Topics That Sizzle! "Our Country Tis Of Thee..." Patriotism / How do we participate in the work of two kingdoms? Romans 13:1-5 Pastor Sandi Evans Rogers 8/11/2013 This July David and I drove down to Williamsburg, a favorite spot for our family. We have such great memories there. My parents honeymoon Love the history gingerbread cakes Saw John Wayne there Taking my children there One trip we had four generations of our family One thing we would always do movie @ Visitor Center A movie we all so enjoy, The history, birth of our country (Jack Lord IN PINK TIGHTS --- Original Hawaii 5-0) Fills our hearts, Courage, vision, dreams, wisdom, beginnings The Movie: The Patriot By definition a patriot is: One who speaks of love & devotion to his or her own country Confessions of a Patriot! Yes, that s me I am an American patriot. I feel very fortunate to have been born in this country. I am moved by patriot music I am moved with great gratitude when I visit Korean War Memorial World War II Monuments Tomb of the unknown soldier Arlington National Cemetery Give me liberty or give me death Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country I have a Dream They stir something in me My father served our country in the Army for 23+ years All my uncles served in the military, As did my Grandfather Reed, 1
I confess I am an American Patriot! So I am wondering. Does that make me more or less effective for today s Topic that Sizzles? Let s pray and then we will see what God has given me this week. So where s the sizzle...in our topic this morning? What is sizzlin about the red, white and blue? How do we participate in the work of two kingdoms? Is it possible to have dual citizenship? What is the relationship between being an American and being a Christian Or being a Christian who is an American? Church & state issues have been a source of controversy down through the years. And those of us who follow Jesus well it is easy to say, we have more than one perspective using the same source God s Word There are those who see God's goals and the country's goals as one and the same. believing it is not just a civic duty to love and support America, it is also a Christian duty. Stating that our country was founded on Christian values. Some even say America is a Christian Nation. Holding little, to no separation between church and state. From Anabaptist traditions (for those who may not know, Brethren are a part of the Anabaptist tradition) well from this perspective, patriotic confessions and heritage; such as mine, could be seen as suspect - - - Historically, Anabaptists have held an apolitical view of the state Believing that one should have NO interest or involvement in politics Anabaptist and Pietist s have followed the perspective that no Christian could hold political office military service was contrary to NT teaching total separation between Christians and state they would accepted the state as necessary for a sinful world Disobedience to civil laws was only permitted when the demands of the state violate a clear biblical command 2
taught full submission & active obedience to the state As you can imagine; In the body of Christ, there have been many conversations over the relationship between patriotism and Christianity over the years. Let s take a deeper look at what Paul is teaching us in our passage in Romans 13... Re read our passage this morning Romans 13:1-5 (Amplified) 13 Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God s appointment. 2 Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]. 3 For civil authorities are not a terror to [people of] good conduct, but to [those of] bad behavior. Would you have no dread of him who is in authority? Then do what is right and you will receive his approval and commendation. 4 For he is God s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, [you should dread him and] be afraid, for he does not bear and wear the sword for nothing. He is God s servant to execute His wrath (punishment, vengeance) on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God s wrath and escape punishment, but also as a matter of principle and for the sake of conscience. Paul, Has some pretty amazing things to say here What does he really mean? Is God really saying we are to submit to our governing leaders? That those in civil authority are appointed by God? If we resist, we resist God s appointment and what he has arranged? Civil authorities are God s servants for our good? We should obey, not to avoid punishment, but because of principles and our conscience? Really? Let every person be loyally subject to the governing (civil) authorities. For there is no authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God s appointment. Who are Governing (civil) Authorities : 3
Any person who represents the power of the state: from the local bureaucrat right up to the emperor, president or prime minister. And it seems Paul is telling us - we are to submit to these authorities Submit sounds pretty strong.and how we struggle with submission. Does it matter whether they are from our party? Think like we do? Act like me? Believe like I do? But let s PAUSE here for a moment. I want us to focus on a KEY word here: SUBMIT What does is it mean to submit? NIV Commentary - submit (hypotasso) a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden submission means to voluntarily follow the direction of those in authority over you. In this reference it: calls for believers to recognize we stand under government in the scheme God has instituted for ruling our world. Scripture call us to place our lives under the Lordship of God in Christ, Submit yourselves to God, James 4:7 We are to submit to Jesus, first and foremost, We re called to submit - - We are emphatically told to submit. As a follower of Jesus, I want to be obedient, But don t always understand how What does this look like? Fortunately, God doesn t leave us to figure out this answer on our own. He answers our question in His own person, by sending Jesus to this earth. In the very act of incarnation, we learn something of submission. 4
