The Government Of God

00:00 - Speaker 1 Real Life presents the Jack Hibbs Podcast with intention and boldness to proclaim truth, equip the saints and impact our culture. 00:09 - Speaker 2 I understand how disgusting politics is. It's horrible. But you and I live in a world where God has implemented governments among the nations and, if you and I know the Word of God, we are to hold elected people in power accountable to God's law, to God's truth, not man's. This is what everyone is supposed to do, because we are not to violate the word of God. 00:35 - Speaker 1 You can get the outlines of this podcast by going to jackhibbs.com/podcast today. If this podcast lifts you up and encourages you to live a more fulfilled life in Christ, then make sure you leave us one of those five-star ratings. To us that's like saying amen or yes. Then that rating will encourage others to listen Now open your hearts to what God's Word has to say to you. Here is Jack Hibbs. 01:04 - Speaker 2 Luke, chapter 1, 1, verse 26. Luke, chapter 1, verse 26, tells us there, now, in the sixth month of, the, angel Gabriel was sent to, sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph. They're engaged Of the house of David. That's interesting. That's a legal statement. Joseph was a descendant, legally, of King David. The virgin's name was Mary and having come in, the angel said to her rejoice, highly favored one. The Lord is with you, blessed are you among women. But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her do not be afraid, mary, for you have found favor with God. Watch this and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great. Stop right there. What does that mean? He will be great. Well, you might say, Jack, what kind of question is that? Great in every way, don't you think? I agree, but do you know what every way is? How about every way? Is all ways, or all of the ways, including? Watch this, and he will be called the son of the highest. That's a declaration of royalty Is royalty dealing with government, and the Lord, God will give him the throne of his father. David Is a throne government, folks, absolutely, and he will reign, is reigning an issue of government Over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom. That's his politics. The politics of the king is implemented within his kingdom. There will be no end. Wow, mark these down. These are good verses to know and to understand. And we have more. Matthew, chapter 2, verse 1. Matthew 2, 1 says now, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod, the king behold wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying where is he? Who was born? What King of the Jews? That's a political statement, folks. That's a governmental statement, for we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him. Isn't that remarkable? You ever think about that? Think about that Coming together. 03:41 Psalm 110, verse one. Psalm 110, verse one. Psalm 110, verse 1. The Lord says to my Lord this is David speaking. This is 3,000 years old as of now. The Lord said to my Lord you say, wait what David is saying. I pray and I talk and I have a relationship with the Lord. And the Lord said to my Lord, the one I am speaking to God through and with the Lord, said to my Lord this is a profound statement Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. This is not only an issue of governance and of politics. It is also of the kingdom that is to come when Jesus returns. Then, and only then, will the enemies be placed at his feet. As he reigns for 1,000 years in the millennium, the Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion saying rule in the midst of your enemies. That's the millennium Politics. Folks. 05:03 God's government Revelation, chapter 17, verse 14. For he is Lord of lords and king of kings, and those who are with him are called chosen and faithful. Wow, what about this? Revelation 19, verse 16. Y'all know this. And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written king of kings and Lord of Lords. Did you know that? Every time you hear that and say that? That is a kingdom declaration of the politics of the Christ. 05:37 But we don't want to talk about politics. I understand how disgusting politics is, it's horrible but you and I live in a world where God has implemented governments among the nations and if you and I know the word of God. We are to hold elected people in power accountable to God's law, to God's truth, not man's. This is what everyone is supposed to do, because we are not to violate the word of God. Number one jot it down, if you would the government of God reveals the sovereignty of God. The government of God reveals the sovereignty of God, very, very important. And we learn this way that in verse 1, it says Romans 13, verse 1, let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God. Will you write this down? The reality of divine government? God is the author of government Coming from him. This is the reality. What is it? That every soul should be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, meaning wherever you live, whatever country you live in, that government is under God's watchful eye and for whatever reasons God has allowed that government to exist or survive or flourish. In other words, God's in control. The sovereign God over all the nations belongs to Christ, belongs to God, and so this is very, very insightful. 