WEBVTT

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 I do hope that you have a copy of God's Word with you this morning. Please join me in it in Romans chapter 13.

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 Our text for today is Romans chapter 13 verses 1 through 7.

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 Before we take a look at today's text, a very good morning to you all.

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 If I've yet to say hi to you, I'm very glad to be back with you, and I'm very thankful for our church.

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 I am grateful for our church for at least three reasons.

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 First, I'm thankful for church leadership that cares about my spiritual and physical well-being.

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 Truly, the men that God is leading this church are a blessing to you as well as to myself.

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 Secondly, I'm thankful for a church that is willing to let me be cared for,

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 that allow me to be absent for a month and to ask how my time away was and how I am.

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 I'm just warmed by all of your appreciation and gratefulness for my time away this morning.

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 Please know that that time was well spent and I'm doing quite well.

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 Thirdly, Sam and I took the boys for a teaching opportunity to a local megachurch last week,

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 and I am thankful for a church that does not desire to be entertained to death

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 and will not allow for God's Word to be neglected when we are gathered together.

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 In a single verse of many of the songs that we've sung together this morning,

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 there's more truth, substantive truth, than we experienced in our entire time at that church.

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 And so I'm glad that some of the things that they did,

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 I would shudder to try, as I think you all would throw me out the window if I did.

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 So I'm glad for that.

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 I am in no way tempted to entertain you,

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 and I think this is good for all of our souls.

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 If I ever have reason to doubt the power of the gospel or the goodness of God,

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 I only need to stop and think about his manifold grace in the life of this church,

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 and my faith is refreshed.

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 So thank you. Keep it up.

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 And now as we turn our attention to the first seven verses of chapter 13,

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 we find a timely text for a season of political unrest.

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 I imagine that if you have no concern about the state of politics in our country,

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 then you are paying no attention whatsoever to all that has been happening.

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 Maybe that's a wonderful state of bliss.

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 These seven verses are good for us for today,

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 but beyond the providential timing of their assignment to this morning,

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 we will do well to think about their placement in Paul's letter to the Roman believers.

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 Many commentators suggest this passage is disjointed from Paul's exhortations in chapter 12.

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 I even read a suggestion in my study of it that it was imported from elsewhere and brought into this book.

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 But this is not so.

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 In Romans chapter 12, verse 1 and 2, Paul wrote this,

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 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, right,

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 in light of everything that he has presented to be true of the gospel so far,

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 he says, by the mercies of God, which is the summary of those first 11 chapters,

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 to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

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 And we talked about how this was whole self-sacrifice that Paul is referring to here.

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 Every ounce of who you are presented as a living sacrifice,

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 holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

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 Verse 2, he says,

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 Do not be conformed to this world,

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 but be transformed by the renewal of your mind,

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 that by testing you may discern what is the will of God,

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 what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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 And we talked about how Paul's not here meaning that if you will transform your mind,

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 that you will be able to discern the unknown will of God.

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 But he's going to go on to tell us what that will of God is.

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 So he encourages at the outset of chapter 12 that our whole selves are to be given to God.

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 And then the structure of the following chapters is chiastic.

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 If you're not familiar with this term,

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 it means that the text mirrors on top of itself.

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 There's many chiastic structures found in the Bible,

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 and they are very cool.

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 So I want to draw your attention just briefly to this one.

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 After verse 2 of chapter 12,

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 we see in verses 3 through 8 a summary of humble service.

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 Like how should our lives look in service to the church

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 using our various gifts in the way they were designed to be used.

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 And then in verses 9 through 16,

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 he talks about love in the life of the church.

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 So you've got A, chapter 12, verses 3 through 8.

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 B, verses 9 through 16.

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 C, how it is that we're meant to relate with the world.

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 Verses 17 through 21.

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 And then it follows, if we're to relate to the world in this way,

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 how it is that we're to relate with the political authorities of this world.

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 So you see the C prime, the reflective part of that part found in verses 17 through 21.

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 And then you continue on in chapter 13, verses 8 through 10.

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 And again, love in the church, right?

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 Corresponding to verses 9 through 16 of chapter 12.

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 And then all of chapter 14, again being about humble service.

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 Now I'm looking at all this typed out,

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 and I know that your mind is probably going, okay.

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 The point is that there's a chiastic structure here.

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 Paul has an ordered, divinely inspired plan,

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 and we ought to give care as we consider it in the coming weeks.

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 Part of giving our whole selves in devotion to our merciful God

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 is living under the authority that he has established

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 in the home, at work, in church,

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 and yes, even as citizens of the place that God has placed us.

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 So, without further ado, let's take a look at today's text.

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 It is a joy, beloved, to remind you that this is God's word to us,

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 written for his glory and our good,

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 and we would all do well to listen to it

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 in order to believe its promises and to obey its commands.

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 Romans 13, beginning in verse 1.

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 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.

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 For there is no authority except from God,

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 and those that exist have been instituted by God.

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 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed,

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 and those who resist will incur judgment.

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 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad.

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 Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority?

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 Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval.

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 For he is God's servant for your good.

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 But if you do wrong, be afraid,

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 for he does not bear the sword in vain.

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 For he is the servant of God,

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 an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

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 Therefore, one must be in subjection,

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 not only to avoid God's wrath,

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 but also for the sake of conscience.

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 For because of this, you also pay taxes,

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 for the authorities are ministers of God,

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 attending to this very thing.

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 Pay to all what is owed to them,

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 taxes to whom taxes are owed,

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 revenue to whom revenue is owed,

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 respect to whom respect is owed,

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 honor to whom honor is owed.

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 Now, in order to avoid chasing every possible rabbit this morning,

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 we will begin with a simple three-point exegesis of the text,

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 which will be as follows.

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 Number one, a command to obey.

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 Number two, a caution against rebellion.

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 Number three, a contribution.

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 For the work.

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 Now, after this straightforward consideration,

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 I intend to ask some contextual questions

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 and issue answers from this text,

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 and more broadly from elsewhere in the Bible.

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 So we're going to just simply go through the text itself,

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 and then we're going to ask some slightly larger questions as well.

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 So hang in with me as we do that.

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 So number one, a command to obey.

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 And you see this there at the very beginning of the chapter,

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 verse one,

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 let every person be subject to the governing authorities,

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 for there is no authority except from God,

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 and those that exist have been instituted by God.

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 Paul tells us, simply,

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 that we are to obey the governing authorities of our political system,

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 because that authority has been set in place by God himself.

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 You may recall that I taught a series on authority in recent months

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 and summarized the overarching teaching of the Bible with eight biblical assertions.

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 I'm going to give them to you really quickly in brief,

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 but hopefully this will be a reminder to you as we think about submission to authority.

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 Number one, God's authority is innate.

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 That means it belongs to him because he is, in fact, God.

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 Nobody granted it to him.

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 He is in authority because he is God.

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 And because of that, that authority is final.

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 It's the absolute authority.

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 God's authority is innate and it is final.

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 Number two, God's authority is necessarily good because he is good.

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 We have no reason to question the way that God has ordered the universe

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 because God is a good God.

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 Number three, humankind has an authority problem.

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 It began in the garden, continues to this day.

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 Paul is here addressing it in these following verses.

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 We tend to not want to be told what to do.

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 Number four, we are delegated authority that always has limits

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 and is always subservient to the one who delegated it, right?

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 That is God who has that innate and final authority.

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 He's put boundaries on the authority that he has granted to various roles in our world.

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 Number five, when a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them

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 or exercises an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,

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 it is at best ineffective.

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 It is at worst abusive.

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 So we are meant to take up authority that's been granted in the way that it's been granted.

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 Otherwise, it goes horribly awry.

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 Number six, the aim of exercising authority and submission to God's good authority

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 is for the sake of protecting the vulnerable, strengthening our communities,

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 and promoting human flourishing,

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 which is borrowed from a book by a man named Jonathan Lehman called Authority.

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 So again, it's for the sake of protecting the vulnerable,

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 strengthening our communities, and promoting human flourishing.

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 Number seven, God delegates his authority through three institutions and six positions.

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 And we talked about those at length across that time.

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 I'm going to spare you those details this morning.

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 For our purposes, know that one of the three institutions is the government,

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 which is what we are considering today.

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 And lastly, within these three institutions and six positions,

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 there is granted two types of authority.

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 We talked about the authority of counsel or persuasion,

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 the power to convince somebody to do something.

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 It's what we're doing here and now.

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 I hope to convince you by the power of the Spirit

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 that what Paul is exhorting us to is good and proper,

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 and we should obey it.

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 And also, the authority of command or coercion,

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 the power to make someone do something by force,

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 which is the type of authority that the government possesses, right?

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 Yielding that sword mentioned in the text.

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 So generally, Paul says, chapter 13 and verse 1,

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 we are to recognize the governing authorities as being from God,

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 and therefore, we are to obey them.

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 I know that when we read a text like this,

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 we immediately want to arrive at the exceptions.

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 We are, after all, citizens of a country born not so long ago

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 from casting off government authority.

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 That's kind of who we are as Americans,

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 no longer British anymore.

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 However, we recently celebrated Independence Day,

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 a yearly recognition that we were unwilling to live

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 under the tyranny of King George

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 and still today won't stand for tyranny.

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 I'm not saying any of this is bad, right?

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 But it's kind of part of who we are.

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 We read a text like this and we want to go,

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 yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, but...

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 But note that you generally,

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 willingly subject yourself to the governing authorities

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 in your daily living.

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 We are generally productive citizens,

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 obeying traffic laws,

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 keeping our licenses and insurance current,

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 paying our property taxes,

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 pulling permits for septic system installs,

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 not dumping trash in the river, etc.

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 There are laws that we obey.

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 Whether or not we entirely agree with them,

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 we still submit to that authority

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 because we recognize that it's an authority.

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 And if we do well,

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 we recognize that it's an authority

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 given by God.

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 We generally find great accord

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 with the rule of law

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 and agree mostly with the laws of our land.

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 That said, we don't always agree, do we?

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 Until recently,

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 a Supreme Court decision

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 known as Roe v. Wade

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 functionally served as the law of the land

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 that permitted abortion,

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 like the murder of unborn children.

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 Christians rightly despised

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 and despised that decision

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 and sought to see justice done.

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 Not through vigilantism,

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 but through political process.

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 We praise God

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 for that decision's overturning

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 and recognize that it is the starting point

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 for much more work

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 to defend the most vulnerable

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 of our country's citizens.

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 So, we took up there

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 as Christian people.

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 We didn't become vigilantes.

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 We weren't those that

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 bombed abortion clinics,

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 but rather we submitted ourselves

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 to the authority

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 and cried,

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 this is wrong

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 and must be fixed.

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 Praise God,

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 we are in the process of that

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 even now.

