God and Government

Well, in our continuing series in the Gospel of Matthew, yes, we are going through Matthew, it's quite some time since we opened our Bibles to Matthew.

We had the break over Christmas, and then for the first four Sundays in January, I preached on the four themes of 2022. But we come back to Matthew, Matthew chapter 22, and our subject today is a very relevant one. It's a very interesting one.

It's the subject of God and government. Our country, and it is often said, is a nation of laws, but ignoring our laws and even sometimes breaking our laws has become increasingly common here in the West and certainly in the United States. And over the past recent years, we've seen hundreds of people rioting in various cities. They believe that our criminal justice system is unjust, perhaps even corrupt, and we have seen them attack place. They have broken into stores. They've defaced public buildings as they have protested and perhaps even rioted.

On January 6th last year, hundreds of people who consider themselves patriots attacked the Capitol building. What an amazing situation that was and an attempt, a vain attempt, to overturn an election result that they felt was wrong, that they certainly didn't like, and that they believed in fact was illegal. All of this recently in the United States of America, a nation of laws. What's our response as Christians? How are we to respond to unjust laws? Are we to take the law into our own hands? What is to be our reaction to laws, to the decisions of courts, which we believe are contrary to the Word of God? How are we to deal with these COVID rules and regulations, which we may think are oppressive, petty, and perhaps even wrong?

How are we to act as followers of Jesus Christ? Well, faced with these situations, some Christians believe that civil disobedience is appropriate. Civil disobedience is an act which is contrary to law and is usually done with the intent of bringing about a change in the policy or laws of the government, civil disobedience. Long history of it as we know in this country and some believe it is necessary to act quickly and to redress the many injustices and perhaps evil in our society.

They believe enough is enough. Well, what should be the response of followers of Jesus to unjust laws? How should we respond to laws and decisions of courts, which are contrary to Scripture?

Isn't it interesting that we're not the first to consider this question? So open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 22 and we're going to look at verses 15 through 22. Here is a passage, no it's not going to answer all of your questions, but there's a question, it's a passage which will guide us and set some important parameters which I suggest to you, not suggest to you, but which I say to you that we need to hear. Now this is the teaching of Jesus.

This book is our authority. We strongly believe that this is the Word of God, that God speaks and He is speaking to us today on this important subject of God and government. We're going to listen to what Jesus has to say.

Now sadly, when it comes to this question of God and government, I fear that some of us are spending too much time listening to cable news and getting our views from social media. And if we're not careful, on this subject as in all subjects, we find ourselves as followers of Jesus being shaped by our culture. We saw that as we did the series on Jesus and marriage and gender and sexuality, that more and more followers of Jesus, more and more churches are changing their views, as it were, on these important subjects, not because they believe in Scripture, but they have allowed the culture to shape them.

That's true not just in the area of sexuality and gender, but it's also true in the political arena that we're allowing, I think, some of the views out there, perhaps very extreme views, to shape our views on this important subject. So I ask you, please hear me, don't come in an argumentative, critical attitude this morning. I realize this is a controversial subject, but I, as a preacher of the gospel, I'm here to remind you as to what God has to say. Not what cable news, not your favorite commentator, not who you follow on social media on these matters, but to listen humbly to the Word of God.

Will you do that? Now, the Word of God is convicting. As I read the Word of God, I'm often convicted by it. I find myself sometimes, being a rather argumentative person at times, even trying to argue with God. You think, how foolish. This is the Word of God.

You ready to hear it? Matthew chapter 22 verse 15. When the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him, that is Jesus in his words, and they sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians saying, teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully and do not care about anyone's opinion for you're not swayed by appearances. Hypocrites weren't they? But here's a question, verse 17.

Tell us then what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, why put me to the test, you hypocrites?

Show me the coin for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. That's the coin, the Roman coin. And Jesus said to them, whose likeness and inscription is this? They said, Caesar's. Then he said to them, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. When they heard it, they marveled and they left him and went away. Isn't that a brilliant passage? Here's the question.

