alright guys let's get to the sermon Romans chapter 13 Romans 13 if you
haven't turned away from there Romans 13 I just want to grab one key thought
there one key thought from verse number one let's just have a look at this it
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 okay so notice that Romans 13 if
you read in context it's about government it's about human government
and a lot of people in general just as a general rule of thumb most people don't
like governments okay and it's not that government you know itself is an evil
thing it's just that there are so many people in government that are wicked and
evil and they bring in ungodly laws laws that are anti biblical and that's why
generally speaking even amongst Christians people don't like government
okay and even I'm even talking about the non-believing world just in general
because they know how hypocritical government usually is I mean even here
in Australia we're seeing Prime Minister's getting backstabbed you know
it seems like every couple of years there's another Prime Minister getting
backstabbed by somebody in there in their party and then someone else
usurping authority as Prime Minister and so it's just the nature of things that
we live in a world where people have a sinful nature and so no matter what
institutions we read about no matter what powers read about there's always
going to be some faults because we're we're full and human beings but the
thing that I want you to notice is that powers are ordained of God no government
is a power it's an institution that's ordained by God this is a sermon that I
preached not too long ago just a few months ago in my church there in
canal drum but I believe it's a very important topic a very important topic
it's not just about government today we're going to be looking at four
different institutions that God has ordained in our lives four different
institutions and all four institutions have a power okay there's someone as the
head and there are people that are subject unto that power okay and today
this is a sermon that needs to be preached because today we live in a
society we live in a generation of people that don't want to take blame for
their mistakes they want to take responsibility for their actions that's
number one number two we live in a generation that has no respect for
authority okay there's just no respect for authority no respect for people that
are above them you know and I used to think it was a generational problem you
know I would I would look at people that would come from what they call the
millennial generation and talk about how you know they feel that they're
deserving all kinds of um you know like the world owes them things and they
don't need to give anything back to the world but one thing that I learned about
you know just humanity is that the reason why we have a bad generation is
because the previous generation raised in that way okay and sometimes we blame
the new generation and we ought to blame them but who raised them it was a
previous generation and who raised that generation the previous generation and
I think generally speaking everyone acknowledges our world is getting worse
and worse okay but it's always the previous generation's responsibility
because they're the ones that raised that new generation and I find it funny
when I hear parents say you know kids like they complain about their kids it's
like oh you're kids these days hey they're your kids you're the one that
raised them like that it's not just kids these days they're your kids they're
your responsibility and that is what I'm finding in our world today a lack of
responsibility a lack of respect or authority and just not respecting the
institutions that God has ordained in our lives okay so first thing I want to
bring out to your attention is that everybody everybody is accountable to
God all of us must give an account to God one day I'll just quickly read to you
from Romans 14 12 so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God
everybody when we pass on to this life will stand before the judgment of God
and give an account for what we've done this life okay now we're last week was
the last week I think it was so the unbeliever would basically give an
account for the works that they've done and as you already know their names are
not going to be found in the book of life and they're going to be cast into
the lake of fire but even as a believer we are going to give an account for the
works that we've done we're not going to give an account for our sins our sins
have been paid for by Jesus Christ but for the works that we've done for Jesus
Christ for the things that are eternal in nature you know God's going to come
and judge those things on the judgment seat of Christ okay even Jesus said in
Matthew 12 36 he said but I say unto you that every idle word that men shall
speak they shall give account in the day of judgment you know even the words the
idle words the nonsensical words that are spoken of we're all going to give an
account for that okay and even he said what kind of words are we going to give
an account for I'll tell you the words I'm going to give an account for who
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved all right so if the Lord
asked me hey you know give an account of what you spoke I say well I've called
upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to save me and I'm glad to give an
account of those words and again we're not going to give necessarily because
we're saying we're not going to give an account of our sinful words but the
non-believing world yes even their idle words they have to give an account to
God for those things now the point I want to bring to your attention is that
while we're all going to give an account for ourselves God has also given us
institutions organizations and those that are in authority those are the head
of those organizations will give an account of those institutions themselves
what am I talking about yes government we spoke about government but also your
family your family is institution that God has given you you know your
workplace the business that you work from that's not the institution and the
new the New Testament Church the church is another God ordained institution that
is given us okay now if you're someone that you know if you're just a regular
human being born into a work into the world you already are part of two
institutions as soon as you're born okay you're part of the family unit doesn't
matter how messed up your family is it doesn't matter how broken at home is
that is still a family institution that God has put you in and of course if
you're born into a nation usually you're registered and now you're a official
citizen of that government part of that you know that that nation okay so you
merely start as soon as you're born into this world under two institutions that
God has ordained okay and we've been every institution there is that
authority structure right there's the leaders and then there are those that
are subjected unto those leaders that's how institutions work that's how things
remain orderly that someone calls the shots and there are other people that
carry out that work they carry out that vision of the leaders okay now some
people don't like this they don't like thinking that there is someone above
them okay children when they want to disobey the parents they don't like the
fact that mom and dad call the shots and they need to obey the parents okay and
so some people that hate government so much they try their best to be
completely off the radar you know try and try to live without you know having
to submit themselves to any kind of government authority okay there's all
that but you know what as much as you want to get away from those structures
God is the one that has instituted those organizations okay it's God the powers
of God we read about their powers of God all right and the reason why this needs
to come to place is because God himself operates with an authority structure you
know I preach not not too long ago on the Trinity again what did we learn
about the Trinity that God the Father has the highest authority in the
structure within the Trinity right God the Father who sent out son the Lord
Jesus Christ and then you have the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father send in the
Holy Ghost to teach us all things that Christ has taught us okay we say even
within God himself there is order and there is an authority structure okay and
so if that's how God is then you would expect his creation the way he has
established humanity that he would also have a breakdown of it like a chain of
command like an authority structure we've been different institutions this
is how God keeps things orderly now I'm just going to quickly turn from to 1st
Corinthians 14 1st Corinthians 14 verse 40 I didn't have this in my notes I just
wrote down before just before we started the church service today 1st Corinthians
14 40 and I just want to show you 1st Corinthians 14 40 the Bible reads and
this is in the context of the church okay if you read about this it's about
how a church ought to run but then at the end of that it says that all things
being that be done decently and in order okay decently and in order the reason
why God has established institutions is those things would be done decently and
in order okay there have been orderly way of doing things because when you
don't have these institutions things get out of order things get out of control
okay when you don't have this authority structure things get out of control I'm
gonna have a look at that shortly okay now first thing I want to talk about is
the family institution the family institution all of us are from a family
and I'll get you guys to turn to Ephesians 5 you can turn there turn to
Ephesians 5 Ephesians 5 the point I want to make guys is that every institution
has a leader or has a head okay every institution has a leader or has a head
and within the God had himself he said that was God the Father we've been the
family most of you guys know the answer to this I hope who's that head of the
family we're gonna look at this in Ephesians 5 23 pay attention wives
because this is I'm sure a favorite verse for many wives it says for the
husband is the head of the wife all right even as Christ is a head of the
church and he is a savior of the body hey wives you've got a head that's over
you you have somebody who's in authority over you and the Bible says that is the
husband all right the husband's can say amen if you want that hey you the
husbands are the head of your wife okay and if you look at verse 22 just look at
the verse before that Ephesians 5 22 Ephesians 5 22 says wives submit
yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord so the wife is to be in
subjection or submissive to a husband because our husband has the high
authority just like the Lord has a higher authority over everybody in the
same way that we submit why is it to be submissive to the husband okay now go to
Ephesians chapter 6 just go look at the next chapter look at verse number 1
Ephesians 6 verse 1 the Bible reads children obey your parents in the Lord
for this is right children for the kids that are here it says obey your parents
in the Lord for this is right so who are the parents mom and dad mom and dad
you guys have an authority over your children yes you know dads you you're
the head of your house but mothers wives you also have authority in your home and
that is over your children okay your children are not the ones that call the
shots you don't run your household around the children okay it's your
children that ought to learn how to exist within this framework within
obeying mom and dad and this is how these institutions operate okay this is
how these interests who operate there is a leader there is a head and then there
are those that are subject to that leader to that head okay that's the
family unit now let's look at government please look to Genesis chapter 4
Genesis chapter 4 verse 11 Genesis chapter 4 verse 11 Genesis chapter 4
verse 11 because I want to show you how without institutions how things become a
disaster okay cuz the Bible says we need to have things that are done orderly
okay and we'll see how things become disorderly when you don't have these
proper institutions in place Genesis chapter 4 verse 11 now this picks up the
story and what I'm going to go through a lot so you know about our Cain and Abel
and you'll see you know the story of Cain killing his brother Abel okay let's
pick it up here from verse number 11 this is a punishment that God gives Cain
he says in verse 11 and now art thou cursed from the earth which have opened
her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand when thou tillest the
ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength a fugitive and a
vagabond shall thou be in the earth so if you remember our Cain was a tiller
of the ground he was a farmer he could produce vegetation fruits and veggies
and that's what got him in trouble with the Lord because he brought that he
brought the works of his hands as a sacrifice to God and God is saying hey
part of your curse Cain is that if you work the ground it's not going to give
it strength it's not going to produce for you and that's why it's going to be
like a vagabond a fugitive he's going around begging for his needs
alright verse 13 and Cain said unto the Lord my punishment is greater than I can
bear that's what Cain said but let's pause there for a minute Cain says hey
this is a great punishment it's greater than what I can bear but what is the
punishment what is the biblical punishment for a murderer who wants to
answer that anyone the biblical punishment for a murderer put to death
put to death so we read about that later on in the law of Moses that a murderer
in fact even before that we'll have a look at that that a murderer is to be put to
death okay and so it's interesting because Cain says look I mean Cain's not even
being put to death all right but he's saying that the punishment is greater
than what he can bear okay verse 14 behold thou has driven me at this day
from the face of the earth and from thy face shall I be hid and I shall be a
fugitive and a vagabond in the earth and it shall come to pass that everyone that
findeth me shall slay me you know Cain says look anyone that finds me because
remember it's just it's it's it's only the family that was there Adam and Eve's
family so if other brothers or sisters or my nephews and nieces whatever if
they want to take revenge and they find me they'll kill me okay they'll kill me
for killing you know uncle label whatever you know verse 15 and the Lord
said unto him therefore whosoever slaved Cain vengeance shall be taken on him
sevenfold and the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any finding him should kill
him so God says look if anyone kills you Cain I'm sending a mark on you if anyone
kills you they're gonna have a punishment sevenfold worse than what I
punished you with so you see God did not put here the death penalty and said well
why is that well there was no government put in place just yet there was no
government put in place on the earth at this point in time now go to verse 23 of
the same chapter Genesis 4 23 that was the first murder that we read about the
second murder that we read about the Bible is in verse 23 let's have a look
at this this is about lamek this man lamek by the way lamek had two wives
which was wrong but he had a bit very successful children that were very
successful in the night we won't go into all of that right now but it seems like
they were doing very well they were prospering financially all kinds of
things verse 23 and lamek said unto his wives
Adar and Zilla hear my voice ye wives of lamek hearken unto my speech for I have
slain a man to my wounding and a young man to my hurt so what's he done he's
slain a man he's murdered someone okay this lamek then look what he says in
verse 24 he says if Cain shall be avenged sevenfold truly lamek 70 and
sevenfold so you see that lamek says well look if God was protecting Cain
from revenge and the punishment would be sevenfold well if someone kills me
revenge for murdering someone then God like he's putting upon himself God will
avenge me you know 70 and sevenfold okay 70 and 77 fold okay so I don't really
know why he thinks this I think potentially because he was a prosperous
and successful man because he had children who were successful I think one
