Thank you, brother. OK, the title of the message tonight is The Fallen American City, A Warning to the Family. And tonight, we're going to look at the current state of the city of Oakland, California, and how it parallels the fall of the American family. Our scripture is in Proverbs 29, 18, where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you that we could gather, Lord, and hear your word preached, Lord. Please keep me from error, God. And we do thank you for your word and how it's perfect, Lord God, and guides us in all things. In Jesus' name, amen. So I think the vision in the scripture refers to God's revelation through his word. In our case, the vision is the Bible. The verse implies that happiness and well-being come from keeping the law, which means following God's word. This adherence brings a sense of order and purpose to life, preventing destruction. An article in the Free Press titled, The Fall of Oakland, paints a grim picture of a city in turmoil. 13 elderly Asians were robbed and attacked near their senior living facility. A viral video showed two Asian women, one elderly, being brutally beaten and robbed. Oakland residents, including a community organizer, say the city has become increasingly lawless and chaotic. A former police chief likened it to a video game. With only about 600 officers available for patrol, far below the national average, the police force is understaffed. The city's leadership is plagued with corruption. and criminals are drawn to Oakland due to the lack of accountability. This situation parallels the state of our country and our families, where authority is undermined, children are not taught good morals, discipline is absent, and wickedness prevails over good. I was born in Oakland and lived there as a teen. Crime was bad then, but has worsened over time. Let's take a look at a few points about Oakland that can teach us something about our families. So the first characteristic of this fallen city is the lack of authority. The root cause of the violence in Oakland is this lack of authority. Without it, there is no fear of punishment for wrongdoing. This principle is reflected in the scriptures. Romans 13, 1 to 2 says, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. When authority is undermined or absent, people feel they can act wickedly without fear of consequences. In Oakland, the police force is understaffed and proactive policing is discouraged, leading to a sense of lawlessness. Similarly, when God's authority is ignored, people act according to their own desires, leading to destruction. We see this in Judges 21-25. In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Without authority, people perish. This is true for cities, countries, and families. When parents fail to assert authority over their children, teaching them the Bible and what is right from wrong according to God's word, the result is a generation that lacks moral guidance and discipline. From the beginning, God set up a hierarchy of authority, the Bible says in Genesis 1.28. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth. and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." So we see that authority was given by God to maintain order in creation. Part of this authority is to teach right from wrong. The lack of biblical teaching leads to a society without moral standard, and each person does what is right in their own eyes. The Bible says in Proverbs 22.6, train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. The situation in Oakland is a stark reminder of what happens when children are not taught right from wrong. The prevalence of crime and violence is a testament to the failure of previous generations to instill moral values in their youth. The Bible says in Ephesians 6.4, And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. When parents neglect their duty to nurture and admonish their children in the Lord, they leave a void that is often filled by negative influences. This leads to a cycle of lawlessness and immorality that is difficult to break. Children without father figures often seek comfort in unhealthy relationships, such as involvement in gangs, engaging in fornication, or even exploring homosexuality. The role of teaching the children is specifically given to the parents. The Bible says in Deuteronomy 6, verses six and seven. And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart, and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. So parents are commanded to diligently teach their children God's laws. When we fail to do this in our homes, it not only causes issues for our families, but for society in general. And when we do teach our children, God blesses them. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3.15, And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Knowledge of the scriptures from a young age brings wisdom when the child is grown. We know that instruction can be ignored, of course. The Bible says in Hosea 4.6, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee. That thou shalt be no priest to me, seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. So lack of knowledge of God's law leads to destruction. And we see this happening in Oakland. Through a combination of ignoring God's law and never being taught it in the first place, we see a city in chaos. The next point we're going to talk about is the necessity of discipline and punishment. Discipline and punishment are essential to maintaining order and righteousness. Without them, wrongdoing goes unchecked and evil flourishes. Oakland and California in general is known for being lax on crime. You've probably seen the videos of thieves brazenly walking out of stores with bags of merchandise. They know they won't be punished. Many stores instruct their employees to do nothing to prevent theft, as it could open them up to lawsuits. but is not punishing these crimes a loving thing to do? Or would it be better to teach the criminals that what they're doing is wrong? The Bible says in Hebrews 12, verses 6 to 11, for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us. and we gave them reverence, shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Discipline is not pleasant, but it's necessary for the development of righteousness. When discipline is absent, as seen in Oakland, chaos ensues. Criminals are emboldened when they know there will be no punishment for their actions. With respect to the family, the Bible talks about this in Proverbs 13, 24. that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." God's word is clear that loving discipline is necessary for the well-being of children. Without it, they grow up without respect for authority or understanding of moral boundaries. The Bible says in Revelation 3.19, As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Be zealous therefore and repent. God's rebuke and chastening are acts of love meant to lead us to repentance. The same can be said of Oakland. Loving leadership would punish the evildoers. This is not only loving to the criminal who could turn from his sin, but to the rest of the city that has to suffer at the hands of these criminals. And what are the benefits of discipline? The Bible says in Proverbs 15, 32, he that refuseth instruction despises his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding. Accepting discipline brings understanding and wisdom. This leads to a stable family and society. This discipline eventually leads to righteousness. The Bible says in Proverbs 29, 15, the rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Proper discipline leads to wisdom, while its absence leads to shame. What is true for the child is true for a city in a broad sense. The next point about Oakland is that women rule. The prophet Isaiah warned of a time when society would be turned upside down, with women and children in positions of authority leading to disorder. The Bible says in Isaiah 3.12, as for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. Oh, my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths. This verse highlights the problems that arise when God's natural order is disrupted. Oakland's current mayor, is a 39-year-old Asian woman. She has only held office since 2022, so she certainly does not shoulder all the blame. However, she failed to improve conditions in the city. And according to God's word, having a woman in charge will lead to error. We can see this happening right before our eyes. Recently, her home was raided by the FBI due to her involvement in alleged corruption. God established a divine order for authority. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11 3, But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Oftentimes weak men share some of the blame. Look at the example of Deborah in the Bible. It says in Judges 4, 9, and she said, I will surely go with thee, notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor, for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah rose and went with Barak to Kadesh. This situation pointed to a lack of male leadership in Israel at the time. In many families, when there is no father at home, children might not get the protection they need. Sadly, there are individuals who exploit this situation and target these children, knowing there is no father figure to protect them. Another point is that not only are the leaders outside of God's order, they're incompetent leaders. Leadership is crucial for the well-being of any community or family. Incompetent leaders can lead to disastrous consequences as seen in Oakland. The current leadership has failed to address the issues of crime and corruption, leading to widespread mourning and despair among the people. We can also see this in the church. The Bible says in Isaiah 56, 10 to 11, his watchmen are blind. They're all ignorant. They're all dumb dogs. They cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they're greedy dogs, which can never have enough. And they're shepherds that cannot understand. They all look to their own way, everyone for his gain from his quarter. When leaders are more concerned with their own gain than the well-being of their people, they fail in their duty as leaders. This leads to a breakdown in order and righteousness. And leaders should be held to higher standards. We know this is the case for pastors. The Bible says in James 3.1, My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Leaders will be judged more strictly because of their responsibility. We should pray for our leaders, including in our homes, that God would give them wisdom. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 2 verses 1-2, I exert therefore, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. We must pray for our leaders to lead with wisdom and integrity. Another point is that leaders can also be corrupt. Corruption among leaders is a serious issue that leads to the downfall of societies. The Bible warns us of the dangers of corrupt leadership. Micah 7.3 says, that they may do evil with both hands earnestly. The prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward. And the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire. So they wrap it up. Corruption breeds more corruption, leading to a cycle of wickedness that is difficult to break. This is evident in Oakland, where leaders face corruption investigations and potential recall elections. The Bible says in Isaiah 123, Thy princes are rebellious and companions of thieves. Everyone loveth gifts and followeth after rewards. They judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. When leaders are corrupt, they fail to uphold justice and righteousness. This leads to the oppression of the weak and the increase of wickedness. The Bible says in Proverbs 17, 23, a wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment. God condemns the perversion of justice through corruption. And what is the result of this corruption? The Bible says in Amos 5, 12, for I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins. They afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Corruption leads to the affliction of the just and the perversion of justice. Corrupt leaders simply can't do the job they were appointed to do. The next characteristic of Oakland that we see is the overruling of the good by the wicked. One of the most troubling aspects of the situation in Oakland is that those who wish to do good are often overruled by the wicked. The article mentions that there are some police officers who do their best to stop the wickedness, but they face disciplinary actions from progressive leaders. Officers who simply collect a paycheck and perform the bare minimum are tolerated. This lack of policing has led to an exodus of businesses, including In-N-Out, Adenny's, and multiple Starbucks locations, just to name a few. Psalm 12.8 says, the wicked walk on every side when the vilest men are exalted. When wickedness is exalted, the righteous are oppressed. This is evident in Oakland where criminals flourish and residents flee. The Bible says in Proverbs 28.12, when righteous men do rejoice, there's great glory. But when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. In this case, when the wicked are in power, the righteous feel the need to hide or not speak up. And Proverbs 29.2 says, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. The rise of wickedness leads to the suppression of righteousness. This is a grave danger for any society, as it leads to moral decay and eventual destruction. There is hope. God will deal with the wicked. The Bible says in Psalm 37, 12 to 13, the wicked plot against the just. and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him, for he seeth that his day is coming. God will ultimately bring justice to the oppressed. And God knows and rewards the righteous, while the wicked will perish. The Bible says in Psalm 1 6, for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish. So what can a city or family do to get things back in order? The first thing to do is turn back to God. We see this in the Bible many times with Israel. There is one example in 2 Chronicles 7, 14. The Bible says, if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. And in James 4.8, the Bible says, draw an eye to God and he'll draw an eye to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. It takes a humble spirit to recover from this situation, both in a city or in a family. The situation in Oakland is a stark reminder of the end result of undermining authority, failing to teach right from wrong, neglecting discipline, disrupting the natural order, and allowing wickedness and corruption to flourish. But the Word of God provides us with guidance on how to restore order and righteousness in our communities and families. Let us submit to God's authority, teach our children His ways, discipline them in love, uphold God's order, support those who do good, and seek righteous leaders. By doing this, we can counter the lawlessness we see around us and build communities and families that honor God and uphold His principles. For a city like Oakland, it might be too late, but it's never too late for our families. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you, Lord, for your word and how you guide us, Lord. We do pray for the folks in Oakland and any of these other fallen cities, Lord God, that you would Give them good leaders, Lord God, and when they turn to you, Lord, just give them a mini revival, Lord. And we also pray for our families, God, for any issues that we have, Lord, that we turn back to you, God, and trust in you, Lord. In Jesus' name, amen.