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 The point I am making

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 is that we ought not be quick

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 to the American impulse

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 to arrive at the exceptions,

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 but rather to accept

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 the general exhortation.

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 Don't forget

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 that this letter's original audience

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 were Roman citizens.

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 It is most likely

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 that Paul wrote this letter

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 in A.D. 57,

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 a time at which

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 the citizenry of Rome

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 was already persecuting Christians

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 with no protection

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 from the pantheonic Roman leadership.

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 In just a few short years,

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 in A.D. 64,

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 the Roman authorities

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 would begin

00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:29.440
 the state-sponsored

00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:30.879
 systematic persecution

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.720
 of Christians.

00:16:33.700 --> 00:16:34.100
 Yet,

00:16:34.820 --> 00:16:36.780
 Paul's inspired pen

00:16:36.780 --> 00:16:38.240
 writes,

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:40.340
 We are not exceptional

00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:41.980
 in the history of the world.

00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:42.240
 Like,

00:16:42.300 --> 00:16:42.899
 we have some

00:16:42.899 --> 00:16:44.540
 particular oppression

00:16:44.540 --> 00:16:46.620
 that shouldn't make this text

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.379
 ring true

00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:48.460
 for us.

00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.200
 Think about

00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:51.220
 first century

00:16:51.220 --> 00:16:51.840
 and second

00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:52.560
 and third

00:16:52.560 --> 00:16:53.480
 and fourth century

00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:54.080
 Christians.

00:16:54.660 --> 00:16:55.519
 Think about Christians

00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:56.740
 in our world today

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.780
 that take up a text

00:16:57.780 --> 00:16:58.280
 like this

00:16:58.280 --> 00:16:58.720
 and read,

00:16:59.120 --> 00:16:59.800
 Let every person

00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:00.759
 be subject

00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:02.000
 to the governing authorities,

00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:03.300
 for there is no authority

00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:05.000
 except from God,

00:17:05.400 --> 00:17:06.759
 and those that exist

00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:07.900
 have been instituted

00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:09.440
 by God.

00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:11.039
 So we have a command

00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.140
 to obey.

00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:14.319
 Secondly,

00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.019
 Paul gives us

00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:15.980
 a caution

00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:17.299
 against

00:17:17.299 --> 00:17:18.619
 rebellion.

00:17:18.619 --> 00:17:19.660
 This is found

00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:20.079
 in verses

00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:22.799
 2-5.

00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:24.539
 Therefore,

00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:26.640
 these authorities

00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.039
 have been having

00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:28.519
 instituted by God

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.299
 at the end of verse 1.

00:17:29.299 --> 00:17:29.740
 Therefore,

00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:31.720
 whoever resists

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:32.419
 the authorities

00:17:32.419 --> 00:17:33.899
 resists what God

00:17:33.899 --> 00:17:34.740
 has appointed,

00:17:35.379 --> 00:17:36.859
 and those who resist

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:39.119
 will incur judgment.

00:17:39.879 --> 00:17:40.759
 He has such a confidence

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:41.799
 in God's sovereign working

00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:43.039
 that these people

00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:44.139
 in these positions

00:17:44.139 --> 00:17:45.079
 were placed there

00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:46.740
 by God.

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:48.519
 Generally speaking,

00:17:48.899 --> 00:17:49.919
 if we resist them,

00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.559
 then we are

00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:51.379
 resisting

00:17:51.379 --> 00:17:52.480
 God

00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:53.319
 himself.

00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.139
 For rulers

00:17:55.139 --> 00:17:55.939
 are not a terror

00:17:55.939 --> 00:17:56.700
 to good conduct

00:17:56.700 --> 00:17:57.539
 but to bad.

00:17:58.439 --> 00:17:59.259
 Would you have no fear

00:17:59.259 --> 00:17:59.599
 of the one

00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:00.139
 who is in authority?

00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.000
 Do you want to not fear them?

00:18:01.159 --> 00:18:01.619
 Well, then

00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:02.740
 do what is good

00:18:02.740 --> 00:18:03.819
 and you will receive

00:18:03.819 --> 00:18:05.019
 his approval.

00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:06.579
 For he is God's servant

00:18:06.579 --> 00:18:07.359
 for your good.

00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:08.319
 But if you do wrong,

00:18:08.419 --> 00:18:08.899
 be afraid,

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.700
 for he does not bear

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:10.500
 the sword in vain,

00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:11.460
 for he is the servant

00:18:11.460 --> 00:18:12.000
 of God

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.000
 and avenger

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.759
 who carries out

00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:14.579
 God's wrath

00:18:14.579 --> 00:18:16.159
 on the wrongdoer.

00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:17.399
 Therefore,

00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:18.119
 one must be

00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:18.819
 in subjection

00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:19.559
 not only to avoid

00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:20.099
 God's wrath

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:20.799
 but also

00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.159
 for the sake

00:18:22.159 --> 00:18:22.899
 of conscience.

00:18:23.700 --> 00:18:24.440
 Paul tells us

00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.060
 in these verses

00:18:25.060 --> 00:18:25.800
 generally,

00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:27.360
 if you rebel

00:18:27.360 --> 00:18:28.040
 against the

00:18:28.040 --> 00:18:28.860
 governing authorities,

00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:30.000
 then you rebel

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:30.680
 against God

00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:31.180
 himself

00:18:31.180 --> 00:18:32.360
 and will incur

00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.620
 the temporal

00:18:33.620 --> 00:18:34.640
 wrath of God

00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:35.940
 in the consequences

00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:36.500
 rendered

00:18:36.500 --> 00:18:37.600
 for your rebellion.

00:18:38.680 --> 00:18:39.660
 If you break

00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:40.259
 a traffic law,

00:18:40.340 --> 00:18:41.100
 you may find yourself

00:18:41.100 --> 00:18:42.280
 paying a hefty fine

00:18:42.280 --> 00:18:43.320
 is a simple

00:18:43.320 --> 00:18:44.540
 and relatively

00:18:44.540 --> 00:18:45.820
 benign example.

00:18:46.340 --> 00:18:47.800
 If you disregard

00:18:47.800 --> 00:18:49.700
 those authorities,

00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:51.240
 you are going to

00:18:51.240 --> 00:18:52.120
 have some trouble

00:18:52.119 --> 00:18:52.179
 people.

00:18:53.399 --> 00:18:54.799
 The giving of law

00:18:54.799 --> 00:18:56.799
 and the enforcement

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.319
 of it

00:18:57.319 --> 00:18:58.359
 is a mercy

00:18:58.359 --> 00:18:59.739
 to people.

00:19:00.639 --> 00:19:01.619
 Generally speaking,

00:19:01.699 --> 00:19:02.439
 it's a mercy

00:19:02.439 --> 00:19:03.699
 to people.

00:19:04.659 --> 00:19:05.659
 The consequences

00:19:05.659 --> 00:19:06.539
 given for breaking

00:19:06.539 --> 00:19:07.779
 the Mosaic law

00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:09.119
 had five

00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:09.859
 expressed

00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:11.119
 purposes.

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.019
 If you'd like to

00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:12.739
 know references

00:19:12.739 --> 00:19:13.079
 for these,

00:19:13.119 --> 00:19:13.519
 I'll be happy

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.419
 to send them

00:19:14.419 --> 00:19:14.839
 to you.

00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:16.299
 first,

00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.019
 they served,

00:19:17.179 --> 00:19:17.419
 again,

00:19:17.459 --> 00:19:17.679
 these are the

00:19:17.679 --> 00:19:18.179
 consequences

00:19:18.179 --> 00:19:18.619
 for breaking

00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:19.359
 the Mosaic law,

00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:20.019
 this is in

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:20.819
 God's theocracy,

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:22.839
 they were a matter

00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:24.139
 of justice,

00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:25.959
 setting right

00:19:25.959 --> 00:19:27.459
 a wrong

00:19:27.459 --> 00:19:28.839
 in due proportion.

00:19:29.179 --> 00:19:29.839
 Somebody commits

00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:30.799
 a wrong against you,

00:19:30.899 --> 00:19:31.500
 they deserve

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:33.059
 some consequence

00:19:33.059 --> 00:19:34.240
 for that action.

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:36.140
 They served

00:19:36.140 --> 00:19:37.380
 as a deterrent

00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:38.839
 to further crime.

00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:39.359
 People who

00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:40.539
 witnessed that

00:19:40.539 --> 00:19:41.019
 there were

00:19:41.019 --> 00:19:42.400
 consequences to

00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:43.140
 actions were

00:19:43.140 --> 00:19:44.000
 less likely

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:45.660
 to commit

00:19:45.660 --> 00:19:46.279
 those crimes.

00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:48.140
 They were a

00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:49.120
 leveler of

00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:50.359
 impartiality.

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.380
 God's law was

00:19:51.380 --> 00:19:52.039
 very careful

00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:52.880
 to say that

00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.620
 no one was

00:19:53.620 --> 00:19:54.660
 above the rule

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:56.880
 of this law.

00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:58.760
 fourthly,

00:19:58.820 --> 00:19:59.140
 they were meant

00:19:59.140 --> 00:19:59.700
 to be a

00:19:59.700 --> 00:20:00.740
 swift matter

00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:02.300
 of order

00:20:02.300 --> 00:20:03.560
 that civility

00:20:03.560 --> 00:20:03.920
 would be

00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:04.500
 maintained

00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.880
 in a society.

00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:07.660
 Fifth,

00:20:07.760 --> 00:20:08.260
 they were a

00:20:08.260 --> 00:20:08.820
 way of

00:20:08.820 --> 00:20:09.860
 pardon,

00:20:10.320 --> 00:20:11.500
 restoration,

00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:12.640
 once the

00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:13.400
 penalty was

00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:14.760
 paid for a

00:20:14.760 --> 00:20:16.060
 crime committed,

00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:16.840
 a way for a

00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:17.380
 person to be

00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:18.640
 restored meaningfully

00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:20.220
 to a community.

00:20:21.280 --> 00:20:22.300
 Our system

00:20:22.300 --> 00:20:23.860
 does not

00:20:23.860 --> 00:20:24.340
 function

00:20:24.340 --> 00:20:25.280
 perfectly.

00:20:25.440 --> 00:20:26.120
 I will not

00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:26.979
 make a claim

00:20:26.979 --> 00:20:27.839
 to that.

00:20:28.479 --> 00:20:29.239
 I am sure

00:20:29.239 --> 00:20:29.599
 that we can

00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:30.359
 all share a

00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:31.099
 story of

00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:31.879
 mishandled

00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:33.079
 justice,

00:20:33.479 --> 00:20:34.519
 but the

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:34.819
 governing

00:20:34.819 --> 00:20:35.979
 authorities get

00:20:35.979 --> 00:20:36.579
 it right

00:20:36.579 --> 00:20:37.879
 more times

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:39.119
 than not.