Should taxes be paid to unjust and oppressive rulers? That's the question that the Pharisees and the Herodians come in verses 15 through 17 and ask Jesus. Matthew tells us in verse 15 that they are plotting against Jesus. They try to entangle him. Here is a question, carefully framed, designed to trap, embarrass Jesus. They want evidence to put Jesus to death. Now the Pharisees and the Herodians are not natural allies at all, but they have a joint enemy in Jesus. There's the old adage, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

You see that, don't you? And they're ganging up against Jesus. The Pharisees, we've seen them before, they're a religious sect. They observe very strictly, very pedantically, very legalistically the Old Testament laws and their own interpretations and traditions of these laws.

Most of them are laymen, but some of them are professional scribes. The Herodians, on the other hand, are a very influential political group who support the family of Herod. Herod's authority as king was given to him by Rome. The Herodians opposed Jesus because it seemed to them that he was introducing a new kingdom. Remember the wise men when they came to Herod and said, well, we're seeking who? King of the Jews. But Herod, I'm the king of the Jews. So the Pharisees hate Jesus because he is disrupting their religious agenda. The Herodians hate Jesus because they think he may disrupt their political agenda. And now with hypocritical flattery, these religious rulers and these secular leaders team up and they ask Jesus a question about taxes.

They've got together, these are clever men, and they have crafted this very, very good question, they think. Now, being nationalistic Jews, the Pharisees don't like paying tax to Rome. On the other hand, the Herodians favor the paying of tax because they have a strong allegiance to Rome. Herod is ruling under the authority of Rome. So the question, as I say, is a crafty one.

It's also a very volatile question. The tax at Denarius, the Roman coin, the poll tax was to be paid yearly by every adult individual living in Judea. When the Romans, the great empire at the time, when they come and they conquer a people, they then, they say you can worship any way you like as long as you're not troubled to us, but you need to pay a tax. And that tax, the poll tax, the yearly tax, went for the upkeep of the Roman Empire. The great Pax Romana brought peace and laws and roads and aqueducts and civilization to a great part of the world. You understand, at this time, the U.S. is not the superpower, the Chinese are not the superpower, the Russians are not the superpower.

Who's the superpower? Rome. Now, if you know anything about the Roman Empire, it was a magnificent empire, and the impact of Rome continues to this day in our civilization.

But the Romans, mighty warriors as they were, had conquered a huge part of the world. They went as far west, right into the United Kingdom, they called it Britannica. And they went as far north, and they built a wall between Scotland and England called Hadrian's Wall, it's still there.

They couldn't really deal with the savage Scots, and they left us alone to some extent. But the kingdom began there, away at the west, if you know your geography, and went as far east to the River Tigris. Think of that. What an empire. You think of Putin trying to expand his empire. Here are the Romans. They brought civilization, they brought laws.

They knew how to rule. But it all cost money, didn't it? And so they said, okay, you're getting all of the benefits, but you need to pay a poll tax. If Jesus said that the tax should not be paid to Rome, this would be construed as an assignment to rebel against Rome. On the other hand, if Jesus said that the tax should be paid, the Jewish multitude could turn against Jesus as paying tax to a pagan, oppressive ruler like Caesar brought the Jews into humiliation.

Bad enough being invaded by people, now you've got to pay them. And the Jews, if Jesus said, well, pay the tax, would be regarded as a kind of traitor collaborating with Rome. Furthermore, on the donarius, on the coin, is the image of Caesar. So the very coin was regarded by the Jews as idolatrous. Remember the second commandment, no graven images?

This was a graven image. Caesar, he regarded himself as an emperor. He regarded himself as a kind of god. So here's the question. Verse 17, tell us then, the flattered him.

What do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? That's a good question. They would have been good lawyers, wouldn't they?

They're set in a trap, and they think that whatever way Jesus replies, they will catch him. So here's the question as we widen it. We're not paying taxes to Caesar, are we? Should taxes be paid to unjust and oppressive rulers?

Should we obey ungodly rulers to widen the question? That's the question. The answer?

Let me read it again. As they bring Jesus, the coin, verse 20. Whose likeness and inscription is this?

He's looking at the coin. Caesar's. Here's the answer.

Maybe you don't like it, but here it is. Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. The answer? Caesar must receive what is due to Caesar, but God must receive what is due to God.

Now you can't improve on that answer, can you? Notice, incidentally, the focus of the response. Render to Caesar. Render to God. Notice, the focus is not on what we receive, but what we give. The focus is not on our rights, not on our freedoms, not on our entitlements, but what we owe to Caesar, what we render to God. I have my freedoms.

