Well, are you ready? It's an election year and the fervor is building. It's June of 2024 as I record this and the fervor is building. There's been the first presidential debate and depending on what side of the fence you fall on you're either okay and pretty happy or you're in panic mode or and wait till November what happens for you as a professing christian what happens if your guy doesn't win what is to be your response now there's a lot of voices out there telling you what your response should be Some people in the last election decided their guy didn't win, and so they're going to storm the Capitol. That was one response. There was nothing Christian about that. You can hold up signs saying, Jesus, I trust in you, and carry crosses, and hold Bibles in your hand. There's nothing Christian about political violence. Nothing. Zero. Nada. I work hard for the sake of my spiritual, mental, and relational health, for my own personal sobriety, not to get caught up in partisanship. It's just a saner way to live. Certainly, I have preferences and I would always prefer that we have a man or even possibly a woman in the White House and in the Governor's Mansion who is a reasonably functional adult who can make sober decisions. Beyond that, I don't put a lot of faith or hope in that. Their job is to protect and serve and restrain evil. That's their job. Beyond that, I don't have any expectations. I don't need to be in love with my president. I don't need to be in love with my governor or my senators or any other politician. I don't need to make a movement I mean, I'm 68 years old. I saw it. I saw it in late 60s, early 70s. I saw it. I've been through it. I understand. My grandmother had a picture of Franklin Roosevelt on her kitchen wall with a caption, Our Peerless Leader. That was important for people who went through the Great Depression, World War II. But what's going to happen this November? I want to share with you the Christian view of authority, whether it's your guy or the other guy who wins this November. Now, this is very important. There is a Christian response to authority, whether it's your guy or the other guy. And so I'm going to open up, first of all, the Titus chapter 3. I've been doing a lot of work and exegesis in this book lately. It's fascinating. Three chapters. So much. packed into this short little letter from Paul to Titus. And in chapter three, he says this, beginning with verse one, remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of our God and Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by grace, his grace, we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life, This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men." So, what are we supposed to do? These Christians are in Crete, the island of Crete. They're new converts, and they're under the Roman Empire. and the local officials that are corrupt beyond imagination. The island of Crete was one of the most morally depraved cultures, even according to pagan standards, that we've ever heard of or ever known in human history. It was beyond Sodom and Gomorrah in many respects. It was an awful culture. But Paul thought, well, we're better. We're better to establish a network of churches where God's holy people in Christ present themselves as the alternative to that decadent, morally depraved, violent culture than the island of Crete. We're better than the island of Crete to show the power of the gospel to redeem and purify, to regenerate and to renew than the island of Crete. So you're a new convert in the island of Crete and Titus is being instructed to remind you that you probably didn't have on that island the best form of government. It certainly wasn't virtuous. And still, Paul is telling Titus to remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil or slander no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. Showing all humility to all men. Folks, that's our response. That's one passage. that tells us what our response is to be if our guy doesn't win in November. Let's look at another. Romans chapter 13. This is a summary. Paul is giving us his imperatives after having laid out 12 chapters or 11 chapters of what God has done, who God is, his saving action in Christ, his justifying action in Christ, and the renewing grace that is at work within every mind and heart of every believer. and that they are to be the people of God in Rome, just like those in the island of Crete were to be the people of God in the island of Crete. We are, you and I, are called to be God's holy people in the midst of a fallen, morally depraved, decadent, violent world. We cover it up in American society with a lot of shiny objects, with a lot of money, with Wall Street, with a lot of gold, with new cars, some nice clean shiny suburbs, in addition to the violence and filth of our inner cities. But there's a lot of distractions in American culture. It's hard to admit that we live in a fallen world sometimes when there's so much opulence around us. But we live in a fallen culture. Nonetheless, now remember, Paul is speaking to a church in Rome, or churches in Rome, that are under Roman rule. And all that goes with it, including emperor worship, You would think Paul would be telling them to stand up, be warriors, fight against it, demand a Christian emperor, demand that the Ten Commandments be hung in the Roman schools, and so on, and so on. But what is Paul telling you tonight, today? He's saying this, Romans chapter 13, beginning of the first one, let every soul, every person be subject to the governing authorities, period. What? You mean I'm not supposed to be out protesting? I'm not supposed to be standing around the water cooler bad-mouthing the emperor? I'm not supposed to be wearing bumper stickers on my car that are vulgar? No, it says, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities here in Rome. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority, hello? Therefore, whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God. And those who resist will bring judgment on themselves, For 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. For he who, the authority, the rulers, he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid. What is evil? Violence, resistance, shaking your fist. Now, there are Christians that I know that just think it's really patriotic to be very vocal. And they even think it's Christian somehow to be very vocal about their political oppositions. That's not the biblical witness. That's not the New Testament witness. Your call is to love God, love neighbor, obey his commandments. If you love me, keep my commandments, Jesus said. This is his commandment to you from the Apostle, through the Apostle. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain, for he is God's minister." Think of that. Hold on. Pause there. Who is God's minister? the one who's in authority and his representatives who bear the sword, those who enforce government. Government is a good thing. Government is of God. Government establishes authority. Government preserves societies. It restrains evil. It provides for the common good. Now, are there bad governments? Of course. Are there governments that are better than others? Absolutely. Is capitalism better than communism? Most likely, I think so. Absolutely think so. Some would argue against me, but that's irrelevant. That's the very point. I'm not here to argue capitalism or democracy. I'm here to convey to you the word of God as to how you are to respond in November, even if your guy does win, but especially if your guy doesn't win. For he is God's minister. There's only two places in the Bible that ministers are referred to, of course, and one is pastoral work, and the other one is these who carry out the law, who enforce the law, the law and order ministers. An avenger, to execute wrath on him who practices evil. That's government's purpose, is to restrain evil. Therefore, you must be subject, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience sake. For because of this, you also pay taxes. It's okay to pay taxes? Yes, it's okay to pay taxes. Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's, give unto God what is God's. For because of this, you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers. He says that twice now. Now, what do we understand about interpretation? Biblical hermeneutics to use that big word the science of interpretation if something is repeated it's because the Holy Spirit is emphasizing these people who rule as authorities in the land government agents whether they're Policemen firemen CIA FBI They are God's ministers attending incontinually to this very thing. Twice he says, God's ministers, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Render therefore to all their due, taxes to whom taxes are due, custom to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." So are you hearing me today? I hope so. I mean, I hope I'm hearing me. I'm a human. I'm an American citizen. You know, some days I like the way things are going better than others on the national and economic and social scene. I'm not always sitting around content. But in the final analysis, it's important for me to decide what's going to determine my behavior, what's going to determine my thinking, what's going to determine how I respond to those issues. Am I going to go into denial the day after the election because my guy didn't win and start propagating some lie about the election? I mean, I saw that happen in 2004. when John Kerry lost. I had Democrats acquaintances who were convinced that the voting machines had been rigged against Kerry and that votes were being shifted from Kerry to Bush. So it's not just the Republicans who have been talking like this. I mean, it was a scandal. I had some liberal acquaintances, and I'm not a liberal, theologically or politically, but I had some friends, some dear friends, with whom I disagreed with, but nonetheless, they were happy to tell me that they were convinced that the election was stolen from John Kerry in 2004. This is how it gets, folks. That's not the Christian response, then or now. Okay, I'm gonna go back to 1 Timothy. These are very important things for us to have well integrated into our hearts and minds as the election approaches. And then take time to meditate on these things, I pray you. Take time to meditate on these things, share it with your children, share it with your friends, share it with your family. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the day after the election, if there's protests, if there's riots, if there's whatever it is, that the Christian community is praying 1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1, therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. You mean, are you telling me that if Biden wins this election, I'm to be giving thanks for President Biden? That's right. And praying for him. Well, what if Trump wins? Surely, surely you wouldn't be telling me to pray for, yes, no, you are to be praying for whoever wins this election. Supplicating, prayers, intercessions, giving of thanks for kings and all who are in authority. Why do we do that? He says, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. Listen, let me ask you, what is going to be your response the day after the election? This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, is what we just read. 1 Timothy 2, 3. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior. Let your thinking and your behavior the day after the election be good and acceptable in the sight of God, your Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. One last text here, 1 Timothy 6. It's Timothy 6, 11. Beginning with verse 11 he continues his letter out to his young protege Timothy who by the way was in Ephesus which was a center also for pagan decadence and immorality and temple prostitutes and idol worship, idolatry and oppression of the poor and the orphan and the widow. A really sickening moral culture and Timothy is the pastor of at the church in Ephesus. He says, speaking in contrast to those who love money, he says, but you, O man of God, you're not to love money, you're not to pursue riches, but you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Repeatedly we hear gentleness. fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession and the presence of many witnesses now what was that good confession we'll talk about that in just a moment I urge you in the sight of God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate, second time that's been mentioned now, so we need to know what is that good confession, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless, until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing, which he will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed and only potentate, Now, what do we mean by that? This is the new King James. Let me see if I, the only sovereign, who is the blessed and only sovereign, the king