And if you wish to follow along,
Romans chapter 12 again. Of course, I was not here last
Sunday, so I'll pick up kind of where I left off, Romans chapter
12. I want to read verse one. I will
probably do that, well, much more of this, these chapters,
because this one verse leads into everything else. It's the
foundation for everything else Paul writes, even when he gets
into his last words of the last chapter. I beseech you, therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, you never earn mercy. You cannot earn mercy. But, look, I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, that is, set apart, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service. Then I will continue
on with chapter 13 and verse 1 and read the first seven verses. Before I do, let me give you,
in chapter 13, Paul continues instruction on presenting our
bodies a living sacrifice. Remember, presenting our bodies
a living sacrifice is not some over and above thing. It's not
to be some super spiritual Christian. If you're a Christian, you are
spiritual. If you are spiritual in the scriptural sense, you
are a Christian, okay? Anyway, let me go on. 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. For rulers are not a terror to
good works but to the evil. Will thou then not be afraid
of the power? Do that which is good, and thou
shalt have praise of the same. For he that is the power, whatever
power it be, for he is the minister of God that To I'm sorry for
he is the minister of God to thee for good But if they'll
do that, which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword
in vain and that's not always a literal sword though in some
cases it can be a literal sword some kind of corporal punishment
He beareth not the sword in vain, for he is the minister of God,
a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore,
ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, you see it, but
also for conscience sake. Ever do something wrong, and
your conscience just eats away at you. Even the lost experience
that. but it doesn't drive them to
Christ. It doesn't drive them to Christ. It may drive them
to more good works. It may drive them to turning
over new leaves, something like that. Wherefore, ye must needs
be subject, not only for wrath, not just to avoid being punished
for doing evil, but also for conscience sake. For this cause,
pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers. And I put
it in modern day language, pay your taxes. We can put it that
way if we're writing this back in modern day language. For,
for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers. He keeps saying this. Remember,
it's the powers that be. All the powers that be. Because
there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained
of God. For, for this cause, pay you
tribute also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually
upon this very thing. Render, therefore, to all their
dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom,
fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Five things I want to
try to give you this morning. I will try to be brief, but I
don't want to rush over this. Number one, the Lord God is the
Almighty. all powerful. One of the theological
words, you won't find this word in the Bible, but you will find
this truth taught in the Bible. God in theological terms is omnipotent. Omnipotent is a good word. And
although the word itself, we don't have it ever translated
into English omnipotent, this book is filled with the omnipotence
of God. Omni means all. Potent means
powerful, so God is what? All powerful. Amen. Now listen,
there can only be one Almighty. That's right. You hear what I'm
saying? There could be only one Almighty. I mean, it's simple
arithmetic, if you will. If someone is the Almighty, then
nobody else has any other might or power except it come from
the Almighty. So there could be only one almighty. And God being all powerful, this
equals this. Any other power must be delegated
by and controlled by him. Now, early on in human history,
it's Genesis 35. It's just one verse, but if you
wish to turn there, we'll read one verse. We'll go see this.
Genesis chapter 35, I'm sorry. Genesis chapter 35, verse 11. God is talking to Abraham here,
okay? Or no, Jacob, I'm sorry, Jacob.
But look what he says. Verse 11 of Genesis 35, and God
said unto him, I am God almighty. There it is, omnipotent. They
translated it almighty. Both mean the same thing. Omnipotent,
I am God omnipotent. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation
and a company of nations shall be of thee. The kings shall come
out of thy loins. God told Jacob, I am God almighty. Now turn to Revelation chapter
one. Revelation chapter 1. Now when
we think of God Almighty, it's sad that I have to say this,
but many people say God is Almighty, but they don't teach that God
is Almighty. What they say about God Almighty
later, after they say He's God Almighty, clearly shows they
do not believe He is God Almighty. But we're told for sure who this
God Almighty is. Revelations chapter one and verse
eight. I am the Alpha and Omega. Go
back and look who this is. This is none other than Jesus
Christ the Lord, speaking. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and
which is to come, the Almighty. Having said it once, Back in
the beginning, it's always true. But here we find God confirming
it in the last book of the Bible. And as a side note, I believe
that not only was this the words that God moved these men to write,
not only were they inspired, but I believe the order of the
books are providentially ordered by God. We have them as we have
them today, because this is the way God is pleased to present
it to us. Isn't it amazing? In the beginning,
Genesis, beginning. Now, the revelation of what? Not of future events, though
future events are revealed here. Not of great mysteries and 666s,
although that's mentioned here. It's the revelation of Jesus
Christ. Amen. The last book of the Bible
is all about Jesus Christ So again, there can only be one
Almighty and God being Almighty that is all-powerful All power
must be delegated in control by him now turn to Romans 19
or John. I'm sorry John chapter 19 I'm
trying to lay the foundation here before we look at this the
actual words that Paul gives in Romans chapter 13 now John
chapter 19 and this will be familiar, verses, for tight sake of time,
verse eight. Here is Christ before Pilate,
just prior to his crucifixion. It's just hours away. When Pilate
therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and we're
not gonna look at that, and went again into the judgment hall
and said unto Jesus, where's art thou? But Jesus gave him
no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, speak
thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have
the power to crucify thee, and I have the power to release thee?