In my monthly passage - - Paul describes it beautifully, Listen carefully - - Philippians 2:5-8 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. Could there be a more rich and clear picture of submission? Could there be anything more beautiful than the fact that Christ Jesus, though he was himself God, humbled himself for the sake of our redemption? He did not exploit his equality, nor did he allow himself to follow his own desires, but the one who is himself perfect freedom became our slave unto redemption. The one who is utter fullness, full of God himself, emptied himself out for our sake. He came and lived a life that modeled submission, a life that returned us to full communion with God. There is nothing more beautiful and compelling than true submission. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus We are then to offer Him ourselves, Heart, Mind, Body and Soul. fully submitting ourselves to Him, abandoning our desires, yielding our will obeying Him through a sensitivity to the Word and to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. As we submit to God Paul reminds us we are asked to submit to the civil authority, A government He has ordained to be his instrument to order and run society in which we live 5
Submission is believing that God is able to accomplish His will in your life through those He has placed in authority over you. I personally like this definition of submission, since it focuses the attention on God, not on the person over you. I can submit then even if I didn t place them there.hmmm can we? Paul says: No authority except from God [by His permission, His sanction], and those that exist do so by God s appointment. Another reminder that God is Sovereign ALWAYS in EVERYTHING! John MacArthur: God has ordained civil government. And He ordained it for the protection and the preservation of social order and for the punishment of those who do evil. Civil government exists because God designed it. All things that God has created come from His hand to demonstrate His creative power and also His mind and government is one of those... It is God at work in government. In a good government He is at work preserving righteousness and punishing evil. In a bad government, an abusive, oppressive, murderous, unjust government, He is at work bringing judgment and retribution upon an ungodly culture. But God is imminent, that is to say present in the social order. He is the sovereign. Do we follow political leaders no matter what? What if I don t believe in their politics? We just agree? It sounds like Paul is saying, If we resist we could/should expect judgment/consequences? Listen to what another outspoken follower of Jesus has to say 1 Peter 2:13-17 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS) 13-17 Obey every man-made authority for the Lord s sake whether it is the emperor, as the supreme ruler, or the governors whom he has appointed to punish evil-doers and reward those who do good service. It is the will of God that you may thus silence the ill-informed criticisms of the foolish. As free men you should never use your freedom as an excuse for doing something that is wrong, for you are at all times the servants of God. You should have respect for everyone, you should love our brotherhood, fear God and honor the emperor. Why should faithful Christians submit to these civil authorities and governors? Peter first states that this is God s will. The faithful are to find God s will and submit to it, 6
So according to Peter the submission to civil authorities, governors, and Emperor? is not up for argument. Peter does not advocate that submission to the civil authorities necessarily includes agreeing with it or taking part in ungodly practices that are advocated by the authorities. Resistance to the evils/wrongs of government & civil authorities can and will bring conflict into the life of a believer, and may result in persecution. How do we determine if & when civil disobedience is appropriate? Many of those who were in authority were & are difficult to follow, and resisting often means enduring much, So - - when do we say NO, not me, enough. Like the prophet Daniel Through his life we are reminded Our God is sovereign and works in some very unexpected ways. Daniel s forced involvement in an alien government, brought him influence, respect and detractors jealous, didn t understand, thought they knew his weakness, his commitment to Yahweh, God of the Hebrew Played toward the ego of the King, For 30 days no one could petition/pray to any god or man other than King Darius of course Daniel knew what had happened But he had submitted to Yahweh So he was faithful and he prayed as was his custom since early days Sent him to a lions Den It looked like his involvement in government would cost him his life God had another idea: Before the story was over King Darius proclaimed: 26 I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. Daniel 6:26 Daniel proposed in the reign of King Darius and King Cyrus Daniel 6:28 7
WOW!! What does it mean to live: IN the world - - but NOT OF the World How many times have you heard that? Maybe not as often as some As citizens of the Kingdom, God s Kingdom We live here, but our true citizenship is in heaven My kingdom is not of the world John 18:36 Jesus, in his prayer for his disciples, for us, said: they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but keep them from the evil one John 17:14b-19 As Christ followers, This is not our homeland Our true citizenship is in Heaven We are strangers and aliens in this world Stranger. A stranger is simply one who is a citizen of a kingdom other than the one in which they are observing or visiting. When a Christian considers his/her relationship to this world, there are many worldly authorities that hold appropriate power. We as Christians are subject to those authorities just as if he/she were traveling in a foreign land and is subject to those foreign authorities. This word, stranger, also carries with it an implication that the individual retains the characteristics of his/her home nation. There is distinctiveness in their appearance and behavior that reflect or revels their home kingdom. Alien Alien is one who is living in a community, with no real intent upon staying there permanently. 8
Though an individual may adapt to cultural differences in the host community, there is a deliberate intent upon returning to their home of origin. When someone has this kind of a relationship with a community they are never completely at home, always looking forward to when they will be returning home. Let s take a look at one passage of Scripture: Jeremiah 29 Through his prophet Jeremiah, God sends word to his people who are now strangers & Aliens in Babylon. 29 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders in exile and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. It said: 4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the captives whom I have caused to be carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build yourselves houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat the fruit of them. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not be diminished. 7 And seek (inquire for, require, and request) the peace and welfare of the city to which I have caused you to be carried away captive; and pray to the Lord for it, for in the welfare of [the city in which you live] you will have welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your [false] prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you; pay no attention and attach no significance to your dreams which you dream or to theirs, 9 For they prophesy falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them, says the Lord. 10 For thus says the Lord, When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you and keep My good promise to you, causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. 9
What is God is asking his displaced children to do? Build houses Settle in Plant gardens, live off the harvest Marry Have children multiply God encouraged the people to make themselves at home, Become a part of the community To be in Babylon Not only should they improve themselves, but they should also: And seek (inquire for, require, and request) the peace and welfare of the city to which I have caused you to be carried away captive; and pray to the Lord for it, for in the welfare of [the city in which you live] you will have welfare God was asking them to seek stability, peace, and prosperity wherever they are. This includes supporting the city & nation in which they live. In the world investing to fulfill His will But NOT of it Because the ultimate authority, over all, is held by God. Entrusted to Jesus Matthew 28:18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. We are to fear God to hold Him in awe and reverence, to recognize His sovereignty and to submit to Him. To live this out in our daily living, building the foundation of a godly life, a life that seeks obedience to the purposes of God in our lives When we live such a life we honor our true citizenship. Anything that we place as a priority above God becomes our idol or god. Anything whether it be our family, our church, our possessions, ourselves, our country, or anything else that draws our focus away from Him. The simplest meaning of being patriotic means loving one s country. As long as our love for our country does not supersede our love for God, and if it is kept in proper perspective, 10
there is nothing wrong with a Christian being patriotic. To participate in the work of two kingdoms? May we always remember we are citizens of The Kingdom of God, first and foremost. May we keep our relationship with God the true and first priority in our lives. May we draw closer to Him daily, through prayer and meditation on his Word, submitting ourselves His purpose in and through our lives May we learn to invest our hearts, our gifts, and our abilities in the community that he has called us too, with His love and grace. May we let the same mind be in us that was in Christ Jesus empting ourselves, taking the form of a slave, humbling ourselves becoming obedient to His will May our hearts be humbled, as we pray and seek our Saviors face And May we ALWAYS trust in His Sovereignty? Amen! 11