Explore the concept of God's use of earthly rulers to fulfill His divine purposes, our responsibility as Christians to respect and fulfill our civic duties, and the paramount allegiance we owe to God.
Good morning, brothers and sisters. We are here today to dive into a deep and thought-provoking topic that hits the intersection of faith and politics: God's use of earthly rulers to accomplish His divine purposes, our duty to respect and fulfill our civic responsibilities, and the ultimate allegiance we owe to God.
As John Stott once said, “The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” It's our responsibility, as Christians, to understand His word and His ways, and to align our lives accordingly.
Let's turn together to Isaiah 45:1-7, Matthew 22:15-22, and 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. As you listen or read along, keep in mind our theme today: earthly authority, civic duty, and divine allegiance.
[Read passage]
Let's bow our heads for a moment of prayer.
Dear Lord, as we delve into Your Word, open our hearts and minds to understand Your divine wisdom. Help us to learn from the lessons of the past, understand our role in the present, and prepare for the future in Your light. May we recognize the leaders You have placed in our lives, respect the responsibilities You have entrusted us with, and above all else, may our ultimate loyalty and allegiance always be to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Now, let's unpack these passages together, shall we?
In the book of Isaiah, we see a striking example of God using an earthly ruler to accomplish His divine purposes. Cyrus, the king of Persia, was not a follower of God, yet God used him as an instrument to fulfill His will. God called Cyrus by name, anointed him, and held his right hand to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor. This was done to open doors before him so that gates would not be shut. God did this for the sake of His people, Israel, whom He loved.
A truth that we must grasp: God is sovereign, and He can use anyone, believer or non-believer, to accomplish His divine purposes. This does not mean that God approves of the wrongdoings or unjust actions of rulers. Rather, it underscores the fact that God is in control of everything, including the hearts of kings and rulers. As Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will."
Echoed throughout the Bible: In the book of Exodus, Pharaoh's heart was hardened by God to bring about His purposes. In the book of Daniel, King Nebuchadnezzar was used by God to discipline His people and later, to declare God's sovereignty. In the New Testament, the Roman government played a role in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, fulfilling God's plan of salvation for humanity.
Should give us comfort and hope: No matter who is in power, God is ultimately in control. He can use anyone to bring about His purposes. This does not absolve us of our responsibility to pray for our leaders and to stand against injustice. On the contrary, it encourages us to do so with the knowledge that our prayers and actions are part of God's plan.
God's purposes may not align with our expectations/desires: God's ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). We may not understand why God allows certain rulers to be in power or why He allows certain events to happen. But we can trust that God is good, that He is just, and that He is working all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
Should shape our perspective towards our leaders: We should respect them and pray for them, not because they are perfect, but because they are God's instruments. We should also remember that our ultimate allegiance is not to any earthly ruler, but to God. Our ultimate citizenship is not in any earthly nation but in the kingdom of God.
Pastor, here would be a good place to share a personal story about how you've seen God use an earthly ruler or authority figure to accomplish His purposes.
Matthew 22:15-22 is a fascinating account of an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees, who were trying to trap Him with a question about taxes ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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