No one's going to tell me what to do. You hear that? Here's the answer. Render to Caesar what is due to Caesar. You don't like that?

I don't like it either sometimes. But this is even more convicting. Render to God, Jesus says, the things that are God's. In our rampant individualistic society, how we need to hear this?

We put ourselves at the center. Jesus is saying, listen, you've got obligations to Caesar, make sure you fulfill them. You've got obligations to God, render to God the things that are God's. It's been rightly said it's the most influential political statement ever made.

What a brilliant answer. Did you notice verse 22? When they heard it, they marveled.

Can you picture the scene? These very smart Pharisees, the long robes and the Herodians with all of their pride coming and smugly and hypocritically with their flattery asking the question. And Jesus there stands and says, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.

First, Caesar must receive what is due to Caesar. Now, isn't it interesting, Jesus had to ask for the coin. He wasn't carrying the coin. They had the coin. And in fact, they're in the temple. They've got an idolatrous coin in the temple.

His opponents have one, and they give it to him. And the image on the coin is Caesar's, on one side a red, Tiberius Caesar, Augustus, son of the divine Augustus. Idolatry.

A graven image. No, first commandment, you'll only have one God. On the other side of the coin was Pontifex Maximus, chief priest. The very coin, the denarius, to be paid to Caesar was blasphemous. So you can understand why the Jews hated paying the tax.

None of us like paying taxes, but it's worse when it's paid to your oppressors, and it's worse when it's got some idolatry on it. Now, the image on the coin was a sign of power and authority. You're the emperor, you're the king, and you go into a people and you conquer them. One of the first things you do, if you're smart, you issue a new currency. And on the currency, there it is, Caesar.

Put your own name. In the United Kingdom, our coins, our British coins, have the head of our majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Did you see it? She's ruled for over 70 years. Her image is on our coins. This has been true through the history of the world. It's a reminder.

So here's the point. The coin was Caesar's because it bore his image, and Jesus is saying that Caesar must receive what is rightfully his. To widen the principle, followers of Jesus must obey the law of the land, even when it's a pagan society, even when it's secular, yes, even when it's oppressive. Turn to Romans chapter 13. Romans chapter 13.

Here is Paul, obviously filled with the Spirit, so it's consistent with the teaching of Jesus. Romans 13 verse 1, let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Now, who wants to be under authority?

Not really. It's a little boy I didn't like all the time, the instructions of my parents. And I remember my dad saying to me on several occasions, John, when are you going to learn to do what you're told?

That's hard for me. Now, some of you are more submissive, but in your heart, you don't like it either, do you? There is in us, in our sinful nature, a sort of rebellion, isn't it? We don't like people telling us what to do. But here's the word of God, subject to the governing authorities.

You think this government is bad, present in the United States, try living under the rule of Rome. Verse 6, for because of this, you also pay taxes. Tax season coming up. For the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them. Taxes to whom taxes are owed.

Revenue to whom revenue is owed. Respect to whom respect is owed. Honor to whom honor is owed.

That is a matter of respect. As a child, I'm taught I have to respect my parents. I am to obey my parents. They are the authority over me in the home as I'm brought up in your home and so on, and we learn sometimes the hard way with me is that it is important to follow instructions. So when you go to school and the teacher tells you something, you follow it. We meet a police officer, he gives an instruction, we follow it.

We respect it. When we get our car and we start driving in my little Mini Cooper, I had to realize there were speed limits. I don't like speed limits. And you learn, where are the police around? And you've got a desire to disobey the rules. But when the police officer stops you, we were taught to show respect. Perhaps the police officer is oppressive. Perhaps he's arrogant. That doesn't matter. There's a basic principle.

Be subject to governing authorities. And we, well, let's look over to Peter. What does Peter say? 1 Peter 2. You say, is that the message that Monroe's telling us to pay our taxes? Should have stayed at home. No, you need to listen to this.

And if you're at home, this is for you. 1 Peter 2, verse 13, be subject for the Lord's sake. Notice the spiritual emphasis. The life of the Christian is one of submission. Above all, I'm to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Submit for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good, you should be put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Christians are to be known as good people, not rebels, but rendering to Caesar what is due to Caesar.

