1 Peter 2:13-17 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
God placed him there for a purpose
be slow and thoughtful before acting harshly to those in authority
1970 ad “Don’t bother to vote, the government always gets in”
There is always corruption
but a time and place and proper protocol for dealing with it
don’t be a reactionary
Don’t react, respond
We don’t know what God has planned. We don’t know the future and only God controls it
this is not meaning never get involved, do so! vote!
but understand God has a purpose and a plan
so wait on him, use wisdom
Corruption exists, bad governments are everywhere
Justice will Come (10-13)
Justice will Come (10-13)
Solomon says, he has seen the wicked worshiping in the temple yet they died, and soon they are forgotten
they may have worshiped here, they may have visited here, but because of their wickedness,
their worship is not remembered, They are not known by God.
They have a dead hope
Spurgeon once said, “Of all the frightful things a man can look upon, the face of dead hope is the most horrible.”
Seems though that wicked go unpunished
justice is slow in our time, but it does come
Longest criminal case in US legal history is the McMartin Preschool case
lasted 7 years and cost $15 million. (also the most expensive case)
ended with no convictions
more evil done thinking nothing will happen
we deceive ourselves thinking that our worldly justice will always work out
Elphaz in Job
“think now, what innocent man has perished and where have the upright been cut off? As I have seen, those who plow trouble, these who sow wrong, reap it.”
though a rhetorical question, the answer is not what he expects
Though it seems the wicked prosper
wisdom knows that it is proper to fear God
They may seem to escape justice, but know true justice is coming
Lengthen his days like a shadow
not reality, seems like it, he hopes it, but reality is, it is not well for him
God is just and justice will be poured out
Conclusion
Conclusion
Evil and wickedness is everywhere
we try to hide it, pretend that id does not exist, but it does
we say, it can’t happen here, but it does
its in authority, its in every facet of society
we look around and think, nothing is being done
God is in control
Instead of lashing out and trying to fight wickedness with wickedness
fear God
you can’t find wickedness with the same
they can never destroy themselves
Only God can conquer it
Fear God
Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.
Do you fear God?
do you honor God?
are you so enamored by the wickedness of the world that you fail to honor God?
instead, every word you speak comes as hate
honor God. His justice will prevail. his power will not be quenched
eternity is a very long time
He loves you, provided a way out of wickedness
a way to Him.