May 24, 2009
Sermon #785
Who is Caesar?
Matthew 22:15 - 22 (NKJV) 15Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. 20And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.
Introduction:
This message is being brought on “Memorial Day Weekend.” This is the day we celebrate and remember those who have given their lives in defense of their country. But who or what is America? Is America a piece of land that is between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans? Is that what we are memorializing? Did they die in defense of “The American Way of Life.” If so, what is “The American Way of Life?” Neither answer is correct. But if I told you that most people do not know what the answer is, would that grieve you? I served this country in the United States Air Force. When I joined I had to swear – (what)…that I would defend the Constitution of the United States of America. So does the President of these United States, so does every member of congress, so does every judge. In the United States no man is “Caesar,” the Constitution is supreme!
I. All Government employees are “ministers” even the military and police!
Romans 13:1 - 7 (NKJV) 1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
A. Ministers:
leitourgos
li-toorg-os'
They are the same (same Greek word for officers of the Church)
B. Ordained:
“The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”
II. All government in the United States is vested in plural entity.
Romans 13:1 (NKJV) 1Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
Authorities:
In the constitution, there are three: (following the example of the trinity)
· Executive: President of the United States. (I don’t care if you voted for him or not – or if you agree with him or not – you are to honor his office. Any joke about him or any attack on his personhood is out of order. (Fatherhood)
· Legislative: Senate & House of Representatives. (Son)
· Judicial: The Supreme court and all other legal officers. (Holy Spirit)
III. The Authority over the “ministers” is the constitution.
“The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their offices during good Behavior. (Holy Spirit)
There is no such thing as “separation of Church and State.”
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
A. What established “good behavior”
B. The Bible!
2 Samuel 12:1 - 10 (NKJV) 1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” 5So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!
6And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” 7Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’
· Who is David? - The King
· Who is Nathan – The Prophet (the Church)
Daniel 6:6 - 13 (NKJV) 6So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: “King Darius, live forever! 7All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9Therefore King Darius signed the written decree. 10Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.
11Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12And they went before the king, and spoke concerning the king’s decree: “Have you not signed a decree that every man who petitions any god or man within thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 13So they answered and said before the king, “That Daniel, who is one of the captives from Judah, does not show due regard for you, O king, or for the decree that you have signed, but makes his petition three times a day.”
· Who is Darius – The King
· Who is Daniel – The Prophet
Luke 3:18 - 19 (NKJV) 18And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done…
· Who is Herod – The King
· Who is John the Baptist – The preacher
Luke 13:31 - 33 (NKJV) 31On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, “Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.” 32And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’ 33Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.
· Who is Herod – The King
· Who is Jesus – The Christ (yet He calls Herod a “fox”) it was not a complement!
IV. Memorial Day is a day to remember those who died for the freedoms given to us by the Constitution.
A. What to do if the ministers of the government do not have “ good behavior”
1. The constitution of the US gives you and me the right to express our grievances. (as a pastor of this church you have no right in the name of politics to attack my stance on abortion, homosexual behavior, and marriage vows – by attacking me and not the issues , - and I have a right and a duty to express biblical views.
2. The constitution of the US gives you the right to vote corrupt and oath-breaking rulers out of office. (No person in the US has a right to break the IRS laws with impunity and get by with it because of their political position)
3. The constitution of the US gives us the right to change existing law by legal process.
B. The Constitution gives the majority Americans the right to be protected from the minority.
ILL: I can almost see people get racial on me when I say “minority!”
1. Police officers are to protect life and property of the majority of law-abiding citizens from the minority of crooks.
2. The FBI is to protect us from those (minority) who commit federal crimes.
3. The CIA is to protect us from the (minority) terrorist.
4. The NSA is to protect or secrets. (minority spies)
5. The, USAF, USN, USA, USMC, USCG, is here to protect us from other governments.
6. The constitution gives us a right to protect ourselves. (from the minority who would harm us)
Article #2
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. (I cannot have a nuclear weapon)
V. The Principles of God were written into the Constitution
A. Based upon the “Mayflower Compact”
IN THE name of God, Amen.
We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia, do by these presences solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought in most meeting and convenient for the general good of the colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.
B. Declaration of Independence
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 and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Conclusion:
My father fought in WW II as a member of the USCG and USN. I once had a church member make a disparaging remark about my pride in that - and I was highly offended. I served in the USAF and the NSA during the Korean War and the “Cold War” I am very proud of that fact. It makes me angry when anyone disparages the American Flag or the US Military. There are few things I would give my life for but two of them are found on paper. God’s Word, the Bible, and the Constitution, the second greatest document ever written!
God Bless America!