00:20:39.819 --> 00:20:40.399
 There is

00:20:40.399 --> 00:20:40.979
 justice

00:20:40.979 --> 00:20:42.079
 administered at

00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:42.639
 the hands

00:20:42.639 --> 00:20:43.739
 of governing

00:20:43.739 --> 00:20:44.259
 authorities.

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.719
 We ought to

00:20:45.719 --> 00:20:47.379
 all be glad

00:20:47.379 --> 00:20:47.799
 of the

00:20:47.799 --> 00:20:48.839
 difficult work

00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:49.759
 that does

00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:50.519
 get done

00:20:50.519 --> 00:20:51.619
 right.

00:20:51.719 --> 00:20:51.939
 It just

00:20:51.939 --> 00:20:52.319
 doesn't get

00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.539
 shared on

00:20:53.539 --> 00:20:54.179
 social media.

00:20:54.180 --> 00:20:56.279
 Robert

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:56.920
 Haldane

00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:57.360
 in an

00:20:57.360 --> 00:20:57.960
 exposition

00:20:57.960 --> 00:20:59.519
 of Romans

00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.180
 wrote this,

00:21:01.160 --> 00:21:01.779
 the institution

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:02.220
 of civil

00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:02.600
 government

00:21:02.600 --> 00:21:03.240
 is a

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:03.980
 dispensation

00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:04.820
 of mercy

00:21:04.820 --> 00:21:05.740
 and its

00:21:05.740 --> 00:21:06.240
 existence

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.080
 is so

00:21:07.080 --> 00:21:07.840
 indispensable

00:21:07.840 --> 00:21:08.299
 that the

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:08.880
 moment it

00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:09.519
 ceases under

00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:10.279
 one form,

00:21:10.340 --> 00:21:11.279
 it reestablishes

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.660
 itself in

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:12.920
 another.

00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:13.820
 So just as

00:21:13.820 --> 00:21:14.279
 an example,

00:21:15.080 --> 00:21:15.779
 in quote for

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:16.120
 a second,

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:17.460
 when all the

00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:18.060
 crazy stuff was

00:21:18.060 --> 00:21:18.480
 going on in

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:18.920
 Seattle and

00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:19.160
 they took

00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:19.820
 over blocks

00:21:19.820 --> 00:21:20.820
 and they

00:21:20.820 --> 00:21:21.160
 were being

00:21:21.160 --> 00:21:21.860
 anarchists,

00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:23.299
 they formed

00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:23.679
 a government

00:21:23.679 --> 00:21:24.059
 within the

00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:24.539
 first week

00:21:24.539 --> 00:21:24.859
 of doing

00:21:24.859 --> 00:21:25.119
 that.

00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:25.859
 It was a

00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:27.279
 failed experiment

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:27.819
 altogether,

00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:28.379
 but they

00:21:28.379 --> 00:21:29.059
 very quickly

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:29.879
 formed

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:30.259
 government

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:31.599
 because they

00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:31.979
 saw what

00:21:31.979 --> 00:21:32.459
 happened when

00:21:32.459 --> 00:21:33.079
 there was no

00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:33.959
 rule at

00:21:33.959 --> 00:21:34.219
 all.

00:21:34.959 --> 00:21:35.459
 Back to the

00:21:35.459 --> 00:21:35.619
 quote.

00:21:35.979 --> 00:21:36.579
 The world

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:37.079
 ever since

00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:37.579
 the fall

00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:37.919
 when the

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:38.419
 dominion of

00:21:38.419 --> 00:21:38.979
 one part

00:21:38.979 --> 00:21:39.179
 of the

00:21:39.179 --> 00:21:39.639
 human race

00:21:39.639 --> 00:21:40.159
 over another

00:21:40.159 --> 00:21:40.759
 was immediately

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.419
 introduced

00:21:41.419 --> 00:21:42.339
 has been in

00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.039
 such a state

00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:43.819
 of corruption

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.740
 and deprivity

00:21:44.740 --> 00:21:45.539
 that without

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.219
 the powerful

00:21:46.219 --> 00:21:47.299
 obstacle presented

00:21:47.299 --> 00:21:47.779
 by civil

00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:48.339
 government to

00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:48.919
 the selfish

00:21:48.919 --> 00:21:49.719
 and malignant

00:21:49.719 --> 00:21:50.399
 passions of

00:21:50.399 --> 00:21:50.740
 men,

00:21:50.740 --> 00:21:51.599
 it would be

00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:52.059
 better to

00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:52.599
 live among

00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:53.120
 the beasts

00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:53.779
 of the forest

00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:54.140
 than in

00:21:54.140 --> 00:21:55.299
 human society.

00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:56.299
 We need

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.079
 restraining

00:21:57.079 --> 00:21:58.359
 grace in

00:21:58.359 --> 00:21:58.900
 our lives.

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.380
 As soon as

00:22:00.380 --> 00:22:01.079
 its restraints

00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:01.700
 are removed,

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.400
 man shows

00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.039
 himself in

00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:03.480
 his real

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:03.960
 character.

00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:05.019
 When there

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:05.599
 was no king

00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:06.059
 in Israel

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:07.039
 and everyone

00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:07.700
 did that which

00:22:07.700 --> 00:22:08.279
 was right in

00:22:08.279 --> 00:22:09.079
 his own eyes,

00:22:09.160 --> 00:22:09.819
 we see in

00:22:09.819 --> 00:22:10.480
 the last three

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.120
 chapters of

00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:11.519
 the book of

00:22:11.519 --> 00:22:12.259
 Judges what

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:13.220
 were the

00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:13.720
 dreadful

00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:15.140
 consequences.

00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:17.120
 Mankind

00:22:17.120 --> 00:22:18.180
 cannot be

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.799
 left in

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.599
 its deprivity

00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:21.419
 to itself.

00:22:21.659 --> 00:22:22.399
 We need

00:22:22.399 --> 00:22:23.019
 God to be

00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:23.980
 merciful to

00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:24.379
 us, to

00:22:24.379 --> 00:22:24.899
 give us

00:22:24.899 --> 00:22:25.899
 governing

00:22:25.899 --> 00:22:26.480
 authorities,

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:27.019
 and we

00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:27.559
 ought

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:29.599
 generally to

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.200
 obey those

00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:30.960
 authorities and

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:31.859
 recognize them

00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:32.639
 as a gift

00:22:32.639 --> 00:22:33.299
 to our

00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:33.980
 flourishing

00:22:33.980 --> 00:22:35.180
 this side

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.599
 of glory.

00:22:37.319 --> 00:22:38.399
 So that was

00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:38.759
 the simple

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:39.460
 point number

00:22:39.460 --> 00:22:40.200
 two from

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.680
 the text.

00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:42.119
 Thirdly,

00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:43.319
 and very

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:43.619
 shortly,

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.259
 a contribution

00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:46.099
 for the

00:22:46.099 --> 00:22:46.359
 work.

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:46.599
 And we

00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:46.920
 see this

00:22:46.920 --> 00:22:47.299
 in verses

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:49.940
 6 and

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:50.259
 7.

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:51.799
 John

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.119
 MacArthur

00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:52.500
 made an

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.039
 entire sermon

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:53.440
 out of this

00:22:53.440 --> 00:22:53.879
 text, and I

00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:54.099
 just don't

00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:54.400
 want to talk

00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:55.000
 about taxes

00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:55.799
 that much.

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.319
 There Paul

00:22:58.319 --> 00:22:58.579
 writes,

00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:58.920
 For because

00:22:58.920 --> 00:22:59.440
 of this you

00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:00.019
 also pay

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.660
 taxes, for

00:23:00.660 --> 00:23:01.119
 the authorities

00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:01.619
 are ministers

00:23:01.619 --> 00:23:02.160
 of God

00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:03.440
 attending to

00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:03.940
 this very

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.379
 thing.

00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:04.980
 Pay to

00:23:04.980 --> 00:23:05.319
 all who

00:23:05.319 --> 00:23:05.579
 is owed

00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:05.859
 to them,

00:23:05.940 --> 00:23:06.400
 taxes to

00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:06.799
 whom taxes

00:23:06.799 --> 00:23:07.180
 are owed,

00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:07.759
 revenue to

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.180
 whom revenue

00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:08.700
 is owed,

00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:09.859
 respect to

00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:10.400
 whom respect

00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:10.980
 is owed,

00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:11.980
 honor to

00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:12.460
 whom honor

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:13.720
 is owed.

00:23:13.720 --> 00:23:15.039
 Paul tells

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:15.420
 us in the

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:15.900
 last two

00:23:15.900 --> 00:23:17.079
 verses of

00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:17.799
 today's text

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.600
 that because

00:23:18.600 --> 00:23:19.519
 governing

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:20.279
 authorities are

00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:21.400
 instituted by

00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:22.559
 God, that it

00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:23.380
 is proper to

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:24.539
 contribute to

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.000
 the work

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:26.019
 that they

00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:26.319
 do.

00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.519
 We'll have

00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:27.880
 to do so

00:23:27.880 --> 00:23:28.299
 with our

00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:29.940
 finances, and

00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.620
 we'll have

00:23:30.620 --> 00:23:31.220
 to do so

00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:32.259
 with our

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:32.740
 attitudes.

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:33.700
 We need to

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:34.620
 respect those

00:23:34.620 --> 00:23:35.620
 positions of

00:23:35.620 --> 00:23:35.980
 authority,

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:36.519
 whether we

00:23:36.519 --> 00:23:37.079
 particularly

00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:38.420
 respect the

00:23:38.420 --> 00:23:39.279
 person or

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.880
 the work

00:23:39.880 --> 00:23:40.660
 being accomplished

00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:41.299
 within that

00:23:41.299 --> 00:23:42.819
 role itself.

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.559
 I want to

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:44.860
 read to

00:23:44.860 --> 00:23:45.539
 you an

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.059
 anonymous

00:23:46.059 --> 00:23:47.019
 second-century

00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:47.700
 Christian's

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:49.000
 letter where

00:23:49.000 --> 00:23:50.019
 he's describing

00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:51.420
 the activity of

00:23:51.420 --> 00:23:51.880
 his fellow

00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:53.380
 Christian followers.

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:54.380
 Again, this is

00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:55.940
 second-century.

00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:57.680
 He writes

00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:58.019
 this,

00:23:58.400 --> 00:23:59.480
 Christians are

00:23:59.480 --> 00:24:00.460
 distinguished from

00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:01.220
 other men,

00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.120
 neither by

00:24:02.120 --> 00:24:03.000
 country nor

00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.539
 language,

00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:04.480
 nor the

00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:05.279
 customs which

00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:06.059
 they observe.

