Jan-19-2020-service
Is 13 the first 7 verses? But every person be subject to the governing authorities, but there's no Authority except from God and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resist what God has appointed and those who resist will incur a judgement what you have no fear of the one in Authority then do what's good and you'll receive his approval for he is God's servant for your good but if you do wrong you afraid he does not bear The Sword in vain, he's a servant of God in Avenger who carries out God's Wrath on the wrong door there for one must be in subjection. Not only to avoid God's Wrath but also for the sake of conscience for because of this you also pay taxes for the authorities are ministers of God attending to this very thing they do all what is owed to them taxes to him taxes Road Revenue to whom revenue is owed respect to him respect honor to whom honor is owed. This is the word of the Lord. Reseda or thank you for your word and thank you for the fact that his life. But your word speaks truth that it aligns with your spirit and your spirit and your word always testify to what you intend to do for the world through Christ. We thank you for that. So help us to understand that this morning in Jesus name. Amen.
The way of quick review the last two weeks write the we've learned that the kingdom of God is the ultimate Kingdom. That is the ultimate the Pinnacle every other Kingdom that exist every other authority that exist every other ruler that exist as given their Authority under God by God. Subgovernments need to seek to implement what God wants them to do in the world. No government has unlimited Authority. So they have to exercise restraint in the way that they govern doing only those things that God has given to them to do as part of their sphere of work in the world.
Then we come this morning and we learn the next passage of what government is to be about we're skipping over versus to I'll pick it up next week with with verses 5 and 6, but we're going to jump 2 verses 3 and 4 and we find in verses 3 and 4 that the government exists to promote good. And to punish evil. the rulers hold no Terror for those who do what's right for his God's servant to do you God the scripture says pause talking about the rulers that have been instituted in the world last week we learned when we talked about authorities. We talked about all the different types of Roman authorities that existed that would have fallen under that kind of category this week. This word rulers is a slightly different word and it's a term in the scriptures that used to cover a whole host of different people again, It's used of synagogue rulers in the Jewish Community a ruler came in and he knelt before Jesus saying my daughter has just died but come and lay your hand on her and she'll live ISO synagogue rulers are part of the rulers that God has established members of the Sanhedrin, right? That's the ruling government over the Jews and how are chief priests in our rulers delivered up Jesus to be condemned to death. They are involved the magistrates in the Civil world are part of this term as you go with your accuser before the magistrate make every effort to settle with him on the way. I saw the Civil rule or so. Religious rulers of Godzilla rulers at all in compass tear and we have Gentile officials just broadly speaking. Jesus came and he said to them, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them, but not supposed to be this way with you. The rulers were there civil order their religious order. They're over the church, whether they're over the government with it over the city over the state over the Gathering of God's people are instituted by God. And God says the rulers hold no Terror for those who do what's right? People aren't supposed to be afraid of them. They're not supposed to fear them. They're not supposed to be intimidated by them. They're not supposed to be frightened by them. It shouldn't be something that makes us say, who is there somebody in charge I need to run away and go the other way. They're God's servant. Size for us. They're not supposed to be something that we're concerned about being punished, but that's only true for those who do what's right. They want me to doing what's right than those that are in Authority don't scare us and take the simple Act of driving if you're driving the speed limit down the highway and you see a police officer on the side of the road your heart does not skip a beat and you don't spend a bunch of time looking in the rearview mirror safe.
but if you're speeding down the road that not government official sitting on the side, where does cause Terror and dust cause a fuss split-second of
and you are relieved when his lights don't go on.
When were doing what's right officials don't prevent don't bring Terror toss. They're not supposed to bring to hurt us. If you're peacefully protesting stuck. In other people's property speaking respectfully to those around you not the filing things then the presence of police around you shouldn't be a terror. What if your intention is to cause harm and a defile in the face things that you should be afraid that the police officers are there? That's what Paul wants us to see rulers are put in place Not to cause us to do to be afraid if we're doing what's right. And what's good?
What's right what's good?
Where in the habit of using these terms pretty Loosely today in our world go ahead and write bad and evil, they're throwing around culture as though they were based on these. There's no Foundation of their based on just kind of what we desire and what are women that as to whether this is good or bad right or wrong, but then I keep these terms of meaning And they have deep meaning to call something good not evil is to declare that their opposites right good and evil were never kind of Blended together the way they've gotten blend it in. Our modern world good was always the opposite of evil and evil is always the opposite of going to write was always the opposite of wrong and wrong was always the opposite of right in the ancient world. They understood that they were the foundations upon which things needed to be built and that those things. Valuable and important right to call something good to call something right was to say that it was God like that. It was beneficial for life.