And he did. He did. And he asked Jesus, don't
you know this? Jesus gave the power to him. He's speaking to the God of all
glory, the Almighty himself, and doesn't recognize it. And
look at what Christ said. Jesus answered, thou couldest
have no power at all against me, except it were given thee
from above. You see it? Now I want you to
think about it. I know our flesh recalls this,
but here is even a unbelieving Gentile despot. Christ is saying
God Almighty Gave you whatever power you got You have no power
in and of yourself Let me tell you something. I will say something
here. I know that this wouldn't win and if this goes out later
It may stir up a lot of contention for folks God even gives men
the power to see it Because it's in him we live and move and have
our being He could snuff us out in a heartbeat. Could he not?
Snuff us out in a heartbeat. My power to even breathe and
think and make choices, and often, as an unbeliever, they were always
bad choices. And even as a believer, sometimes
I still make bad choices. But God Almighty gives me that
power. It's not free will. At best, it's delegated will,
because He's the Almighty. He's the one true wheel that
operates in all that is, freely of its own accord. Our wheels
are subject unto God Almighty. And Christ was manipulating Pilate
to bring about exactly what God had ordained before the foundation
of the world. Pilate wanted to let him go. He didn't want this man's blood
on his hands. He even tried to symbolically
say that when he washed his hands, remember? His blood be on you,
not on me. God gave him the power. He could
have just said, I'm not doing what's wrong. I'm doing what's
right. I'm freeing this man. He'd done nothing wrong. He knew
that. Did he not? But he bowed to the will of the
people. Number two, that's the foundation. God Almighty is almighty. No other might, no other power
exists. Even governmental power. Mentioned,
spoken of by Paul in Romans 13 verses one through seven, even
governmental power is delegated by God alone. So here's the second
thought, that's the foundation. Government, the powers that be. government, the powers that be,
are ordained. That is, appointed beforehand. Not ratified. God don't ratify
the powers that be. He ordained them. So again, simple arithmetic. If God ordained them, then the
ordination took place before the actual power came in to be. Because he has to give any power
that's there. You see, this is not hard doctrine.
It's just hated by our flesh. Election, predestination, they're
not hard doctrines. We just hate them because, I
mean, how does God have the right? Because he's almighty. He's the
potter, we're the clay. That means he has all the what?
Might. all the bite. So again, government,
the powers that be are ordained as appointed beforehand by God. Let us be subject unto whatsoever
power God put us under. Let every soul be subject unto
the higher powers. You see it? Verse two, whosoever
therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God,
and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. And
I don't know here, I don't know that Paul is being moved by the
Spirit to talk about eternal, final damnation, but you're going
to be punished now. You resist the government you're
under, the government you're under will take it out on you,
whether it's a despot or whether it's a loving ruler. Doesn't
matter, doesn't matter. Let us be subject unto whatsoever
power God put us under, verses five through seven. Wherefore,
we must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for
conscience sake. God's people are not anarchists. I say this to you, I've got no
reason to believe anybody here is this way. But there are a
lot of people out there that are. They believe in anarchy.
They hate government. One of the writers says, you've
got to watch out about despising government. It may well mean
you are a reprobate. That is rejected by God. for
this cause, pay your tribute also, for they are God's servants. You say, preacher, you've got
to put some limitation on, let every soul be subject to the
higher powers, for there is no power but of God. You can't escape
that if you want to be honest to what is written here. the
powers that be, if they do exist, they are ordained of God. Preacher,
you're saying that even Adolf Hitler was a minister of God.
