Be A Good Citizen For Jesus Christ! Series

Be a Good Citizen for Jesus Christ

The Book of Romans

Romans 13:1-7

Sermon by Rick Crandall

(Prepared September 24, 2021)

MESSAGE:

*I know that we are in all kinds of trouble right now, but I still love this country! There is no place on earth I would rather live. We have been blessed by God in many ways, and by His grace we have been a blessing to the whole world. It all goes back to the goodness of God. His mighty hand was instrumental in the founding and preservation of our nation.

*In 1620, 102 devout Christians sailed for America headed to the Virginia Colony. But instead of landing in Virginia, their battered ship first sighted land far north in what is now Massachusetts. And the Pilgrims decided that rather than risk a journey to Virginia, they would set up their own government where God had blown their ship.

*Before landing at Plymouth, they signed the Mayflower Compact. Melvin Newland explained that "The hardy souls who sailed on the Mayflower in 1620 fled from tyranny and oppression. And in the Mayflower Compact which they signed beneath the swinging lantern in the cabin of their ship, they proclaimed that they had come to the new world for 'the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith.'" (1)

*Most of the men and women who helped create our nation were godly Christians who worshiped the God of the Bible, just as we are here to worship today. That's why our national motto is "In God We Trust." And that's why our Pledge of Allegiance says: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation UNDER GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

*"One nation under God." These words "under God" were added to our Pledge in 1954 by a joint resolution of Congress, and they were signed into law by President Eisenhower. But the words "Under God" were taken from Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address.

*On July 1st - 3rd in 1863, a bloody, 3-day battle raged in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It was the turning point of our Civil War. Around 8 thousand men were killed, over 27,000 were wounded, and another 11,000 men were captured or missing. Four months later, President Lincoln made his now famous address to dedicate the cemetery at Gettysburg. Lincoln closed with these words:

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us, that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation, UNDER GOD, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." (2)

*The biggest problem with our government today is that so many of our leaders have no desire to live under God. But God has truly blessed America, and God wants us to be a blessing to America.

*In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus calls us to be salt and light in our world. There Jesus said:

13. "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

14. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

15. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

*The Lord wants us to be the salt and light in our world, and Romans 13 teaches us that this includes being good citizens. God wants us to be good citizens for Jesus Christ, and His Word shows us how.

1. FIRST: WE HAVE TO GET INFORMED.

*For example, God surely wants us to get informed about His plan for government. We see this truth vs. 1-3, where Paul wrote:

1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.