And you think, well, we try and wriggle out of this, don't we? I remember representing some Scottish commercial fishermen, who in fact were Christians, who were good men, but they were caught poaching. You don't know much about poaching in the North Sea, but the seas are divided. And at certain times of the season, you're not allowed to catch certain fish or to use a certain net.

It's a big temptation, isn't it? Experienced fishermen knowing where the fish are. And my clients were caught, we call it poaching. And you can say, well, you know, this is not, they were Christians, this is not God's law. This is just man's law.

This is ridiculous. I mean, who owns the fish? Not the government. God made the fish. God put the fish there.

God told us to have dominion over the earth. I mean, can we have a defense here? Not really. That's not going to work in court.

No, you've broken the law. But we look for loopholes, don't we? We try and wriggle out of it. You may have heard the story of the man who took his neighbor to court because he said the neighbor's dog bit him. And in court, the lawyer had three defenses. He says, first of all, my client's dog was on a chain all the time and it didn't bite the neighbor. First defense. Second defense was my neighbor's dog had no teeth and therefore didn't bite the neighbor.

Third defense is my neighbor doesn't have a dog. I like that, don't you? If you like that, you can go into law. But we look for loopholes, don't we? We want to evade the law. We want to see how close we can get to it.

No. Those who follow Jesus Christ, please hear me, are to be exemplary citizens. We are to be known in the community as good people, exemplary citizens, people who don't cheat on our income tax, who don't cheat on our state taxes, where we pay the customs duties, no smuggling goods through customs. We are to be known to respect lawful government, the city council, police officers, elected officials, the president.

And whatever is due to the government must be paid to the government. I deal with the police officer, I am to show respect to that police officer. I deal with the government, I am to show respect to them. I mean, I'd always agree with them, but I'm to do good. I'm to be an exemplary citizen.

What's the principle? Caesar must receive what is due to Caesar, but God must receive what is due to God. Jesus is also teaching that there is a limit as to what is due to Caesar. The coin, yes, it has Caesar's likeness on it, so therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. But you don't worship Caesar. And we owe more to God than we owe to Caesar, and Caesar is subject to our God because our God is supreme, and it's only that God that we worship. It is true Caesar's image is stamped on the coin. That is true.

That is true. But think of this, the image of God is stamped on us. Remember Genesis 1, when God made us? He made us in the image of God.

A coin has Caesar's image. I have the image of God stamped on me. I'm a follower of Christ. I'm to obey God's laws. God's law is written on my heart. Yes, it's true.

I must pay my taxes to the federal, the state, local authorities, and so on. It's true I must obey them, but I must render to God the things that are God's. We owe everything we have to God.

I began by saying the Calvary Church is not a perfect church, but all of us here know about the grace of God. And if you're a follower of Christ, you begin to understand, don't you, as you follow Jesus Christ, that everything you are are your gifts. Think of our gifted musicians this morning as they lead us in worship. They have gifts. They have talents. Yes, they have practiced.

Yes, they have rehearsed. But everything they have, that gift of music, comes from God. Everything you have, everything you are, your gifts, your talents, your possessions, everything comes from God, and God can take them from you in an instant, can't He? I'm a follower of Christ as well. I'm to deny self. I'm to surrender everything to God. We sometimes sing, take my hands, take my feet, take my voice. I'm surrendering everything to God. He belongs to me, and I belong to Him. So, the question then is, you don't like what I said about paying taxes.

This is even tougher to hear. I'm going to ask you the question I want you to answer in your heart. Are you robbing God in any way? Render to God the things that are God's.

Are you doing that? You're robbing God of your time, your service, your tithes, your offerings, your resources, your energy. In fact, as you look at your life over the last year, has it all been about you? All about your rights, your entitlement, your self, your feelings? Where is God in this?

Are you not in danger of making yourself the center of the universe? I thought you said your life was surrendered to Jesus Christ. So, why this self-absorption?

Why this self, self, self? Listen to Malachi, Malachi 3, where in Matthew you go back in your Bible to Malachi, Malachi 3 verse 10, will man rob God? Yet you're robbing me, but you say, how have we robbed you? In your tithes and contributions. You're cursed with a curse, for you're robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and there may be food in my house and thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of Oz, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. I understand this whole test.

That's the principle. They were robbing God. They weren't bringing their offerings and tithes to God. Oh, they're going through the mechanics of temple worship, but earlier Malachi said, the Lord said, you might as well close the doors. This is a farce. This is hypocrisy.