That's exactly what I'm saying. That's exactly what I'm saying.
Mao Zedong, you said he was a minister of God. He was a minister of
God. Joe Biden, he is a minister of
God. Donald Trump, he is a minister
of God. Somebody says, I don't like that.
Well, if that's your attitude, I don't care. And if that's your
real attitude, I don't like that, I don't care. Because my God
tells me, let me be subject unto the higher power. It is God's
ordinance, and I have to be subject unto the higher power. Now, one
caveat, there's only one caveat in that, only one. It's better
to obey God rather than man. If the powers that be, and we're
under that power, provident, whatever power you're under,
tells you to go against God in the person of his son, don't
do it. Even if they kill you for it.
But other than that, be subject unto the higher powers. That goes from not robbing banks
to driving, don't drive over the speed limit. It's all included. Well, I don't mean, I mean, there's
some places, I know this seems simplistic, but remember, presenting
our bodies a living sacrifice is not all this fancy Christian
stuff, it's living your everyday life, being subject to God's
ordination. And when you fail, repent and
recognize it, and I'm gonna say this, just try to do better.
It's that simple, but Jack, that impossible without the mercies
of God. So let us be subject. Now consider
the one perfect example of this. Now I would not dare point to
myself and say, here's a perfect example of someone being subject
to the higher powers. I would like to be, but I ain't
no perfect. I am an example of best. I show you the worst of
it and maybe the best of it. And that's only because it's
God working in me, both the will and the do of His good pleasure.
But we have an example, turn to 1 Peter 2, we will see this
example. 1 Peter 2, verse 19, and we're
coming in on the middle of the thought, I understand that, but
this bears upon our text. For this is thankworthy, if a
man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
Right? You know what it says? For what
glory is it if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take
it patiently? I mean, if you did wrong and
you're getting punished for it, just say, I did wrong. I deserve
to be punished for it. Okay? You shall take it patiently. But if, when you do well and
suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. No, but we all nowadays want
our rights, don't we? Oh yeah. We want our rights. But look, for even here unto
where ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, did he
deserve it? No. No. For even here unto where ye call,
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example,
not just an example, an example, that ye should follow his steps,
who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, who, when
he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered, he threatened
not. Ah, but here it is. But committed himself to him
that judges righteously. God knows what he's doing, no
matter what higher power we're under. And I heard Henry Mahan
say this one time, this won't be an exact quote because I didn't
go back and try to find it. He said, I'd rather be a believer
under communism than an unbeliever under a democracy. I know there's some folks who
wait. I'd rather be a believer stuck
in God's providence under communism. than being an unbeliever in the
most free nation in the world. Why? Because we are subjecting
yourself to the higher powers. Who are you truly subjecting
yourself unto? God Almighty. God Almighty. Who? Speaking of Christ now. Who?
His own self. Bear our sins in his own body
on the tree. That's the only reason why God
smote him. Otherwise, he would have just cried, Father, take
me off it, and he was sitting in legions of angels. Just brought
him off. Those nails were not holding
him on that cross. Those nails in his feet were
not holding him on that cross. His desire to do the will of
the Father and his love for his people held him on that cross. He suffered. Think of what they
accused him of. They accused him of claiming
to be God. He was! And they crucified him for it.
And God saved us by it. Now this is going to be an oxymoron.
Aren't you glad for the sins of men? Aren't you glad for the sins
of men? Because even when they were sinning against God, Jack,
spitting on him, clearing their throats, buffeting him, nailing
him to a cross, they were doing what God had before determined
to be done. That puts Romans chapter 13 verses
one through seven in a little different light, doesn't it?
All right, number three, all powers. And we say governments.
All powers are ordained of God, not just the pleasant ones. You
hear what I'm saying? Not just the pleasant ones. There
are some that are pleasant. There are some that are unpleasant.
