Remind The People. . .

MELVIN M. NEWLAND, MINISTER RIDGE CHAPEL, KANSAS, OK

(Powerpoints used with this message are available at no charge. Just email me at mnewland@sstelco.com and request PP #418.)

TEXT: Romans 13:3-4,7; Titus 3:1-2;

ILL. The owners of a company employing several hundred workers were concerned about the decline in the productivity of their employees. Was there dissension among the workers? Was their equipment breaking down more often than in the past? Or were there bottlenecks in the assembly line?

Desiring to shake things up & get production back to speed, they hired a new Production Manager with the responsibility of discovering & fixing the problem. And if any employees were found to be responsible, he had the authority to fire them on the spot as a lesson to all the rest.

Determined to be seen as a tough & “no-nonsense” Manager he decided to make an inspection tour of the facility his first day on the job. As he toured the plant, he noticed a guy leaning against a wall. The room was full of workers & he decided it was a perfect opportunity to let them all know that he meant business!

So he walked up to the guy leaning against the wall & asked, "How much do you make a week?" A little surprised, the guy replied, "I make $300 a week. Why?" The Manager pulled out his wallet, handed him $1200 in cash, & said in a loud voice, "Here's 4 weeks severance pay – you’re fired. Now get out!"

Feeling pretty good about himself, the Manager looked around the room & asked, "Does anyone want to tell me what job that goof-off did here?" From across the room came a voice, "He’s the delivery guy from Domino's Pizza."

(Adapted from Davon Huss on Sermon Central)

A. In comparison to the rest of the world, we live in a great country. But it has certainly become obvious that there are those who loudly & violently disagree.

I’m concerned about the future, for it seems that our nation is now establishing, through many of its leaders, courts & judges, a distinctively anti-Christian agenda. The values we cherish are under assault.

Yes, there are men & women in positions of importance in our land who have a deep & abiding faith. And I’m grateful & proud of the witness they present. But there are many obstacles.

Can anything be done? Could we who are Christians possibly turn the tide & change the direction in which our nation seems to be going? Yes, I believe so! One way people of faith CAN make a difference is IF they vote.

ILL. Have you ever heard of Pres. Charles Evans Hughes? No, you haven’t. But you would have if, in 1916, just one more voter in each California district had voted for him. They didn’t, & Woodrow Wilson, who had gone to bed thinking he had lost the presidency, was re-elected.

B. Folks, our votes count! And in less than 2 months, you & I will have the privilege & responsibility of expressing ourselves in the selection of those who will be some of our leaders in these critical times.

Listen to what Paul wrote to Titus: "Remind the people to be subject to rulers & authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable & considerate, & to show true humility toward all men." (Titus 3:1-2)

PROP. In this passage Paul mentions 3 practical ways Christians can make positive contributions to our nation, & thus be good representatives of our Lord.

I. BE RESPECTFUL OF GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY

A. First of all, he tells us to be respectful of governmental authority. Look again at Titus 3:1. He says, "Remind the people to be subject to rulers & authorities..."

Government is one of three spheres of authority that God has established: the home, the church, & government. He established those authorities so that there would be order in the world He created.

In Romans 13:3-4 Paul says, "Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right & he will commend you. … But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing."

We're to be respectful of government officials because of their position, even if their character is not perfect. We're to honor the position, even if we have a difficult time honoring the individual who holds it.

Romans 13:7 says, "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."

B. But I realize sometimes that is difficult to do. There are some laws that don't make much sense, & it's difficult to obey them, but the only time we have the right to disobey the law is when it orders us to disobey God's commands.