So, how about you? Render to God the things that are God's. That's a tough one, isn't it? That's one to reflect on.

That's one to meditate on. But here's another question. What if Caesar's laws and God's laws are in conflict?

Here's the principle. When government infringes on God's kingdom, followers of Jesus must obey God rather than the government. Let me repeat that. When government of any kind, national, local, whatever it is, when government infringes on God's kingdom, followers of Jesus must obey God rather than the government. So, followers of Jesus are to disobey laws which are contrary to the commands of God.

Now I'm not saying just about laws you don't like. I'm driving on the interstate. I don't like the 70 limit. I'm a great driver. In fact, I'm one of the best drivers out there. And my car can go more than 70. And I like to handle that.

I like to get up to 100 miles an hour. Right? But that's not the law. And if you try that, you're always looking at your back mirror for that little blue light, aren't you? No. It's not laws I don't like. It's laws which are contrary to the commands of God. That is, we have a biblical responsibility to obey God's higher law when it directly conflicts with man's law. My ultimate allegiance is not to Caesar, not to the government, not to the United States, but to God.

Isn't that true? So, what are you to do when Caesar wants things that belong to God? Here are some laws which followers of Jesus are to disobey. A command to kill is to be disobeyed. Remember the story back in Exodus 1? The Pharaoh feels that the Israelites are becoming too strong, and so he brings out this edict. The little baby boys that are born are to be killed. Remember the story of how God protected Moses? But the command is given by Pharaoh that baby boys are to be killed at birth. That was in direct conflict with God's law, thou shalt not kill.

And the Hebrew midwives refused to kill male babies, even when commanded by Pharaoh. Now, in our country, abortion is permitted, but it's not commanded. What would happen if the government put out a law, we have it in some countries, that you can only have, say, two children? And then a third child is being conceived. What would we do if the government said, that baby has to be aborted? I trust we would disobey the law and take the consequences of doing that.

Here's another one. A command to worship or to pray to anyone other than God is to be disobeyed. Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? They were told to bow down and worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and they refused to bow.

He was furious with them. If you don't bow, you're going to be sent into the fiery furnace. Well, number one, we believe God will deliver us, but even if he doesn't deliver us, we're still not going to bow. I love that, don't you?

It's very easy, isn't it, for us to sit in our armchair and talk about disobeying some petty law of our government. It's another thing to know that if you disobey, you're going to be killed, and God delivered them. You're in a situation where you have to pray through a false God. I remember several years ago now, I was asked to pray at one of the Panther games, and I said, oh, OK. And then they said, now, of course, I made it clear I couldn't pray in the name of the Lord Jesus. No, thank you. No, thank you. I'm not praying to a false God.

My God is a true God, and I come to Him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And no, I'm not. Well, in that case, sir, the invitation is rescinded. That's fine. That's fine.

Thank you. Think what happens in our society with this Eastern mysticism and some cases of yoga and all the rest of it. People almost get wrapped up in a false God. We do not pray or worship anyone other than the true God and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. A command to stop praying is disobeyed.

Daniel is told, Daniel 6, stop praying. And if you pray, you're going to be thrown into the lions then. I mean, what's worse, going into a fiery furnace or going to the lions? I think I would choose the lions, right? What would be better, being mauled by lions or being burned to death?

I don't know. But how many of us, seriously, how many of us would continue to pray if you knew that the government, say through the police or whatever it is, came and arrested you and threw you into a den of lions? Daniel did that and God delivered them. A command not to witness is to be disobeyed. We have that in the early chapters of Acts where the apostles were told to stop preaching about Christ. Acts 5, verse 27, they brought them and set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them saying, we strictly charge you not to teach in this name, yet here you are, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

Peter and the apostles answered, here it is, we must obey God rather than men. Oh, these were men of courage, weren't they? These were not wimpy apostles. They were prepared to die for their faith. And they continued with holy boldness to continue to preach the gospel. No, a command not to witness, not to tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ is to be disobeyed. The principle is our highest allegiance is to God, not to the government, not to an employer or anyone else.