was like a silver smith or something like doing what I call the people that
do tools Smith's it was one of those kinds of people and so he probably saw
himself of a higher value than what Cain saw himself okay he probably saw
himself as a higher position in society and he thought well if someone kills Cain
they punish sevenfold then truly mean 70 and sevenfold so you can see this down
the spiral you can see that people I think they get away with murder I can
just murder someone but God will protect me if someone kills me then
there's a greater curse then what came before me and so you can see if
murder is not being punished you can see how bad the world would get all the time
okay especially when they're hearing about these the fact that murderers are
not being punished except for a curse they're not being put to death now go to
Genesis chapter 6 just chapter 6 verse 11 and what we see here is that the
truly did become more violence it became a lot more violence Genesis 6 11 it says
the earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence
so you can already see before that right people get away from where they think
they can just kill someone and they'll be fine and look at verse 12 and God
looked upon the earth and behold he was corrupt for all flesh had corrupted his
way upon the earth so I just want to show you what happens to the earth when
there's no government institution when murderers are not being put to death
okay what happens the world becomes exceedingly wicked okay exceedingly
wicked and this is the point where God decides to just destroy the whole world
when he sends the flood obviously not the story of Noah only Noah and his family
survived the flood God destroyed just wipes out humanity because he had
gotten so wicked okay there was no government in place you need to
understand that okay now go to Genesis chapter 9 Genesis chapter 9 verse 5
Genesis chapter 9 verse 5 Genesis chapter 9 so after the flood after
knowing his family family get off the ark God establishes something new okay
Genesis 9 5 Genesis 9 5 this is some instructions that God gives Noah he says
and surely so this is shortly after they came off the ark and surely your
blood of your lies will I require at the hand of every beast will I require it
and at the hand of man and at the hand of every man's brother will I require
the life of man look at verse 6 who so shed of man's blood by man shall his
blood be shed for in the image of God may be man so what do we see God puts a
new rule in place they've come off the ark this is if anyone murders somebody
then they're going to be slain they're going to be put to death this is the
first time we see God Institute the death penalty okay and this is basically
government this is God putting government in place so there would be
some civil order there'd be some punishment for the wicked doers okay and
some people call this this you know the first government that gets it put in
place but it's a very clear instruction that God gives no way and also no one
that carries this out and teaches his children and grandchildren and then
eventually we see you know the story of bad we won't go to all that we see
mankind abusing government there as well but anyway we'll go to that right now if
I'm just going to read to you guys can stay there yeah you guys can stay there
and I'll go I'll just are you in Romans 13 if you're in Romans 13 you can go
back but if not that's fine Romans 13 verse 3 we're talking about government
there it says for rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil so
government guys is supposed to be a terror to those that do evil work to
those that are wicked okay not to do those and it's not to be a terror to
those that do right okay and some people with the death penalty some people think
well that was Old Testament teaching you know the reason and look again think
about our society why is things why are things getting worse why become people
can becoming more wicked why is violence increasing in this world you know what
what did we see in Genesis when the death penalty is not being carried out
it becomes a lot more wicked people are getting away with it what's happened to
our society the definitely is gone right it doesn't like the Bible gives us a
list of crimes that's punishable by death okay and people resist this they
just don't like it they think I've had people say to me well you don't believe
people need to get saved you don't believe people need the gospel because
you believe them definitely that's ridiculous right I mean if people were
being lined up to be put to death for certain crimes I think that's a great
opportunity to give them the gospel all right because this is their last chance
hopefully they get saved hey but they still need to pay on this earth for the
crimes they committed okay and we say oh that's just Old Testament teaching hey
I'm reading you from the from Romans I'm reading from the book of Romans well
into the New Testament time okay Romans 3 and I just read to you but to the
evil it says will that then not be afraid of the power do that which is
good and that shall have praise of the same and then look what it says about
government says for here's the minister of God to thee for good but if thou do
that which is evil be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain look what
it says about government the government does not bear the sword in vain you say
what is the sword hey the sword is a weapon of warfare the sword is a weapon
to kill okay the sword is a weapon to be head this is the new this is the New
Testament the father's telling us that government has a responsibility to bear
that sword okay someone does a crime punishable by death then they ought to
be afraid that government will come down with a sword okay and then it says for
he the government is the minister of God a revenger to execute wrath upon him
that doeth evil so is government meant to terror those that do good works that
are just your model citizens of course not but do we live in you know do we
live with governments that are corrupted you know we've fallen man that hate God
absolutely okay I truly believe government yeah we're talking about the
government is just way too big that government has their hands in too many
places in our lives I mean they've got you they've got their hands you know in
your work in your business they've got their hands all over your family they
try to tell you what you need to do with your children and we have that's not the
role of government the Bible tells us the role of government is to punish
evil doors and to put people to death that are deserving of death and now the
responsibility of government is I guess the defense force to protect the nation
okay from people that would seek to attack or hurt the nation these are the
main responsibilities of the government it's not the responsibility to educate
your kids to raise your kids it's not the responsibility to give you will go
through this or later on okay but there is a proper place for government and
when they start overstepping their boundaries when they start reaching out
outside of their authority that God has given them that's when we get corrupt
government that's when we get corrupt government but it's government in of
itself bad no okay there's a purpose for it it's a minister of God it's got a
purpose all right now if you can go to Colossians chapter 3 go to Colossians
chapter 3 Colossians chapter 3 I want to talk about the institution of business
the institution of business sale most people that go to work you you go to a
place of work and you work hard and that's your place of business okay
there's nothing wrong with that God wants you know especially fathers you
know men this is our responsibility to go out and earn the dollar to make sure
that there's food on the table to make sure that our families are protected
and provided for this is good and right while you turn them it's going to reach
you from Genesis 2 15 this is after God creates Adam in Genesis 2 15 it says and
the Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and
keep it hey day number one Adams creators right
it's given the beautiful garden and God says I'm putting you to work Adam all
