“ Our Biblical Worldview” ( 11 ) God and the Nations ’ Leaders 11/28/2021

First Baptist Church Leominster

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Well, this being Advent season, I thought it appropriate that we would read the

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Gospel account the birth narrative that's recorded in Luke's gospel and Of course, there are two birth narratives one and Luke Luke 1 and 2 and the other one in Matthew 1 and 2 we're gonna read through Luke's gospel and So pastor

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Jason will read forth Luke 1 verses 1 through 38 then pray for us Luke chapter 1 in as much as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us

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Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us

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It seemed good to me also having followed all things closely for some time past To write an orderly account for you most excellent

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Theophilus that you may have certainty concerning the things that you have been taught In the days of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named

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Zechariah of the division of Abijah And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron and her name was

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Elizabeth and they were both righteous before God Walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the

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Lord But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years

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Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the

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Lord and burn incense and the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense and there appeared to him an angel of the

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Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense and Zechariah was troubled when he saw him and fear fell upon him

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But the angel said to him do not be afraid Zechariah For your prayer has been heard and your wife

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Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John and you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth for he will be great before the

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Lord and He must not drink wine or strong drink and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb

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And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn hearts to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready for the

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Lord a people prepared and Zechariah said to the angel how shall I know this for I am old for I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years and The angel answered him

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I am Gabriel I stand in the presence of God and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news and Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time and the people were waiting for Zechariah and they were wondering at his delay in the temple and When he came out he was unable to speak to them and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple and he kept

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Making signs to them and remained mute and when his time of service was ended. He went to his home

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After these things his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months She kept herself hidden saying thus the

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Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people in The sixth month the angel

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Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was

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Joseph of the house of David and the Virgin's name was Mary and He came to her and said greetings.

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Oh favored one. The Lord is with you but she was greatly troubled at the saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be and The angel said to her do not be afraid

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Mary For you have found favor with God and behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son and you shall call his name

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Jesus He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High and The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father

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David and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom there will be no end and Mary said to the angel how will this be since I am a virgin and The angel answered her the

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Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you therefore the child to be born will be called holy the

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Son of God and Behold your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren

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For nothing will be impossible with God and Mary said behold. I am a servant of the

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Lord Let it be to me according to your word and the angel departed from her

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Let's pray our Heavenly Father We thank you for This passage we thank you for this time of year where we remember the incarnation of Jesus Christ and what a tremendous

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Miracle, that is that God entered into history that God became a flesh and blood living and breathing man

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And yet without sin and Lord, we thank you for this tremendous gift. We thank you for the life of Christ We're thankful for his life for his death for his resurrection for his ascension

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We thank you that he is indeed ruling now He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and we thank you that we belong to you

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So Lord help us understand you better help us understand your word better We pray that you would guide us and teach us help us in our worship

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Lord. Thank you in Jesus name. Amen Well, as I mentioned earlier we want to give attention today to first Samuel 8

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Actually all the verses verses 1 through 23 This is what the 10th

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Lord's Day that we've given to this matter this subject our biblical worldview And last

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Lord's Day we addressed from the scriptures the role and purpose that God has from the nations of the world

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We also Reinforced from the Word of God that God is a sovereign king over the nations

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He created them. He formed them as we considered last week

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When we looked at the judgment of God upon the world at the Tower of Babel, that's when the nations were created initially

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But God because he is the creator he rules over the nations of history and the

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Old Testament everywhere teaches this And through God's control of the nations

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God executes his judgments in history Upon other nations upon people

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Well today we want to further Contemplate God's purposes for the nations, but by giving special attention to the kings or the leaders of the nations of the world and how

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Christians are to regard them and their roles and Responsibility our responsibilities in the world

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Within these kingdoms and we'll give we want to give particular attention On to as to how the citizens of the

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United States have historically understood these matters Is this so very important I believe?

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It's going to be somewhat of an object lesson or a lesson to many other people we have

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Several hundred plus close to 300 people who receive these notes that live in other countries of Africa and India Philippines and whatnot and so although this has direct application to us

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I think it provides some good instruction for them to in the countries and the nations in which they live

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Now again, we already read second 1st Samuel 8 1 through 23, so we'll not do so again

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But this passage records for us, of course When the people of Israel first desired and insisted on having a king rule over them

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They wanted a king just like the other nations of the world well with this event, of course

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God told Samuel you go ahead listen to them and you You appoint a king but you first tell them

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What kind of King they're going to receive the kind of King they request it

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And so with this event It really resulted in the established of Establishment of earthly kings to rule over the nation of Israel and so from this point on Samuel was the last judge and Then of course with King Saul the first of a series of kings

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Come to the throne over Israel Prior to this time

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God had ruled the nation more directly He had Caused of course judges to arise to deliver his people and render justice to their society, but from this point onward

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Israel would be governed by Kings and Through history

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God demonstrated the unsuitableness and inability of these Kings to lead the people of God rightly and as you read the

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Old Testament this history of The Kings is a series of degrading rule of Character and authority on the part of these

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Kings, of course, finally ending in the exile of the Jews from their land In time

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God declared through his prophets that he would raise up a righteous king Who would both lead and enable his people to live as a free and secure people before him the promise of the

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Messiah? This was realized, of course in the historic event of Jesus Christ his death barrel resurrection ascension and enthronement in heaven as God's Son Upon the return of the

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Son of God to heaven as Jesus Christ the Son of David God the Father made Jesus Lord of Lords and King of Kings and Jesus Christ has been ruling over the world over the nations of the world since that event

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And so that was the commencement of the long -promised Messianic Kingdom even the The kingdom promised to Israel through the prophets that a greater

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Son of David one like the Son of Man would receive his kingdom his Authority from God the

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Father and We of course understand that our Lord's resurrection and ascension was his triumphal procession

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Into heaven at which time God the Father installed him With sovereign authority over the nations and so Jesus could tell his apostles

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Go into all the world preach the gospel all authority has been given unto me therefore go make disciples of all nations

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It's because Jesus Christ had authority over all nations By virtue of his life of obedience even unto death his resurrection and then his enthronement

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This was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy from Daniel 7 Verses 13 and 14

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Daniel foresaw this event of the Lord Jesus assuming his regal authority

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Daniel recorded I was watching in the night visions and behold one like the Son of Man the heavenly figure

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Coming with the clouds of heaven Speaking about his entourage and and the favor he had and the support he had

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He came to the ancient of days a description of God on his throne his father and they brought him

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Near before him. He brought the Son before him and Then to him that is the

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Son was given dominion and glory in a kingdom To what end that all people's nations languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting

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Dominion, which shall not pass away in his kingdom The one which shall not be destroyed and so here in Daniel 7 we have an

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Old Testament prophecy that foretold Jesus Christ coming to the throne of his father to receive his authority to reign as Lord The fulfillment of this prophecy in the coronation of the

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Lord. Jesus was seen by John himself Which he recorded in the book of Revelation Revelation 5 speaks of this we would argue this was a historic event that John saw

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This is not a record of what is going to take place at the future in the future, but it's already occurred when the crucified buried and risen

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Lord Jesus ascended into heaven and So we read Revelation 5

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John I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne that would be God the Father a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals and Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy to open the scroll and to lose its seals

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No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look in it

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John recorded I so I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it

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But one of the elders said to me do not we behold the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David as Jesus Christ has prevailed to open the scroll and to lose its seven seals and I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a lamb as Though it had been slain having seven horns seven eyes

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Which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth and then he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on The throne and we would argue that that was the

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God the Father conferring regal authority to King Jesus who now had authority to execute judgment in the world and So when he had taken the scroll the four living creatures the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each having a heart golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the

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Saints and They sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll to open its seals

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For you were slain have redeemed us to God by your blood and out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation out of every nation and have made us kings and priests who are

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God and we shall reign on the earth and Then I looked John Recorded and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne the living creatures the elders

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The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice

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Worthy is the lamb who is slain to receive power riches and wisdom. That's royal authority there and Strength and honor and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and such as are in The sea and all that are in them

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I heard saying blessing honor glory power be to him who sits on the throne and to the

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Lamb Forever and ever and then the four living creatures said amen and the 24 elders fell down and worshiped him who lives forever and ever and So because of the virtue of his life and his death on the cross his resurrection his ascension

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Jesus Christ is presently reigning over the nations of the world He exercises his judgment in history upon the nations

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Even as he's calling forth people from all the world onto their salvation and as they come to Christ in faith

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They become citizens of the kingdom of God that he inaugurated as the promised Jewish Messiah the son of David Well, this leads us to To a question that is asked by Christians those who know this truth and attempt to live accordingly

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How then do we view the governments of this world? The nations and their leaders in whose realms we reside

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For clearly the scriptures teach our citizenship is in heaven and the kingdom of God as citizens from or have citizens from most of the 195 nations of the world

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And furthermore we know that due to the spiritual nature of the kingdom of God kingdom citizens may thrive in any geographic region and under any form of government that exists

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The kingdom of God knows no national or physical borders Peter discovered and then proclaimed this truth declared in truth.

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I perceive that God has showed no partiality But in every nation whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him

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The kingdom of God is universal in nature There's no place or allowance for racism in the kingdom of God We're all one in Christ The kingdom of God knows no political or geographical borders or ethnic restrictions

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The kingdom of God is spiritual in nature and God calls forth people from all over the world to enter his kingdom

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Through repentance from sin and faith in their King Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is

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Lord. That's the foundation of What it is to be a Christian? But Again, this leads us to answer the question

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How is the Christian to view the government under which the Lord has appointed him to live?

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How do we? View our United States government federal state local

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Well, how do we address this subject Well, we'll do so by first reflecting on the conditions within the experience of Israel that brought these people to reject

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God as their reigning King choosing rather to have a king like the other nations and Then secondly, we'll examine the nature of the political leaders that the

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Prophet Samuel declared the Israelites could expect if they followed this course of desiring a king like the other nations and then third

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I want us to Consider the understanding of nations and their government leaders held by the founding fathers of our nation the

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United States and The system of government that they established for us. They had these principles in mind when they declared our independence from Britain and drafted a

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Constitution and Then forth I would like us to extrapolate some biblical and historical principles that may best guide us in our involvement in the political process

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And so first let's consider the experience of the people of Israel that led them to reject God as their reigning

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King and to desire a king like the other nations When the people told

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Samuel that they wanted a king to reign over them It would be like the kings of the other nations

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Samuel went to prayer to the Lord Samuel himself must have

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Felt that he had failed personally miserably and that he had failed God that they wanted such a thing

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His own sons would not follow his faithful legacy of leading the people of Israel as judges

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They were judges, but they were unfaithful. They were corrupt But God comforted and assured

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Samuel say to him Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you for they've not rejected you

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But they have rejected me that I should reign over them God himself had reigned over his people since the days he brought them out of bondage in Egypt God had enabled them to defeat the

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Canaanites of the land and to take possession of their lands God had established them and promised to keep them secure.

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They initially enjoyed the blessings of individual liberty the possession enjoyment of their personal property and The blessing of God securing their homes and land

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God's blessing on their life in general was their common experience and So at first it was possible for them to enjoy the ideal conditions that the prophet

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Micah would later describe to be true of the future messianic kingdom But everyone shall sit under his vine under his fig tree

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No one shall make them afraid For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken for all people walk each in the name of his

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God But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever now consider

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What kind of life this reflects? It's an ideal life According to the scriptures.

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This is the ideal kind of life in the messianic kingdom first They were to experience and enjoy personal property your own vine

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Your own fig tree second They were to own and labor for their own vine and own fig tree.

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That is their own personal property They supported themselves through godly sanctified living

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Their own property their own means of self -support Thirdly they were able to enjoy the fruit of their labor.

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In other words personal benefit For them and their family To the benefit of the labor of their own hands back then

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It was very common for a foreign nation to wait until harvest time Then invade the land and take the harvest and so the people did not benefit from all the labor

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They had rendered throughout the year but in a secure place a secure nation

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They would be able to receive the benefit of their own hands in other words there was freedom from fear that others would take your land and property from you to displace you from your family heritage and Or and to confiscate the fruit of your labor

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They lived in security while enjoying personal and national liberty free to live before and under God That's what they had forfeited when they wanted a king like the other kings of the other nations

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But although God had been faithful to his people his people had been unfaithful to him And so God told

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Samuel according to all the works which they have done Since the day I brought them out of the out of Egypt even to this day with which they have forsaken me served other gods

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So they are doing to you also Samuel they're not doing to you anything. They haven't already done to me

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And so we read of this pattern of behavior during the period of the judges Samuel being the last judge

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God himself had reigned over his people and had secured his blessing upon the people by raising up various judges in times of crisis to lead his people

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We read of a repeated cycle in the book of Judges from God's blessing of personal liberty and security

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Degenerating into slavery and oppression and this cycle is repeated over and over twelve times

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The period of judges Reinforces the spiritual truism that sin does not stand still and it will eventually result in God's judgment and punishment

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Unless it's arrested and turned about by God himself We might read briefly of just one period

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Which follows the pattern of the defection of the people and the resultant judgment of God in Judges 10

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We read that the children of Israel had once again defected and departed from obeying their God Judges 10 6 then the children of Israel again

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Did evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the asterisk the gods of Syria the gods of side and the gods of Moab the gods of the people of Ammon the gods of the

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Philistines and they forsook the Lord and did not serve him and So the first step in this downward

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Slide from the place of God's blessing was the people's departure from God to serve other gods.

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In other words idolatry They live for themselves and what they could good yet and gain through other means other gods

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Well This was just an initial step in this downgrade

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The second step in this process was that God judged his people for their defections from him

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Judges 10 7 reads so the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel he sold them into the hands of the

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Philistines into the hands of the people of Ammon and from that year they harassed and oppressed the children of Israel for 18 years all the children of Israel who were on the other side of the

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Jordan in the land of the Amorites and Gilead and Moreover, the people of Ammon crossed over the Jordan to fight against Judah also against Benjamin against the house of Ephraim So that Israel was severely distressed.

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This was God's judgment This resulted thirdly in Israel calling out to God Acknowledging their sin and prayed for God to be merciful toward them in delivering them from their oppressors verse 10 records and the children of Israel cried out to the

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Lord saying we have sinned against you because we have both forsaken our God and serve the Baals But God did not immediately bring relief to them

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We read fourthly of God's initial response when they cried out to him the

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Lord said to the children of Israel did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites from the people of Ammon from the

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Philistines all those that although also the Sidonians and the Amalekites the Mayanites oppressed you you cried out to me

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I delivered you from their hand yet. You have forsaken me and served other gods. Therefore. I will I will deliver you no more

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Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen let them deliver you in your time of distress You let them stew in their misery

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They were getting what they wanted and they got they were getting what they deserved But by then the people realized their only hope was if God would be merciful and gracious to them

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So we read fifthly that the children of Israel repented of their sin Verses 15 and 16 the children of Israel said to the

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Lord we have sinned due to us Whatever seems best to you only delivers this day we pray and so they put away the foreign gods from among them and serve the

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Lord and Then we read that God could no longer refuse them

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So six there is recorded God's response and his soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel It was then that God raised up a deliverer a judge and on this occasion

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God raised up Jephthah to lead his people out of their misery and oppression to restore liberty and security for his people

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But in this take note of this principle that's true throughout history Once liberty has been forfeited

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It takes great cost and effort and often a great struggle in order to obtain and restore liberty for people

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There are 12 judges that are identified in the book of Judges And God raised up each of them after us each cycle of defection rebellion and great iniquity

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That had brought God's judgment upon the people that had resulted in the loss of their freedom and security the great lesson of the book of Judges is that due to sin people are incapable and unwilling to serve

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God Faithfully if you and I were there and among them we would have done the same thing

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They are prone to depart from the Living God choosing to serve other gods other than the true God this is the major lesson of the book as Recorded in the last verse of Judges in those days.

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There was no king in Israel Everyone did what was right in his own eyes The people of God are indeed in need of a king to rule over them to protect and preserve them

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But also to ensure that they would remain faithful to God They would need more than a mere earthly king who is a sinner like them and Yet, that's what they wanted a king like the other nations well, let's next consider

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Samuel's prediction of what Israel would encounter by having a king like the other nations and I could have applied this directly to our land and What we have been encountering for quite some time now

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By the time we read of the events of 1st Samuel 8 when the people rejected Samuel the people apparently had come to learn they needed a king

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To govern them. They did not see however at this point in history That a king like the ones of the other nations would never lead them rightly

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They were in need of a king But one who would lead them in the ways of God's laws enabling them to do his will

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Jesus Christ would fulfill that of course. He gives the Holy Spirit to his people enabling them to Do the

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Father's will They would only learn this lesson However, they would only take it to heart after centuries of kings of Israel and Judah Failed to fulfill their high calling to lead the people of God to be loyal and obedient to God They came to see they needed a king they didn't yet see what kind of king they needed and so the record of the book of Kings and Chronicles in the

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Old Testament records it out of a total of 42 kings over Northern Israel southern

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Judah only four kings are described as having been good according to God's Evaluation, but even they had their flaws 38 kings were evil who not only failed to lead

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God's people rightly They had led his people into greater error and rebellion against him

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That's What government leaders tend to do if they're not godly And although Samuel appealed to the people declared to them the folly of their desires

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They could not be dissuaded And so God told Samuel heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you for they've not rejected you

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But they've rejected me that I should not reign over them According to all the works which they have done since a day.

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I brought them out of Egypt even to this day With which they have forsaken me served other gods.

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They're doing to you also now therefore heed their voice however You should solemnly forewarn them and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them

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Well, what did Samuel reveal about the nature of the kingship they were choosing for themselves

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And so again we read in 1st Samuel 8 10 and 11 So Samuel told all the words of the

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Lord to the people who asked him for a king And he said this will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you and here we have a declaration of what

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The governments of the world are like when they're ruled over by sinful men

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First He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots to be his horsemen and some will run before his chariots verse 11 in other words a family security and livelihood

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Which was largely due to their sons laboring in the family business or trade

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That would be threatened The sons gave assurance to the parents that they would be cared for their old age and that the family farm or business

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Would continue to thrive after them But Samuel declared that it would be a commonplace matter for the king to break up families taking the family resources

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Taking away their security for the future Secondly, he will appoint captains over these thousands captains over his 50s

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We'll set up set some to plow his ground to reap his harvest some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots

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In other words the king will be concerned and motivated to build a significant and expensive armed force

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This will be a significant burden upon the citizenry The king will be primarily concerned about the power of his kingdom rather than the well -being of his people

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Third He will take your daughters to be perfumers cooks and bakers Further family disintegration would result home life and domestic duties will be strained and damaged

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The family's breaking down For he will take the best of your fields your vineyards your olive groves give them to his servants in other words

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He'll acquire or confiscate the best of the land and most of the farm Production in order to gain the favor of those he desires to obtain their loyalty and support to get their votes

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He'll take from you and give to them That's what he'll do corruption characterizes his

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Administration Redistribution of wealth is government thievery according to the scriptures

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Fifth he'll take a tenth of your grain and your vintage and give it to his officers and servants Taxes will further strain the burden on the family in the local communities

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Six he'll take your male servants your female servants your finest young men your donkeys put them to his work

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And so the business in agriculture will have labor shortages Workers will be hard to find hard to secure

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They will be serving the king giving their support to the expansion and strengthening of the government

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Seven he will take a tenth of your sheep This indicates more confiscation of property and its value

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There will be a downsizing of business a contraction of wealth. There would be less production due to fewer resources

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We might throw inflation in there Eight you will be his servants. The end result is that they would be living to support and serve their king the government

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Every year they calculate how many months the average worker has to work just to pay his debt to the government before he can start

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Really reaping benefits for himself and his family and increases every year

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Essentially Samuel declared to the people you'll no longer be free. You're his servant. You're his slave and Then nine you'll cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourself and the

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Lord will not hear you in that day Your life and livelihood will degrade until you protest at what you've lost and what had been taken from you and your posterity but they've decided to Depart from God they'll suffer the consequences for having done.

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So we want a king like the other nations as though that's the answer And so did this deter dissuade the people when they learned about what was coming their way

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No, for we read in first Samuel 8 19 and 20 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and they said no, but we will have a king over us

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That we may also be like all the nations that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles

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And so what are some of the general lessons that we might learn from Israel's history? I Could list four these were just off the top of my head, you know

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I wanted to jot them down before I forgot them. I see I've got five. I must have added one First there's the universal desire of mankind for personal liberty to be free

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That's reflected throughout the book of Judges and when they are oppressed and controlled they desire to be set free

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Second there should be suspicion and skepticism toward human government Of those who desire to control us

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Especially when the leaders are godless or who lack sound character and a proven record of consistency in sound governance

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We ought to be skeptical and suspicious Third we should have the desire and take great care to look to the

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Lord Jesus to govern us rather than fallen men The fallen kingdoms of the world first entice their people to become dependent upon them

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This results in enslaving them bringing the people into servitude with the loss of their liberty

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For there's a great danger of making an idol of human government and its leaders. I think that's a great sin throughout the world

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We were to look to our God as our protector and provider Not to mankind or his government apart from God.

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God will use government To protect us but he might use government to overthrow us if we don't seek him and Fifth God has a role for human government and its leaders, but because people are sinners they become corrupt and oppressive

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Seizing and asserting more power gaining more control over the citizenry and thus you have the history of this world now

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Let's consider the founding fathers of America and their understanding of the dangers of government and The manner they framed our

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Constitution to was to mitigate its threats to the liberty and well -being of our nation's citizens

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These people were bright Brilliant, and they had learned from history It's a very clear historical fact that the founding fathers of our nation distrusted the nature and power of civil government

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They regarded their own government as the greatest threat to the liberty that they were secured for their people

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They certainly recognized a legitimate need and value of government in specific matters Namely to assure the security of the people from both domestic and foreign adversaries

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How is our security going these days? They were to assure the individual liberty of its citizens

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To promote their well -being the well -being of the citizens and so the opening words of our Constitution the preamble

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Reveal this conviction. Here is the preamble We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect Union established justice ensure domestic tranquility and notice provide for the common defense

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Promote the general welfare and here it is secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity

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Do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America? And so the founding fathers believed that the role of good government was to secure the blessings of Liberty to ourselves and posterity

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The structure of government set forth in the Constitution was to assure Government's ability to perform this function

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But also to assure it would never deviate from that purpose that it would never become a threat rather than the guarantor of the person people's liberty and this is why they established three branches of government, of course legislative executive

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Judicial with each branch they devised checks and balances to prevent government overreach that would result in tyranny

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That was their great fear Well, let's consider the colonies when they broke from Great Britain and how that came about the official break of the original 13 colonies from Britain occurred because colonists or Patriots saw it as their duty to cast off and Replace a government that restricted rather than assured the liberty of its citizens

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The Declaration of Independence was the formal setting forth of the basis and the legitimacy of breaking away from Britain in order to form a new nation.

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I Included a text of a portion of the Declaration of Independence Let's consider it

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When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another written and to assume among the powers of the earth the other nations of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of nature is

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God Entitles them they were they were they were theists. They saw God as overruling matters and they saw certain things that God entitled people a

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Decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the to separation

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We're giving you the reasons why we are breaking from Britain and forming a new nation We hold these truths to be self -evident

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That all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator With certain unalienable rights that among these are life liberty in the pursuit of happiness and that to secure these rights

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Governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

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That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ads It's the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government

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Laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them

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They shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness Prudence indeed will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes

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You don't deal with overthrow a government, you know for nothing but critical

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Important reasons and accordingly all experience has shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are

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Sufferable while they can put up with it Then to write themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed

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But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object

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Events is it designed to reduce them under absolute despotism. It is their right It is their duty to throw off such government and provide new guards for their future security such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies and such is now the

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Necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government the history of the present

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King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations All having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states and to prove this let facts be submitted to a candid world and then the rest of the declaration is a reciting of all of the abuses of King George of Britain the first paragraph

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States that they believed it proper and prudent to set forth the reasons for separating from Britain in order to form a new nation

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They found it necessary To set down and publish the reasons for their decision action

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They believed it was important and proper to inform other nations of their action the next paragraph begins with a statement that is commonly recited but one and Please hear me out on this a statement of which

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I have some reservation It states we hold these truths to be self -evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with Certain unalienable rights that among these are life liberty in the pursuit of happiness

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Now we certainly affirm the first statement We hold these truths to be self -evident that all men are created equal

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Every human being is created the image of God all human beings have equal value racism is a great sin and is contrary to the

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Christian faith and Contrary to the principles that were laid down for our nation Even though it took decades before much of that we're still working on it correcting it

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But we would argue that the second portion of the statement is not in accordance with the Holy Scriptures It states that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life liberty in the pursuit of happiness

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Now first we rejoiced in the fact that they called upon the Creator has the authority

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That's a wonderful thing God the Creator is a determiner of what is good and true But the scriptures do not speak of life liberty in the pursuit of happiness as unalienable rights

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The adjective unalienable means that these rights are not transferable to another or not capable of being taken away or denied

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We've already considered the lessons from judges people's rights can be taken away They were taken away repeatedly life liberty in the pursuit of happiness

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God himself will remove people's liberty if they do not order their lives righteously before him in this world

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No, rather life liberty in pursuit of happiness is not unalienable rights

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But rather they are the merciful and gracious blessings of the Creator that he gives some people

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Contingent on whether or not they live responsibly before him Or he takes it away

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Nevertheless We should certainly acknowledge this fact it is a deep -seated desire of every human being to live in Liberty To be free to pursue his own happiness

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This desire for Liberty cannot be extinguished. It's always present in everyone everywhere

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We would argue we next read a statement of the founders as to their understanding of how legitimate garment the government's are to be formed and Constituted when it's appropriate to form a new government

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That to secure these rights governments are instituted among men Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed that whenever that any form of government becomes destructive to these ends

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It's the right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute new government laying its foundation on such principles

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Organizing its powers in such form as to them shall see most likely to affect their safety and happiness

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We would argue that the book of Judges supports this statement people desire to live in Liberty and when a government force is

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Destructed toward this end that people have a right to rebel against it overthrow it and institute a government

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That will secure the Liberty and security of the people retaining Liberty involves watchfulness and diligence

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But when Liberty is forfeited or lost is generally again with great cost and effort that it's regained but it was good that the people wanted to be free from the you know that Authority the power of the

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Canaanites It was good for Jeff that to to be raised up to attempt to lead the people to experience freedom

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It's a good thing to overthrow oppressive and illegitimate

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Unjust governments so that a people can experience freedom Again the next statement says that the rejection and dissolution of an established government should only be done when necessary But when the conditions exist, it's the only alternative people should and must act to secure the well -being of its society

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Prudence indeed will dictate the government's long established should not be changed for light and transient causes and accordingly all

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Experiences has shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable

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Well, we can put up with it and to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed

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But when a long train of abuses and usurpations Pursuing invariably the same object events is it designed to reduce them under absolute despotism

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Think of Australia It is their right it is their duty to throw off such government and to provide new guards for their future security

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The Declaration of Independence says then goes into great detail identifying the intolerable and justice and abuses of King George that led to their action

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Now we just want to take a few minutes and talk about the American principle of self -government

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And we've departed from here as a society in my opinion The Constitution of the

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United States set forth a form of government, which was novel in the history of the world It was commonly regarded as a noble experiment

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Many of them went what went for it advocated, but they didn't know if it was going to work or not America was founded on the principle of the citizen self -government

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We were to be a nation without Royalty without a king or queen as the head of our nation

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The government that was devised and formed was not to be a true governing authority over the people

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That's not what they intended for Washington DC It was formed with the purpose of securing and promoting individual liberty of its citizens who would be self -governing

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However, when our founding fathers advocated the self -government of its country citizens It was not the idea that is commonly assumed today that each citizen could choose for himself

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What laws and principles by which he governs himself? That's chaos, that's lawlessness, that's anarchy

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For Then the founding father self -government of the citizens of the United States could only succeed if the individual citizens govern themselves according to a higher authority with set principles that were outside of them and above them and For most that higher authority with its principles was the

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God of the Holy Scriptures and So self -government isn't

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I'm free to be my own king and do whatever I want to do self -government means you have an obligation and responsibility to order your life according to your conscience before God and And the principles that are established by him.

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That was their understanding of self -government first president George Washington viewed freedom and its preservation to be contingent on order and Duty to eternal principles of righteousness that are above and outside of people and so in his first inaugural speech as president

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I dwell on this prospect with every satisfaction Which an ardent love for my country can inspire since there is no truth more thoroughly established no truth more thoroughly established than this

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That there exists in the economy and course of nature and in indissoluble union between virtue and happiness between duty and advantage between the genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity

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Faithfulness since we ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of heaven God Can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which heaven itself has ordained the

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Bible is what he's advocating and Since the preservation of the sacred fire of Liberty and the destiny destiny of the

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Republican model of government are justly considered as deeply perhaps has finally staked on the

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Experiment and trusted to the hands of the American people. That's what they were meant by self -government

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Each of us as citizens have a responsibility to order our lives our individual lives according to God and what he has revealed as His law and the principles of his word

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James Madison Who was the primary drafter of the Constitution and the author of the

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Bill of Rights? The fourth president of the United States wrote these words. We have staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government

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Far from it We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves

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To control ourselves to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God That was what we were to govern ourselves

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With and then it was John Adams Who wrote our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people.

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It is wholly inadequate for any other Hence America in the present day and Then his cousin

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Samuel Adams wrote to John who had just become the vice president of our country He stated let divine that we've been ministers and philosophers statesmen and patriots unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls of inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the deity

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Universal Philanthropy and in subordination to these great principles the love of their country of instructing them in the art of self -government

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Without which they never can act a wise part in the government of societies great or small in Short of leading them in the study practice and exalted virtues of the

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Christian system And when our people fail to govern themselves according to the eternal principles that our creators established

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For all peoples upon his world. They then forfeit their liberty due to the judgment of God upon them and This is certainly being played out in our world today and for us directly in these states the

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Lord has turned our society over to tyrannical forces in government and the lawlessness of people across the land and It's evident in the larger cities of our nation in which law has been disregarded police force

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Threatened decimated in many places that justice has been deferred Violent criminals go unpunished the citizens of our nation are being driven into small limited places of security

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They are increasingly hesitant even fearful to venture out to public places because there's danger that lurks everywhere

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And so as in the days of the judges God has turned us over to reap the consequences of our laws culture and our corrupt and inept government

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May the Lord grant us collective humility and repentance as a nation that he might restore our land

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Now let's just close with this Emphasizing the spiritual liberty with which

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God has granted us in Jesus Christ As Christians we have to look past the limited scope of political liberty in a in a in a civil society

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Much of what we've addressed today has to do with political and external law and order civility stability and a virtuous populace

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Certainly we desire that And so we've addressed what might be termed to be political or civil liberty or freedom

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But as Christians we recognize there is a liberty in Jesus Christ, which is spiritual in nature internally experience and enjoy

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The Scripture speak much of this Liberty when the Lord Jesus gave his first sermon in his hometown of Nazareth He declared that he was called to give liberty to his people now

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This is in the height of the Roman Empire that wouldn't fall for another five centuries four or five centuries

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He declared the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He's anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor

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He sent me to heal the brokenhearted Proclaim liberty to the captives recovery of sight to the blind set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the acceptable year of the

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Lord and Then he made this declaration He closed the book gave it back to the attendant sat down All the eyes of the synagogue were upon him and he began to say to them today.

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The scripture is fulfilled in your hearing And so the Lord Jesus proclaimed spiritual liberty for his people

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Even though no political liberty was secured for the people because the Roman Empire was at its zenith and Would be for centuries to come

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But when the sinner embraces Jesus Christ The Lord and lives for him the

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Lord delivers him from the tyranny of sin and sinners There is a liberty that the

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Lord Jesus gives his people from the tyranny of sin and Satan that controlled us

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Even when we had wrongly thought we've been living as a free people Paul wrote now the

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Lord is the spirit where the Spirit of the Lord is there at Liberty But even this spiritual liberty is to be guarded against by those who would captivate us and bring us into bondage

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These corruptors of Liberty might advocate a license to sin which always results in bondage

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You're free live as you want live as you please That's the devil's ploy and it'll put you in shackles spiritual shackles.

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And then there's the other danger, of course Those who through legalism would seek to bring us into subjection to their tyrannical ways of thinking and living

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We're commanded stand fast Therefore and the Liberty by which Christ has made us free and don't be entangled again with the yoke of bondage

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The Lord Jesus himself promises people therefore if the Sun makes you free you shall be free indeed and so we want to conclude with this knowledge and affirmation the spiritual

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Liberty that Christ secures for his people is experienced and enjoyed by an inward sense of peace and well -being a

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Desired delight to live in righteousness and this may be enjoyed and experienced by the Christian in the worst

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Possible word world setting and under the most oppressive political system Our spiritual

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Liberty is not conditioned on our political Freedom or Liberty and we better take to that to heart because I don't see

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Eddie turning about In the near term as we watch things unfold in our world this is a spiritual

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Liberty, which we may and do enjoy in Christ and so although we have to deal with these matters and it's a cause of Concern our righteous soul like a lot is vexed in Sodom day after day

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Nevertheless, we can have our heart set free in spite of it all even in the midst of it all we can be a people at peace and Joy and free in Jesus Christ.

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Amen Let's pray Thank you father for your word and how it is.

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So Applicable our God because we know that you don't change and certainly fallen people don't change our

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God and Yet great change did occur with the sending of your son our Lord Jesus Christ We thank you our father that he is enthroned that he is our

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Lord He is our king and that he is governing this world And even as he

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Lord brings up God your father. He brings your righteous judgment upon the nations

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He's preserving us our God and even in these difficulties, he's calling us afresh to come to him and Believe on him and rely upon him

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Help us our Lord to have a sense of confidence assurance and joy That is exhibited our

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God through our attitudes and our actions that our Christianity our

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God would become a Attractive and desired By people who are in so much distress and difficulty in today's fallen world