To call something evil or wrong was to be calling it sinful ungodly. Listen to the Hebrew scriptures say I have set before you today life and good. death and Evil opposites set in contrast each other all good evil and evil good will put Darkness for light and light for Darkness to put bitter for sweet and Sweet for bitter. But the scriptures see right and wrong good and evil as opposites not things that get Blended together. Things that are wishy-washy. writes a word in the scripture that means things that are morally beneficial things that are good for us to be involved in things that have a high standard of merits Play-Doh the the ancient philosopher describes good things or right things this way. He says good things are right things that have the power to preserve and support. Well evil, things are things which spoil and destroy. Brothers hold no Terror for those who do what's good who promote and support? But they do hold Terror for those who destroy and spoil the world that God's given that's the way it's supposed to be.
to a cultural Roman receiving this letter to have something to clear. It is good or right would be to say that it's in accordance with that. The pagan gods would say is should be done. That's a pretty good way. I think of thinking about good and right if we christianize it right to say that something good and right is to say it Accord with What God Says should be done. The god the only God the Supreme God when he speaks and says do this, it's good and it's right when he says don't do this. It's
until government exists
so that we are not afraid to do the things that God wants us to do. And we are afraid to do the things that God doesn't want us to do. What's the purpose of rulers?
Heidelberg Catechism Defiance good this way. It's another good way of thinking about it. What is good only those things which are done from True Faith according to the law of God and for his glory not the things that are based on our own opinion or own presets. Good things that are done from faith for God's glory that Accord with the teaching that he's given in the word of God, that's good. And so does vermints shouldn't cause fear to people that are doing things that are like this according to the word of God built up for God's where that shouldn't cause people to fear. And generally speaking. That's true. and good government generally speaking as you look around the globe government's don't tend to make laws that say go kill people go steal from them. Go rob their homes and beat them up.
Does the things that they're asking us to do or to protect people to watch over people?
Governments have a right and a responsibility. Not only the holdout what's good is law but also to commend it and people notice what he says next do what's right, and he'll commend you the rulers and authorities should be spending looking around the citizenry and save that person's doing well. What they're doing is worthy of emulation. I'm going to lift them up. I'm going to hold them out as an example for people to see they should be receiving the praise of government officials. When people and average citizens are doing well. Government exists to make people famous that are doing good.
snow this 2nd Corinthians 8 18 speaks about a brother who's known across the world for preaching well The word that used to describe me says he's famous for his preaching. The same word that's used here. Government will commend you if you do well, I'll make you famous. That's the way it's supposed to be. Do you remember the story of Wesley autrey? This is going back for some of this is 10 years. Plus anybody recognize that name. Put a space we have a space up there. Anybody recognize the face?
You're rocking you remember the story? In 2007. There was a young man in the New York subway that fell on the tracks and had a seizure. and this man jumped on the tracks as a train subway was coming because he had worked in the subway system before and he knew that there was a 1 foot wide by 1 foot high space that you could lay and the train could roll over the top of you. And he jumped on this man who had a seizure and was stuck in the on the track and they couldn't get him out and he rolled him into that spot and he and his body under his body. Will that Subway rolled over the top of it now, do you remember that story?
powerful story Do you know what happened afterwards? Super Bowl Sanam tickets Come to the Super Bowl. A car dealer gave him a brand new car. That was type of behavior. That should be done. Donald Trump in my check for $10,000 the largest amount anybody can give to somebody else without incurring tax implications. Okay. Give him a $10,000 check. Well done. He says. The mayor honor some publicly and handsome a bronze medallion.
President Bush invites him to the state of the union and gives them front-row seat and honors him in that State of the Union Address for what he's doing. That's what government supposed to do when people are doing right all of the leaders all the officials anybody that has power or authority has been instituted is supposed to look and say Well done good job. Let me tell you this is what the world should be. Like people should do this.
unfortunately Our government doesn't spend enough time doing that. But that's what good government does as it looks around and says that is behavior worthy of emulation and it holds out for the citizenry to see
governments governing well The Praises it's people who are doing good.
notice what the text doesn't say the text doesn't say that government is supposed to do the good. It says it's supposed to honor those who are doing the good. It doesn't say that it should do with it. It's a different when government begins to do the good that citizenry is called to do and it instead of honoring those doing it. It seeks to do it itself. It's over stuff in its balance again. And it gets everything kind of muddled up.
government-provided charity becomes entitlement and citizenry begins to resist and not want to pay for it. But when government recognizes philanthropy and its people and Honors that through any variety of ways tax breaks holding people out for emulation that this person gives a lot of money and we should be like this whatever is what it does that then citizens are urged.