right it's your job to dress and keep the garden you know Adam was employed if
you want to put it that way by God himself you know man this is this is a
responsibility of men look even before Adam had a wife God said Adam go to work
right start making a living for yourself and eventually you know God
gives me the wife but this is this is a proper our responsibility and ownership
of men it's our job man to go to work and provide for our families even Adam
okay before fallen was working okay this is work is not a sinful thing it's not
an evil thing or we could think it's something man was created to do man was
created to go to it and I don't know about you I don't work a full-time job
anymore but what I used to work a full-time job and I come home and I see
my kids bed looked after clothes every day and everyone's you know happy and
looked after it gave me great satisfaction I was like awesome you know
then you know I'm providing for my family gave me great satisfaction as a
man okay this is just something that is in built in the nature of man but go to
Colossians 3 22 Colossians 3 22 because I want to show you now the institution
of a business how God has issued a business how there's authority in a
business as the employer and as the employees look at Colossians 3 22 it
says servants these are the employees obey all things your masters according
to the flesh not with eye service as med pleasers but in signal that singleness
of heart fear in God so what's our responsibility as employees to obey our
masters to obey the employers or if you have a supervisor you know manager
whatever you have above you that's the person you need to obey it says not with
eye service as med pleasers don't do things just when they're watching don't
do things when you know just to please them all right work hard in singleness
of heart fear in God okay look at verse 23 and whatsoever you do do it heartily
as to the Lord and not unto men now this is look for anyone that hates their jobs
or doesn't like their managers or employers this is the best verse to
memorize and just meditate on during the day all right I've worked with some
difficult people
this is what's gonna get you through okay it says what's over you do do it
heartily as to the Lord and not unto men hey whatever place you work in just come
to realize this is where God has put me this is where God wants me and I'm gonna
work hard as though God is my employer okay not as to men okay I'm gonna work
as if Jesus Christ himself is my employer look at verse 24 knowing that
of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance for ye serve the Lord
Christ what's that all about listen when you go to work it's not just I'm saying
as a believer okay it's not just a paycheck you're taking on it's not just
your paycheck if you set your heart that you're serving Jesus Christ God says
you're going to receive you're going to receive the reward from him okay the
reward of the inheritance now I don't know where the passages right now but
God tells us hey if you serve him that you're going to be rewarded 100-fold in
the life to come in eternity you know a lot of people think oh man I've got to
be a pastor I've got to be a missionary I'm gonna go and be full-time service
for God to get all the rewards no you can earn rewards in your secular job as
long as in your heart you have set that I'm serving the Lord Jesus Christ then
you're not just taking a paycheck home but you're also receiving reward of God
his land of treasures for you in heaven 100-fold okay I don't know about you
when I used to work public holidays you get maybe double time or triple time
whatever you know that's nice what about a hundred time okay what about a
hundred time paid okay by Jesus Christ in heaven for all eternity okay so we
see that employees there's an authority structure okay employers are to do what
the employers I've asked them to do and you might say well what if my employer
asked me to do something that's that's gonna hurt the business well I think you
should let them know hey this might not be a good option but if at the end of
the day it's their call okay if they want to do it just do it if it hurts the
business hey at least you warned them okay but at least be obedient don't
don't don't be disobedient because this is this is the authority structure that
God has given us I'm talking about the family I'm talking about the government
I'm talking about the business go to 1st Peter chapter 2 1st Peter chapter 2 1st
Peter chapter 2 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 18 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 18 it
says servants so put it in our world out speaking and you like you want that
employees you know be subject to your masters with all fear and not only to
the good and gentle but also to the forward does anyone know what that word
throw it means throw it it means like a difficult person okay difficult hard to
get along in person so let's read that again servants be subject to massive
all fear not only to the good and gentle hey have you ever worked for a manager
or someone that was good and gentle to you you probably liked working for them
you probably like to serve them right you probably like hey yeah this is I'm
glad you come to work and look it's a good thing to work for someone that
wants to work alongside you and encourage you and get you motivated all
these kind of things but also to the frog okay if you have a difficult
manager you have a difficult employer it makes your life more difficult they
don't just they don't seem to listen to what you have to say it's still said be
subject to your masters we've all fear this is the proper and good way to do
things guys and it really if it's that bad just get out of there and find
another job okay instead of trying to upset the upper
car and destroy things you know but look these are the institutions God has
given us there's an authority structure an authority something someone that
calls the shots and people that follow people that obey people that do those
things okay now the reason I said this is very important now because as I said
our generation guys just has no effect there's no respect for authority in
general just no respect you can ask someone to do that so do something and
you know they'll fight you over it or whatever that they won't listen you know
kids you know don't listen to the parents these days you know that you
know people just don't care about government what God has interested
government no we need to be responsible and we need to be responsible as as
people that are subjected under authority but also those that are in
authority also haven't even have a great so responsibility a greater
accountability because as I said you're not just giving an account for your own
life but those that are in power have to give an account for their institution
that God has given them okay as I said fathers you need to even account for
your family all right if your family if your kids are messed up if your kids are
seeking the world and don't want anything to do with God you can't turn
around and blame your wife and blame the kids all right Adam tried that remember
when God came to Adam in the Garden of Eden he goes oh there's a woman you gave
because they deserve her and he was like no it's the devil right that's just
that's how that's how mankind is we're instead of taking responsibility we like
to blame other people all right and you might say well it's awesome I can't wait
to have the authority I want to be the one that calls the shots instead of and
I want to have people under me that's fine that's good but hey and and and you
know rejoice and enjoy when things go well but when things go bad don't blame
those that are under you as a leader you need to take responsibility of your own
actions you need to put your hand up and say yeah I was in error I was wrong
now try to fix things instead of blaming other people okay so we need a society
as God's people we need to be people that take accountability that take
responsibility for what God has given us okay now go to Hebrews chapter 13
Hebrews chapter 13 we're moving on to another institution and it's the
institution of the church the institution of the church Hebrews
chapter 13 verse 17 Hebrews 13 verse 17 the Bible reads obey them and this is