Now, this principle, this is a long quote and I put it up, but it's very, very good. In 1596, think of this, Andrew Melville in Scotland took a stand against King James VI of Scotland. He was going to become King James I of England when Elizabeth I died and the two kingdoms were united. This is the King James of the King James Bible. And King James in Scotland, as he was then at the time King James VI, he felt he believed in the divine right of kings, that he was appointed by God, and he was to be supreme over everything, and he asserted that the crown was over the church, the kirk. Andrew Melville was a great scholar, he was a godly man, and he believed that King James was seeking to usurp the authority of God in his church. And here is what he says to the king, sir, we will always humbly reverence your majesty in public.

Respect to those who will respect. But since we have this occasion to be with your majesty in private, we must discharge your duty or else be traitors both to Christ and to you. Therefore, sir, at diverse times I have told you, so now again I must tell you that, I love this, there are two kings and two kingdoms in Scotland. There is King James, the lord of the commonwealth, and there is Christ Jesus, the king of the church, whose subject, James VI is, and of whose kingdom, he is not a king, nor a lord, nor a head. We will yield to you your place and give you all your obedience, but again I say, you are not the head of the church, you cannot give us that eternal life that we seek, for even in this world, and you cannot deprive us of it.

Wasn't that magnificent? King James didn't like it. And when he goes to England, he leaves the Presbyterian church and becomes an Anglican so he can appoint their bishops. And even today, Queen Elizabeth is the head of the Church of England.

Pretty nominal, I know, but we think, no, no, no. The government, we respect the president, we respect the governor, we respect the mayor, we pray for them, it is true, but in the church of Jesus Christ, Christ is the king, Christ is the head, and it is to him that we obey. So when the king, or the president, or the supreme court, or the governor or the mayor infringe on God's kingdom, we must follow God rather than government.

Now, a few comments in conclusion. Christians are not to rebel against the government or to be characterized by vengeance. Jesus didn't encourage violence against Rome. No, we are to be a law-abiding people paying taxes, submitting to the laws, respecting our police officers and so on. We are to be exemplary citizens and faithful followers of Christ. We are, as Pastor Hathaway did this morning, we're to pray for our leaders.

Do you get that? First Timothy, chapter 2. I think we don't do this enough. I know we don't do this enough. Paul says, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and for all who are in the positions, high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth and so on. Why is it important that we pray for those in authority so that the spread of the gospel can be made? That is our priority. No political party, no political ideology, no particular man that we think is going to be the Savior of the country.

How ridiculous. No, our allegiance is not to that. Our allegiance is to God, and our priority is the spread of the gospel. That's our concern in Ukraine, isn't it? As Putin and his troops are on the border, that if they invade that country, what's going to happen to the church? What's going to happen to the gospel?

No, we pray for a quiet time, for a peaceful time, so that the gospel can spread. And also, we're not to slander our leaders. I think one of the sad things that happened, it happened with President Trump, and it's happening with President Biden, is that we hear people slandering our president. They did that when Trump was president. They're doing that when Biden is president.

It lies from different sides. But here is Paul, and he's before the high priest, and the high priest strikes, hits Paul on the mouth, and Paul says to him, God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. He didn't hit him back, but he said, God's going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Those who stood by said, would you revile God's high priest? And Paul said, I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, you shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.

That's Acts 23, verses 1 through 5. You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people. So, we speak respectfully of President Trump.

We speak respectfully of President Biden. We may disagree with them. We may argue with them.

We may think they're wrong. We have the right to do that, but don't slander them. And the vulgarity that has come into our public discourse in politics is shameful, isn't it? You don't want children to hear that kind of talk.

I'm thankful for a mother who made it sure that when we spoke, we didn't speak with vulgarities. And now the public discourse has come down, and we speak of presidents, and politicians, and past presidents, and so on, and call them names and demean them. That should not be in the lips of the follower of Jesus Christ. Yes, you can disobey, but let us speak respectfully of those in authority. If I'm stopped by a police officer and I think he's wrong, I'm to speak to him respectfully.

I'm not to swear at the man or shout at the woman. God has placed them in that position. And we, as followers of Jesus Christ, must observe this. Yes, we may certainly use lawful means for protest and change. That's allowed in our society.

We're thankful for that. Letters, and petitions, and elections, and parent-teacher associations, and peaceful marches. To be concerned about electing and praying for righteous people, that's true. But civil disobedience, here's the point, civil disobedience is only allowed when man's laws require an act which is contrary to God's word, or prohibit an act which is consistent with God's word. Civil disobeying the law, not just because I don't like the law, not just because I think it's a crazy law.