of kings and lord of lords. Listen, if you are in Christ, your citizenship is in heaven. You belong to the realm of the Spirit. You are a citizen of the kingdom of God. and you are to behave like it, you're to order your conduct like it. Understand, there's only one Sovereign, there's only one King, there's only one Lord. And in your trust in Him, and in your obedience to Him, you behave and order your conduct to be supportive of authority. I know it sounds very patriotic. We're about to celebrate the 4th of July here in America. And it sounds very patriotic to remind ourselves that we were born out of revolution. We lifted our fists to King George and said, no more, no more taxes, no more taxation without representation. We're going to be our own country. There was out of that rebellion, there was a revolution and revolution. There's a founding of a country, which is probably the finest nation on human history. I love that I'm an American. I feel very blessed that I was born in this country. I can't think of any other place that I would want to live. but it's Christ himself who is the King of kings and Lord of lords who alone has immortality dwelling in unapproachable light whom no man has seen or can see to him be honor and everlasting power amen so he's saying this that he's saying this about Jesus Christ as opposed to those who worship the Emperor and emphasis and yet they are to pray. Yet they are to be supportive. Yet they are not to be rebels. They're not to be political activists. They're not to be violent in their response, in their resistance. Now I mentioned to you a few moments ago, and we'll close with this. What is this good confession that both Timothy and Jesus made? Well for that we turn to John chapter, Gospel of John chapter 18. And it was the good confession that Jesus made before Pilate. The night that he was about to suffer and was suffering by this point, he had entered into his suffering. And it says, then Pilate entered the Praetorium, his palace, and again called Jesus and said to him, are you the king of the Jews? Jesus answered, are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning me? Pilate answered, am I a Jew? Your own nation and chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. Pilate therefore said to him, are you a king then? Jesus answered, you say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate said to him, what is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, I find no fault in him at all. End quote. That's the good confession. What's the good confession? My kingdom is not of this world. I'm not going to resist you, Pilate. I'm not here to overthrow your position here in Jerusalem. I'm not here to overthrow you as the governor. I'm not here to protest. I'm not here to have my followers rise up and try to overtake the governor's mansion. I'm not here to wave banners And I'm not here inciting riots. My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, they would protest, they would riot, they would resist you so that I would not be delivered to the Jews. But now my kingdom is not from here. And I'm going to show you, we could interpret, Jesus is about to say, by his actions, not his words, but by his actions, that his kingdom was not of this world, by submitting without reservation, without qualification, to the will of the Father, by going to the cross. Thy will, not mine, be done, Jesus had prayed earlier at Gethsemane. And so he submitted to Pontius Pilate, while at the same time bearing the good confession that his kingdom is not of this world. And Timothy was doing the same thing. He was proclaiming, the kingdom of God is not of this world. You are in the kingdom of God now. By your new birth, you entered the kingdom of God. God's saving and transforming reign is yours, and you belong to that kingdom. And that's an absolute. In Colossians it says that we've been transferred from the kingdom of darkness, the realm of darkness, into the kingdom of his dear son. So if you are in Christ, you belong to Christ's kingdom. And that's an absolute. You don't move between kingdoms. any more than you're saved one minute and unsaved the next. It doesn't go back and forth like that. You are in the realm of the Spirit now. And by the work of the Spirit, by the regenerating and washing and regenerating of the Spirit, you have entered. You can see God saving and transforming rain in your life. And the texts that I just shared with you are commanding you that you conduct yourself in such a manner. that you conduct yourself in such a way as to show yourself worthy of the gospel. I'll close now with one last text. Ephesians 4, 17. In fact, I'm going to drop down to verse 25. He says, therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor. For we are members of one another. Be angry and do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also loved us and has given himself for us, and offering in sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. Well, I'm going to end there. What I've told you today is that for many of you, for most of you perhaps, your guy is going to lose in November, whoever that is. And there's a way of responding to that loss that is shown us here in these texts. And every day thereafter, every week following, every month after that, and years that follow, we are to order our conduct in accord with the authority of Scripture. not the authority of our political leaders, a political movement, or some kind of political philosophy, especially if it calls itself Christian, that would endorse violence or some other form of filthy lying and loudmouth behavior, whether you're on the left or right. The scriptures command you to eschew that kind of thing. And embrace what he said. Be subject to rulers. Pray for those who are in authority. With supplications and prayers. Walk in gentleness, goodness, and propriety. Be of help to others. Gentleness is a word that was used repeatedly. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And please, please, if you have political differences between you as Christians, be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. Because if your brother or sister voted differently than you, That's a very temporal thing. And you're here to love your brother and sister in Christ. And you ought to. You ought to like them. You ought to love them. And you better get used to them. You're going to be with them for eternity. The Lord's peace be with you. May his grace keep you always. Amen.