the context of the church I'll put that to you in a minute obey them that have
the rule over you and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls as they
that must give accounts do you see that that does that account again that they
may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you okay
so if this is basically the church pastor the church bishop whatever name
elder whatever they're going to use the Bible says that they have a rule of you
you know in this church within this congregation I have the authority in
this congregation I have the rule of you okay I have that authority that's the
authority that God has given me okay now again understand this is within the
church you know when we gathered for church we're having church service I'm
the one that calls the shots I'm the one that decides oh at the end of the day
how church ought to be run okay this is how things are done orderly and if I
ask something from you in the context of the church hey you should carry that out
you should be submissive to that okay hey but when you leave church when you
go home I no longer have authority over you in that area okay well if you're in
a workplace you need to obey you know your manager or whatever hey but when
you go home your manager has no authority in your home who has the
authority in your home that husband you know that's the person that has the
authority in the home okay and so God has given us proper institutions in
place to keep things orderly okay now I'm going to quickly read to you you go
actually actually before actually before I move on it said they may do with joy
so give that account so sure that pastors have to give an account for you
how you were in the church how you serve in the church all right so you want to
be mindful because if you're someone that's trying to cause division you're
someone that's trying to cause problems in the church the pastor has to give an
account for you all right and then it says that they may do it with joy not
with grief but that is unprofitable for you what does this tell me it tells me
that if the pastor the bishop gives a good account of you as someone that was
in the church that means it's profitable for you okay that is when we stand
before God and I started going through your names I don't know exactly at what
point this is you know it's gonna be profitable for you that I give you a
good account for you being a faithful servant in the church now I guess God's
gonna like some more treasures for you all right add another golden brick to
your mansion whatever whatever those treasures are okay it's probably but if
I give a bad account oh you know brother so and so sisters home so they
have a problem they were troublemakers that's not profitable you're not going
to gain anything out of that okay so be mindful whether it's this church or
when in the future you find yourself in another church hey be be subject to the
pastor be subject to the person in authority because that will make it
profitable for you okay and if you guys go to first Peter chapter 5 first Peter
chapter 5 first Peter chapter 5 and while you're turning there I'm going to
take I'm going to read from first Timothy chapter 5 you guys go to first
Peter 5 and I'll read to you from first Timothy chapter 5 verse 17 first
Timothy 5 17 the Bible reads let the elders that rule well be counted worthy
of double honor that means they should be paid but I'm not being paid don't
that's not the topic for tonight all right be worthy of double honor especially
especially those who labor in the in word and doctrine okay especially they
who labor in the word and doctrines is like the elders that rule well okay so
we there's that word again rule and the elders and that word elders is you've
seen the Bible is interchangeable with the word Bishop or pastor or these
things okay but notice that it's the responsibility of the pastors to labor
in the in word and doctrine okay so when we meet here weekly you know I need to
make sure that I'm feeding you the Word of God that I'm feeding you doctrine
otherwise I'm not worthy of that double honor yeah otherwise I'm not worthy
double let's want to show you that same word being used at the rule okay there's
there's authority in church now you guys are in first Peter 5 with the first one
first Peter 5 verse 1 it says the elders is that word again and the elders as we
saw before with someone that rules the church which are among you I exhort who
am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ so these are the
writings of Peter and he says himself he's an elder he was a pastor it was a
church pastor in Jerusalem okay and it is an also a partaker of the glory that
shall be revealed look at verse 2 feed the flock of God which is among you
taking the oversights thereof not by constraints but willingly not for filthy
Luca but of a ready mind so what are passes to feed the church what's the
responsibility of the pastor that has a rule of the church to feed the church
right we have some melons here and bring any food we've got some food over there
that's not that's not what I meant to be feeding you it okay I'm feeding you the
word of God that's the point the word and doctrine as you saw in first
Timothy 5 but look at verse 3 neither as Lords over God's heritage but being an
ensemble to the flock so notice that notice that does the elder have
authority and rule in the church yes should the church members be obedient to
the pastor in context of that church yes okay these things are right and good but
verse number three to warning to pastors neither has been Lords over God's
heritage the Bible calls you his heritage his inheritance okay so I
pastor is not to be a lord over you okay like I said I have the authority this
church I don't I'm not your Lord anywhere else okay I don't come to your
house and tell you what to do I don't tell you how to live your life look I
pray I preach from the Word of God my hope and desire is especially the
father's because you're the head of your home that you will take what you
heard and apply it to your family it's not my job to go into your house and
demand you do these things this is you know your responsibility to either take
it on board for yourselves well for your families it's not the pastor's
responsibility to overstep their boundaries like we spoke about
governments that all step their boundaries hey no pastors elders and not
to step over their boundary their authorities in the church and not Lords
over the over the people okay not Lords of the people not telling what to do
and this is very important because I have seen pastors and even pastors in
the independent fundamental Baptist movement being Lords of the people okay
and it's very it happens a lot in the Philippines guys I've seen this happen
in the Philippines in some of these other nations where maybe it's not it's
not so much like a first world nation I've often seen passes I've been seen
like these I don't know like these men that are more holy or something more I
don't know like almost worshiped okay and I have heard stories and I've seen
it myself my own eyes where people would come to the pastor and basically ask the
pastor to run their lives all right pastor what kind of work should I get
you know what what kind of woman you know should I marry this girl should I
marry that girl or even I've seen people come and say is it okay if I go
on holidays is it look I'm planning on going on holidays October you know let's
say 12 blah blah blah is it okay if I go to holidays you in this time it's like
what in the world right what in the world yeah if you go to holidays I'd
like to know because then I know you won't be in church that during that time
but hey it's not my decision to you know decide how you ought to do things in
your life okay and I've seen this and I've seen this over and over again
especially in certain nations that uphold their pastors like that Lord over
their heritage and then when things don't go well when things don't go
according to plan instead of taking responsibility for their own action what
happens I'll pass the time to do it that was pastor so-and-so
pastor so look pastor so-and-so should never have told you anyway you need to