00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.140
 For they

00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:07.839
 neither inhabit

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:08.539
 cities of

00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:09.079
 their own,

00:24:09.140 --> 00:24:09.860
 nor employ a

00:24:09.860 --> 00:24:10.559
 particular form

00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:11.019
 of speech,

00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:11.579
 nor lead a

00:24:11.579 --> 00:24:12.079
 life which is

00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:12.819
 marked out by

00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:14.359
 any singularity.

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:16.019
 The course of

00:24:16.019 --> 00:24:16.659
 conduct which

00:24:16.659 --> 00:24:17.339
 they follow has

00:24:17.339 --> 00:24:17.799
 not been

00:24:17.799 --> 00:24:18.539
 devised by

00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:19.559
 any speculation

00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:21.019
 or deliberation

00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.779
 of inquisitive

00:24:21.779 --> 00:24:22.439
 men, nor do

00:24:22.439 --> 00:24:23.139
 they, like some,

00:24:23.240 --> 00:24:24.179
 proclaim themselves

00:24:24.179 --> 00:24:25.200
 the advocates of

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:26.379
 any merely human

00:24:26.379 --> 00:24:27.359
 doctrines.

00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:28.859
 But,

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:30.200
 inhabiting

00:24:30.200 --> 00:24:31.379
 Greek as well

00:24:31.379 --> 00:24:32.059
 as barbarian

00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.539
 cities,

00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:33.859
 according as

00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:34.379
 the lot of

00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:34.919
 each of them

00:24:34.919 --> 00:24:35.679
 had determined,

00:24:36.379 --> 00:24:36.859
 and following

00:24:36.859 --> 00:24:37.500
 the customs

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:38.279
 of the natives

00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:39.000
 in respect to

00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:39.980
 clothing, food,

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:40.619
 and the rest of

00:24:40.619 --> 00:24:41.039
 their ordinary

00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:42.480
 conduct, they

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.200
 display to

00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:43.759
 us their

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:44.879
 wonderful and

00:24:44.879 --> 00:24:45.639
 confessively

00:24:45.639 --> 00:24:46.839
 striking method

00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:47.859
 of life.

00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:49.680
 They dwell in

00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.039
 their own

00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.420
 countries, but

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:51.960
 simply as

00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.579
 sojourners.

00:24:53.159 --> 00:24:54.000
 As citizens,

00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:54.619
 they share in

00:24:54.619 --> 00:24:55.319
 all things with

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:56.059
 others and yet

00:24:56.059 --> 00:24:57.000
 endure all

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.920
 things as if

00:24:57.920 --> 00:24:58.319
 foreigners.

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.079
 Every foreign

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.619
 land is to

00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:01.359
 them as their

00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:02.039
 native country,

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.159
 and every land

00:25:03.159 --> 00:25:03.859
 of their birth

00:25:03.859 --> 00:25:04.720
 as a land of

00:25:04.720 --> 00:25:05.180
 strangers.

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:07.019
 They marry,

00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:07.980
 as do all

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.399
 others.

00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:09.019
 They beget

00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:10.059
 children, but

00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:10.419
 they do not

00:25:10.419 --> 00:25:10.940
 destroy their

00:25:10.940 --> 00:25:11.319
 offspring.

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:12.779
 They have a

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.659
 common table,

00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:14.599
 but not a

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:15.139
 common bed.

00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.440
 They are in

00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:17.659
 the flesh, but

00:25:17.659 --> 00:25:18.039
 they do not

00:25:18.039 --> 00:25:18.740
 live after the

00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:19.099
 flesh.

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:20.539
 They pass their

00:25:20.539 --> 00:25:21.200
 days on earth,

00:25:21.279 --> 00:25:21.559
 but they are

00:25:21.559 --> 00:25:22.159
 citizens of

00:25:22.159 --> 00:25:22.419
 heaven.

00:25:23.179 --> 00:25:24.139
 They obey the

00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:25.000
 prescribed laws

00:25:25.000 --> 00:25:25.399
 and at the

00:25:25.399 --> 00:25:26.000
 same time

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:26.980
 surpass the

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.940
 laws by

00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:28.740
 their lives.

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.139
 They love

00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:31.079
 all men and

00:25:31.079 --> 00:25:31.940
 are persecuted

00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:32.599
 by all.

00:25:33.399 --> 00:25:33.799
 They are

00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:34.460
 unknown and

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:34.899
 condemned.

00:25:35.539 --> 00:25:35.960
 They are put

00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:37.179
 to death and

00:25:37.179 --> 00:25:37.740
 restored to

00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:38.099
 life.

00:25:38.099 --> 00:25:39.399
 They are

00:25:39.399 --> 00:25:40.099
 poor, yet

00:25:40.099 --> 00:25:40.519
 make many

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:40.919
 rich.

00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:41.240
 They are

00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:41.659
 in lack

00:25:41.659 --> 00:25:42.179
 of all

00:25:42.179 --> 00:25:42.799
 things and

00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:43.539
 yet abound

00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:44.159
 in all.

00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:45.139
 They are

00:25:45.139 --> 00:25:46.179
 dishonored, yet

00:25:46.179 --> 00:25:46.899
 in their very

00:25:46.899 --> 00:25:48.000
 dishonor are

00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:48.619
 glorified.

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.299
 They are

00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:51.319
 evil, spoken

00:25:51.319 --> 00:25:52.379
 of, and yet

00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:52.919
 are justified.

00:25:53.539 --> 00:25:53.919
 They are

00:25:53.919 --> 00:25:55.059
 reviled and

00:25:55.059 --> 00:25:55.480
 blessed.

00:25:56.039 --> 00:25:56.339
 They are

00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:57.119
 insulted and

00:25:57.119 --> 00:25:57.699
 replay the

00:25:57.699 --> 00:25:58.459
 insult with

00:25:58.459 --> 00:25:58.879
 honor.

00:25:59.480 --> 00:25:59.919
 They do

00:25:59.919 --> 00:26:01.059
 good, yet

00:26:01.059 --> 00:26:01.619
 are punished

00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:02.639
 as evildoers.

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.019
 When punished,

00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:06.219
 they rejoice as

00:26:06.219 --> 00:26:06.839
 if quickened

00:26:06.839 --> 00:26:07.519
 into life.

00:26:07.899 --> 00:26:08.220
 They are

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.879
 assailed by

00:26:08.879 --> 00:26:09.579
 the Jews as

00:26:09.579 --> 00:26:10.299
 foreigners and

00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:10.919
 are persecuted

00:26:10.919 --> 00:26:11.899
 by the Greeks,

00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:12.859
 yet those who

00:26:12.859 --> 00:26:13.519
 hate them are

00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.220
 unable to

00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:15.299
 assign any

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:17.059
 reason for

00:26:17.059 --> 00:26:17.559
 their hatred.

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.299
 I just would

00:26:20.299 --> 00:26:20.599
 ask the

00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:22.599
 question, generally

00:26:22.599 --> 00:26:23.500
 of American

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:24.539
 Christianity, is

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:25.819
 it defined in

00:26:25.819 --> 00:26:27.259
 that way?

00:26:27.339 --> 00:26:27.720
 And I think

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:29.779
 sadly, it's

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:30.119
 not.

00:26:30.639 --> 00:26:31.539
 May we be

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:33.500
 people characterize

00:26:33.500 --> 00:26:34.359
 the way these

00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:35.179
 second century

00:26:35.180 --> 00:26:37.279
 Christians were

00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:37.720
 characterized.

00:26:39.600 --> 00:26:40.500
 So there's a

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:42.140
 simple exegesis

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:43.039
 of the text.

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:43.980
 A command to

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.420
 obey, a

00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:45.980
 caution against

00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:47.460
 rebellion, a

00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:49.160
 contribution for

00:26:49.160 --> 00:26:49.580
 the work.

00:26:50.840 --> 00:26:52.279
 Now, however,

00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:53.920
 I want to ask

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:55.560
 two contextual

00:26:55.560 --> 00:26:56.799
 questions and

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:58.039
 issue some

00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:58.500
 answers, at

00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.299
 least in part,

00:26:59.519 --> 00:26:59.940
 to those

00:26:59.940 --> 00:27:01.220
 questions.

00:27:01.220 --> 00:27:01.279
 questions.

00:27:02.420 --> 00:27:03.819
 The first is

00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:04.579
 simply this.

00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:07.000
 What part should

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:07.819
 Christians play

00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:09.120
 in politics?

00:27:09.660 --> 00:27:10.360
 Do we have any

00:27:10.360 --> 00:27:10.980
 role to play at

00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:11.140
 all?

00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:11.440
 Should we

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.200
 entirely remove

00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:13.420
 ourselves from

00:27:13.420 --> 00:27:14.079
 the process,

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.720
 simply saying,

00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:16.160
 well, God's

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:16.579
 going to do what

00:27:16.579 --> 00:27:16.980
 God's going to

00:27:16.980 --> 00:27:17.400
 do, so we

00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:18.360
 have no reason

00:27:18.360 --> 00:27:19.200
 to be involved

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.200
 in it?

00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:21.519
 I say to you,

00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:22.140
 no, we have

00:27:22.140 --> 00:27:23.700
 our system is a

00:27:23.700 --> 00:27:25.259
 system by and

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:25.980
 for the people

00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:26.920
 in its design,

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:27.900
 so let's

00:27:27.900 --> 00:27:28.660
 participate

00:27:28.660 --> 00:27:29.860
 meaningfully

00:27:29.860 --> 00:27:30.960
 in it.

00:27:32.040 --> 00:27:32.460
 God has

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:32.940
 granted us

00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:33.980
 such opportunity

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.759
 to work

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.480
 toward those

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:37.640
 previously

00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:39.060
 mentioned goals

00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:40.060
 of protecting

00:27:40.060 --> 00:27:40.580
 the vulnerable,

00:27:41.320 --> 00:27:41.840
 strengthening our

00:27:41.840 --> 00:27:42.820
 communities, and

00:27:42.820 --> 00:27:43.640
 promoting human

00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:44.460
 flourishing as

00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:45.360
 we participate

00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:46.220
 in our

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.360
 political process.

00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:50.000
 Politics are

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:51.720
 downstream of

00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:52.120
 culture.

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:53.800
 So let's be

00:27:53.800 --> 00:27:54.620
 those who have

00:27:54.620 --> 00:27:55.640
 and hold God's

00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:56.840
 truth, be

00:27:56.840 --> 00:27:57.800
 shapers of

00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.940
 culture and

00:27:58.940 --> 00:28:00.180
 the politics

00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:01.659
 that follow.

00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:03.339
 Let's not

00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:03.899
 leave our

00:28:03.899 --> 00:28:04.279
 pagan

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:06.000
 neighbors to

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.460
 themselves.