No, I'm to be that. But I am to disobey it when it is contrary to God's word. Also, if you participate in civil disobedience, you must be ready to face the consequences of your actions.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, during World War II, opposed, he's a German, and opposed the Nazi government. And for that, he was killed. A man who is true to his principles, who opposed an ungodly government and suffered the consequences. Remember that we are in a spiritual war. Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 10 that our war is not against the flesh, we're in spiritual warfare. And when you're engaged in spiritual warfare, you do not use the weapons of the flesh. 2 Corinthians 10. Though we walk in the flesh, verse 3, we are not waging war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments in every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete.

Notice that the weapons that we use as followers of Jesus Christ are not of the flesh. Use the weapon of truth. Declare the truth fearlessly, but humbly. Speak the truth in love. We see this weapon of love and truth when we have families who are fostering children, adopting children, when we support the pregnancy resource center, when people go and care for these mothers. What are we doing?

Yes, we're against abortion, that is true, but we're using the weapon of truth, the weapon of love. Use the weapon of prayer. That's what the early church did.

Here is Peter imprisoned. What did the Christians do? Arrange some kind of protest outside the prison? Shout hate slogans?

Absolutely not. You know what they're doing? Acts 12, they're praying, and God miraculously frees Peter. Prayer is more powerful than protest. I'm not saying you never protest, you have the right to protest, but the weapon that God gives us is prayer, which is more powerful than protest.

Use the weapon of faith in God. I hear people as they talk about the government, and it's so gloomy, and the country's going down, and poor us Americans, it's so tough living in this country. Have you lived in another country? Do you realize how blessed we are here in the United States? Do you have an understanding how the majority of the people in the world live? How would you like to be one of these Russian troops posted there?

No matter what conditions they are. Can you imagine the Ukrainians who are just on the other side of the border? Do you think what's happening in Ethiopia? I saw on BBC yesterday a little documentary about the civil war in Ethiopia and the devastation that came, and families.

One said the missile hit his house, and his daughter and his wife died right in front of him. Here we are in the wonderful United States of America. We have faith in God. One voice sang about God is for us. We're people of hope. We're people of faith. But one day God's blessed son is going to come, and there will be righteousness and perfect justice throughout the world. Christ is our Savior, not some politician.

I don't put my faith in a politician and a certain individual, not at all. Put your faith in God. We're people of hope. Use the weapon of righteousness, living holy righteous lives where we display the Lord Jesus Christ. In ancient times, an owner would take his ring and press it into hot wax, leaving his seal, his stamp, his image. God's people were made in the image of God. We bear the mark of God. As a follower of Jesus Christ, as someone saved by His grace, I'm being conformed as you are to the very image of God's perfect Son. I'm therefore to render to God the things that are God's, as we are God's coin. And this begins, of course, when we enter the kingdom of God. Jesus said, my kingdom is not of this world. And how do we enter the kingdom of God? Repent and believe in the gospel.

If you've never done that, could you do that this morning? To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ who loved you, died for you, who's risen and who's alive and to place your trust in Him and to join us in this wonderful adventure of faith, this wonderful being a Christian, let me tell you, to be part of the kingdom of God. And to realize then that my allegiance is to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that I am to seek first not some comfort, not a political party, not a particular individual as president, I'm to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. That is to be your priority. And, says Jesus, all these things will be added to you.

Don't worry about these other things. God's going to take care of them. But seek first the kingdom of God. If it's wrong to hold taxes back, which are lawfully due to the government, how much worse it is to hold back what is due to God. Are you lending to God the things that are God's?

Are you? Is God really first? Your resources, your time, your ministry, or have you put yourself at the center of your own little pathetic kingdom?

No. Repent. Look to the Savior and seek first His kingdom. And Jesus still says to us, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. Our Father and our God, we thank You for Your Word, it's convicting.

Some aspects of it are difficult for us, and we struggle with it. Give us humility, give us an understanding, and help us to act in certain situations, Father, where we find ourselves in disagreement with the government or frustrated. Give us hope, give us peace, give us courage, Father, as we are salt in this society and light shining in the darkness. And may each one of us be part of that eternal kingdom, the kingdom which will never end, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name we pray. Amen.