take responsibility for your own actions yes it's their job to preach in the
church but it's not their job to run your life okay and I'm gonna make a
point of this soon okay look at verse number four look at verse number four oh
by the way verse number three it ended with but being an ensembles to the flock
so instead of being a lord and the man in you to live a certain life you know
the past is it should be sitting in an example and it's an okay that's that's
and then people ought to really not just learn from the Word of God but also
learn from the example that that pastor is given okay that's how that's how you
should influence people not by demanding them to do a certain thing or threatening
them or things like that look at verse four and when the chief shepherd shall
appear who's the chief shepherd Jesus Christ you shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away so obviously I want that crown of glory that's a
special crown for pastors you know if I if I run things well then God's gonna
give me that crown of glory that doesn't fade away but if I'm a poor
pastor I'm not gonna get that crown of glory okay now look at this five
likewise ye younger submit yourselves unto the elder yet all of you be
subject one to another and be clothed with humility for God resist of the
proud and giveth grace to the humble so it says submit unto the elder again you
can understand the context here it's not just talking about an older person it's
actually talking about that church pastor the one that has the rule of you
okay so you see that authority we see that leadership we see that submission
to that leadership in that institution into even the context okay now go to
Colossians chapter 4 Colossians chapter 4 verse 1 Colossians chapter 4 verse 1
Colossians chapter 4 verse 1 so this is talking about business okay going back
to the topic of business but just to get a an application out of this Colossians
4 verse 1 I really spoke to you guys that if you're the head of institution
you need to give an account not just for your life but an account for that
institution look at Colossians 4 verse 1 it says masters again if you want to put
employees there you can put that masters give unto your servants that
which is just and equal okay now let's stop there for a minute so it says look
employers you know your servants your employees give unto them that what is
just and equal okay if they worked hard if they earned their salary whatever
their bonuses whatever agreement has been put into place if they if they
earns that then give them what is just and equal okay don't try to cheat your
employees out of benefits or cheat your employees out of things make them do
things that was never agreed upon hey treat them right treat them just treat
them equally but look at that second part why why is it so important knowing
that ye also have a master in heaven okay who's the master in heaven Jesus
Christ hey who's really the head of that business is it the employer it's actually
Jesus Christ in fact what you see with all these institutions that God has
ordained yes God has put a man in place to be the head of that but above that
institution is always the Lord Jesus Christ and if you know above Jesus
Christ is God the Father and so Jesus Christ watches what we do these
institutions that is given us to manage and to maintain hey he watches the
masters because he himself is a master in heaven okay so be mindful that if
you're unemployed employer hey you know make sure you understand that Jesus
Christ is watching you because it's going to come a time when you need to
give an account for how you run that institution that God has given you okay
now I'm going to read to you from James 3 1 James 3 1 it says my brethren be not
many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation Wow
okay so look this is a warning hey don't try to be the master of everything all
right now if you want to use this language of master I am the master of my
family right God has put me as the head of my house you know the church I've got
in Calaudra I'm in a sense the ruler there I've got the authority and in this
church as well all right now I don't want any more masterships I don't want
to be running multiple organizations and multiple institutions and I don't want
to be in government either and have that responsibility upon me because the
instruction or the one is don't be our many masters okay because God wants
masters to operate this institution well and look after the servants look out
those that are submissive to whatever institution that is and then it says
knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation so who does God
hold accountable who does God come down stronger in judgments the one that's in
leadership or the one that following them the one that's in leadership the
master you know you've got a greater accountability all right it's a
wonderful thing to be a father to be a husband to be married have children to
wonderful thing hey but there's great responsibility there's great
responsibility God holds you accountable for the whole family okay and if you're
in government you're the Prime Minister whatever there's a greater
responsibility you have so many people under you you're running the entire
nation okay and those Prime Ministers who's in leader you know they're going
to be held to greater accountability and condemnation before God if they don't do
things right all right in any institution this is true okay I'll just
read to you quickly from Proverbs 27 Proverbs 27 verse 23 it says be thou
diligent to know the state of thy flocks so it's written as though you have
you're like a farmer you have sheep and your flocks it says look be diligent you
know work hard be studious know the state of your flocks and look well to thy
herds okay God says look whatever I've given you whatever is under you look
after know the state of your flocks you know as fathers head of your homes know
the state of your wife know the state of your children how are they doing how
they growing are they maturing spiritually are they growing in love for
the Lord know them you know don't be the father that just goes to work and then
you know the kids never know that their father they disappeared that they're
somewhere else they're not they're not involved in family and the kids grew up
they don't even know dad don't be that okay you need to know the state of your
flocks otherwise your your institutions gonna crumble and break away okay
employee employers you need to know the state of your employees all right it's
not just they're getting the work done but knowing the state of your employees
knowing how they're doing are that you know do they need help they need more
resources to do the job whatever whatever you've given them to do I know
the state of your flocks you know government you know the Prime Minister
those that put our laws into place they need to know the state of the nation
okay and that you know they ought to know that things are getting out worse
that's no matter what laws they seem to put into place why are things getting
worse why is the crime rate getting worse why they're more broken homes than
ever why is there more divorce and why is our society breaking apart they keep
bringing in these laws they should stop and say well obviously what we're doing
is not working maybe we need to go back to the Bible and see what God has told
us to do as government that's what they should be doing that was another state
of the nation and myself as a pastor I need to know the state of my flocks as
well you know it's all I encourage you guys if you have questions if you have
any any difficulties then share them with me so I can at least pray for you
you know and maybe give you some godly counsel maybe give you some godly advice
or maybe just put together a sermon next week and then it'll cover those kind of
questions that you may have and that's important okay those that are in
authority ought to be looking after the state of the flocks I'm going to move on
to one more bit here because there is a separation of institution okay this is a
very important topic and Baptists in general Baptists know you have you ever
heard this the phrase separation between church and state basically what they say
