Submit...Don't Throw a fit

May 3, 2020 Speaker: Tara Detiveaux Series: Living Well

Topic: Submit Scripture: Romans 13:1– :7

Living Well (During These Times)

 

Submit…Don’t Throw a Fit!!

I am courageously running the thrift store right now…

Honestly we are out of business at Hope Extreme since our business is kids and because of the Quarantine we are unable to have kids here at church or at the center or basically anywhere, so we decided to open the Thrift store so we can pay rent and not have to lay off staff.

Selling essential items and the like… Giving people a safe place just to get their mind off of things, and this past week I had my mask on and was stocking shelves, and the lady was in the store was just blasting Hope Treasures. She had no idea who I was, I had no idea who she was, but she just spoke her mind of how we are the worse of the thrift stores and overpriced and on and on to one of her friends.

And in my mind I wanted to say things, I wanted to explain overpriced rent, garbage pickup, insurance for lawsuits, electricity of an old building, staff, and trying to help the two nonprofits it serves, while helping the homeless, we try as hard as we can….

And I just sat there and listened. I would say eves dropped but honestly, she wanted everyone to hear her opinion, her voices, believing that what she had to say mattered.

And I walked quietly to the back I thought to myself this Leadership thing is hard. Really hard.

Especially during this time where everyone, absolutely everyone is an expert and has an opinion about everything, even before this time of Quarantine, at times we are a bit overwhelmed.

And so we find ourselves in sort of the same predicament during Paul’s book to the Romans.

First you have to understand why the letter needs to be written. There is a fraction between the Christians, Jewish Christians verses the Gentile Christians, arguments of every kind, how to correctly follow Jesus, and the like.

Paul’s desire in writing the entire books of Romans was unity!! (Chapter 12-16)

The gospel can’t spread in disunity!!

God’s perfect plans are accomplished in Unity!!

John 17:20-22 “My prayer is not for them alone, I pray also for those who will believe in me through the message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent met.

In fact, Jesus prays for Unity!!

And one of the ways that He does that is through leadership!!

And us Submitting and Not throwing a fit!!

Romans 13:1-7

Submission to the Authorities

Submit -- Bible teaches that we should submit to one another out of a reverence for Christ, to esteem others better than ourselves, to obey those who have authority over us, and most of all, to submit ourselves under God’s authority and His Law because God will resist all who refuse to submit and humble themselves but will only give grace to the humble and humble people are submitting people.

13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

In this letter it would have been during the reign of the Roman Empire. It was not democracy, and no special friend to Christians—yet he still saw their legitimate authority. It reminds you that our Savior suffered under Pontius Pilate, one of the worst Romans governors Judea ever had; and Paul was under Nero, the word Roman Emperor. And neither Jesus or the Apostles denied or revealed the “authority.”

This doesn’t ask if you are a Republican or Democrat. It doesn’t ask who you voted for. It doesn’t ask what you read somewhere about something that you think you should have a voice. It merely says those that exist have been instituted by God.

And in this we are like Christ and the Apostles, when we subject ourselves to them.

2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Since governments have authority from God, we are bound to obey them – unless, of course, they order us to do something in contradiction to God’s law. Then, we are commanded to obey God before man (as in Acts 4:19) And when we resist, we incur judgement.

This…..

Leadership is a way of protecting us. It has the responsibility that God has given them and ultimately, they will stand before God in harsher judgement because of it.

There is a protection in staying within and submitting to and not throwing a fit!!

This is such a biblical principle even as kids God says in the ten commandments “Honor your mother and father and it will bring long life.” The promise is that as we submit to leadership God protects us. He protects His children under the leadership He has provided.

So kids if you are watching there is blessing of submitting.

Teens and young adults there is a blessing of submitting, even though you think you are grown.

Adults there is a blessing for submitting, honoring, falling in line with those who God has placed over you (whether good of bad) (whether boss or elected official) (or to each other within marriage) This is a biblical way to live correctly during these times.

My parents did this well, as within church life, and work, and government they honored the one that was in charge. Notice I didn’t say agree with everything that that person says but honored and submitted to them. And I have seen others that have grown up during the same time constantly bash, dishonor, and make fun of leadership and they are no longer with us.

They will incur judgment. We will incur judgment.

3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer.

Paul’s idea is that Christians should be the best citizens of all.

Even though they are loyal to God before they are loyal to state, Christians are good citizens because they are honest, give no trouble to the state, pay their taxes, and most importantly—pray for the state and the ruler.

Paul describe government officials as God’s minister. They have a ministry in the plan and administration of God, just as much as church leader do.

5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

We must be subject to government, not only because we fear government; not only because we fear punishment, but because we know it is right before God to do so.

So this is just a thought on how to biblically Submit and not throw a fit during these times.

As parish president, governors, and presidents are trying to figure out how to ease back into opening borders/commerce, please pray for them and submit to the laws they impose.

There will be blessings in it.

If they mandate mask must be worn to be out in public, find some mask and wear them.

There will be blessing in it.

If they mandate certain people allowed in the building during times of worship, we will honor the rules and honor God by following the rules.

There will be a blessing in it.

If they open the state on March 15th we will honor it or March 15th 2025 we will honor it.

And if they place more rules, we are going to follow them.

Not in fear, but in Faith that as we submit and not throw a fit God’s blessings will be there.