The copy that behavior to become models for us.
All those working for justice or held out then Citizen and say that's a type of Life to Live. Wooden rack government recognizes heroism and bravery that people want to be heroic and brave.
Far too. Little time is spent by government doing this part of its work. Exalting promoting making famous those who are worthy of emulation.
The government has another job. It's not just to promote good. It's not just a hold out people who are doing good. That's also to punish evil. Rulers hold. No Terror for those who do what's right, but they do hold her for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from Fear of the one in Authority then do what's right and he'll commend you but if you do wrong be afraid for he doesn't bear the sword for nothing. He's God servant an agent of Wrath to bring punishment.
2 we're all Sinners and we all have this propensity. I want to do evil and to get away with it and if there wasn't a ruler and if there wasn't a government over us we would do a lot more evil with me. Nobody was there to hold us in check into kind of create that fear that kind of hold us back. We would be a lot. nastier people
we have to do is look through the scripture and we see that the stories of this happening right from the very beginning right you get the story of Cain son has a son named lamech and lamech has nobody over him. Launch from self. Yes two wives which is the first hint that he's not paying attention to having any Authority structure over in But he declares his wives. I've killed a man for wounding me a young man for striking me.
Justice in the hand of Sinners is always unjust. It is always way too much punishment for the the ACT that's done. Just the way we met we respond you hurt me. I'll kill you. You spoke bad about me. I'll make sure that I completely destroy your name and table.
We're inclined to respond more than we should as individuals and government comes in and it comes into create a punishment structure. That should be consistent with the with the violation.
Think about the story of the judges. The end of the book after all of these things that they done it end of the book closes in those days. There was no King and everyone does what's right in his own eyes.
We don't have a government structure over us. We're doomed to this kind of life. We just do what's right in our own eyes. We punished as we see fit.
The government exists so that it can punish in a way that's consistent. Whether you're a police officer or a parent a judge or a ruler all of them have the ability to punish even elders. people in church better for doing what glorifies God then that fear should be minimized. It should be limited.
What government does bear the sword that means it has the right? The punished has the right to do what's hard and make your life difficult. At its greatest that means government has the right to wage war. I protected citizenry smallest that has that has the right to enforce consistent law so that everybody lives under system that causes flourishing right to bear the sword. And for that to happen for a flourishing Society to happen then as it punishes and needs to be consistent in its punishment, it needs to be fast and its punishment I needs to make sure that people are are are unbiased in the punishing of what's right and wrong. Every crime should be judged and they should be punished suitably and rapidly consistently.
If it isn't people are like children. And we all know what happens in homes where punishment is inconsistent and erratic.
People take kids to take extra gambles I can get away with this one today. Maybe the punishment comes tomorrow, but I forgot what I did yesterday. So the punishment doesn't connect to the crime any longer. So I can't think about it. Has to be the same law for all people if government is going to be about this kind of bearing the sword but he needs to consistently punish in a way that it doesn't respect people what I mean is it doesn't pay attention to your a high official you can get away with it. But you're a low official you can't needs to be consistent. I recently ran across an article about a man in Indonesia, Indonesia have some redness laws for adultery and they they're known for for brutal brutally punishing adultery and this particular man that helped craft the laws for adultery particularly that when you're caught in the act of adultery, you'll be caned publicly in front of everybody know. I don't know if you know anything about caning but imagine having a bamboo cane beating across to your back. the painful painful process like all good centers this man who wrote the law condemning adultery in the punishment will be given was also caught in the act of adultery. And much to the government's credit. This High Muslim official was hauled out into the public space and he was caned. Just like everybody else. That sounds a message doesn't there's nobody above the law and the fear of punishment in the bearing of the sword is applicable to all people over the government would do that kind of consistency and it's punishing.
Crossword crucial thing to understand when we talk about punishing the wrongdoer. the word forgetting In the English, we collapse verbs and nouns together and we make wrongdoers. title What's a Greek is pretty clear that says government exists to bring punishment on the one practicing evil? Not the one thinking evil. Not the one Speaking evil, but the one doing evil. There's a difference in fought life spoken life. Acting out life government exists to punish those who do bad things. In our world in our culture today, it's quickly moving away from punishing bad things to punishing bad thoughts punishing bad ideas, the punishing bad words instead of punishing. Those were actually doing evil. Good government punishes evil action, not thoughts and words.