is there ought to be a separation between government and the church okay
so government it's not government this happens like think about you know the
Dark Ages with the Catholic Church basically the government the Catholic
Church was the government as well and so they were put to death those that would
not line up with them religiously and things like that okay it's wrong for a
government to force religion on any kind of people okay that's wrong there ought
to be a separation between church and state and it's wrong for you know for
let's say it'd be wrong for the Australian government to tell me what to
preach it'd be wrong of them to tell me hey you can't preach in certain chapters
that's not their place they can't stretch their hand out they've got their
institution they've got their rule and authority they've got an organized
instruction it's not their hand to come to a church and tell us what to preach
okay but at the same time it's not the church's role to take off the government
and rule the nation okay that's what we saw the Catholic Church in those Middle
Ages or in the Dark Ages and all those kinds of things okay so that there is a
separation of institution okay and what I want to say on that is that government
guys for especially for fathers and men for your family government is not
responsible for your family okay government is not responsible for your
family who's responsible for the family that father husband you're responsible
you're accountable for your family okay it's not their government's
responsibility to make sure your family's looked after okay it's not the
government's responsibility to give handouts you know to to give money to to
our single mothers and to to give them up and when I look at all this we live in
a world for society okay the reason we're taxed so heavily okay is because
the government takes your money and gives it to someone else is essentially
what's happening okay that is wrong that is theft okay someone takes your money
and gives it to someone else if I took your money right now if I just took your
wallet and gave it to someone else that'd be theft right you didn't want that
money going there and I just took it that's what taxation basically is okay
now is do we see taxes and levies in the Bible yes and we see that Jesus Christ
taught that you know render unto Caesar what God sees all those kinds of things
yes but do we see anywhere where God commands a government to take money from
somebody and give it to somebody else no so government in that situation has
overstepped their responsibility okay and so and what I'm trying to say there
is that what I see with a lot of broken families and I think the reason why
there are so many broken families is because it's not difficult to live in a
broken home it's not difficult to be a single mother in fact a single mother
gets amazing amounts of money okay and the more children she has the more money
the government will give her and and and sometimes you know they'll give you a
house the housing Commission will step in and give you a house hey they'll
give you things and you might have more than people that are working hard and
trying to provide for their own family okay and again the government's trying
they think they're trying to do a good thing they're trying to help their
people but by taking money of others they're making things more complicated
they're making it easier for young children to run away from home and live
outside of the home because they'll get handouts from the government hey you
all they're doing is breaking the family structure that God has given us okay I
mean if it was difficult to be a single mom you know if it's difficult to be a
lot less single moms right there'd be a lot the women in general be trying to
find a husband a man that would look after that woman for the rest of her
life instead of making some stupid decision and having like a one-night
stand or something okay so it's not government's responsibility to give you
handouts now do I receive handouts with ten kids actually do I get family family
tax benefit okay now my point is this if you're um if you're a legible for some
handouts unfortunately we operate in the system unfortunately operating system
your taxes are being taken out not just your your your salary that you get but
also what you pay for your groceries what you pay for your day in day out
things there are taxes upon that you've been taxed non-stop so look you operate
within the system if you're a legible to some sort of handout if you want to take
it then take it but what I'm trying to say is this don't become reliant on the
government don't start thinking it's the government's responsibility to look after
me and my family hey that's dad's job father you need to go out earn a paycheck
and if one jobs not enough then get a second job if that's what you need to do
that's the responsibility that God has given you okay it's also not the
responsibility of the business of the workplace to look after your family okay
it's not the responsibility of the workplace to look after your family now
I'm not sure how many ladies work you know mothers work here you know but at
the end of the day God has given the responsibility of earning a paycheck to
husbands and God has given the responsibility of mothers to be at home
raising their children and educating the children and raising them for the Lord
that's the clear Bible teaching that's the clear Bible teaching okay no
apologies for that okay but what I find because especially in Sydney our house
prices are so high you almost can't afford and I say almost because
somehow I was I was able to do it right but generally speaking it's very hard
for people on a single income to buy a house these days okay and so usually mom
ends up having to go to work to pay for the mortgage okay but then what happens
what happens to the kids well the kids then are taken to a public school system
or they're being taken to some after-school care vacations that they
call them okay vacation or something you know or just you know little children
being handed over to someone else that's not their mother to raise okay for what
for what purpose to buy a house to have more possessions to have more material
goods you know and so what happens is and I experienced this myself in some of
my previous work because I used to employ a lot of people and I had a lot
of ladies that would work for me okay and sometimes those ladies will fall
pregnant as as it's normal right they fall pregnant and of course when they
when they work for the job when they when they when they took on the job they
had maternity pay they had all these kind of benefits that's fine but that's
the agreement that the business had that employee employee that I've got to carry
that out but then after having the baby let's say six months later one year
later and still a little child they want to come back to work and they'd say to
me things like oh you know I want to come back to work but I can't work full
time anymore can't have my old job you know you know I want to work maybe two
days or three days a week and these are the hours I need to work and and can you
do this for me and it's like well hold on first of all stop stop first of all I
mean I'm not saying this as an employer cause I get in trouble but I'm just
thinking what about your baby you just had a baby why aren't you looking after
that little child isn't that your responsibility that's what I'm thinking
inside of me but then I'm also thinking as someone that's that's hiring people
it's like well hold on you know the business runs from nine to five you know
there's work non-stop and this is why we need this many people this is why we
need this many people employed this is the kind of work production that we need
to get out we can't tailor the workplace in accordance to your life to your
children okay first of all mothers you should be raising your kids anyway okay
and secondly I might not need you on those days and I might not need you in
those hours I might need you other days and other hours okay and I would always
look at the business needs first it's okay and then you know try to be a good
employer try to help them out say look all right I can do these days I can do
these hours for you but this is this is what the business needs from me and you
try to help them and what happens they get upset they get angry oh why does
this person look after me you know why why you know they get angry you're
trying to help them they get angry why because they don't want to take
responsibility for their own actions they won't take responsibility for their
own families they want the business which is a totally separate institution
to look after their family needs that is wrong that is wrong the person that's in
charge of that family is dad is father okay and those that are responsible for
their children should be mum okay so you know not only is our government not
responsible for your family business is not responsible for your family okay and
this brings me to my third point this brings me to my third point the church
is not responsible for your family okay and the pastor is not responsible for
your family and I say this and I said to you when I started this is a sermon that
needs to be preached and I truly believe it is because people don't want to take
responsibility for their own actions and I think part of the reason why so many
people are dependent on their pastors okay are they just a questions of their
life is because they don't want to take responsibility when it doesn't work out
when it fails well when something fails and they took on the
the you know the thoughts or you know the leadership of the pastor and he
fails then they point and say it was pastor's fault and they get angry at the
pastor well it's not the pastor's responsibility to look after your family
anyway okay it was dad's responsibility to take responsibility to take ownership of
that family and I'm not saying again please don't understand me I'm not
saying that you know you can't come to me with questions on your family
seek some advice from God and counsel that's fine okay but at the end of the
day it's your responsibility whether you're going to take my counsel or not
take my counsel it's your responsibility if you're going to take part of that
counsel or not take part of any of that counsel that's fine okay it's it's fine
but it's your responsibility you're accountable for your own family okay and
the reason I say this and I say this with love to all of you and is because
before I became a pastor before I had a desire to be a pastor for a long time
but one thing I noticed a constant theme amongst pastors and I don't know if it's
just the people I came across but I think what the people I came across is
just an example of the greater picture but I'm seeing pastors who are losing
their kids the pastor's kids are going into the world they don't care about the
Bible they don't care about Church they live in wickedly or whatever I'm seeing
pastors commit adultery I'm seeing pastors get divorced you know I'm seeing
past his family's crumble and fall apart and I'm left wondering why is this is
this really what I want to do with my life right risk my family falling apart
I love my family love my wife I love my children it would destroy me if I lost
that it would destroy me and one of the qualifications of being a pastor is to
have a faithful family okay and we see time and time again again even in the
Baptist circles pastors family just falling apart and people like look at
the pastor's kids look how bad they are right they have to be serving as an
example right and I was saying that and what I realized this is what I finally
realized and it took a while to get it all together and I even sat down with
one of my previous pastors whose family was destroyed and he lost his ministry
and I sat down with him over coffee one day before I became pastor I said look I
need to know how did these cracks developed what happened what could it be
done differently because I don't want to make the same mistakes you make all
right who's good enough to talk to me about things okay but um what I found
out is that too many pastors are running around from house to house trying to
fix everybody's problems trying to fix everybody's families they're going from
family to family to family to family trying to fix all their problems okay
spending hours and hours with you know men's wives spending hours and hours
with men or their children or whatever all the time they're not spending time
with their own family not spending time with their own kids not spending time
with their own wives they're trying to fix everybody's problems and their own
house is falling apart that's not there for them okay and then I read my Bible
and I say well hold on if all these pastors are running around trying to fix
everybody's problems everyone's families surely I'm going to read this in the
Bible somewhere it's not there you don't see that as part of the
responsibility in fact we read through some of the responsibility what is it to
labor in word of doctrine to feed the church the Word of God that's the
responsibility is it to go house to house and fix everyone's family no and
so when pastors stop doing stop doing the things that the Bible says then
naturally their families are going to fall apart and I don't want that okay
and so this is why I believe this is important message because I want you to
wonder first of all look I'm barely here I mean I'm here for like not even a
full day and then I'm going back to but I never wanted to have a church where
there was this expectation that pastor is going to run around but literally I
can call my pastor anytime he's just going to run and leave everything in to
come and help me okay yeah some pastors do that okay and one thing that I
noticed with all these pastors whose families fall apart okay who you know
when you ask the church congregation what was your pastor like what's the
answer was he a bad pastor no let's say he was an awesome pastor you know he was
a great pastor you know anytime I needed him he'd come to help me anytime there
was a need he'd be there he was a great pastor yeah he was so good even better
than the pastors you read about in the Bible which is why then their families
fall apart because they weren't there for their own families okay my point is
this you know I want to take responsibility I want to take
accountability I want to take authority for my own family because it's my family
that even gives me the ability to have the office of a bishop because that's
part of the qualifications all right and to make sure that I don't overstep my
boundary it's not my job to tell you how to live your life my job to preach
revival and then you decide how you want to live your life with what you heard
and it's my responsibility to be the head of my family not to be the head of
your family okay and what I'm trying to say to you fathers especially fathers
there's a greater condemnation for the institution God has given you you know
your responsibility you're responsible for your own family you know if you want
your wife to work hey that's on you okay but you're gonna keep preaching from me
where it says that women want not to work okay that's on you that's on your
family that's on the head of your house okay so that's what I wanted to talk
about today guys institutions are a good thing government in general government
family church workplace all good things all things that God has given us to
live orderly life to have things in order that's how God is okay and you
know it's a good thing to be the head of these institutions but understand you
have a greater accountability from God if things fall apart it's your fault
you know if a family falls apart I'm going to blame the husband more than
anyone else because they're the head of the house they're the head of the family
okay so please if you have an institution that you're over take it
seriously do things as unto God understand that God is holding you
accountable for the institution hey if you're a servant to the institution
subject to leader hey be obedient be good serve like you would serve the Lord
and then make sure these institutions operate well they're good for us and
that's what God has given us and also hey understand what the church is the
church is here to learn the Word of God it's not for the pastor to rule your
house okay not to be Lords over the heritage that God has given us okay all
right let's pray