00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:07.339
 Let's be

00:28:07.339 --> 00:28:07.899
 involved.

00:28:08.039 --> 00:28:08.519
 We have the

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:09.539
 opportunity to

00:28:09.539 --> 00:28:11.180
 do so, and

00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:11.980
 so we should

00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:13.599
 in some

00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.379
 specific ways.

00:28:14.500 --> 00:28:14.960
 Number one,

00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:17.039
 let us vote

00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:18.559
 for godly

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:19.759
 leaders and

00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:20.159
 biblical

00:28:20.159 --> 00:28:21.379
 laws.

00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:23.299
 Your votes

00:28:23.299 --> 00:28:25.039
 have consequences.

00:28:25.259 --> 00:28:25.500
 We have

00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.119
 witnessed that

00:28:26.119 --> 00:28:27.059
 most readily

00:28:27.059 --> 00:28:28.059
 in these past

00:28:28.059 --> 00:28:28.559
 years.

00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:30.859
 Know what

00:28:30.859 --> 00:28:31.460
 is good

00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:32.559
 and true

00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:34.059
 and beautiful.

00:28:34.399 --> 00:28:34.759
 Have a

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.539
 biblical worldview

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:36.700
 and throw

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.379
 your citizenship

00:28:37.379 --> 00:28:38.139
 at those

00:28:38.139 --> 00:28:39.639
 things on

00:28:39.639 --> 00:28:40.240
 the ballot.

00:28:40.819 --> 00:28:41.279
 We have a

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:42.019
 limited amount

00:28:42.019 --> 00:28:42.539
 of political

00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.179
 influence, but

00:28:43.179 --> 00:28:43.839
 we do have

00:28:43.839 --> 00:28:44.899
 this ability,

00:28:45.159 --> 00:28:46.500
 each and

00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:46.940
 every one of

00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:47.319
 us who are

00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:47.899
 of age.

00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:49.639
 Know

00:28:49.639 --> 00:28:50.039
 biblical

00:28:50.039 --> 00:28:50.980
 justice and

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:51.960
 support laws

00:28:51.960 --> 00:28:53.759
 consistent with

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.019
 it.

00:28:54.519 --> 00:28:55.299
 Vote for

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:55.819
 leaders that

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:56.460
 have Bibles

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:56.779
 in their

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.460
 back pockets

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.079
 and not

00:28:58.079 --> 00:28:58.779
 just special

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.240
 interest

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.559
 dollars.

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:01.839
 Sadly,

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:02.220
 there are

00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:03.039
 few and

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.159
 far between,

00:29:04.299 --> 00:29:04.619
 it would

00:29:04.619 --> 00:29:05.059
 seem.

00:29:06.000 --> 00:29:06.399
 Perhaps

00:29:06.399 --> 00:29:06.799
 consider,

00:29:06.919 --> 00:29:07.339
 young people,

00:29:07.419 --> 00:29:08.259
 a life of

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:08.939
 politics.

00:29:09.059 --> 00:29:09.500
 We need

00:29:09.500 --> 00:29:11.119
 good men

00:29:11.119 --> 00:29:11.460
 and women

00:29:11.460 --> 00:29:11.759
 to be

00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:12.839
 involved in

00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:13.200
 the political

00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:13.819
 process.

00:29:15.079 --> 00:29:15.740
 Remember that

00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:16.259
 there is no

00:29:16.259 --> 00:29:17.079
 authority except

00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:17.759
 from God,

00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.039
 and those

00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:19.579
 that exist

00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:19.939
 have been

00:29:19.939 --> 00:29:20.839
 instituted by

00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:22.099
 God, but

00:29:22.099 --> 00:29:23.240
 God uses

00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:24.199
 means to

00:29:24.199 --> 00:29:24.859
 accomplish

00:29:24.859 --> 00:29:26.240
 his ends.

00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:27.179
 And in our

00:29:27.179 --> 00:29:27.859
 political system,

00:29:27.939 --> 00:29:28.459
 that includes

00:29:28.459 --> 00:29:29.179
 your voice

00:29:29.179 --> 00:29:30.439
 and your

00:29:30.439 --> 00:29:30.779
 vote.

00:29:31.579 --> 00:29:32.339
 In our

00:29:32.339 --> 00:29:32.959
 context,

00:29:33.099 --> 00:29:33.759
 those means

00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.439
 are not

00:29:34.439 --> 00:29:35.879
 coups, we

00:29:35.879 --> 00:29:36.699
 hope, we

00:29:36.699 --> 00:29:37.039
 hope that's

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.399
 not the way

00:29:37.399 --> 00:29:38.159
 political power

00:29:38.159 --> 00:29:39.679
 transitions in

00:29:39.679 --> 00:29:40.159
 our country,

00:29:40.319 --> 00:29:41.279
 but rather

00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:42.319
 ordered

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:43.379
 processes,

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:44.019
 and so we

00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:44.579
 should be

00:29:44.579 --> 00:29:45.959
 involved in

00:29:45.959 --> 00:29:46.639
 those processes.

00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:48.980
 Secondly,

00:29:49.520 --> 00:29:50.300
 specifically,

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.100
 being involved

00:29:51.100 --> 00:29:51.980
 in politics,

00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:53.440
 given the

00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:53.960
 opportunity,

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:54.460
 we should

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:55.680
 warn leaders

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.700
 that they

00:29:56.700 --> 00:29:57.000
 have been

00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:57.740
 appointed by

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.480
 God, are

00:29:58.480 --> 00:29:59.020
 meant to

00:29:59.020 --> 00:29:59.440
 work for

00:29:59.440 --> 00:29:59.960
 the good

00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:00.340
 of their

00:30:00.340 --> 00:30:00.940
 citizenry,

00:30:01.280 --> 00:30:02.259
 by God's

00:30:02.259 --> 00:30:03.160
 standard, and

00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:04.020
 will be judged

00:30:04.020 --> 00:30:04.800
 for the way

00:30:04.800 --> 00:30:06.040
 they govern.

00:30:06.860 --> 00:30:07.259
 We should be

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.980
 a voice in

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.300
 the public

00:30:08.300 --> 00:30:08.960
 sphere if we

00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:09.280
 have the

00:30:09.280 --> 00:30:10.300
 opportunity to

00:30:10.300 --> 00:30:11.360
 speak to

00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:12.160
 elected officials.

00:30:12.300 --> 00:30:12.720
 We should be

00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.320
 saying to them,

00:30:13.400 --> 00:30:13.800
 there is a

00:30:13.800 --> 00:30:14.740
 standard by

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.360
 which you

00:30:15.360 --> 00:30:15.860
 are meant

00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:17.019
 to govern.

00:30:18.099 --> 00:30:18.919
 I wonder how

00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:19.599
 many opportunities

00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:20.240
 to clearly

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.740
 present the

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:21.259
 gospel to

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:21.519
 governing

00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.740
 authorities have

00:30:22.740 --> 00:30:23.179
 been missed

00:30:23.179 --> 00:30:23.740
 for the sake

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.379
 of political

00:30:24.379 --> 00:30:25.619
 expedience or

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:26.919
 guised civility.

00:30:27.919 --> 00:30:29.039
 We do well

00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:30.019
 to be prophetic

00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.339
 voices, to

00:30:31.339 --> 00:30:32.399
 engage politically

00:30:32.399 --> 00:30:33.699
 as Christians

00:30:33.699 --> 00:30:34.759
 first,

00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:36.039
 concerned about

00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:36.819
 those eternal

00:30:36.819 --> 00:30:37.919
 things most,

00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:39.119
 and then as

00:30:39.119 --> 00:30:39.619
 Americans

00:30:39.619 --> 00:30:40.740
 second.

00:30:42.819 --> 00:30:43.619
 Thirdly,

00:30:43.619 --> 00:30:46.359
 trust the

00:30:46.359 --> 00:30:47.500
 Lord of

00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:49.079
 politics and

00:30:49.079 --> 00:30:49.519
 be charitable.

00:30:50.379 --> 00:30:51.059
 Trust the

00:30:51.059 --> 00:30:52.139
 Lord of

00:30:52.139 --> 00:30:52.519
 politics.

00:30:52.679 --> 00:30:53.279
 Nothing is

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:53.939
 outside of

00:30:53.939 --> 00:30:55.539
 His control.

00:30:56.500 --> 00:30:57.399
 Regardless of

00:30:57.399 --> 00:30:58.139
 the results of

00:30:58.139 --> 00:30:58.799
 any given

00:30:58.799 --> 00:30:59.379
 election,

00:31:00.699 --> 00:31:01.219
 Christians should

00:31:01.219 --> 00:31:02.079
 be confidently

00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:03.699
 settled of

00:31:03.699 --> 00:31:04.179
 all people.

00:31:04.459 --> 00:31:04.859
 We should be

00:31:04.859 --> 00:31:05.479
 the most

00:31:05.479 --> 00:31:06.139
 confident of

00:31:06.139 --> 00:31:06.659
 all people

00:31:06.659 --> 00:31:07.739
 because we

00:31:07.739 --> 00:31:08.979
 know that

00:31:08.979 --> 00:31:09.399
 our Savior

00:31:09.399 --> 00:31:09.859
 will never

00:31:09.859 --> 00:31:10.739
 occupy the

00:31:10.739 --> 00:31:11.379
 Oval Office,

00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:13.040
 but presently

00:31:13.040 --> 00:31:13.900
 occupies the

00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.460
 throne of

00:31:14.460 --> 00:31:15.060
 heaven and

00:31:15.060 --> 00:31:16.420
 reigns over

00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:16.780
 all.

00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:18.660
 Undoubtedly.

00:31:19.860 --> 00:31:20.560
 Beloved, our

00:31:20.560 --> 00:31:21.480
 ultimate citizenship

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:23.040
 is with Him.

00:31:24.200 --> 00:31:24.580
 If you have

00:31:24.580 --> 00:31:25.420
 turned from

00:31:25.420 --> 00:31:26.560
 your sin and

00:31:26.560 --> 00:31:27.140
 placed saving

00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:27.740
 faith in the

00:31:27.740 --> 00:31:28.920
 accomplished work

00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:29.720
 of Christ for

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:31.040
 you, then you

00:31:31.040 --> 00:31:31.680
 ought to be

00:31:31.680 --> 00:31:32.480
 immovable.

00:31:33.860 --> 00:31:34.620
 Your confidence

00:31:34.620 --> 00:31:35.280
 should be

00:31:35.280 --> 00:31:36.300
 unshakable.

