Living for Jesus within in the world

• 1^st – Obey the government… (3 thigns) vs. 1-7
  • 1^st – The Government is appointed by God…
    • All authority comes from God – so no government is there by accident…
    • Proverbs 21:1 – “The king‘s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he turns it wherever he pleases.”
    • Therefore we should obey and respect our government…
      • We have a hard time with this concept – we might think – not our government
      • We look at the corruption – poor policies – the injustice all around us…
      • And what about evil governments – muslim / communist / Iran / North Korea…
      • Surely God cannot approve of these governments – much less be responsible!
    • Yet Paul wrote this during the time Caesar Nero was the emperor of Rome…
      • The ruler who clothed Christians in animal skins – then fed them alive to the dogs…
      • Who rode his chariot down the road lined with burning Christians for light…
      • This was Paul’s Government – the one he was saying to obey and respect!
    • Using all things to the good – Romans 8:28…
    • In 1949 China became a communist nation – VERY hostile to Christianity…
      • There were around 100,000 Christians in the whole county…
      • They thought about killing them – but that would be to messy…
      • Then someone had an idea – ‘Christians need to be together – church services’
      • Let’s separate them – send them to the far reaches of China – give them bad jobs…
      • The worst government job in China was a post man – going house to house…
      • The communist part became the world’s largest missions organization!
      • They sent Christians all over China – house to house – telling people about Jesus!
      • There are now over 100 millions Christians in China today!
    • In Nepal Christianity was illegal – there were only 10,000 believers…
      • If you were baptized – it was a 7 year prison sentence
      • If were the one who baptized a believer – it was a 14 year prison sentence!
      • What happened was all the Christian ended up in prison…
      • Where they told other prisoners about the hope of Jesus – and they got saved!
      • When these new ‘prison’ believer were released – they shared with their families
      • When their families got saved – then baptized – they ended up back in prison!
      • For years Nepal had to build HUGE prisons – just to hold the church!
      • Today there are over 700,000 Christians in Nepal!
    • God is not after a just government – but the salvation of all men…
      • If you want all men to have a rich and easy life – all governments should be perfect…
      • But if you want people in heaven – muslim or communist governments work best!
      • If governments were perfect – we would never learn to look to and trust in God…
      • It is in the imperfections of our governments we see our need for the Lord!
      • It is not that all the governments are good – God just uses them all for our good!
  • 2^nd – The Government has authority over you… vs. 2-5
    • If you resist the government – you resist the command of God – and will be judged…
      • If you do evil – you will be in danger of being judged by the law…
      • The government carries God’s sword – the authority to judge – even death penalty…
      • As a general rule – if you do bad things – steel / murder / rape / cheat…
      • You have good reason to fear the government – because you are going to get caught…
      • And when you are caught – the government has the authority to punish you…
    • But If you obey the law – do what is good – you will instead receive praise from them…
      • Therefore we should obey out of fear of consequence & for your conscience sake…
      • Someone who has done nothing wrong does not fear a police officer…
      • Someone who only does what is good – does not jump at the sound of a siren…
      • Good motivation to live a good life with a clear conscience – no reason to fear
    • Is there every a time when we should not obey…
      • We are to obey God’s Law – before we are to obey man’s laws…
      • In China today it is Illegal to go to church – to own/read a Bible…
      • It is also only allowed to have 1 child – all others must be aborted…
      • When men’s laws contradict the Law of God – we obey God!
  • 3^rd – The Government works for you… vs. 6-7
    • The government works constantly for the people – for our benefit…
    • Therefore give honor and respect to those who require it – and pay your taxes…
    • Again we might have a hard time with this – we know where those taxes go…
      • We might think – the money will only go to the pockets of corrupt politicians…
      • In America – tax money is used to fund abortions / to kill unborn children!
      • We are not responsible for what the government does with our taxes…
    • Give back to the Government what is theirs – Matthew 22:19-21
    • When asked by the religious leaders if Jews should pay taxes to Rome…
      • Jesus’ answered whose face and words are on the coin – Caesar (Rome)…
      • Then give back (restore) to Caesar what is Caesar’s
      • The idea being the money was already Caesar’s – his face his writing
    • Should we pay taxes – look at a peso – whose picture…
      • Give back to the government what is theirs – but give to God what is God’s…
      • We were created in God’s image – we carry’s God’s writing (the Word)
      • We are to give our lives back to the Lord – they are His anyways!
      • We are not our own – our lives are not ours to live as we choose…
      • I Corinthians 6:20 – “You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

