The Bible tells us
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Hello and welcome to
3ABN Sabbath School Panel
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I'm John Lomacang one of the
5 panelists. I'll be discussing
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this wonderful lesson on Social
Relationships. So we invite you
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to join us as we walk through
these five important days from
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Sunday to Thursday. We have some
distinguished panelists that you
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may have met before. To my right
is Jill Morikone, Molly Steenson
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Pr. Tom Ferguson, good to have
you here Tom. And Shelley Quinn
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and yours truly. And so we want
to get you together if you have
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your hearts and minds where they
should be. We also encourage you
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to get your Bibles and if you
have your Sabbath School Lesson
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we are on Lesson No. 4, April
15-21 on Social Relationships.
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If you don't have one you can
go to the following website and
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download a copy of
it. absg.adventist.org
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That's absg, adult
bible Sabbath school
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Adult Bible Study
Guide. Thank you so much
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absg.adventist.org
And download the lesson to
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follow us on social issues. You
know I think before we go into
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the lesson it would be good
to begin with prayer. Jill would
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you do the favor for us? Sure
Father we come before You in
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the name of Jesus and we thank
You for the gift of Your Word
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And right now as we open up
Your Word, as we study with our
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brothers and sisters we ask
for the anointing of Your Holy
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Spirit. That You would anoint
our lips and that You would give
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each one of us ears to
hear what You have for us.
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And we thank You in
Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.
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Thank you so much. Social
relationships. And I know that
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all of us agree that
social relationships are vitally
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important. But this
lesson doesn't just cover social
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relationships. It covers it
in a number of areas like church
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and state, masters and slaves,
a word that we don't really use
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a whole lot today. But it
does have an application for our
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contemporary society. Wives and
husbands. Social relationships
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in a broader sense. And
then Christianity and the social
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order. And as we walk through
this today, as I gleaned through
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the lesson I could share with
you, I was amazed that it had
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some issues in it that were
contemporary already and I know
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the lesson is put together long
before many of the things in
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our society began to develop.
But I thought how amazing it was
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that it brought out issues.
And the three main questions I'd
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like to address are on the, to
kinda throw out there as it were
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were vitally important and
stated in the very beginning
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on the introduction
page, on Sabbath afternoon
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which were very important. How
should Christians live with an
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oppressive and corrupt
government. Now do we have
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corrupt governments? We don't
want to say it, but in America
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as well as other parts of the
world, the government works in
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ways that sometimes are not
in favor of, and other times in
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favor of the citizenry,
depends on what side of the coin
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in America what kinda parties
do we have? We have Democrats
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we have Democrat,
Republican and Independent.
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And then we have the Green
Party, the Tea Party, you know
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all those different types of
phrases that are used in America
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And there are two things most
people always don't agree on
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It's religion and politics. And
this lesson, how amazing it is
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starts me out by dealing
with one of the most significant
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parts of the lesson, the
issues of church and state.
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And church and state is
a vitally important issue.
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Matter of fact, what I'd like us
to do, if you have your lesson
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we could look at our memory text
together. It is in 1 Peter 4:8
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And we're gonna read it in it's
totality although the lesson
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uses the word Above all,
we're gonna start with the whole
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phrase. Let's read it together.
It says, "And above all things
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have fervent love for one
another for love will cover
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a multitude of sins." You know
when I was looking at the lesson
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I'm covering church and state,
I began to look at the large
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spectrum of church and state. I
mean as far back as I can think
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and one the greatest dynasties
we know of is the Egyptian
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dynasty, the Babylonian dynasty,
the Medo-Persian dynasty
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the Roman empire and even still
today the Roman empire is very
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influential in issues of church
and state. When you also go down
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Let's go to Revelation 13,
I want to begin by giving you
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a forecast. Because those of
us who are Bible students know
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that prophecy gives us a
forecast. What I like about
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forecast, it's not like the
weather that tells you, well
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today it will be partly cloudy,
partly sunny. 10% chance of
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rain, 90% chance of sunshine.
It lets us know well in advance
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As Isaiah 46: verse 9, 10
says, declaring the end from the
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beginning. So the people of God,
whether the New Testament church
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or the Old Testament people of
Israel always existed and there
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was always this conflict between
church and state. Because the
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state in many cases were pagan.
The state was almost, always
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pagan. But they had their own
kind or religion which in fact
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was a spin off, worshipping gods
that did not honor the God of
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heaven. But the Bible gives us
a forecast and I wanna say this
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as I lead into this, it gives us
a forecast of where America is
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headed. And this is not a
political statement. This is
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in fact a forecast Revelation
13 talks about two particular
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powers. The resurgent power
of Rome, the coalesced powers
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how Rome comes down to the
end, it has all the symbols
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of the powers that were before
it. Let's look at Revelation 13.
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And I want to show you first
this compiled beast, let's see
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Revelation 13,
start with verse 1.
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Then I stood on the sand of
the sea and I saw a beast rising
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up out of the sea having 7 heads
and 10 horns. And on its heads
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a blasphemous name. Now
what you'll notice in Revelation
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is it starts out with an
A, singular, blasphemous name
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By the time you get to
Revelation 17, it's full of
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names of blasphemy. So it
talks about a growing decline in
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spirituality. Starts with a name
that's blasphemous, but then
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it goes by the full formation
of Babylon, full of names of
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full of blasphemous names. But
it also talks about, and this is
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a composite beast while it
represents Rome in particular
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it's composite. It talks about
the powers of all the nations
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that went before it. Notice
verse 2. Now the beast which
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I saw was like a leopard.
His feet were like the feet of a
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bear, and his mouth like the
mouth of a lion and the dragon
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gave him his power, his throne
and great authority. So you have
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the beast was like a
leopard which was what nation?
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The Grecian empire, the nation
of Greece. Then the bear which
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was Medo-Persia. And then the
lion. And so what John is giving
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us here, if you go to the book
of Daniel, we're not gonna go
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there but I'll just give you
a forecast. If you go to Daniel
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7, Daniel talks about this
is the Lion, the Bear and the
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Leopard. He sees it forward. But
John now existing in the time of
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the fourth beast, looks
back and says, I'm in the fourth
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non-descript beast with iron
teeth, Rome. So I'm looking back
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to the Leopard, the Bear
and the Lion. So these both meet
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and it says to us unequivocally,
both of them say the last beast
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is the iron beast or the non
descript beast or the beast as
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the Bible describes as the one
that has iron teeth and stamps
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the residue, that's the entire
world taken under its authority
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But noting something, the reason
why social relationships are
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impacted is because it says at
the end of verse 2, the dragon
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gave him his power, his
throne and his great authority.
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Now Revelation 12:9,
let's all say who is the dragon?
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Somebody tell me. Satan
is. The devil, Revelation 12:9
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then Revelation 12:17 says this
dragon is angry with the people
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of God. So with the dragon
power included there in this
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system of politics and religion
merging together, it'll bring in
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adverse relationship to the
people of God. So let's look at
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three examples very quickly.
Let's first go to Acts 5:29
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What do you do when the system
you exist in is contrary to God?
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What do you do when the system
you exist in is telling you to
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do something other than what
God's word is telling you to do.
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This by the way is very
interesting here, Acts 5:29
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Do you have that
Jill? Read that for us.
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But Peter and the other apostles
answered and said, we ought to
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obey God rather than men. Ok.
Very important. Now that's easy
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to say. We ought to obey God
rather than men. But when you
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get to the Revelation 13 setting
where you can't buy, you cannot
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sell, you're facing religious
oppression and let me put the
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context back, in a nation
that offers religious liberty.
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And right now if you're
listening to this lesson from
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America you know right
now there's issues in America
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where we've had laws passed,
where we've had bills written
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where there's a great fear of
Islam and rightfully so because
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lots of the terrorist activity
comes from not those who are
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Islamic but those who are
Islamic terrorists. May have
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that, may use that religion
as a cloak. But not the religion
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itself. And then you have
on one side a push to favor
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Christianity in America where in
fact as one writer said, or one
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news pundit said, America is
a inter denominational country
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that offers freedom for everyone
and so when you get to the place
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where the government says you've
gotta go one way and the Bible
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says you gotta go the other,
you have to take the stand like
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Peter who says we ought
to obey God rather than men.
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Now in order to get to that
place you've gotta make that
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decision every day. You can't
wait till, let's go to another
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one. Daniel 6. You cannot
wait until laws are put in place
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to decide, well now I think
I'll go that way. You gotta make
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that decision every day. Look
at the Hebrews and how they made
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this decision. Daniel chapter 6.
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I told you to turn there,
why am I not turning there?
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Here we are, Daniel 6. And we're
gonna look together quickly at
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verse 8 and 9. Amazing
how this works. Daniel 6:8-9.
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And I'll read that, it says
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Now O King establish the decree
and sign the writing so that it
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cannot be changed according
to the law of the Medes and the
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Persians which do not alter.
Now this law was to trap Daniel
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because Daniel was a man
that did not care about what the
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government said. He's
gonna pray with his windows open
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facing Jerusalem. But I like
verse 9 which says, Therefore
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King Darius signed the writing,
signed the written decree.
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But how did Daniel respond?
Now when Daniel knew that the
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writing was signed he went home
and in his upper room with his
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windows opened towards Jerusalem
he knelt down on his knees
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three times a day and prayed
and gave thanks before His God
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as was his custom since
early days. So as we transition
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to the lesson about, from
the lesson church and state
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to the lesson about masters
and slaves, keep this in mind
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here's the point. As you
practice from before the signing
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of the writing,
before the signing of the law
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before the push of the
government, if you have a
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relationship with God before
that you'll be so accustomed to
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being loyal that when
the writing is signed you'll
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maintain your loyalty to God.
Amen. Masters and slaves Jill
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Oh that's powerful Pr. John.
Masters and slaves is Monday
00:12:41.49\00:12:45.56
that's what I have. Let's turn
to 1 Peter 2 and we'll read what
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Peter had to say in his epistle.
But before we actually read
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that I want to talk
about slavery in ancient Rome.
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Slavery in ancient Rome was
not based on race. We know in
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America we had slavery based
on race. In other countries
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you've had slavery based on race
but in ancient Rome it was not
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based on race. Slaves came
from prisoners of war, they came
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from sailors who were pirates
captured them and sold them
00:13:13.09\00:13:16.86
as slaves. They came
from children who were born to
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slaves, children born into
slavery. They also came from
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someone who couldn't pay their
debt. And they sold, this gets
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me, they sold their children
as slaves. Now Greg and I don't
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have children but I can't
even imagine. You know someone
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from your womb, someone you love
with all your heart and thinking
00:13:37.65\00:13:41.68
I can't pay my debts I'm going
to sell my children as slaves.
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Often they were treated harshly
in the early Roman empire, not
00:13:46.29\00:13:50.43
all the time. There's some
news or statistics you could say
00:13:50.46\00:13:55.36
if you research it, sometimes
that they were treated well, but
00:13:55.40\00:13:57.80
often they were treated harshly
they were whipped, they were
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branded, they were
cruelly mistreated.
00:14:01.07\00:14:03.57
And Peter gives counsel to
the people who were especially
00:14:03.61\00:14:07.94
enslaved during this time. There
were slaves who were slaves
00:14:07.98\00:14:11.21
in private households. There
were slaves who worked in mines
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and factories, on farms, in
city governments. Building roads
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aqueducts and buildings.
Some times they even worked as
00:14:20.02\00:14:23.76
accountants or even physicians.
In fact the Roman senate looked
00:14:23.79\00:14:28.13
at passing a law because there
were so many slaves and the
00:14:28.16\00:14:31.30
slaves looked similar and
some times they had similar
00:14:31.33\00:14:34.57
occupations and they thought
we want to know who is a Roman
00:14:34.60\00:14:37.47
citizen and who's a slave
and they looked at passing a law
00:14:37.54\00:14:41.24
about that. But they decided
they were not gonna pass the
00:14:41.31\00:14:44.98
law, they were gonna have the
slaves dressed differently so
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instantly you would know that's
a slave, that person's free.
00:14:47.18\00:14:51.02
This one's a slave, this one's
free. But they did not pass that
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law because they thought if the
slaves knew how many there were
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they would up and rebel.
Wow, there's a great deal of us
00:14:57.59\00:15:01.36
and we're gonna rebel against
our masters. The slaves could
00:15:01.40\00:15:05.43
in Roman society, they
could purchase their freedom.
00:15:05.47\00:15:07.70
And sometimes the master chose
chose to set the slaves free.
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The slave was then described,
now I like this, as redeemed.
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Yes! In the writings of Paul,
in the writings of Peter, they
00:15:18.31\00:15:22.08
often used the same language
to describe what the Lord Jesus
00:15:22.12\00:15:25.92
Christ did to you and to me,
redeemed us, set us free from
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the bondage, the slavery of sin
and set us free in Christ Jesus
00:15:30.39\00:15:34.73
I love that verse. Peter 1, I
know we're gonna read chapter 2
00:15:35.40\00:15:39.00
1 Peter 1:18, 19. Knowing
that you were not redeemed with
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corruptible things like silver
or gold. He's saying you were
00:15:43.51\00:15:48.01
not bought with silver and
gold. Here's that word redeemed
00:15:48.08\00:15:51.98
instead you were purchased
verse 19, with the precious
00:15:52.01\00:15:56.32
blood of Christ as of a lamb
without blemish or without spot
00:15:56.35\00:16:01.06
So as we look at what Peter's
counsel is to the enslaved
00:16:01.12\00:16:04.99
Christians at that time, we're
in 1 Peter 2, we're gonna look
00:16:05.06\00:16:09.20
at verse 18 and I found the 3
principles, 3 principles of how
00:16:09.23\00:16:14.14
the early Christians who
were in this unjust bondage, how
00:16:14.17\00:16:18.31
they were to react, how they
were to handle this cruel or
00:16:18.34\00:16:22.14
unjust treatment. So let's
look at that and whether we are
00:16:22.18\00:16:26.65
now of course there's the
analogy that we were each sold
00:16:26.68\00:16:29.58
under sin and the Lord Jesus
Christ came to set us free, but
00:16:29.62\00:16:33.19
maybe you're struggling in a
difficult situation. Some people
00:16:33.22\00:16:37.83
are in slavery today and we know
that that happens. And then some
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.30
people maybe have a difficult
boss or difficult working
00:16:41.36\00:16:44.63
relationship or difficult person
that you deal with and this
00:16:44.67\00:16:48.70
counsel is applicable to us
today. So let's read, Molly you
00:16:48.74\00:16:52.11
wanna read verse 18.
We're in 1 Peter 2:18.
00:16:52.14\00:16:55.18
Servants be subject to your
masters with all fear, not only
00:16:55.24\00:17:00.52
to the good and gentle
but also to the forward.
00:17:00.55\00:17:04.29
Okay so the word for servants
in Greek, Okiase, means actually
00:17:04.32\00:17:09.36
a domestic slave or a household
servant. Now Paul had similar
00:17:09.39\00:17:13.19
counsel to his, to slaves.
And he uses a different word
00:17:13.23\00:17:17.20
Dolos, but it means slave.
So, similar whether you're a
00:17:17.23\00:17:21.04
domestic servant or a slave,
he's addressing those who are
00:17:21.10\00:17:24.27
in servitude. He says, be
submissive to your masters
00:17:24.31\00:17:28.04
with all fear. Not only to the
good and gentle, not only when
00:17:28.08\00:17:31.55
they treat you good. Now Molly
is my boss and Molly treats me
00:17:31.61\00:17:34.52
really well but even if Molly
did not treat me well what am I
00:17:34.58\00:17:38.99
supposed to do? We're gonna look
at that. Be submissive to them
00:17:39.02\00:17:42.59
with all fear, not only to the
good and gentle but also to the
00:17:42.62\00:17:45.93
harsh. Now the word in Greek
for harsh is scolios. Like we
00:17:45.96\00:17:51.83
would get our English
word scoliosis, it means curved
00:17:51.90\00:17:56.57
winding, crooked, unfair,
perverse. Now that's fascinating
00:17:56.60\00:18:04.18
to me. This is maybe a
boss who is not always upright
00:18:04.21\00:18:08.08
does not possess integrity, is
not straight as a needle to the
00:18:08.12\00:18:12.35
pole as we would say but someone
who's a little crooked. So, the
00:18:12.39\00:18:16.32
three principles how are
you supposed to endure? Verse 19
00:18:16.36\00:18:20.03
Pr. Tom you have that?
2:19. For this is commendable
00:18:20.06\00:18:26.03
if because of conscious toward
God one endures grief suffering
00:18:26.07\00:18:30.77
wrongly. 20. For what credit
is it if when you are beaten for
00:18:30.81\00:18:36.18
your faults you take it
patiently but when you do good
00:18:36.21\00:18:39.55
and suffer if you take it
patiently this is commendable
00:18:39.58\00:18:43.25
before God. So Peter is saying
hey listen if you messed up
00:18:43.28\00:18:47.82
you know if I mess up I
need to take the just punishment
00:18:47.89\00:18:50.46
right? So if I make a mistake
there's consequences when you
00:18:50.49\00:18:55.33
make a mistake. But what happens
if you don't make a mistake?
00:18:55.40\00:18:57.97
If it's not your fault and they
unjustly accuse you of something
00:18:58.00\00:19:03.97
maybe you didn't even do,
what happens? What does he say?
00:19:04.01\00:19:07.84
When you do good and suffer
if you take it patiently it is
00:19:07.91\00:19:12.48
commendable before God.
So to me the first principle
00:19:12.51\00:19:16.22
is patience. Endure with
patience. Literally that word
00:19:16.25\00:19:21.99
means remaining under the
load bearing up or enduring,
00:19:22.02\00:19:27.23
remaining under that difficulty,
staying underneath that.
00:19:27.23\00:19:30.93
The real spirit of Jesus is
revealed when we suffer unjustly
00:19:30.97\00:19:35.44
and take it patiently. No. 2
Verse 21. For to this you were
00:19:35.47\00:19:43.78
called because Christ also
suffered for us leaving us an
00:19:43.81\00:19:48.32
example that you should follow
His steps. He's giving the
00:19:48.35\00:19:50.82
example now, this is how
Christ suffered patiently,
00:19:50.85\00:19:53.42
who committed no sin nor
was deceit found in His mouth
00:19:53.46\00:19:56.93
verse 23. When He was
reviled did not revile in return
00:19:56.96\00:20:02.23
when He suffered He did not
threaten but committed Himself
00:20:02.26\00:20:07.54
to Him who judges righteously.
So Jesus as our perfect example
00:20:07.57\00:20:13.21
did not talk back, did
not revile. When someone said
00:20:13.24\00:20:17.91
something to Him, He did not
act back. To me that's the law
00:20:17.95\00:20:21.62
of kindness. Reaching out not
only underneath wrong, suffering
00:20:21.68\00:20:25.85
unjustly, suffering
with patience or endurance
00:20:25.89\00:20:28.76
bearing up under the load, but
also reaching out with kindness
00:20:28.82\00:20:32.73
Ok Molly does something to
me so I just want to act back.
00:20:32.76\00:20:36.67
No, restraining myself from
that reaching out in kindness
00:20:36.70\00:20:40.44
But Jill that comes with
practice, I mean you just don't
00:20:40.47\00:20:43.51
it's out of character, you
just don't do that unless your
00:20:43.54\00:20:46.44
character has been developed.
Because naturally it is
00:20:46.47\00:20:50.21
it's natural, it's human to want
to, okay they did that to me
00:20:50.25\00:20:54.48
watch what I'm gonna do
back. How do you deal with that?
00:20:54.55\00:20:57.55
That's a great point because
that's natural, that's human
00:20:58.42\00:21:01.96
you think the sermon on
the mount, Jesus said what?
00:21:01.99\00:21:04.16
Turn the other cheek and some
times if someone says something
00:21:04.19\00:21:07.40
what do I wanna do? I remember
one time someone lied about me
00:21:07.40\00:21:11.93
Ooh that hurts. So what are
you supposed to do with that?
00:21:13.40\00:21:16.04
To me, you're right, of ourself
the natural human response
00:21:16.84\00:21:20.91
is to get mad, to act out,
to strike back, to speak back
00:21:20.94\00:21:26.11
to vindicate. Jesus says
vengeance is mine, I'll repay
00:21:26.15\00:21:30.65
It's difficult to trust that
to the Lord Jesus Christ, so
00:21:30.69\00:21:34.06
in my own experience it's
a case of going before God
00:21:34.09\00:21:37.03
God you know my heart is
full of self. You know what I'm
00:21:37.06\00:21:40.23
dealing with right now.
I'm asking you to change me
00:21:40.26\00:21:43.50
I'm asking you to take that
sin out of my heart and enable
00:21:43.53\00:21:48.24
me to respond the way you want
me to. And I think as we endure
00:21:48.27\00:21:52.47
these trials, as we go through
this what happens? God works
00:21:52.51\00:21:56.24
on our character and God works
to develop in us His character
00:21:56.28\00:22:00.85
Point No.3 I just got one
minute, is to trust in God
00:22:00.88\00:22:05.12
as the Righteous Judge, as
Redeemer as Healer. Romans 12:19
00:22:05.15\00:22:09.99
Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
So if I truly trust in God I say
00:22:10.03\00:22:14.03
Ok even though Pr. Tom did this
to me, which he didn't, Pr. Tom
00:22:14.10\00:22:18.37
did this to me and I don't know
what I'm going to do with it
00:22:18.40\00:22:22.27
but I'm going to trust Jesus,
that He sees what's been done
00:22:22.30\00:22:25.61
He knows what's happened
and in the end He is going to
00:22:25.64\00:22:30.61
make things right again.
00:22:30.65\00:22:32.68
Wow. I mean the word slave
is a huge word. Because people
00:22:33.31\00:22:37.39
don't really like to be lorded
over. People don't like to be
00:22:37.42\00:22:40.96
bullied, as it were, and so when
we think about employment today
00:22:40.99\00:22:45.13
somebody might be in an
employment situation where they
00:22:45.16\00:22:47.30
continually having to contend
with their supervisor or their
00:22:47.36\00:22:49.83
manager. It's saying in
that case if you haven't done
00:22:49.86\00:22:53.70
anything wrong you may suffer
but not as an evil doer. Because
00:22:53.74\00:22:58.87
the Bible talks about suffering
but not as an evil doer when
00:22:58.91\00:23:01.61
some of those challenges come
in and now Molly I mean we talk
00:23:01.64\00:23:04.35
about social relationships now
you've been married for a long
00:23:04.38\00:23:07.35
time and so you have the
privilege of talking about
00:23:07.38\00:23:11.62
relationships with
husbands and wives.
00:23:11.69\00:23:13.56
Husbands and wives, wives
and husbands. When I first saw
00:23:13.59\00:23:17.26
the, what was assigned to me
to teach I was a bit hesitant
00:23:17.29\00:23:22.30
because this is very sensitive,
this is very sensitive Scripture
00:23:22.33\00:23:25.93
Hal and I pastored for many
years and Pr. Lomacang, Pr. Tom
00:23:25.97\00:23:32.37
I'm sure you've seen
where these Scriptures have been
00:23:32.41\00:23:35.54
abused. And so I thought before
we go into these Scriptures,
00:23:35.58\00:23:42.92
for one thing I want to
establish the difference
00:23:42.95\00:23:46.92
between submission and surrender
and also, although we've all
00:23:46.96\00:23:54.00
heard the sad stories, I wanted
to say that's the exception and
00:23:54.00\00:24:00.57
it's not the rule. But when you
hear the sad stories you seem
00:24:00.60\00:24:05.77
to think that there's more
of those than the good stories
00:24:05.81\00:24:10.05
but there are more positive
stories than there are the
00:24:10.08\00:24:16.72
negative. And these Scriptures,
see if they're taken, and we're
00:24:16.75\00:24:20.62
about to read them, if they're
taken in an abusive sense
00:24:20.66\00:24:24.46
then you are going to
have those that will overpower
00:24:24.49\00:24:30.57
or abuse, abuse is the right
word. But when you take them in
00:24:30.60\00:24:35.07
their context and read them for
what Peter is saying, this is
00:24:35.10\00:24:39.74
a beautiful teaching. And
so, I just want to give balance
00:24:39.77\00:24:43.45
here. What Peter is addressing
is Christian wives who are
00:24:43.48\00:24:50.15
married to non-believers. And
so, the definition of submission
00:24:50.19\00:24:56.93
is to yield to another's
authority. Now that is all
00:24:56.96\00:25:03.13
through Christianity, because we
yield. What do we pray Shelley,
00:25:03.16\00:25:07.40
Jill most every morning when we
do worship. Oh Father we submit
00:25:07.44\00:25:12.34
ourselves to You today. Your
will for my life not my will, so
00:25:12.37\00:25:17.75
submission is just part
and parcel of the Christian
00:25:17.78\00:25:21.22
relationship with the Lord, it's
not a foreign word. Submission
00:25:21.25\00:25:25.52
to another's wishes is an
attitude of the heart done
00:25:25.55\00:25:30.89
willingly. Submission is done
willingly. Surrender, that's
00:25:30.93\00:25:36.33
when you're just beaten down
and you just finally surrender
00:25:36.36\00:25:40.80
That is something that's
being forced on you to do.
00:25:40.84\00:25:44.67
So I want you to know the
difference between submission
00:25:44.71\00:25:47.64
and surrender. What Peter
is talking about is that sweet
00:25:47.68\00:25:52.58
submissive spirit. So
let's read now in 1 Peter 3:1-7
00:25:52.61\00:25:57.89
It says, Wives, again
we're addressing wives that are
00:25:57.92\00:26:02.66
married to non-believers.
Likewise be submissive to your
00:26:02.69\00:26:06.93
own husbands that even
if some do not obey the Word
00:26:06.96\00:26:12.17
they, without a word, maybe won
by the conduct of their wives.
00:26:12.20\00:26:17.64
Who when they observe your
chaste conduct accompanied by
00:26:17.67\00:26:23.78
fear, and that word fear is
not being afraid, it is just
00:26:23.81\00:26:28.32
reverence. Reverence to
God, reverence to His word.
00:26:28.35\00:26:31.89
Do not let your adornment be
merely outward, arranging the
00:26:31.92\00:26:35.26
hair, wearing gold or putting on
fine apparel. Rather let it be
00:26:35.29\00:26:39.46
what? The hidden person of
the heart with the incorruptible
00:26:39.49\00:26:43.80
beauty of a gentle and a
quiet spirit which is not just
00:26:43.83\00:26:48.84
precious, but very precious,
in the sight of God for in this
00:26:48.90\00:26:54.01
manner in former times the holy
women who trusted in God also
00:26:54.04\00:26:59.05
adorned themselves being
submissive to their own husbands
00:26:59.11\00:27:03.22
as Sarah obeyed Abraham calling
him Lord whose daughters you are
00:27:03.25\00:27:09.62
I did a teaching one time, years
ago, on whose daughter are you?
00:27:09.66\00:27:13.63
and it comes down to that heart
of submission. Whose daughters
00:27:13.66\00:27:19.50
you are if you do good and
are not afraid with terror.
00:27:19.53\00:27:24.24
Now again, Peter is addressing
women that are married to
00:27:24.27\00:27:29.14
non-believers. Now there's a
Scripture that says we're not to
00:27:29.18\00:27:34.62
be unequally yoked. So if a
Christian young lady, and we've
00:27:34.65\00:27:39.89
seen this, we've all seen this
where a Christian young lady
00:27:39.92\00:27:43.09
is just dazzled by this handsome
young man who has started going
00:27:43.12\00:27:47.86
to church with her because
she's let him know, I won't have
00:27:47.86\00:27:51.30
anything to do with you
if you're not a Christian.
00:27:51.33\00:27:53.60
Right? We've seen those
situations. So he starts going
00:27:53.64\00:27:57.14
to church with her just
long enough to convince her that
00:27:57.17\00:28:00.68
she's got a chance of changing
him. And so they wind up
00:28:00.71\00:28:07.75
falling in love and getting
married. And then we've got a
00:28:07.78\00:28:11.69
Christian young lady
that should've known better
00:28:11.72\00:28:14.29
because young ladies you'll
never change a man. Only God
00:28:14.32\00:28:20.96
by the power of His Spirit, can
change anybody's heart and so
00:28:20.96\00:28:25.40
we have this situation, then
she wakes up rudely to find out
00:28:25.43\00:28:29.84
that she can't change him and
she's in this situation where
00:28:29.87\00:28:33.71
Peter is addressing that, he's
telling her how to conduct her
00:28:33.74\00:28:37.78
life and the way she conducts
her life then is, she is quiet
00:28:37.81\00:28:43.72
and submissive to him and
by her conduct she has the
00:28:43.75\00:28:47.76
opportunity to win him to the
Lord. Now again, talking about
00:28:47.79\00:28:52.06
a sad situation, but also we
have situations where Christian
00:28:52.09\00:28:57.97
women are married to
non-Christian men because
00:28:58.00\00:29:01.17
they two non-Christians
get married then she comes into
00:29:01.20\00:29:05.54
the knowledge of the saving
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ
00:29:05.57\00:29:08.38
she comes out of darkness and
into light. Where's her husband?
00:29:08.41\00:29:11.88
He's still in darkness.
So again Peter's instruction
00:29:11.91\00:29:16.32
is beautiful instruction,
a beautiful teaching.
00:29:16.35\00:29:19.72
Now I want to use my
parents as an example.
00:29:19.75\00:29:23.96
And this is a good example.
My mother was, I mean she was a
00:29:23.99\00:29:29.00
good, godly woman. I
can't speak highly enough of her
00:29:29.03\00:29:32.27
and the example that she set
for us, I just wish myself and
00:29:32.30\00:29:36.24
my sisters followed our mother's
example more closely than what
00:29:36.27\00:29:40.64
we do. She was a beautiful lady
You are a woman of God and a
00:29:40.68\00:29:44.05
wonderful example. Well my
mother put a lot of good in
00:29:44.08\00:29:47.58
all of us but my father wasn't
a Christian, he didn't proclaim
00:29:47.62\00:29:52.32
to be a Christian. But you know
what my father did. He honored
00:29:52.39\00:29:55.96
my mother. He made sure every
Sunday, we were Sunday keepers
00:29:55.99\00:30:00.13
then. She had a way, she had
transportation to make sure that
00:30:00.16\00:30:04.40
we could get to church. And
Sometimes it was an old farm
00:30:04.43\00:30:08.70
truck that just a day
before we were using to haul hay
00:30:08.74\00:30:11.71
but Daddy made sure there was
gas in it and mother could take
00:30:11.77\00:30:15.44
her children to church. Daddy
wanted his children to be in
00:30:15.48\00:30:19.85
church. And so there is an
example of a woman that lived
00:30:19.88\00:30:26.19
the example that Peter is
talking about here and how it
00:30:26.22\00:30:29.79
affected my father who was
a gambling, raw man, Southern
00:30:29.82\00:30:36.13
farmer. And but you know in the
end, in his later years, he'd
00:30:36.16\00:30:40.80
accompany mother to church
and my father, before he passed,
00:30:40.84\00:30:45.14
he came out of darkness and
into light. He gave his life to
00:30:45.17\00:30:49.61
the Lord Jesus Christ. So there
is an example of somebody that
00:30:49.64\00:30:53.48
followed this example and so
although he was an ungodly man
00:30:53.52\00:30:59.62
she lived the example before
him and the Scriptures came to
00:30:59.65\00:31:03.66
pass. Now I wanted us
also, I wanted you to go to
00:31:03.69\00:31:10.03
1 Corinthians. We're going
to look in verse 7. And this is
00:31:10.07\00:31:14.64
good counsel that we get
here, this is from Paul and it's
00:31:14.67\00:31:18.74
talking about the same subject.
1 Corinthians 7 verses 12-16.
00:31:18.77\00:31:27.52
The Scripture says, but to
the rest speak I, not the Lord,
00:31:27.55\00:31:33.46
if any brother hath a wife
that believeth not, look at this
00:31:33.49\00:31:37.16
This is coming from another
direction than what Peter did.
00:31:37.19\00:31:41.90
And she is pleased to dwell
with him, let him not put her
00:31:42.90\00:31:46.63
away. And the woman which hath
a husband that believeth not
00:31:46.67\00:31:50.87
and if he be pleased to dwell
with her let her not leave him
00:31:50.91\00:31:55.41
for the unbelieving husband is,
I like this word, sanctified by
00:31:55.48\00:32:00.75
the wife and the unbelieving
wife is sanctified by the
00:32:00.78\00:32:04.45
husband. Else were your children
unclean and now are they holy
00:32:04.49\00:32:08.99
So this is looking at the whole
family, looking at the children
00:32:09.02\00:32:12.46
as well. But if the unbelieving
depart let him depart. A brother
00:32:12.49\00:32:17.27
or a sister is not under bondage
in such cases. But God has
00:32:17.30\00:32:22.04
called us to peace. And I like
that Scripture. God has called
00:32:22.07\00:32:25.61
us to peace. Now I have
seen situations again, Hal and I
00:32:25.64\00:32:29.88
pastored for many years and
in that we would see situations
00:32:29.91\00:32:34.18
and I just thought I would use
one here. I used my parents as
00:32:34.22\00:32:37.05
the good example, sometimes
there are bad examples, now
00:32:37.09\00:32:40.42
there just are. And I had
a situation where this lady
00:32:40.46\00:32:45.63
married a man and she had a
daughter and the daughter was
00:32:45.66\00:32:48.56
maybe 13 or 14 and the man
was behaving inappropriately.
00:32:48.60\00:32:54.14
So what does the Scripture say
here, he says God has called us
00:32:54.17\00:32:59.51
to peace. Well the lady came
and said, do I have to stay with
00:32:59.54\00:33:02.94
this man because of this danger
that is and you know we said
00:33:02.98\00:33:07.72
God is calling us to peace,
protect your child. So there
00:33:07.75\00:33:11.32
are situations where the
protection of your family is
00:33:11.35\00:33:16.19
foremost. Let me finish with
this one point. Submission to
00:33:16.26\00:33:22.86
a husband does not mean
a woman is to be a slave
00:33:22.90\00:33:26.47
in bondage to that man,
but rather it is to be mutual
00:33:26.50\00:33:31.07
submission and love in
the Lord where there is peace.
00:33:31.11\00:33:34.41
So beautiful teaching here. You
know Molly you talked about how
00:33:34.44\00:33:37.75
how the wife's life, or the
saved spouse sanctifies the one
00:33:37.78\00:33:42.58
that's not saved. That means
they become a blessing to them
00:33:42.62\00:33:45.79
rather than atoning for that
person's life, they become a
00:33:45.85\00:33:49.02
blessing to that individual.
Paul in 1 Timothy 4:16 says
00:33:49.06\00:33:52.39
Take heed to yourself and to
the doctrine. Continue in them
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.93
for in doing this you will
both save yourself and those who
00:33:55.96\00:34:00.10
hear you. So that's why your
dad I believe later on gave his
00:34:00.14\00:34:02.97
life to the Lord by
your mom's constant example.
00:34:03.00\00:34:05.51
Well thank you so much for
that. Pr. Tom, good to have you
00:34:05.57\00:34:08.61
here today. You're dealing with
social relationships. That is
00:34:08.64\00:34:12.35
our lesson for Wednesday. And
I'm so glad you had that topic
00:34:12.41\00:34:17.42
instead of my
having to cover that.
00:34:17.45\00:34:22.52
I want to begin with, let's
begin with 1 Peter 2 verse11
00:34:22.56\00:34:29.33
When it comes to social
relationships or as we see here
00:34:32.10\00:34:35.60
in this day's lesson it says
Beloved I beg you as sojourners
00:34:35.67\00:34:40.01
and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts which war against
00:34:40.04\00:34:43.75
us all. One of the things
as Christians that we have to
00:34:43.78\00:34:47.38
remember is that this is
not our home, we're just passing
00:34:47.42\00:34:52.75
through. And to actually
be someone who is a sojourner
00:34:52.82\00:34:58.06
someone who is representing the
kingdom of heaven, one of the
00:34:58.09\00:35:01.20
things that this text brings out
is the very fact that we need to
00:35:01.23\00:35:04.00
abstain from fleshly lusts and
you know I thought about what
00:35:04.03\00:35:09.27
does that really mean? What
kind of things constitute this?
00:35:09.30\00:35:14.08
As a Christian we're living in
a society today where anything
00:35:14.11\00:35:17.75
goes, right? Socially anything
goes. Relationships, anything
00:35:17.78\00:35:22.85
goes. It's the cart before the
horse. And I'm very concerned
00:35:22.88\00:35:27.09
for the next generation
because this is all they see,
00:35:27.12\00:35:30.23
this being modeled for them,
it's being taught in the media
00:35:30.26\00:35:34.36
and their peers are
also practicing these things.
00:35:34.36\00:35:38.10
So as a Christian we really
are, as we mentioned in another
00:35:38.13\00:35:41.40
lesson, we are peculiar people
when it comes to the world
00:35:41.44\00:35:44.97
and how we relate to it.
But it says, having your conduct
00:35:45.01\00:35:50.21
honorable among the Gentiles
that when they speak against you
00:35:50.25\00:35:54.38
as evil doers they may by
your good works, they see, they
00:35:54.42\00:35:59.39
observe, glorify God
in the day of visitation.
00:35:59.42\00:36:02.32
See oftentimes
Christians are misunderstood
00:36:02.92\00:36:06.56
because there are
things a Christian would not do
00:36:06.59\00:36:09.60
there are things a Christian
will not say and from our
00:36:09.63\00:36:13.37
childhood on we have that peer
pressure to give in to the lusts
00:36:13.40\00:36:18.01
of the world and to
socially get caught up in that.
00:36:18.04\00:36:21.24
And I think that never leaves
us, it's constantly we're being
00:36:21.28\00:36:24.41
bombarded by it. And, but
God is calling us to something
00:36:24.45\00:36:28.92
much higher. And what is
says here, when they speak evil
00:36:28.95\00:36:32.79
against you they can glorify
God in the day of His visitation
00:36:32.82\00:36:36.79
The reason why they speak evil
is because you're not buying
00:36:37.93\00:36:42.46
into their rhetoric. As a matter
of fact when I think of Jesus
00:36:42.50\00:36:48.04
He was an indictment, His
character was an indictment
00:36:48.07\00:36:50.81
to all of those that were living
by the lusts of the flesh,
00:36:50.84\00:36:54.38
that were socially caught up
into this, as I mentioned before
00:36:54.41\00:36:58.45
another time, this Babylonian
thinking, anything that's not
00:36:58.48\00:37:01.48
of God. I invite you to turn,
well first before I turn there
00:37:01.52\00:37:05.55
just want to reference Ezekiel
28:16. This really began in
00:37:05.59\00:37:10.36
heaven where backbiting takes
place. It's the abundance of
00:37:10.39\00:37:15.53
trading that Lucifer the highest
of all angels, entrusted by
00:37:15.56\00:37:21.34
God, he was the light
bearer which is what his name
00:37:21.37\00:37:25.01
represents and he was defaming
God. He was actually attacking
00:37:25.04\00:37:29.48
His reputation; can't touch His
character but he was attacking
00:37:29.54\00:37:33.21
His reputation because he was
living in the lusts, the very
00:37:33.25\00:37:37.59
very things that are going
on in society that a Christian
00:37:37.62\00:37:39.79
has to withstand. So the God
we serve has been through this
00:37:39.85\00:37:43.86
first. And as a matter of fact
as we go on, let's go to John 8
00:37:43.89\00:37:49.63
because one of the things that's
sad is we're often times looking
00:37:49.66\00:37:54.10
at church leadership when we see
Jesus interacting in this way.
00:37:54.14\00:37:58.41
John 8 verse 44.
00:37:58.44\00:38:04.31
And I want to set this up a
little bit. They're having a
00:38:04.35\00:38:07.88
little bit of a dialogue
here and the church leaders are
00:38:07.92\00:38:11.25
saying pretty much, verse 41
They said to Him, we were not
00:38:11.29\00:38:17.36
born of fornication. We have
one father, God. In other words
00:38:17.39\00:38:21.63
the illegitimacy of Jesus was
what they were accusing Him of.
00:38:21.66\00:38:25.57
They obviously did not believe
in His divine inception but
00:38:25.60\00:38:32.34
instead they're accusing Him of
not having, to be illegitimate.
00:38:32.37\00:38:36.95
OK? And Jesus comes
back with this in verse 42.
00:38:36.98\00:38:41.22
He said to them, if God were
your Father you would love me
00:38:42.22\00:38:46.12
for I proceeded forth and came
forth from God, nor have I come
00:38:46.15\00:38:50.96
of myself but He sent me. Why
do you not understand my speech?
00:38:50.99\00:38:56.43
Because you are not
able to listen to my word.
00:38:56.50\00:39:00.80
You are of your father the devil
There's where it all started
00:39:00.84\00:39:04.84
again. And the desires of
our father you want to do.
00:39:04.87\00:39:08.71
He was a murderer from the
beginning and does not stand
00:39:08.74\00:39:12.15
in the truth because there is
no truth in him. When he speaks
00:39:12.18\00:39:16.75
a lie he speaks from his
own resources for he is a liar
00:39:16.79\00:39:20.89
and the father of it. So
what Jesus is pointing out here
00:39:20.92\00:39:25.19
is that anyone is not in
the kingdom of heaven under the
00:39:26.16\00:39:31.20
control of the Holy Spirit
is really preaching and teaching
00:39:31.23\00:39:35.10
and acting out of the lusts of
the flesh. We live in a society
00:39:35.14\00:39:39.21
today where we're having social
interactions and we are to
00:39:39.24\00:39:42.81
represent Christ in all
of these settings. And as we
00:39:42.88\00:39:47.08
continue in the
chapter in 1 Peter
00:39:47.12\00:39:51.09
um I'm not going to get
into Galatians 5 at this point
00:39:54.42\00:39:57.53
I'll do that at another lesson
but that really spells out the
00:39:57.56\00:40:02.23
different things that really
beset us. So it says, submit
00:40:02.26\00:40:07.44
yourself to every ordinance of
man for the Lord's sake whether
00:40:07.47\00:40:12.77
the king as
supreme or to governors.
00:40:12.81\00:40:15.94
I was thinking about what
you were saying Pr. Lomacang
00:40:15.98\00:40:19.41
about society today submitting
to the governing forces that
00:40:19.45\00:40:25.69
are in place. That is something
we have not seen at all.
00:40:25.75\00:40:29.12
There has been a total, some
thing that I haven't witnessed
00:40:29.16\00:40:32.89
in my lifetime, rebellion
against the way things stand
00:40:32.93\00:40:37.67
today. And I'm watching this
tension and I'm watching this
00:40:37.70\00:40:41.54
social interaction going into
places I have never seen before
00:40:41.57\00:40:45.74
when it comes to the political
realm. And I often think
00:40:45.77\00:40:51.08
this is really revealing the
heart of man. This is revealing
00:40:52.15\00:40:56.55
how corrupt that heart really is
when we see some of the things
00:40:56.58\00:41:00.26
that are
happening in society today.
00:41:00.29\00:41:05.09
You know one of the things about
Jesus, cause we think about
00:41:07.50\00:41:12.00
ourselves as Christians, how
are we to respond to all of this
00:41:12.03\00:41:15.57
Because I think Jesus surrounded
Himself, He had people that were
00:41:16.57\00:41:20.51
admiring Him but some
of them were activists.
00:41:20.54\00:41:23.78
Does He want us to be activists
with our positions? What does he
00:41:23.81\00:41:28.12
really want us to focus on. We
have to again I go back to the
00:41:28.15\00:41:31.45
original idea and that is we
are sojourners, we are pilgrims
00:41:31.49\00:41:35.72
And this battle that's going
on right now, that's waging
00:41:35.79\00:41:40.40
the enemy is really playing
one side against the other
00:41:40.43\00:41:43.00
He has done it throughout my
lifetime but he's doing it in a
00:41:43.93\00:41:47.07
very fierce way right now. If
you look at verse 17 of 1 Peter
00:41:47.10\00:41:51.31
chapter 2, it says honor
all people, love the brotherhood
00:41:51.34\00:41:55.08
fear God, honor the King.
00:41:55.11\00:41:59.08
So you know think about it, if
there's no law what do we have?
00:41:59.95\00:42:05.29
Anarchy. That's right. Wherever
we see places where the power
00:42:06.22\00:42:10.29
goes out and you see what starts
to happen in streets, without
00:42:10.33\00:42:14.30
law there is anarchy. So God
has systems in place which will
00:42:14.30\00:42:19.50
enable, in this great
controversy that we're in,
00:42:19.57\00:42:21.90
for Him to accomplish His good
in spite of the forces that are
00:42:21.94\00:42:26.81
working against that. Um,
also it's been brought up before
00:42:26.84\00:42:35.08
but I think about what is not
only spoken of by Peter but also
00:42:35.12\00:42:38.85
in other places to submit to the
authorities that your work for.
00:42:38.89\00:42:43.49
You know often times I tell a
Christian that if you are going
00:42:44.59\00:42:50.17
to ask your
employer for the Sabbath off,
00:42:50.20\00:42:53.13
are you a hard worker? Do
you respect the foreman, do you
00:42:53.17\00:42:57.44
respect the administration?
Are you the type of person that
00:42:57.47\00:43:01.84
they respect? So have you earned
the right to ask for something
00:43:01.88\00:43:07.42
that honors God? So at all times
we as Christians in this social
00:43:07.45\00:43:12.32
network that we're involved in
are being observed, many times
00:43:12.35\00:43:15.89
criticized, many times
persecuted but at the same time
00:43:15.96\00:43:19.76
is exactly what the
world is needing and it has a
00:43:19.83\00:43:22.56
transforming effect and
that's what God wants us to be
00:43:22.60\00:43:26.84
in the community in
which we live. Amen.
00:43:26.87\00:43:29.54
You brought out something
that was very interesting about
00:43:29.60\00:43:31.37
the unrest that's existing
in society today. If you go back
00:43:31.41\00:43:34.38
to the 60s you go back to
Berkeley, you know the protest
00:43:34.41\00:43:36.98
in Berkeley, CA. It seemed
as though in America where we
00:43:37.01\00:43:40.25
boast religious freedom we also
have this thing called freedom
00:43:40.28\00:43:42.82
of speech but it's becoming
intense as we go on. I think
00:43:42.88\00:43:47.06
that's what you're pointing out
it's intensity. And Jesus made
00:43:47.09\00:43:50.06
the point, the reason
why Christians should not be
00:43:50.13\00:43:52.69
involved in that He says,
my kingdom is not of this world
00:43:52.73\00:43:55.70
if my kingdom were of this
world my servants would fight
00:43:55.73\00:43:59.40
and so we have our
minds focused as sojourners on
00:43:59.43\00:44:02.20
another kingdom. Thank you
Pastor Tom. Shelley, you have
00:44:02.24\00:44:05.47
Christianity and the social
order. What a topic for today.
00:44:05.51\00:44:08.64
Yes, really. In this kind
of, you all have led up to this
00:44:08.68\00:44:12.55
swell, there's been a bit of
overlap but when you think what
00:44:12.58\00:44:15.42
happened in Acts chapter 4,
we see Peter and John who were
00:44:15.45\00:44:20.89
out, the early church had so
many successes that the Jewish
00:44:20.92\00:44:26.43
elders and the hierarchy
were very upset by this. So they
00:44:26.49\00:44:31.20
arrested them and when they
arrested them they questioned
00:44:31.23\00:44:35.34
them and then they released
them with a stern warning
00:44:35.37\00:44:38.64
don't preach about this
Jesus anymore. We don't want you
00:44:38.67\00:44:42.71
preaching about Jesus anymore.
What happened? Paul and John
00:44:42.74\00:44:48.52
go out, or Peter and John
I mean, go out and they start
00:44:48.55\00:44:52.09
preaching straightaway
about Jesus. They were compelled
00:44:52.12\00:44:55.22
to preach, it was like fire
in their bones. So let's look
00:44:55.26\00:44:58.36
turn to Acts chapter 5 and we're
going to look at what happened
00:44:58.39\00:45:04.73
because here they go straight
away out preaching and they come
00:45:04.77\00:45:09.17
and they're arrested again.
So Acts 5, we'll read through
00:45:09.20\00:45:13.44
verses 27-32. So it says, when
they had brought them they sat
00:45:13.48\00:45:19.88
them before the council and the
High Priest asked them saying
00:45:19.91\00:45:22.48
Did we not strictly command
you not to teach in this name
00:45:22.52\00:45:27.52
and look you've filled Jerusalem
with your doctrine and intend to
00:45:27.56\00:45:30.83
bring this man's blood on us.
But Peter and the other apostles
00:45:30.86\00:45:34.60
answered and said, we ought
to obey God rather than men.
00:45:34.63\00:45:38.90
The God of our fathers raised
up Jesus whom you murdered
00:45:38.93\00:45:42.54
by hanging on a tree. Him God
has exalted to His right hand
00:45:42.57\00:45:46.24
to be Prince and Savior and
to give repentance to Israel
00:45:46.31\00:45:49.31
and forgiveness of sins and
we are witnesses to these things
00:45:49.38\00:45:53.25
So I mean they couldn't not
preach. And so also is the Holy
00:45:53.28\00:45:57.82
Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey. So as we said
00:45:57.85\00:46:02.42
earlier when human law conflicts
with God's law, our duties as
00:46:02.46\00:46:08.53
as Christians, our duty is
to make certain that we obey God
00:46:08.56\00:46:13.77
rather than men, because you
know God has sovereignty over
00:46:13.80\00:46:17.87
human affairs and God is the one
who instituted civil government
00:46:17.91\00:46:21.61
and He did it for the benefit
of man. And in most cases, it
00:46:21.64\00:46:26.45
it's desirable that we follow
the law of the land. I mean
00:46:26.48\00:46:30.15
there's generally quite a
lot of benefit for that. But now
00:46:30.22\00:46:33.79
let's look at what he
said in 1 Peter 2, verses 13-17
00:46:33.82\00:46:41.26
because when we consider what
he's saying here, we've just
00:46:41.30\00:46:46.43
I want to read Acts 5 first
because he's got a line drawn
00:46:46.47\00:46:51.84
in the sand saying we'll go
this far and no further. We will
00:46:51.87\00:46:55.81
we will obey the law without
disobeying, I mean as long
00:46:55.84\00:47:00.55
as we don't have to
compromise God's commandments.
00:47:00.58\00:47:03.02
Peter says, therefore submit
yourselves to every ordinance
00:47:06.32\00:47:10.26
of man for the Lord's sake
whether to the king as supreme
00:47:10.29\00:47:13.13
or to governors or to those
who are sent by him for the
00:47:13.16\00:47:16.06
punishment of evildoers and for
the praise of those who do good
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.30
for this is the will of God that
by doing good you may put to
00:47:19.33\00:47:24.77
silence the ignorance of foolish
men. He's talking about the
00:47:24.81\00:47:28.71
foolish Gentiles here, as free,
Peter's saying to them, you're
00:47:28.74\00:47:33.52
free yet not using liberty
as a cloak for vice but as bond
00:47:33.55\00:47:38.12
servants of God. Honor all
people, love the brotherhood
00:47:38.15\00:47:42.26
fear God, honor the king.
As we pointed out, sometimes
00:47:42.29\00:47:47.10
man, because man's imperfect
sometimes we've got a flawed
00:47:47.13\00:47:52.27
and sinful things that are
happening in the government
00:47:52.30\00:47:56.77
That's all there is to it. But
responsible Christians should be
00:47:56.81\00:48:01.61
responsible citizens unless
what they're passing is saying
00:48:01.64\00:48:07.85
going over the line, if you will
You know when Israel was under
00:48:07.88\00:48:12.99
bondage to the Roman yoke
Jesus said these words found in
00:48:13.05\00:48:17.46
Matthew 22:21, here is
this ungodly Roman government
00:48:17.49\00:48:25.33
but what does Jesus say? Give
back to Caesar the things that
00:48:25.37\00:48:29.10
are Caesar's and to God
the things that are God's.
00:48:29.14\00:48:32.11
So we see that Jesus is even
saying, follow the government
00:48:32.14\00:48:38.41
You know you've got to pay your
taxes. Both Peter and Paul urged
00:48:38.45\00:48:43.65
the Christians to be
good citizens. Now isn't it
00:48:43.69\00:48:48.96
interesting, who was the
governing authority during this
00:48:48.99\00:48:52.73
time that Peter's writing? Nero.
And he was tyrannical, he was
00:48:52.76\00:49:00.04
evil, he was notoriously cruel
and a repressive government
00:49:00.07\00:49:05.61
he, it is his government
that ended up killing both Paul
00:49:05.64\00:49:10.75
and Peter. But Paul taught, as
I think someone already read it
00:49:10.78\00:49:15.32
Let's turn to 1 Timothy 2
and we'll look at verse 1.
00:49:15.35\00:49:21.19
1 Tim 2 verse 1 and 2 is what we
want to read. Jill do you have
00:49:21.22\00:49:29.80
that? Would you
read that for us please?
00:49:29.83\00:49:31.70
Therefore I exhort first of
all that supplications, prayers,
00:49:33.90\00:49:38.14
intercessions and giving
of thanks be made for all men
00:49:38.17\00:49:42.01
for kings and all who are
in authority that we may lead a
00:49:42.04\00:49:46.18
quiet and peaceable life in
all godliness and reverence.
00:49:46.21\00:49:50.32
So how do we then, if we are to
honor and respect the government
00:49:50.35\00:49:55.02
how is Paul saying first to
honor and respect the government
00:49:55.06\00:49:57.83
Do you know I had, I shouldn't
even maybe tell this but I had
00:49:57.86\00:50:00.86
a lady call me who said I
cannot honor and respect this
00:50:00.90\00:50:04.40
government. She's very upset
with some things that are going
00:50:04.43\00:50:09.90
on. And she said, just can't
do it. And I told her, pray for
00:50:09.94\00:50:13.61
them. We are told that we are
to intercede and pray for them
00:50:13.68\00:50:19.18
and that's how we honor, we pay
our taxes, we pray for those who
00:50:19.21\00:50:25.42
are in government. So let's
look at, well actually I don't
00:50:25.45\00:50:30.83
have another scripture right
here. Here's the things that
00:50:30.86\00:50:33.40
I just want to point out.
Paul and Peter commanded our
00:50:33.43\00:50:37.47
cooperation as far as our
consciences would allow, why?
00:50:37.50\00:50:42.57
So that God's people would be
respected and the message of the
00:50:42.60\00:50:47.68
Gospel would be respected.
That's the main point here.
00:50:47.71\00:50:51.55
Our freedom, he says in
the scripture, you know as free
00:50:51.58\00:50:56.99
but our freedom is not so that
we can indulge our own motives
00:50:57.05\00:51:03.19
or indulge selfish pleasures.
God's government operates on
00:51:03.26\00:51:08.86
two fundamental principles
of love. Love the Lord your God
00:51:08.90\00:51:13.70
with all your heart, with all
your mind, with all your soul
00:51:13.74\00:51:16.37
and love your neighbor as
yourself. So we're obligated
00:51:16.40\00:51:21.21
as His covenant people to love
others. Love fulfills the law
00:51:21.24\00:51:26.08
he tell us. So we live in
subordination to the country's
00:51:26.11\00:51:29.42
government unless the government
laws violate our religious
00:51:29.45\00:51:33.76
convictions in situations where
you cannot obey both God and
00:51:33.82\00:51:39.06
the government, obey God. That
was clear. And we have to be
00:51:39.09\00:51:44.17
encouraged. Let's turn to
Luke 6:22 because I find great
00:51:44.20\00:51:47.74
encouragement in this
when we are persecuted.
00:51:47.77\00:51:53.98
If we're gonna be persecuted
Peter says now this is, 1 Peter
00:51:54.01\00:51:58.01
is all about, I mean these
people were being persecuted
00:51:58.05\00:52:01.25
by the Romans, by the Jews, by
their families but he's saying
00:52:01.28\00:52:06.29
if you're gonna be persecuted
what you should be persecuted
00:52:06.32\00:52:09.49
for is for obeying God
not for breaking God's rules
00:52:09.52\00:52:15.20
or moral or civil
laws. So he says in Luke 6:22
00:52:15.23\00:52:20.07
Why don't you read that Tom.
Blessed are you when me hate you
00:52:20.10\00:52:24.44
and when they exclude you
and revile you and cast out your
00:52:24.47\00:52:28.04
name as evil for
the Son of Man's sake.
00:52:28.08\00:52:30.41
So says Jesus. These are
words to encourage us. You know
00:52:30.48\00:52:34.38
you don't feel like
you're being blessed when you're
00:52:34.42\00:52:37.25
being persecuted but there are
Christians who've been tortured
00:52:37.32\00:52:39.99
and beaten and jailed. There's
even Christians who are losing
00:52:40.02\00:52:42.39
their lives around the world.
We live in a developed country
00:52:42.42\00:52:48.53
that has laws that protect us,
at least for this time we do.
00:52:48.56\00:52:52.90
But there's so many Christians
who don't have. But what they're
00:52:52.93\00:52:57.47
doing is even though when their
convictions cause them to obey
00:52:57.51\00:53:02.84
God rather than men, what
happened is Jesus says, you've
00:53:02.88\00:53:07.35
got a blessing. This isn't your
home you've got an incorruptible
00:53:07.38\00:53:11.02
inheritance that is in heaven.
The lesson pointed out one thing
00:53:11.05\00:53:14.66
that I want to, I thought this
was interesting. It said that
00:53:14.69\00:53:18.36
Christians should
seek to improve society.
00:53:18.39\00:53:21.90
With moral issues here at stake
we should fight and be highly
00:53:21.93\00:53:27.44
involved in legally promoting
the kind of social changes
00:53:27.47\00:53:31.57
that reflect the
values and teachings of Jesus.
00:53:31.61\00:53:35.01
But I read on Friday and I
wanna read this because this is
00:53:35.04\00:53:38.38
really interesting, Friday's
further thought in the Sabbath
00:53:38.41\00:53:42.35
School Lesson. It said, Ellen
G. White advocated that SDAs
00:53:42.38\00:53:47.36
be good citizens and obey the
law of the land. She even told
00:53:47.39\00:53:50.43
people not to openly and
flagrantly disobey local Sunday
00:53:50.46\00:53:56.13
laws. Ha. She said don't disobey
those local Sunday laws. That is
00:53:56.16\00:54:01.50
they must keep the 7th
day Sabbath holy as God has
00:54:01.54\00:54:05.54
commanded but that they don't
need to deliberately violate
00:54:05.57\00:54:09.11
laws that forbid Sunday
labor. In one case in particular
00:54:09.14\00:54:13.42
however, she was clear that
Adventists should not obey the
00:54:13.45\00:54:15.88
law. If a slave had escaped his
or her master the law required
00:54:15.92\00:54:20.16
that the slave be returned to
that master. She railed against
00:54:20.19\00:54:23.93
that law and told Adventists
not to obey despite the
00:54:23.96\00:54:27.30
consequences. And here is
a quote. When the laws of men
00:54:27.30\00:54:31.20
conflict with the word and law
of God we are to obey the latter
00:54:31.23\00:54:34.20
the law of God,
whatever the consequences maybe.
00:54:34.24\00:54:37.27
The law of our land requiring
us to deliver the slave to his
00:54:37.31\00:54:40.08
master we are not to obey and
we must abide the consequences
00:54:40.14\00:54:44.98
of violating this law. The slave
is not the property of any man
00:54:45.01\00:54:48.52
God is his rightful master and
man has no right to take God's
00:54:48.55\00:54:51.85
workmanship into his
hands and claim him as his own
00:54:51.89\00:54:56.29
and that's from Testimonies
for the Church, Volume 1,
00:54:56.32\00:54:58.59
pages 201 and 202. I just
thought that was fascinating
00:54:58.63\00:55:02.63
And you know we talk about
these social issues that cover
00:55:02.66\00:55:05.43
everything from church
and state to relationships to
00:55:05.47\00:55:07.97
marriage, to social
relationships and then
00:55:08.00\00:55:10.67
what Shelley just talked
about, the Christian in a social
00:55:10.71\00:55:14.88
setting and it all comes down
to reality that and we summarize
00:55:14.91\00:55:19.28
this by saying when the
laws are not out of harmony with
00:55:19.31\00:55:22.65
God's law then the Christian
should abide by it, but there's
00:55:22.68\00:55:27.96
a point you don't just become
anarchist because you see that
00:55:27.99\00:55:30.63
this is something you disagree
with. Now I think that's the
00:55:30.69\00:55:33.26
kinda the tender part of it,
the fulcrum point if I use that
00:55:33.29\00:55:35.80
phrase or that word because
there's a delicate balance
00:55:35.83\00:55:39.00
between where we are in a place
as a people in a society like
00:55:39.03\00:55:43.84
in America use that with all the
political you know fodder that's
00:55:43.87\00:55:47.71
going on right now, all the
discontent and all the things
00:55:47.74\00:55:50.38
you talked about, supporting
or not supporting the present
00:55:50.41\00:55:52.61
administration, we should not be
the kind of individuals that are
00:55:52.65\00:55:55.52
sitting at the cusp of what can
we do to show our displeasure
00:55:55.55\00:55:58.92
But we should exist in a
peaceable spirit knowing,
00:55:58.95\00:56:02.29
and I think that this text, look
at it very quickly in Hebrews
00:56:02.32\00:56:05.16
11 one of the reasons why, you
know you think about the life of
00:56:05.19\00:56:08.53
Abraham. Abraham was a pilgrim
for sure and not only is Hebrews
00:56:08.56\00:56:13.27
chapter 11 a chapter of
faith but it's said that all the
00:56:13.30\00:56:17.71
things endured by the, I could
call these the people of faith
00:56:17.74\00:56:21.41
all the things endured by
the people of faith were for one
00:56:21.44\00:56:24.18
particular reason. They all had
their minds fixed on a different
00:56:24.21\00:56:27.88
country. Verse 16, who has that?
00:56:27.92\00:56:32.22
But now they desire a better,
that is a heavenly country
00:56:32.25\00:56:35.49
therefore God is not ashamed
to be called their God for He
00:56:35.52\00:56:39.66
has prepared a city for them.
Amen. So when you know that
00:56:39.69\00:56:43.06
this is just your temporary
home Molly, when this is your
00:56:43.10\00:56:46.87
temporary home you endure as
a soldier. You endure hardship
00:56:46.94\00:56:51.81
as a good soldier and you
recognize there's one other
00:56:51.84\00:56:55.64
thing because it's gonna
transition one day to the point
00:56:55.68\00:56:57.85
where John 16 says the time will
come when they will kill you
00:56:57.88\00:57:01.92
and they will think they offer
God service. We've seen this
00:57:01.95\00:57:05.49
in different places in history.
Millions, millions, millions
00:57:05.52\00:57:08.66
in various governments. But
when it comes to the delicate
00:57:08.69\00:57:11.73
balance, we are told to be a
people who recognize that the
00:57:11.76\00:57:15.13
kingdom of God is not of
this world. We are not to try to
00:57:15.16\00:57:18.57
design the world to be heaven
because then we wouldn't want
00:57:18.60\00:57:21.77
to desire to leave here. This
world is not gonna be the place
00:57:21.80\00:57:24.64
where we find everything in
favor of those who are looking
00:57:24.67\00:57:27.94
for a better city. For a better
country. But is it gonna be a
00:57:27.98\00:57:32.01
better country Pr. Tom? Amen
Is it gonna be a better city
00:57:32.05\00:57:34.48
Molly? Absolutely. Is there
a heaven being prepared for us
00:57:34.52\00:57:36.75
Jill? Is your home that's not
here Shelley? And we all look
00:57:36.79\00:57:40.89
for that, so as a social
Christian I'll use that phrase
00:57:40.96\00:57:44.23
as a social Christian may the
graces of our relationship with
00:57:44.26\00:57:48.10
God and man permeate everything
we do so people, as Peter says
00:57:48.13\00:57:53.64
when they look at you, they'll
say at least they were good
00:57:53.70\00:57:57.07
people. May that be your desire
and may God accomplish that
00:57:57.11\00:58:00.81
in your life
for His glory. Amen.
00:58:00.84\00:58:03.75