00:31:37.540 --> 00:31:38.100
 The author of

00:31:38.100 --> 00:31:38.880
 Hebrews writes

00:31:38.880 --> 00:31:39.720
 chapter 13

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.480
 and verse 14,

00:31:40.480 --> 00:31:41.240
 For here we

00:31:41.240 --> 00:31:42.140
 have no

00:31:42.140 --> 00:31:43.559
 lasting city,

00:31:44.099 --> 00:31:44.400
 but wishes

00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:45.160
 will not be

00:31:45.160 --> 00:31:46.319
 thwarted, and

00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:46.839
 although His

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:47.819
 providence can

00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.799
 at times be

00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:50.000
 strange to us,

00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:51.660
 His sovereign

00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:53.000
 goodness never

00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:53.680
 fails to

00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:54.920
 accomplish all

00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:55.900
 that He

00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:56.279
 purposes.

00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.460
 Set your

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:59.759
 confidence beyond

00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:00.420
 this world.

00:32:01.579 --> 00:32:02.160
 Fix it

00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:04.319
 heavenward and

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:05.579
 rest.

00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:07.779
 Again, I'm

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:08.120
 not saying

00:32:08.120 --> 00:32:08.500
 don't be

00:32:08.500 --> 00:32:10.099
 involved, but

00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:10.559
 in the midst

00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:10.859
 of our

00:32:10.859 --> 00:32:11.319
 involvement,

00:32:11.679 --> 00:32:12.219
 and after

00:32:12.219 --> 00:32:12.899
 our involvement

00:32:12.899 --> 00:32:13.619
 has passed,

00:32:13.719 --> 00:32:14.259
 we ought to

00:32:14.259 --> 00:32:14.939
 be a people

00:32:14.939 --> 00:32:17.259
 so confident

00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:17.740
 in who our

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.500
 God is and

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:18.919
 what He has

00:32:18.919 --> 00:32:19.819
 promised to

00:32:19.819 --> 00:32:20.679
 accomplish on

00:32:20.679 --> 00:32:22.039
 our behalf and

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.719
 in the world,

00:32:22.959 --> 00:32:23.779
 that we are not

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:25.339
 given to fits

00:32:25.339 --> 00:32:26.519
 like the world

00:32:26.519 --> 00:32:28.240
 around us is.

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:32.019
 people with

00:32:32.019 --> 00:32:33.640
 unshakable confidence

00:32:33.640 --> 00:32:34.420
 in God's

00:32:34.420 --> 00:32:35.120
 providence

00:32:35.120 --> 00:32:36.059
 find it

00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:36.819
 easy,

00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:38.019
 hear me,

00:32:38.660 --> 00:32:39.160
 people with

00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:39.940
 unshakable

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:41.000
 confidence in

00:32:41.000 --> 00:32:41.620
 God's

00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:42.640
 providence

00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.819
 find it

00:32:43.819 --> 00:32:44.759
 easy to be

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.240
 charitable

00:32:45.240 --> 00:32:46.500
 towards those

00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:47.099
 who disagree

00:32:47.099 --> 00:32:48.380
 with them.

00:32:49.380 --> 00:32:50.019
 If someone

00:32:50.019 --> 00:32:50.599
 doesn't think

00:32:50.599 --> 00:32:51.039
 the way you

00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:51.460
 think,

00:32:52.339 --> 00:32:52.940
 vote the

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.640
 way you

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:54.059
 vote.

00:32:54.359 --> 00:32:54.620
 If you're

00:32:54.620 --> 00:32:55.279
 confident in

00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:55.759
 God's

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:56.420
 sovereign

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:56.960
 goodness,

00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:59.160
 you still

00:32:59.160 --> 00:32:59.559
 may want to

00:32:59.559 --> 00:33:00.139
 convince them

00:33:00.139 --> 00:33:00.599
 otherwise,

00:33:01.259 --> 00:33:02.160
 but the

00:33:02.160 --> 00:33:02.460
 world does

00:33:02.460 --> 00:33:03.240
 not rise and

00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:03.720
 fall in your

00:33:03.720 --> 00:33:04.180
 ability to

00:33:04.180 --> 00:33:04.740
 convince them

00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:05.899
 otherwise.

00:33:07.180 --> 00:33:08.000
 Even in

00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:08.460
 matters of

00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:08.940
 politics,

00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.740
 we can be

00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.539
 charitable if

00:33:10.539 --> 00:33:11.279
 we're confident

00:33:11.279 --> 00:33:13.420
 in who our

00:33:13.420 --> 00:33:13.940
 God is.

00:33:13.940 --> 00:33:15.759
 God is

00:33:15.759 --> 00:33:16.200
 the world

00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:17.340
 is not

00:33:17.340 --> 00:33:18.240
 falling apart

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.440
 outside of

00:33:19.440 --> 00:33:19.860
 God's

00:33:19.860 --> 00:33:20.299
 control.

00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:20.620
 No matter

00:33:20.620 --> 00:33:21.400
 how dire

00:33:21.400 --> 00:33:21.779
 it may

00:33:21.779 --> 00:33:22.360
 seem at

00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:22.920
 times,

00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:23.900
 God has

00:33:23.900 --> 00:33:24.559
 not given

00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:25.980
 up his

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:26.320
 sovereignty

00:33:26.320 --> 00:33:27.880
 to anybody.

00:33:29.860 --> 00:33:30.480
 Charles

00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:30.840
 Spurgeon

00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:31.440
 once said,

00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:31.960
 this is the

00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:32.680
 quotation on

00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:33.019
 the back of

00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:33.980
 your bulletin,

00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.180
 in a quote

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.220
 often wrongly

00:33:36.220 --> 00:33:36.960
 applied politically,

00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:39.000
 he says

00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:39.320
 this,

00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:40.600
 I do not

00:33:40.600 --> 00:33:41.120
 know which

00:33:41.120 --> 00:33:41.580
 I should

00:33:41.580 --> 00:33:43.080
 prefer to

00:33:43.080 --> 00:33:43.480
 see one

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:43.960
 of my dear

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.319
 Christian

00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:45.140
 brethren fall

00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:45.920
 into doctrinal

00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:47.440
 error or

00:33:47.440 --> 00:33:48.160
 into an

00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:49.039
 unchristian

00:33:49.039 --> 00:33:49.920
 spirit.

00:33:50.799 --> 00:33:51.420
 I would

00:33:51.420 --> 00:33:52.180
 prefer neither

00:33:52.180 --> 00:33:52.819
 for I think

00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:53.279
 this is a

00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:54.099
 safe rule of

00:33:54.099 --> 00:33:54.940
 two evils

00:33:54.940 --> 00:33:56.099
 choose

00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:57.079
 neither.

00:33:57.640 --> 00:33:58.620
 We can be

00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.220
 doctrinally

00:33:59.220 --> 00:33:59.720
 consistent,

00:34:00.460 --> 00:34:01.779
 politically

00:34:01.779 --> 00:34:02.500
 wise,

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:03.940
 and still

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:05.240
 be charitable

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.900
 towards others

00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:08.079
 because we're

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:10.159
 confident in

00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:10.420
 God's

00:34:10.420 --> 00:34:11.039
 providential

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:11.639
 work.

00:34:11.639 --> 00:34:13.719
 second

00:34:13.719 --> 00:34:14.119
 question

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.559
 and final

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:14.940
 question,

00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:16.900
 when is

00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:17.400
 it by

00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:18.319
 our God

00:34:18.319 --> 00:34:19.579
 to rebel

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.400
 against

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:21.000
 governing

00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:21.679
 authorities?

00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:22.480
 When is

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:23.319
 it faithful

00:34:23.319 --> 00:34:24.460
 to rebel

00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:25.000
 against

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:26.059
 governing

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:26.480
 authorities?

00:34:26.739 --> 00:34:26.920
 Now,

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:27.679
 Paul doesn't

00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:28.039
 give us any

00:34:28.039 --> 00:34:28.400
 space for

00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.739
 that in

00:34:28.739 --> 00:34:29.259
 today's

00:34:29.259 --> 00:34:29.859
 text,

00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:30.719
 but he's

00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:31.279
 speaking

00:34:31.279 --> 00:34:32.079
 generally,

00:34:32.319 --> 00:34:32.900
 I believe.

00:34:33.920 --> 00:34:34.239
 Surely

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:34.659
 governing

00:34:34.659 --> 00:34:35.239
 authorities

00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:35.940
 err at

00:34:35.940 --> 00:34:36.679
 times,

00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:37.539
 correct?

00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:38.940
 They do,

00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:40.460
 many times

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:40.880
 they do.

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.059
 At those

00:34:42.059 --> 00:34:42.740
 times,

00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:44.280
 that authority

00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:45.500
 sets itself

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:47.440
 against the

00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:48.139
 commands of

00:34:48.139 --> 00:34:48.360
 God.

00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:49.699
 We see the

00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:50.280
 case of this

00:34:50.280 --> 00:34:50.960
 all around

00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:51.260
 us.

00:34:51.420 --> 00:34:52.000
 In Psalm

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:52.579
 chapter 2,

00:34:52.659 --> 00:34:53.079
 verses 1

00:34:53.079 --> 00:34:53.579
 through 3,

00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:54.619
 the psalmist

00:34:54.619 --> 00:34:54.820
 writes,

00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:55.539
 why do the

00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:56.160
 nations

00:34:56.160 --> 00:34:57.240
 rage and

00:34:57.240 --> 00:34:57.360
 the

00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:57.800
 people's

00:34:57.800 --> 00:34:58.260
 plot

00:34:58.260 --> 00:34:59.480
 in vain?

00:34:59.820 --> 00:35:00.300
 The kings

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:00.519
 of the

00:35:00.519 --> 00:35:01.260
 earth set

00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:01.880
 themselves

00:35:01.880 --> 00:35:02.340
 and the

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:02.920
 rulers take

00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:03.460
 counsel

00:35:03.460 --> 00:35:03.960
 together

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:04.600
 against the

00:35:04.600 --> 00:35:04.920
 Lord,

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:05.300
 that's God

00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:05.740
 the Father,

00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:06.500
 and against

00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:06.700
 his

00:35:06.700 --> 00:35:07.200
 anointed,

00:35:07.380 --> 00:35:07.960
 that's God

00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:09.140
 the Christ,

00:35:09.300 --> 00:35:09.880
 saying,

00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:10.720
 let us

00:35:10.720 --> 00:35:11.480
 burst their

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.080
 bonds apart

00:35:12.080 --> 00:35:12.860
 and cast

00:35:12.860 --> 00:35:13.539
 away their

00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:14.100
 cords

00:35:14.100 --> 00:35:15.700
 from us.