• 2^nd – Owe nothing but Love… vs. 8-10
  • Don’t be in debt to anyone…
    • If we need money…
      • We can look to borrow from someone – but then we learn to depend on men…
      • We also tend to borrow more than we can afford – no way to pay it back…
      • We end up in bondage to debt – crushed under the weight of what we borrowed!
      • When I was a young man I made poor choices quickly ended up in a LOT of debt…
      • It took me 10 years to pay back what I spent in a matter of only a few months!
      • Rather than borrowing money – seek the Lord to provide for what you need…
      • God promises to provide for our needs – so if we don’t have it we must not need it!
    • If someone we know needs money…
      • It is a good idea not to borrow or lend – people are thrilled when they get money…
      • But then avoid the lender like the plague when it comes time to be paid back…
      • Hulam lipay lipay / bayad away away…
      • Rather than lend money to others – better to simple give it if you have it…
  • Instead love one another…
    • If you love a person you won’t – commit adultery / murder / steal / lie / or covet them!
    • Therefore it is through Love that you fulfill all the commands of God’s Law!
    • So the one command that God gives to us for others – is to love them…
    • Rather than owing others money – or having others owe us money…
    • Instead let our only debt be to love each other with the Love of Jesus!.
    • John 13:35 – “Your love for one another will prove to the world you are my disciples.”

• 3^rd – Put on Jesus Christ… vs. 11-14
  • Our salvation is close – it is time to wake up …
    • Many people ‘sleep walk’ through life – living their lives with no thought of tomorrow
    • Not realizing the times we are living in – realize that Jesus is coming soon!
    • We are in the last days – the return of Jesus is closer today then when we were saved…
    • Jesus is coming to rapture the church – take us to heaven
    • * I Corinthians 15:51 – “Let me tell you a wonderful secret God has revealed to us. Not all of us will die, but we will all be transformed.  It will happen in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, the Christians who have died will be raised with transformed bodies. And then we who are living will be transformed so that we will never die.”
    • It could happen next week – it could happen today – it could happen right now…
    • Are we ready – if Jesus came back today – what would He find us doing…
    • Jesus is coming – VERY soon – wake up and live your life for Jesus!
  • Since THE day – the day of the return of Jesus – is at hand…
    • Don’t walk in the works of darkness – sin…
      • Drunkenness / lust and sexual perversion / anger / envy…
      • When we give into our desires/sin – when we live for our flesh – we are blind…
      • Our sin separates us from the Lord – so we cannot see – Jesus is coming!
      • When we are in sin – we are not thinking about Jesus – looking for His return…
    • Instead let us walk honesty – in the light…
      • * I John 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
      • It is when we walk with Jesus – that we walk in the light – and can see clearly…
  • How do we walk in the light – put on the armor of light…
    • The idea is that we are heading out into a battle – a war against our flesh…
      • Like any good soldier we need to prepare ourselves for the battles…
      • * Ephesians 6:13 – “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
      • * II Timothy 2:4 – “As Christ’s soldier, don’t let yourself become tied up in the affairs of this life, for then you can’t satisfy the one who has enlisted you…”
      • Don’t get caught up in the affairs of this life – the cares of this world… 
      • Don’t get caught up in foolish momentary sins – that blind you to seeing Jesus…
    • What is the armor of light / armor of God – its who – Jesus (put on the Lord Jesus)!
      • The way we overcome our flesh – the way we walk in the light so we can see
      • Is by putting on Jesus Christ – walking in the Spirit of God
      • Then Jesus changes our desires so we don’t want to do the things that are wrong…
      • Instead we will want to do those things that please the Lord!
      • Not giving any opportunity for our flesh to fulfill its desires / lusts…
      • So we are ready for the soon return of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ!