Who's Really In Charge

Tomorrow is Presidents Day.

A day when we pause to remember men who have sat in the most powerful office in our nation—men whose decisions moved markets, shaped wars, signed laws, and stirred strong emotions on both sides of the aisle.

Some people loved them.

Some people hated them.

All of them were human.

And that’s exactly why this day matters for the church.

Because if we’re not careful, we start talking about presidents like saviors…

We defend them like messiahs…

Or blame them like devils.

But Scripture reminds us of a grounding truth we need to hear again:

No president ever saved a soul.

No election ever redeemed a nation.

And no political party ever replaced the throne of God.

Presidents come and go.

Administrations rise and fall.

Headlines change by the hour.

But the throne of heaven has never been up for election.

So today isn’t about red or blue.

It’s not about parties or platforms.

It’s about perspective.

On this Presidents Day, we’re going to ask a question every believer must answer—

Who’s really in charge?

So, when we ask, “Who’s really in charge?” we’re not guessing—we’re remembering.

Because while America has had presidents for nearly 250 years, God has been sovereign for all eternity.

Presidents change.

Parties shift.

Policies come and go.

But God remains seated on the throne.

Scripture says it clearly:

Proverbs 21:1 “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”

God isn’t reacting to leadership.

God is directing history.

POINT 1: GOD USES IMPERFECT LEADERS

Let’s clear something up right away.

God has never waited for perfect leaders to accomplish His will.

If He did, nothing would ever get done.

• Moses had a temper

• David had moral failure

• Peter had a big mouth

• Paul persecuted Christians

Yet God used every single one of them.

Why?

Because God doesn’t look for flawless resumes—

He looks for obedient hearts.

1 Samuel 16:7 “The Lord does not look at the things people look at… the Lord looks at the heart.”

Take George Washington.

He wasn’t perfect.

He made mistakes.

But he understood something crucial—this nation needed humility before God.

Washington once said that it was impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible.

That humility mattered.

Not because Washington was divine—but because he knew he wasn’t.

Illustration: “The Chessboard”

On a chessboard, the king appears to be the most important piece. When he moves, everyone watches. When he’s threatened, the whole board reacts.

But the king doesn’t control the game.

He doesn’t choose the strategy.

He doesn’t see what’s coming three, four, or ten moves ahead.

The king only moves when the player allows him to move—and only to the squares the player permits.

Leadership works the same way.

Presidents, kings, and rulers may look like they’re calling the shots, but they’re still operating within boundaries set by God.

They make real decisions, but God oversees the outcome.

Scripture reminds us that the Lord directs the hearts of kings like streams of water—He guides them exactly where He wants them to go.

What looks like chaos on the board is often strategy in the hands of God.

And even when the pieces don’t realize it, the Player never loses control of the game.

POINT 2: OUR HOPE WAS NEVER IN THE WHITE HOUSE

Let’s say this plainly—and yes, it might sting a little:

America was never saved by a president.

Salvation doesn’t come from elections.

Hope doesn’t come from executive orders.

Redemption doesn’t come from legislation.

Psalm 146:3 “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.”

That verse doesn’t say “don’t respect leaders.”

It says “don’t rely on them for what only God can do.”

Consider Abraham Lincoln.

One of the most respected leaders in American history—and during the darkest national crisis, he said:

“My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side.”

That’s leadership with perspective.

Illustration: “The Broken Chair”

Ever sat in a chair that looked sturdy—but collapsed the moment you trusted it?

That’s what happens when we put ultimate hope in human leadership.

Presidents are chairs.

God is the foundation.

One can fail you.

The other never will.

POINT 3: CHRISTIANS HAVE A HIGHER CITIZENSHIP

Yes, we are Americans.

Yes, we should vote.

Yes, we should pray for our leaders.

But before all of that—we belong to another Kingdom.

Philippians 3:20 “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

That means:

• We engage politics, but we don’t worship it

• We respect leaders, but we don’t idolize them

• We stand for truth, even when it’s unpopular

When earthly authority conflicted with God’s authority, the apostles said it plainly: