Being Right With Obedience

Romans 13

The picture attached with this message is from my recent trip to Israel and it is an inscription found in one of the building’s mosaic floors in the ancient city of Caesarea. This edifice is identified as a Byzantine government office where clerks recorded tax revenues during the time of Constantine. The inscriptions are quotations from Romans 13:3 praising obedience to the authorities.

Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you.

We honor and obey our government because obedience is central to the life of the Christian. However; we ultimately and always obey God and His value on life. So, when there is conflict we always honor God above all else and not follow blindly the laws of the land no matter wherever that ends up landing us. It is that conviction that we are called to live with as followers of Jesus. We will learn the implications of following the leading authority in our lives from being great Canadian citizens to life in community together. We will follow Him in being the penetrating light into the dark places He has called us to with the clothing that Christ provides!

Obedience to the leading authorities in our lives v1-7

We learn right away in this passage that living with God as our ultimate authority in our lives does not negate us from our civic responsibilities to our local community and to our nation as a whole. While we can easily point to very corrupt leaders, we recognize that God ultimately ordains leaders in various governments and will watch over their reign. He will raise up nations for His purposes and will also bring about their demise from within or from without especially if they defy the Creator of the Universe.

No government can come to power except through the providence of God. This doesn’t mean that God approves of them though.

1 Peter 2:13-17

The believers of that time lived with honesty and integrity as it came to paying taxes, but at the same time it didn’t stop them from writing defences of their Christian behaviour to the emperors at that time. They were prepared to pay the price and would not for any reason obey the commands to worship the stare or the emperor.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego resonates well with this theme

In Canada, two areas in the political spotlight are the fact that we have no laws surrounding abortion and praise God there are those who are making a difference like the group Signal Hill out of BC that I read about in Thursday’s National Post

Pro-lifers in B. C., on the other hand, decided to adopt a different approach. Building on the success of their compassionate Focus on Life television campaign, they made some creative changes last June. They adopted a new name, Signal Hill, and featured a woman-and family-friendly look to their Web site and printed material. It all goes along with a new educational and service-oriented approach to help women make informed choices when they are in a crisis pregnancy.

Closer to home, Lori Folkerson is raising awareness for our need to pray for our government leaders, for the need for a law surrounding child-trafficking which unfortunately is not just something that happens only in Thailand. Thanks to groups like Exodus Cry we are being made aware of the fact that many girls from those countries are brought here and sold into a life of sexual slavery. I read just recently of one girl who was sold for $42000! Bill C-268 carries minimum mandatory sentences. It has only passed Second Reading last month and now moves to the Standing Committee on Justice. Following this, Bill C-268 returns to the House of Commons for two more hours of debate and a final vote.

If the altar of prayer is hot, nothing can stop us. Jerry Samuels

1. Our call is to be submissive as possible to the government without violating the laws of God

2. The government has the right to defend, preserve, maintain and promote life.

Remember that Paul is writing to a group of people who were living under a government that would one day behead him. He was executed by a tyrannical Roman govt. Many of the Christians to whom Paul was addressing his message to paid dearly with their lives in the many amphitheatres that were built. They were killed by gladiators, torn apart by lions. If this message is difficult to accept, just remember the original intended audience.

Obedience to the rule of love in our lives v8-10

The point about debt here is yes, to pay our debts off; however it is not a universal prohibition against having debt especially as the Bible speaks borrowing capital for the purpose of investment most prominently in the parable of the giving of talents.

The power of keep owing people your love is powerful. Never get to the place where you think, ‘well they have seen the full extent of my love’ It is a place of great mercy modelled after the amazing heart of God.

All these sins often can be dubbed ‘sins of love’

Adultery is called the sin of forbidden passion. Most movies and TV shows make this behaviour seem normal. One statistic showed that 96% of sexual acts portrayed or implied are between unmarried couples. We are told the person acted out of love or the couple simply fell out of love so what choice did the person have?

Do not murder... Once again we read about a brother who killed his sister and her boyfriend in a mall parking lot and it was called a death of honour to the family.

Do not steal, Do not covet – remember that Jesus brought us right back to the thoughts that we have in our head and the need to deal with it before it bursts into action. Call it sin when you begin to dwell on the wicked thought or it very well may be only a matter of time.

We need to be the best examples of love in our community. Take the opportunity to shock them with acts of kindness, surprise them with acts of love. I don’t need to tell you exactly what that is because you know them better than me. One thing that we did in the past was a ‘street party’.

I am performing a wedding for one of my neighbour’s son. Now, you can’t do that unless you are ordained...Hopefully they know you well...maybe too well. My neighbour Mike saw me pulling into the driveway with Jerry in the van that he is borrowing. His question, “Is that your Sunday van?” The van is circa ’85 and complete with holes...or like my neighbour says, a holy van!

Obedience to being the penetrating light in dark places v11-14

So what is our offensive?

· Recognize the time we are living in.

The word for time here is ‘kairos’. It is the recognition that this is not just a normal passage of time but a particular window of opportunity, a time of special significance....don’t miss out!

Paul is really expressing the urgency of the gospel in the time that they lived. Paul could see the destruction of Jerusalem looming, He too would love to see the imminent return of Jesus. In the course of the biblical timeline of history we are living in the last days ever since the First Century. The fact is that Christ could come at any point. A lot of prophecy experts believe that the signs of the times keep bringing the end in sharper and sharper focus.

I have to admit that I often wonder how much longer His patience will give us...

Israel is very aware that Iran has set her sights on obliterating their nation while testing their long range nuclear missiles. The night before I left for Israel Brian Ruxton sent me a FOX story about Israel desire to begin an offensive on bombing Iran’s launching sites and would be ready to go within days!! Nothing like sending in a last minute panic in your brother!

· Put aside the deeds of darkness and wear the armour of light.

“Don’t live as if Christ hasn’t come, as if the resurrection hasn’t taken place. We have tasted of the kingdom of God, we have tasted the power of Christ in our lives, so let’s stop doing the things that belong in the dark.” R.C. Sproul

· Be clothed in Christ and gratify the Holy Spirit ... Galatians 5

The imagery being used by Paul was connected to the white baptism garments that would be worn during the ceremony.

My baptism in Israel

I have also recently seen this imagery used at a funeral where the casket is completely covered with thick white fabric symbolizing the person being clothed in Christ as well.

The key in being clothed with Christ is that a death must take place first. Understand the significance of your death in Christ now!

Takeaway

Live in the LIGHT of whose you are and who you are in Christ.

Questions For Discussion

1. Has there ever been a time where you appealed a decision made by our government by taking it on personally? What response did you receive if any?

2. How far should a believer go in opposing the government or making a plea for justice? Has there been a time when you regretted not doing more?

3. What act of kindness could you perform in your neighbourhood to remain in debt to love?

4. Post the WHO AM I list where you will see it everyday as a reminder of your clothing in Christ!

5. Make STAND UNITED your priority for Saturday. Make a serious effort to stand behind this great prayer initiative and join us for as much time as you can.