Scripture also declares as we go through here twice. I don't know if you picked it up. But says the government's got serpent. servant for your gut 2 times Paul declares that government is a deacon for you and for me same word. Government is a deacon just like the deacons in the church exists to promote welfare and watch over people government exists to promote welfare and watch over and help people in the specific areas. a ruling well
bringing people to emulate consistently punishing government is a gift there for meant to do and serve the people all people so that the human flourishing thrives and exist. She practically what is all of this break us down to. Are some practical practical thoughts that means first we need candidates who actually understand Good and Evil. Good and evil is What God Says government exists to do so that people aren't afraid to do what's right and wrong then we need candidates who understand good and evil the way God understands Good and Evil. When did Canada to recognize the responsibilities of a servant of Civic well-being as Servants of God that they exist not to promote themselves not to create a set of laws that apply to everybody else but them or congress is notorious for this.
Candidates need to think that the law applies to them as much as applies to everybody else and we need cat if it's like that of the highest moral character. highest moral character
so that they can write laws and they can judge others and they can seek out people to emulate that are worthy of emulation because they understand what's worthy of emulation themselves.
I need to have wives that match Godly living. Again, the American electorate is not done a good job.
across the board Democratic Republican Congress presidency mayor's it doesn't matter. We need people of high moral character. We also need men and women were willing to spend time realizing that part of their job is to find people worthy of emulation. We should find people that hold out folks copying and model after and we should be asking those that were elected. Who'd you think we should be copying who's worthy of emulation in your world that will speak world's to the electorate. Speak volumes, if you know who they think they're worthy of copy and you will understand their understanding of Good and Evil. You should be asking people who should we copy? What do you men and women who understand Justice? how to preserve it how to protect it
So how does all this fit with Jesus I has a lot of stuff on government allow differences. What how does it fit with Jesus? Ultimately when it comes down to it. How does this all fit with Jesus? Isaiah 9 is a pretty amazing chapter. I love reading Isaiah. and Isaiah 9 there's a whole host of things that Isaiah says about the one who will be born. Does the Messiah? Let me read it to you.
This is normally a Christmas Passage. Start off with those who walked in darkness have seen a great light suit wealth in the land of Darkness a light has Shone on them. But then he moves Down 2 Verse 6 in chapter 9 SS front us a child is born will be upon his shoulders and that will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace, but notice what it says of this son of the increase of his government and of Peace, there will be no end it on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and uphold it. He will do that with Justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. Zeal of the Lord will do this. From the moment that Jesus was born the rule of the cosmos was secured and it was secured in a way that it would do exactly what Romans said of good government righteousness will be promoted and Justice judgment would be meted out. Jesus is the one who's the highest Authority that every other authority has to answer to and so it's good for us to pay attention and realized they even when the authorities in this world are broken. The authority over this world is not broken. Every Authority will have to give an account for the way. They've use their Authority was they've done what God wanted them to do. And Jesus isn't going to abandon this world too bad government. Because he is the government. If we can remember that and we can take our cues from Jesus and we can look to his kingdom and how does he dumb and what does he want? What does it mean to love? What does it mean to do good and what does it mean to hate evil and trade it in to avoid it? This will be a whole different world. Will be governed in a whole different way and the church WIll Thrive and people will Thrive and Nations will thrive. And evil will be squashed. And so we look to Jesus. I like the song that says we will serve him. And we will rejoice with trembling at his rule knowing that it alone as a rule worthy of emulation. Let's pray. Holy God, thank you so much that you teach us in your words so many things about salvation. About our own sin, but you also teaches very practical things the government. and wife economics and family and we thank you and we praise you for that.
And it's easy in an election year father. To get caught up in what we think is good and what we think will bring thriving and which party we think is best.
the Holy Father put it back into our minds and thoughts and let your spirit convict us over the coming 10 months. But what good government looks like that we might seek your face to elect those that you would want elected that will govern according to your word. Whatever that
from whatever party at comes
we praise you and thank you that you are God and there is none like you. At all the government is upon your shoulder. So we can trust you and we can love you and we can rest the piece that those things that you've been still those people you put in place. Will have to give an accounting to you. And so we pray for them now. Pray for all those serving bless them with wisdom. I pray for all those who want to serve.
ring conversion to their hearts
We pray for all those will vote. Give us wisdom to see right from wrong good from evil.
So that we can vote in a way that furthers our kingdom. And all God's people said amen.