And I am probably being very generous toward both sides. Even
the pleasant ones have their problems. We have an ex-president who's
been indicted multiple times. And we have a seated president
who's under suspicion. Right? At best, the pleasant
government, or even an unpleasant. We've all sinned and come short
of the glory of God. Amen. All powers, all governments are
ordained of God, not just the pleasant ones. Again, for there
is no power but of God. I mean, there's no qualification
given with that? No, that's right. For there is
no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained
of God. Only one government. Turn to Isaiah chapter 9 first
before I make the statement. Isaiah chapter 9. This is still all, this is the
third point, all powers, all governments are ordained of God,
not just the pleasant ones. But there's only one government,
one power that truly always honors God. And let me just say, it
ain't democracy. It ain't democracy. Look at what
democracy will do for you. Where people can choose to be
whatever they want, it don't matter. I mean, you got people
wanting to identify as a cat. We're nuts. We're nuts. I've got my rights. Go ahead
and be a cat. God will damn you. Because he
says bow down to my son. And one day we all will. Even
those who identify as a cat. Only one government. Isaiah 9,
are you there? Verse six, for unto us a child is born and to
us a son is given. There is no question as to whom
this speaks of. He's the only person that was
ever a child born and a son given. All of us, every male in this
was both a child born and a child given. or a child born and a
son born, that's what we were. He was a child born, a son given. He was always the son. You say,
well, it never calls him the eternal son. Wait a minute, it
talks about the eternal father. And you can't be a father if
you don't have a what? At least a son or a daughter,
right? You're a father because you have
offspring, a child. If God's the eternal father,
that means Jesus Christ is the eternal son. That's another simple
arithmetic again. It's not deep theological stuff.
Okay, look. Look, for unto us a child is
born, and unto us a son is given, and the government, the reigning
empire. That's the way you can translate
it, the reigning empire. And the government shall be upon
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful. the counselor,
the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace,
of the increase of his government and peace. There shall be no
end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom to order
it and to establish it with judgment and with justice, you see it,
with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the
Lord of hosts will perform this. You know, years ago when I was
born and raised in the Association of Regular Baptists, they prided
themselves on being a democracy. Our church is a democracy. We
vote on everything. And bless God, we did. I mean,
we voted on everything. Democracy is not the kingdom
of God. You're right. God ordained democracy
and God ordained communism. Yes, sir. God ordained Abraham
Lincoln and God ordained Mao Zedong. Both. Again, all powers, governments
are ordained of God, not just the pleasant one. But there's
only one government that always truly honors God. One only. I even looked up theocracy on
Google. It says something along the lines of a kingdom ruled
by a priest. Where in the name of the ever-loving truth did
they ever get that from? I know if it's on the internet,
it's gotta be true. No, it don't. No, it don't. There's only one theocracy. That's
the head, Jesus Christ, reigning over his church. Theocracy means
God's in charge. God rules. God reigns. He is
the reigning empire. And I liked that. I didn't used
to like that. Joe, that not like it used to
be part of the pit I was in. I prouded, how do you say it? Prouded ain't the right word
is it? I had pride in the fact that I was a Bible believing,
fundamental soul winning, democratic bantist. But I didn't know Christ as he
truly is. He could have left me there. I wasn't even in a gospel preaching
assembly. And Mac, God sent his gospel.
Calls me out of that stuff. Four, number four. Back to Romans
12, or 13, I'm sorry. Number four, the church of our
Lord Jesus Christ is not a democracy, although there are some Baptists
who hold that it is. No, the church of our Lord Jesus
Christ is Christocratic. It's not democratic, it is Christocratic. He rules. He reigns. I reminded of New Jersey, Clay Curtis. They were trying to get some
money from the bank to buy the church building that they finally
was able to get. And they were talking about, you know, do you
have, you know, you gotta have all these officers and all that.
And he said, well, you know, we don't vote on everything.
We just, we're a church. We're a body of believers. And
he said, you know, that these people follow my lead. If I say
this is what I think we ought to do, we work toward that end.
Now maybe, whether it happens or not, that's in God's property.
He said, well, who keeps you in charge? Who keeps you in line,
rather? They don't get it. They don't
understand that Jesus Christ, by His Spirit through this Word,
governs our thoughts and intents. And when we go astray, it's not
long before he will bring us back into line. If he doesn't,
then we are what? Illegitimate. Bastards and not
sons is the KJV way of putting it. No, God's church is Christocentric. Not gonna read it. Ephesians
1, 19 through 23. Colossians 1, 12 through 19. Number five, all powers, that
is governments, no matter its form, and I've got to emphasize
that. No, all powers, all governments,
no matter its form, they all serve our God's sovereign purpose. I mean, I'm not going to tell
you who you ought to vote for. That's not what I'm here for.
Paul never did any of that. None of the apostles did anything
like that. They said things like this, let
every soul be subject to the higher powers for there is no
power but of God. The powers that be are ordained
of God. That's what they taught. I have
certain ways I'd like to see things done in this country.