07:10 I want to show you a few more pictures, images, etchings, where Israel, for example, received their constitution, so to speak, right their laws, and they were the first to receive, and they were, of course, the first to export that to the world from the Hebrew God, the God of Abraham, isaac and Jacob. So, number one first of all, you guys know he's holding the 10 commandments. You guys know that you shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20, verse three this is the government of God. You should have no other gods before me. Is this true or false? It's true. Number two you shall not make for yourselves a carved image, true or false? True, you say what's the big deal? I make statues, I make totem poles. I mean, what's the problem? It's to bow down to worship. It's to say that you carved something out. 08:06 Or in our day we don't really carve stuff out, but we go down to the store, we buy one and then we set it up and say this is my reason for living right here. Whatever it is, could be a gold brick or it could be a house on a hill, could be a boat. You know what I'm saying. Could be whatever your affection is. You say that's it for me, I've arrived, oh, that's it. 08:28 And listen, when you get your first car, you can leave this up. When you get your first car does it like? Possess you like it possessed me as a kid. I got my first car. I washed it twice a week and when I wasn't washing it, I was waxing it. And then I knew it was an idol, because God began to speak into my heart, because when I went and parked at the store, I parked as far away from the store as you possibly could and I had to walk miles, so to speak, right To get to the store. Why? Because nothing could get near my God. It's not near God. Yes, it was because I listen. I transferred my identity to that thing. If it got scratched, proof, listen, proof. Hang on. Now Usher's locked the doors. 09:10 If your idol gets scratched or broken, how do you respond? If you respond like that, if you get all flustered about it, then it is a carved image that holds a place in your heart. Yeah, but, pastor Jack, you don't realize the thing that I own. Yes, that's part of the self-justification of your idol. But if it gets scratched or dented, does it affect your mood? If it does, it's an idol. 09:40 Number three, you shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain. That does not only mean cursing. You shouldn't curse, you shouldn't implore his name. But it mostly means this believe it or not? Not? That does not only mean cursing you shouldn't curse, you shouldn't implore his name. But it mostly means this believe it or not. It means you're not to live in such a way that when you that, that, when you claim his name, your lifestyle does not back up who he is. It's not so much, it's look, it's bad to say JC or you know the other thing. That's bad enough. But what it means is you're not to say that you know God and you live like you don't know God. That's what it means by taking the Lord's name in vain. Wow. 10:15 Number four remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. The believer is supposed to be on cruise control, resting holy. What's beautiful about this is God told the Jewish people to have a Sabbath day and then the book of Colossians tells us that Jesus Christ is our Sabbath, where we can rest every day. We're no longer having to keep the law, because the law now is inside of us and God works the law out through us, and he is, the Bible says, our Sabbath. But listen, let's make it personal and, as of now, remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. It means you need to take a day and shut down and focus on God. Think about that for a moment. Well, somebody might say, well, it's from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset. Well, maybe for you, but not for me. I'm called to work really hard on that day. Paul the Apostle said I understand that. That's why I don't esteem one day above the other. I esteem all days exactly the same. 11:22 Regarding Sabbath, the Christian should be in a perpetual state of Sabbath. I hope you are. I hope you are Next. Honor your father and your mother. Perpetual state of Sabbath. I hope you are. I hope you are Next. Honor your father and your mother. Honor them. You had to read the fine print on this one. I'll paraphrase it Honor your father and mother so that you don't get killed by your father and mother. No, the Bible says if you honor your mom and dad, you'll live a long life. Okay. No, the Bible says if you honor your mom and dad, you'll live a long life. Okay, that's a tough one because a lot of moms and a lot of dads are hard to honor because they're so godless. There's a way to show respect. 12:01 Next, you shall not murder. Murder. Sorry, maureen, picking on you right now. But, man, you're sitting duck right up front and you're, and you're in your dress, blues man, so you can't hide. You know what I want him to know and what I want every soldier, every Marine, every guardsman, every pilot to know, every law enforcement. You need to know this. You shall not murder. That's not your problem If you go into war and you're in battle. 12:36 Nowhere in the Bible. If you kill a thousand guys or one guy, that's not murder. Did you know that? It doesn't say thou shalt not kill. If you read anywhere on, anybody's made up 10 commandments and it says kill, it doesn't say kill in the Hebrew language, it's murder. You are not allowed to murder. But if you are a law enforcement officer and you are in a gun battle and you take the bad guy out, the Bible says you exercised righteousness and you were God's instrument for good. Same is true for our United States armed forces. Think about that. A lot of people don't know that. If I had anything to say to a group of Marines or US Army or anybody else, I'd tell them before you're deployed. You need to understand something you are instruments of God's righteousness and if you take somebody out, it will not be murder, it's killing and God sanctions killing in war. God says to David go out there and kill the giants. You think God was conflicted? Was God confused? No, this gets me going. I'm sorry, I got to move on. I got to move on. 13:47 Number seven, number seven you shall not commit adultery. I saw in Time Magazine it said that adultery may be in our DNA. Well, you think about that. Actually, I have the same reaction you did, by the way, and then I thought about it. Wait a minute, it is in our DNA, s-i-n, positive S-I-N. 14:10 If we don't have guardrails and laws, if we don't have a government that tells us such things as God told the children of Israel, then we will do what's right in our own eyes and listen. We will want to do whatever we want to do and sometimes body parts yell at us louder than any other part and you need to save that body part. You need to get the back of the line. This body of mine belongs to God and we're not going to do that. Okay, so listen when the Bible tells us you shall not commit adultery. No kidding, this is a tough day when you're doing marriage counseling and they come in. You can always tell. You always look at the woman. You can always tell a lot by looking at her. And then, listen, this is just between us. 14:54 When you ask the, when you ask the guy a question, don't take your eyes off of her If you want to get the answer. Because if you, if you look at him and say, did you commit adultery? Come on, I'm so offended by that. You just asked me straight up, like that. I mean, what do you think I am? And then I'll look at her. Look, I'll look at her and say, now I'm going to ask you again, sir, did you commit adultery? And she's, she's got the answer on her face. And then you'll say to him I know you have who told you it's like hands up. And then I've had people say, listen, I'm a good husband, I've never committed adultery. You don't get any points for that. You know that you weren't supposed to do that. 15:54 God says don't do it. Why? It destroys the family, destroys people and it just tears up both the perpetrator and the victim and all involved. It tears them up, it ruins them, destroys them. But for the grace of God, next you shall not steal. Do I need to talk about that? How about this? You're not supposed to take home the company's pencils, pens and erasers. See, you thought I was going to say you can't steal a horse, can't steal a car. Sh say you can't steal a horse, can't steal a car. Shucks, can't steal a car. Listen, when we take home company property, our justifiable thought is well, they've got 10,000 pens and pencils at this place. They sure do. They paid for every one of them too, and it's not yours Right? Think about that. How about this? You can't steal from company time, but I'm a Christian and I was witnessing to that guy on the job. You need to repent. Get back to your job and ask the guy to meet you at break time Because you're stealing from the company. I can tell by your response there'll be no parking problem next week. 17:12 Next, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Don't lie and destroy your neighbor, lying with the intent to undermine, destroy, to in any way harm your neighbor. Thou shalt not lie. Number 10, you shall not covet, covet, wow, covet, for covetous sake. People will murder and do everything else down that list. Wow. 17:42 Those are structured because they are given to us by God and it's vitally important that we understand that. The Bible tells us let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God. And it's God's announcement to us that in Proverbs 29, verse two, it is his will, listen everybody, it is his will that not to deny leadership and to deny government. Nope, God says you need to get involved in leadership. Here it is. Proverbs 29, verse 2, tells us this when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice, but when a wicked man rules, the people groan. God didn't say stay out of leadership or politics. He said for good people to get involved. You say, well, it's dirty, yeah, it's dirty, it's cutthroat, brutal, just where Christians ought to be. 18:46 - Speaker 1 This Jack Hibbs podcast, as well as all the broadcast outreach opportunities, ought to be.