00:35:15.699 --> 00:35:17.339
 You can

00:35:17.339 --> 00:35:18.359
 see here

00:35:18.359 --> 00:35:19.079
 in this

00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:19.859
 psalm that

00:35:19.859 --> 00:35:20.839
 it perhaps

00:35:20.839 --> 00:35:21.759
 is normative

00:35:21.759 --> 00:35:23.359
 that governing

00:35:23.359 --> 00:35:24.539
 authorities want

00:35:24.539 --> 00:35:25.139
 to reject

00:35:25.139 --> 00:35:26.839
 God himself.

00:35:27.339 --> 00:35:27.759
 What are we

00:35:27.759 --> 00:35:28.419
 to do,

00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:29.659
 God's people,

00:35:29.739 --> 00:35:30.179
 when this

00:35:30.179 --> 00:35:30.899
 is the

00:35:30.899 --> 00:35:31.219
 case?

00:35:32.679 --> 00:35:33.199
 Rebel.

00:35:33.759 --> 00:35:34.059
 That's what

00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:34.399
 we're to do.

00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.659
 We're to rebel

00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:36.559
 against that

00:35:36.559 --> 00:35:37.199
 kind of stand

00:35:37.199 --> 00:35:37.739
 against God

00:35:37.739 --> 00:35:38.179
 because we

00:35:38.179 --> 00:35:39.299
 stand with

00:35:39.299 --> 00:35:39.779
 the innate

00:35:39.779 --> 00:35:40.539
 and final

00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:41.659
 authority.

00:35:41.659 --> 00:35:43.019
 We can

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.399
 observe an

00:35:43.399 --> 00:35:43.960
 example of

00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:44.399
 this in

00:35:44.399 --> 00:35:44.759
 the life

00:35:44.759 --> 00:35:45.000
 of the

00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:45.599
 apostles in

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.299
 Acts 5

00:35:46.299 --> 00:35:47.859
 27-29.

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:48.699
 I want you

00:35:48.699 --> 00:35:48.980
 to note

00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:49.619
 the issue

00:35:49.619 --> 00:35:50.420
 that they

00:35:50.420 --> 00:35:52.159
 stand for.

00:35:53.039 --> 00:35:53.420
 There we

00:35:53.420 --> 00:35:53.759
 see,

00:35:53.879 --> 00:35:54.579
 when the

00:35:54.579 --> 00:35:55.119
 captain with

00:35:55.119 --> 00:35:55.679
 the officers

00:35:55.679 --> 00:35:56.279
 had brought

00:35:56.279 --> 00:35:56.619
 them,

00:35:56.679 --> 00:35:57.000
 this is the

00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:57.379
 apostles,

00:35:57.559 --> 00:35:57.940
 they set

00:35:57.940 --> 00:35:58.420
 them before

00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:59.039
 the council

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.759
 and the

00:35:59.759 --> 00:36:00.339
 high priest

00:36:00.339 --> 00:36:00.899
 questioned

00:36:00.899 --> 00:36:01.199
 them,

00:36:01.359 --> 00:36:01.759
 saying,

00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:02.779
 we strictly

00:36:02.779 --> 00:36:03.639
 charge you

00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:04.299
 not to

00:36:04.299 --> 00:36:04.980
 teach in

00:36:04.980 --> 00:36:05.519
 this name,

00:36:05.579 --> 00:36:05.759
 the name

00:36:05.759 --> 00:36:06.319
 of Christ.

00:36:06.579 --> 00:36:06.980
 Yet here

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.319
 you have

00:36:07.319 --> 00:36:07.699
 filled

00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:08.219
 Jerusalem

00:36:08.219 --> 00:36:08.599
 with your

00:36:08.599 --> 00:36:09.159
 teaching and

00:36:09.159 --> 00:36:09.619
 you intend

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.059
 to bring

00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:10.980
 this man's

00:36:10.980 --> 00:36:11.639
 blood.

00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:12.319
 God upon

00:36:12.319 --> 00:36:12.619
 us.

00:36:12.719 --> 00:36:13.219
 So we

00:36:13.219 --> 00:36:13.339
 have

00:36:13.339 --> 00:36:13.759
 charged you

00:36:13.759 --> 00:36:14.199
 not to

00:36:14.199 --> 00:36:14.579
 preach the

00:36:14.579 --> 00:36:15.119
 gospel and

00:36:15.119 --> 00:36:15.480
 you did

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:16.079
 it anyway.

00:36:16.859 --> 00:36:17.259
 These are

00:36:17.259 --> 00:36:17.579
 governing

00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:18.699
 authorities put

00:36:18.699 --> 00:36:19.239
 in place

00:36:19.239 --> 00:36:20.859
 by God.

00:36:21.599 --> 00:36:21.920
 What are

00:36:21.920 --> 00:36:22.199
 they to

00:36:22.199 --> 00:36:22.719
 do in

00:36:22.719 --> 00:36:23.019
 this

00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.839
 situation?

00:36:25.059 --> 00:36:25.699
 So

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:26.159
 clearly,

00:36:26.500 --> 00:36:27.839
 they rebelled.

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:28.960
 And Peter

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.739
 defends that

00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:30.819
 action in

00:36:30.819 --> 00:36:31.500
 verse 29,

00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.119
 but Peter

00:36:32.119 --> 00:36:33.079
 and the

00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:33.519
 apostles

00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:34.359
 answered,

00:36:34.879 --> 00:36:35.319
 we must

00:36:35.319 --> 00:36:36.819
 obey God

00:36:36.819 --> 00:36:38.799
 rather than

00:36:38.799 --> 00:36:39.079
 men.

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:40.839
 Now note

00:36:40.840 --> 00:36:41.140
 at the

00:36:41.140 --> 00:36:41.740
 core of

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:42.140
 this,

00:36:42.680 --> 00:36:43.480
 the core

00:36:43.480 --> 00:36:43.820
 of what's

00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:44.220
 happening

00:36:44.220 --> 00:36:45.300
 here is

00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:46.059
 a rebellion

00:36:46.059 --> 00:36:47.160
 against

00:36:47.160 --> 00:36:48.340
 spiritual

00:36:48.340 --> 00:36:49.700
 matters.

00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:51.400
 You have

00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:51.900
 the example

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:53.039
 of Paul

00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:53.740
 causing a

00:36:53.740 --> 00:36:54.100
 riot.

00:36:54.980 --> 00:36:55.460
 Paul doesn't

00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:56.059
 go into a

00:36:56.059 --> 00:36:56.380
 city in

00:36:56.380 --> 00:36:56.760
 order to

00:36:56.760 --> 00:36:57.380
 cause a

00:36:57.380 --> 00:36:57.720
 riot.

00:36:58.260 --> 00:36:58.800
 Paul goes

00:36:58.800 --> 00:36:59.079
 into a

00:36:59.079 --> 00:36:59.920
 city preaching

00:36:59.920 --> 00:37:00.780
 against the

00:37:00.780 --> 00:37:01.720
 idolatry there

00:37:01.720 --> 00:37:02.559
 and a

00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:03.440
 riot results.

00:37:04.700 --> 00:37:05.140
 Rather,

00:37:05.220 --> 00:37:06.140
 he sought to

00:37:06.140 --> 00:37:06.760
 be peaceable

00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:07.660
 as he went

00:37:07.660 --> 00:37:08.940
 about his

00:37:08.940 --> 00:37:09.360
 business.

00:37:10.480 --> 00:37:10.780
 Again,

00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:11.380
 from Spurgeon,

00:37:11.480 --> 00:37:11.940
 Spurgeon says,

00:37:12.060 --> 00:37:12.200
 there are

00:37:12.200 --> 00:37:12.740
 points of

00:37:12.740 --> 00:37:13.160
 inevitable

00:37:13.160 --> 00:37:13.900
 contact

00:37:13.900 --> 00:37:14.440
 between the

00:37:14.440 --> 00:37:15.540
 higher and

00:37:15.540 --> 00:37:16.620
 lower spheres.

00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:17.680
 Points where

00:37:17.680 --> 00:37:18.780
 politics persist

00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:19.480
 in coming into

00:37:19.480 --> 00:37:20.340
 collision with

00:37:20.340 --> 00:37:20.940
 our faith.

00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:22.000
 And there we

00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.420
 shall be

00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:23.140
 traitors both

00:37:23.140 --> 00:37:23.620
 to heaven

00:37:23.620 --> 00:37:24.500
 and earth

00:37:24.500 --> 00:37:25.220
 if we

00:37:25.220 --> 00:37:25.980
 consult our

00:37:25.980 --> 00:37:27.180
 comfort by

00:37:27.180 --> 00:37:28.460
 sinking into

00:37:28.460 --> 00:37:28.920
 the rear.

00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:29.800
 There are

00:37:29.800 --> 00:37:30.440
 times that

00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:30.820
 these things

00:37:30.820 --> 00:37:31.100
 are going to

00:37:31.100 --> 00:37:31.500
 run in

00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:32.120
 opposition to

00:37:32.120 --> 00:37:32.580
 one another

00:37:32.580 --> 00:37:33.140
 and we

00:37:33.140 --> 00:37:33.380
 are to be

00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:33.880
 those that

00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.920
 press forward.

00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:35.720
 We stand

00:37:35.720 --> 00:37:36.059
 with the

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.800
 one who

00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:37.300
 has that

00:37:37.300 --> 00:37:38.119
 innate and

00:37:38.119 --> 00:37:40.220
 final authority.

00:37:41.340 --> 00:37:42.599
 Sometimes this

00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:44.320
 rebellion is

00:37:44.320 --> 00:37:45.940
 simple and

00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:46.500
 it's clear.

00:37:47.900 --> 00:37:49.340
 Still difficult,

00:37:49.760 --> 00:37:50.800
 still difficult

00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:51.460
 to stand in

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:51.860
 the face of

00:37:51.860 --> 00:37:52.300
 opposition.

00:37:53.360 --> 00:37:54.400
 The sword is

00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:54.980
 the threat,

00:37:55.740 --> 00:37:56.340
 but simple

00:37:56.340 --> 00:37:57.420
 and clear,

00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.340
 sometimes it

00:37:58.340 --> 00:37:59.440
 is much

00:37:59.440 --> 00:38:00.380
 more complicated.

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.400
 We found

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:02.700
 this to be

00:38:02.700 --> 00:38:03.460
 true in the

00:38:03.460 --> 00:38:04.800
 recent past

00:38:04.800 --> 00:38:05.060
 as we

00:38:05.060 --> 00:38:05.640
 consider the

00:38:05.640 --> 00:38:06.060
 rules of

00:38:06.060 --> 00:38:06.580
 governing

00:38:06.580 --> 00:38:07.160
 authorities

00:38:07.160 --> 00:38:07.820
 concerning

00:38:07.820 --> 00:38:08.240
 our

00:38:08.240 --> 00:38:08.720
 gathering

00:38:08.720 --> 00:38:09.620
 as a

00:38:09.620 --> 00:38:10.000
 church.