But it ain't up to me. And by God's grace, I'm not going
to stoop to the level of unbelievers to try to get it done. If our
God's pleased to put a Donald Trump or Joe Biden, two opposite
ends of the pole in office and he's done both. Yes or no. They're there. One was there.
He's not now. Another one is there. Eventually
he won't be there any longer. If this world stays, he won't
be. Okay. But God put them there. Yes,
sir. And God intends for us to keep our eyes on Christ, not
on the government. Gotta work this out. I'm totally
at ease with leaving it up to the politicians, even if they
make a mess of it. Because eventually, we always
make a mess of it. And if you stoop to their level
and get involved in their politics, you will have your eyes somewhere
else other than on Jesus Christ. I know, I've been there. I've
been there. Look at this, it was fit, all
powers, all governments, no matter what it's for, they all serve
our God's sovereign purpose. Again, I'm not gonna read it.
They are God's what? Servants. You know what it says?
Servants, for he is the minister, the servant of God. It says that
right here. Examples, look at Isaiah 46. We're gonna look at an example,
the doctrinal example of it, you might say, and then an actual
physical example of it. Isaiah 46, in verse eight. Remember this, verse eight of
Isaiah 46. Show yourselves men, bring it
again to mind, O ye transgressors. Remember the former things of
old, for I am God, and there is none else. I am God, and there
is none like me. Declaring the end, from the beginning. So we ain't gonna change it.
We might think we do with our vote, God's just manipulating
our votes to put in office who he wants. And in countries where
there are no votes, God just manipulates that to put in power
who he wants. And sometimes it may be like
a David to bless an Israel. And other times it may be a Nebuchadnezzar
to bring Israel into judgment. God ordained Nebuchadnezzar.
Jeremiah prophesied about it for years and said you better
just bow down to this. The captivity's coming, you fight
against it, you'll perish. Hard pill to swallow, yeah. But
that's saying God's in charge, ain't it? But declaring the end
from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not
yet done saying, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. So if I reach up there and try
to change it, God may break my hand in the process. Look, calling
a ravenous bird. Now he's not talking about just
flying creatures. This is illustrating humankind. Men, mankind, calling
a ravenous bird from the east. Who's he talking about? Nebuchadnezzar. Cyrus, calling a ravenous bird
from the east. The man that executes my counsel
from a far country. They're serving God and they
don't even know it. They're serving God, they don't
even know it. From a far country, yea, I have spoken it. I will
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also
do it. Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted that are far from righteousness.
I bring near my righteousness. It shall not be far off, and
my salvation shall not tarry. I will place salvation in Zion
for Israel, my glory. You all remember Lord of the
Hill. Most everybody here probably does. Lorna Elliott. She was
convinced of this, and I got no reason to say she was wrong.
Now there may be a lot more to it than what she said, but she
said, God started World War II to get me to America where I
could hear the gospel. Because where I was at in Australia,
there was no gospel. I say, thank God for a woman
like that. Thanks God for his gospel. No matter what the means God
used to bring Folks, if this world stands,
I'm not a prophet. We know the past. We know history.
If this world stands too much longer, the U.S. of A. will not
exist as it now does. We see the degradation just in
our days. But there are things today that are said to be the
norm that you wouldn't even dare set out in public or even maybe
even discuss privately. And today it's the norm. Right? And it's not just the norm. You
are a hateful, bigoted, mean-spirited person if you say anything is
definitely right and anything's definitely wrong today. This ain't new. They call evil
good and they call good evil. Humankind didn't just all of
a sudden come up with these ideas. We've been doing it for years
and years and years. His servants. There's a second
thing. I'll give you an example. Now look at chapter 45. Just
you're right there, right there next to it. If you're still in
Isaiah 46, Isaiah 45, listen to what God moved Isaiah to write.
Thus saith the Lord to his anointed to Cyrus. Now I didn't go back
and check it all, but you can check it later. Make sure I'm
telling you the truth. I didn't check the exact years. This Cyrus
didn't even exist yet. after the captivity and after
Nebuchadnezzar and after Daniel and all that, this Cyrus comes
to power. Yes, sir. Huh? Well, you remember
who Cyrus was, don't you? Yes. He's the one that the Israelites
begin to start going back to Jerusalem. Yes, sir. And here
he's named by name years before he even existed. Thus saith the
Lord to his anointed, his anointed, to Cyrus, the heathen king, that
ravenous bird. I mean, he wasn't an assault
of the earth folk. But the king's heart is in the
Lord's hand. He turneth it whithersoever he will. Whose right hand I have
holden to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of
kings. To open before him the two leave
gates and the gates shall not be shut. I will go before thee and make
the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates
of brass, cut and sunder the bars of iron, and I will give
thee the treasures of darkness. He'll give him what he wants,
but he's still manipulating for his own purpose. Somebody says,
that's not my God. I know probably not your God.
But it's the God of all glory. It's the Almighty. I will give
thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places,
that thou mayest know that I am the Lord, which call thee by
thy name, and the God of Israel. Look, here it is. For Jacob,
my servant's sake. All of this unknowable stuff. What is the song we sing? God be with you till we meet
again when life's perilous thick confound you. Ever been there? Seem like our country's just
bogged down under that right now, right? Put his arms unfailing
round you. God be with you till we meet
again. For Jacob, my servant's sake,
and for Israel, mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name.
I have summoned thee, though thou hast not known me. Now folks, that's as clear as
you can get. God says, I'm going to raise up a ruler, give him
great power and authority and just give him pretty much his
heart's desire. But I'm going to use him to benefit
my people. Somebody says, well I don't see
how that could happen now. He's still God. Let's say they
go on a rampage and decide all these sovereign grace folks need
to be put out of their misery. lop off our heads. Guess what?
They'll do us a favor. We'll be done with them, they
can be done with us. And we'll be with Christ. There's our examples. You see,
there's a third point under number five. Even wicked tyrants serve
our God. Acts chapter four. Now look at
this, Acts chapter four. Acts chapter 4 verse 23, and
being let go, that was some of the disciples, being let go,
they went to their own company and reported all that the chief
priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that,
they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said,
Lord, thou art God, which hath made heaven and earth and the
sea and all that in them is, who by the mouth of thy servant
David hath said, why do the heathen rage and the people imagine vain
things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were
gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ.
And they did. Yes, sir. That's right. They
did. But look, for of a truth against
thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed both Herod, you
see it? And Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles
and the people of Israel were gathered together. For to do
whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. Amen. Remember Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego? Yes, sir. You know they taught
y'all, some of y'all maybe taught that it wouldn't bend, it wouldn't
burn. What was it? It wouldn't bend, it wouldn't bow, it wouldn't
burn. And I loved that as a child. I ain't even looked at the song
lately. It might be a pretty good song. I don't know. I'm
not making fun of the song. I'm just thinking that every time
I think it. Shack-rack-me-shack. Depends who goes. But what they
say, who was it? Which one was it? Nebuchadnezzar
built the idol, said you'll bow to it when we play the music.
We'll cast you into this fiery furnace. And they said our God
will deliver us. He'll deliver us. But if not,
We're still able to pounty a rifle. And you know the one thing that
they lost when they cast them into the fire? The bond, the
chains, the fetters that bound them. The fire was so hot, the
people that throwed them into that pit, whatever it was, it
killed them. And they walked around and it didn't even singe
their clothes, but they were bound with fetters. It burnt
the fetters off of them. But there was something also
they gained that they did not have when they were outside of
that fire. A fourth man walked among them, the Son of God. I can't explain all this to you
folks. Here's exactly how God's working
this out for you and for us. I don't know, but I know all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are called according to His purpose. Gotta hurry up. Our God can convert even the
most wicked tyrant. And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings
against the disciples. And Ellen, just a few days later,
God brought him to bow to Jesus Christ. Or you could take a Herod,
put his fingers in his suspenders and say, boy, I'm great when
the people started praising him. You know what God killed him?
And the worms ate his dead flesh. Paul was no worse than Herod.
Herod was no worse than Paul. They both hated God and God's
people. When any of the powers that be
cause us concern, let us call to mind, the king's heart is
in the Lord's hand. He turneth it whithersoever he
will. And even the wrath of men shall
praise our God. The rest of it, he'll confine
it. He'll restrain it. He won't let
it happen. I can kind of rest in a God like
that, can't you? Heavenly Father, thank you for
this day. Thank you for allowing us to
meet together, Lord. Thank you most of all for the
truth of thy Son and the enablement to hear it, to believe it, to
trust it, and to love it through the power of thy Holy Spirit.
Thank you for the food we have here. May we enjoy one another's
company and some fellowship. In Christ's name, amen.