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:11.640
 Churches all

00:38:11.640 --> 00:38:11.920
 over the

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.539
 nation had

00:38:12.539 --> 00:38:13.100
 to consider

00:38:13.100 --> 00:38:13.519
 this.

00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:14.700
 Were those

00:38:14.700 --> 00:38:15.500
 rules proper

00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:15.920
 for the

00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.260
 good of the

00:38:16.260 --> 00:38:16.780
 citizenry?

00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:17.760
 Or would

00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:18.400
 obeying them

00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:18.800
 find us

00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:19.380
 guilty of

00:38:19.380 --> 00:38:20.220
 neglecting to

00:38:20.220 --> 00:38:20.800
 meet together,

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:21.760
 which we

00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:22.120
 are warned

00:38:22.120 --> 00:38:22.720
 against in

00:38:22.720 --> 00:38:23.039
 Hebrews

00:38:23.039 --> 00:38:24.519
 chapter 10?

00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:26.019
 What do we

00:38:26.019 --> 00:38:26.300
 obey?

00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:26.940
 Are we meant

00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:27.620
 to subject

00:38:27.620 --> 00:38:28.140
 ourselves to

00:38:28.140 --> 00:38:28.460
 the governing

00:38:28.460 --> 00:38:29.039
 authorities in

00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:29.420
 this case,

00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:30.380
 or to not

00:38:30.380 --> 00:38:30.960
 neglect meeting

00:38:30.960 --> 00:38:31.340
 together?

00:38:31.660 --> 00:38:32.200
 Over here we

00:38:32.200 --> 00:38:32.500
 have these

00:38:32.500 --> 00:38:33.820
 two commands

00:38:33.820 --> 00:38:35.400
 given to

00:38:35.400 --> 00:38:35.940
 us, and

00:38:35.940 --> 00:38:36.800
 how this

00:38:36.800 --> 00:38:37.420
 question was

00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:38.120
 answered was

00:38:38.120 --> 00:38:39.360
 difficult to

00:38:39.360 --> 00:38:41.200
 ascertain, and

00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:41.880
 it developed

00:38:41.880 --> 00:38:42.559
 over time as

00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:43.140
 we had more

00:38:43.140 --> 00:38:44.380
 information

00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:45.880
 navigating that

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:46.360
 particular

00:38:46.360 --> 00:38:47.559
 illness.

00:38:48.180 --> 00:38:48.920
 Difficult

00:38:48.920 --> 00:38:49.820
 sometimes to

00:38:49.820 --> 00:38:50.460
 sort through

00:38:50.460 --> 00:38:51.620
 the proper

00:38:51.620 --> 00:38:52.580
 thing to

00:38:52.580 --> 00:38:52.860
 do.

00:38:54.080 --> 00:38:54.539
 In

00:38:54.539 --> 00:38:55.320
 18th century

00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:55.860
 America,

00:38:56.760 --> 00:38:57.660
 pastors debated

00:38:57.660 --> 00:38:58.480
 the validity

00:38:58.480 --> 00:38:59.700
 of war against

00:38:59.699 --> 00:39:01.659
 the crown, and

00:39:01.659 --> 00:39:02.019
 whether the

00:39:02.019 --> 00:39:02.379
 American

00:39:02.379 --> 00:39:03.399
 experiment was

00:39:03.399 --> 00:39:04.819
 sanctioned by

00:39:04.819 --> 00:39:05.059
 God.

00:39:05.099 --> 00:39:05.539
 You can read

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:06.859
 the writing that

00:39:06.859 --> 00:39:07.519
 went back and

00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.759
 forth between

00:39:08.759 --> 00:39:09.139
 the two.

00:39:10.219 --> 00:39:11.319
 I'm not much

00:39:11.319 --> 00:39:11.839
 of a student

00:39:11.839 --> 00:39:12.299
 of history.

00:39:12.779 --> 00:39:13.679
 I did

00:39:13.679 --> 00:39:14.259
 receive a

00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:14.919
 history minor.

00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:16.799
 It was kind

00:39:16.799 --> 00:39:17.119
 of a B

00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:18.379
 student history

00:39:18.379 --> 00:39:19.839
 minor, but

00:39:19.839 --> 00:39:20.699
 I've read some

00:39:20.699 --> 00:39:21.259
 of this writing.

00:39:21.419 --> 00:39:22.879
 It is interesting

00:39:22.879 --> 00:39:24.059
 to see the way

00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:24.980
 they debated

00:39:24.980 --> 00:39:25.839
 between the

00:39:25.839 --> 00:39:26.119
 two.

00:39:26.219 --> 00:39:26.659
 An argument

00:39:26.659 --> 00:39:28.119
 for justice,

00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:29.659
 an argument

00:39:29.659 --> 00:39:30.460
 to obey

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:32.239
 these kinds

00:39:32.239 --> 00:39:32.699
 of commands

00:39:32.699 --> 00:39:33.779
 we find in

00:39:33.779 --> 00:39:34.679
 chapter 13.

00:39:35.339 --> 00:39:36.420
 I find myself

00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:37.379
 trying to live

00:39:37.379 --> 00:39:38.019
 in those days,

00:39:38.179 --> 00:39:39.019
 trying to walk

00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:40.219
 out the

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.980
 arguments between

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:41.639
 the two, and

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.960
 I must say

00:39:42.960 --> 00:39:43.639
 that in the

00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:45.279
 early days, I

00:39:45.279 --> 00:39:45.679
 think I would

00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:46.119
 have been

00:39:46.119 --> 00:39:47.420
 aligned with

00:39:47.420 --> 00:39:47.879
 the crown.

00:39:48.359 --> 00:39:48.899
 I think the

00:39:48.899 --> 00:39:50.139
 taxation without

00:39:50.139 --> 00:39:50.879
 representation

00:39:50.879 --> 00:39:53.420
 argument was a

00:39:53.420 --> 00:39:54.299
 difficult one in

00:39:54.299 --> 00:39:55.219
 light of these

00:39:55.219 --> 00:39:55.799
 first seven

00:39:55.800 --> 00:39:56.940
 chapters.

00:39:58.120 --> 00:39:58.920
 But as the

00:39:58.920 --> 00:39:59.420
 British government

00:39:59.420 --> 00:40:00.500
 came into the

00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:01.300
 Americas and

00:40:01.300 --> 00:40:02.860
 seized land and

00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:03.560
 did unjust

00:40:03.560 --> 00:40:04.320
 things, I think

00:40:04.320 --> 00:40:04.700
 I would have

00:40:04.700 --> 00:40:05.340
 flipped on the

00:40:05.340 --> 00:40:05.560
 matter.

00:40:05.980 --> 00:40:06.260
 I think I

00:40:06.260 --> 00:40:06.460
 would have

00:40:06.460 --> 00:40:06.900
 finally said,

00:40:07.000 --> 00:40:07.800
 okay, now

00:40:07.800 --> 00:40:08.640
 justice must be

00:40:08.640 --> 00:40:08.800
 done.

00:40:08.860 --> 00:40:09.080
 They have

00:40:09.080 --> 00:40:09.780
 stepped too

00:40:09.780 --> 00:40:11.260
 far.

00:40:11.620 --> 00:40:12.019
 But there was

00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:12.560
 this debate

00:40:12.560 --> 00:40:13.200
 going on

00:40:13.200 --> 00:40:14.180
 amongst faithful

00:40:14.180 --> 00:40:14.900
 Christians trying

00:40:14.900 --> 00:40:15.380
 to figure out

00:40:15.380 --> 00:40:16.160
 how to navigate

00:40:16.160 --> 00:40:18.560
 such a time.

00:40:19.800 --> 00:40:20.240
 We must give

00:40:20.240 --> 00:40:21.580
 our whole selves

00:40:21.580 --> 00:40:22.680
 to God and

00:40:22.680 --> 00:40:23.900
 with humility,

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:25.200
 prayerfully seek

00:40:25.199 --> 00:40:26.099
 his will in

00:40:26.099 --> 00:40:26.759
 these more

00:40:26.759 --> 00:40:28.919
 complicated matters.

00:40:28.919 --> 00:40:29.960
 All the time,

00:40:30.219 --> 00:40:30.859
 being patient

00:40:30.859 --> 00:40:31.179
 with one

00:40:31.179 --> 00:40:33.000
 another as we

00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:34.019
 await our

00:40:34.019 --> 00:40:35.500
 coming king.

00:40:36.679 --> 00:40:38.039
 I pray for us

00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:39.179
 that we would

00:40:39.179 --> 00:40:40.519
 be a people

00:40:40.519 --> 00:40:41.619
 different than

00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:42.559
 what we observe

00:40:42.559 --> 00:40:43.579
 out there,

00:40:43.719 --> 00:40:43.859
 right?

00:40:44.619 --> 00:40:45.439
 Distinguished by

00:40:45.439 --> 00:40:46.079
 our love for

00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:46.599
 one another,

00:40:47.219 --> 00:40:48.099
 confident in

00:40:48.099 --> 00:40:48.699
 who our God

00:40:48.699 --> 00:40:49.659
 is, right?

00:40:50.379 --> 00:40:51.259
 Characterized by

00:40:51.259 --> 00:40:52.119
 confidence in

00:40:52.119 --> 00:40:53.019
 the ultimate

00:40:53.019 --> 00:40:53.539
 authority,

00:40:53.679 --> 00:40:54.820
 our generally

00:40:54.820 --> 00:40:55.579
 good citizenship

00:40:55.579 --> 00:40:56.179
 that people

00:40:56.179 --> 00:40:56.639
 would look at

00:40:56.639 --> 00:40:57.480
 us and say,

00:40:57.739 --> 00:40:58.199
 they don't

00:40:58.199 --> 00:40:59.000
 think the way

00:40:59.000 --> 00:41:00.079
 I think and

00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:00.719
 act the way

00:41:00.719 --> 00:41:01.300
 I act,

00:41:01.380 --> 00:41:01.860
 but it's

00:41:01.860 --> 00:41:02.780
 difficult to

00:41:02.780 --> 00:41:03.259
 argue that

00:41:03.259 --> 00:41:03.559
 they're not

00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:04.699
 good for the

00:41:04.699 --> 00:41:05.300
 place in which

00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:06.639
 we live,

00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:07.940
 and that we

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:08.480
 would also be

00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:09.320
 characterized by

00:41:09.320 --> 00:41:10.519
 our longing to

00:41:10.519 --> 00:41:12.000
 see all things

00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:12.940
 made new.

00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:14.099
 Let's pray

00:41:14.099 --> 00:41:14.619
 together to

00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:15.019
 that end.

00:41:15.019 --> 00:41:17.420
 Thank you.

00:41:17.420 --> 00:41:17.420


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