Luke 3:18-20  :

Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people, but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done, added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

I want to take a little time today to talk about this issue of speaking out against evil leaders. Romans 13 tells us to be subject to our leadership for they represent God, but here we have John speaking out boldly against the leader of his time. In order to take Paul's writing to the Romans in context, we need to pay very close attention to both things together and not act as if one or the other doesn't exist.

I believe that what we see here is that the passage in Romans 13 is limited in that you are only supposed to follow leadership when they are asking you to do things that are within God's given commands. If leadership asks us to do things outside of those commands, then we must disobey and follow God instead. John demonstrates that we also must obey God in exposing evil no mater who is doing it. There is no excuse, especially for a leader, to be doing evil and it is our job as those who represent God to expose that evil so that it can be seen by those who may be deceived by it.

If John the Baptist didn't expose the evil of Herod, then some of his followers might have considered that John thought it was OK to do things like steal your brother's wife as long as it is within your power to do. Instead, John called it evil so that the people could distance themselves from it in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. John had to disobey Herod in order to do what God wanted him to do. John did, however obey in every other way that was possible.

Notice what Dr. Luke does here.  He said that he "added this also..." meaning that on top of all the evil that Herod had done, he also put John in prison which was Luke's way of calling Herod "evil" too.

Not only should we not feel wrong about speaking up against the evil of leadership, we ought to make sure that we do in order to properly represent Jesus to this world. We should not cater to those who permit evil, but we should care for those who have been burned by evil so that they know that Jesus takes no part in and will punish it when He returns. We should warn those who are being tempted by the evil that these leaders do so that they can avoid these things.

John demonstrated a greater fear of God than of mankind. He wasn't afraid to speak out against the evil of his day and it did get him killed. His eyes were on God and his future with him instead of on himself and his circumstances on earth. Only God can give us the power to live this way.  May God help us to live and speak out against evil no matter what may happen to us.

Luke 2:1-5  :

Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.

I'd like to take a moment to think about Joseph today. Not much is spoken about him here, but it is interesting to think about Joseph's faith because it was evident in his daily actions. Joseph was an example to husbands in that he took a love role in his family in spite of his own self image.

Joseph's life suddenly changed in an unexpected way very similarly to Mary's in that suddenly his wife-to-be got pregnant. We learn from other accounts that Joseph too was visited by an angel and was also expected to have faith and respond in that faith. Like Mary, he also obeyed the Lord and took Mary to be his wife, but we learn here that she was pregnant while she was still pledged. I can't help but thing that this changed Joseph's life significantly.

I am quite sure ignorant and faithless people started to talk. I wouldn't be surprised if it affected Joseph's business, although it doesn't say it here. Basically, the whole world came apart when Jesus came to them, but we learn from Mary that they were excited about being used of God in such an amazing way. This is not unlike becoming a Christian.

When we believe in Jesus, it is wonderful to learn our new freedom from sin and guilt and to know about our relationship with the Creator and Resurrected One. It is so wonderful that we are eager to serve Him. In worldy ways, becoming a Christian can bring trouble because the world's system is against the truth of Christ. We may lose some friends and we may even lose some business. I would think that some who will read this have lost everything because their culture doesn't allow belief in Christ.

It is one thing to obey Christ even if it goes against the government, but it is also important to see that whenever possible, we are to not offend the government and to do what they ask as unto the Lord Himself. Notice that Mary and Joseph took this trip at a pretty difficult time for them. It might have been especially embarrassing to go back to their home town and face relatives in the situation that they were in. At the same time, it is often our families that seek to understand and help us.

To say that God is a genius is to bring Him down. He is the One who is above all genius and we can sense a little bit of this when we think about this event. Prophesy held that the Messiah would have to be born in Bethlehem, the City of David. Even though the government chose to do "enrollment" at this time, it was God who controlled them. Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem. Not only that, we read here that Joseph was in the lineage of David. This was another prophesy that had to be fulfilled by the Messiah. Joseph's travel to his home town makes this detail exceedingly clear.

We may think that the government is "out of control", but this passage would lead us to believe that it is times like these that God is leading them by the nose. As we read when we went through the book of Galatians, God will not be mocked, but God will humiliate need be. It is wise for us to humble ourselves and serve God and our government for the sake of Jesus as we live in the joy that He gives us.

Luke 1:80  :

The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

I think that the leading complaint I hear today about homeschooling children is that they will become underdeveloped socially. I believe that we have a great example right here that becoming well developed socially involves your relationship to God more than it does your relationship with people.

Here we read that John the Baptist was raised in the desert until he became an adult. This is pretty interesting because John spent his adult life interfacing with many people who admired him dearly. I wouldn't be surprised if certain people, who didn't like what John was preaching, accused him of being socially out-of-place. It is true that he lived off of the land and didn't really care what people said but does that mean that he had a problem? Or, did he just challenge the exiting powers because he was so "strong in spirit?"

I think that arrogance and jealousy are deceptive to the rich and powerful. They seem to automatically use their positions of power to attack what appears to go against their pride or threatens their income. Perhaps those people who fight against homeschooling are doing it becuse it has been so much more successful than the methods that are employed by the public school system. The humanist would expect that a system that was made by humanity for the benefit of humanity should be more successfull than a system that depends upon God.

I've also noticed that some are using it as an excuse to indoctrinate youth in ways that their parents would not approve. Governments often strive for control over people against the will of God. Instead of humbly taking the power and using it to help bring justice to the poor, they defy God and use it as a way to bring glory to themselves at the expense of justice. We are about to read how the Roman government decided to take a census which forced people to travel at their own expense. I guess things have changed little in all of mankind's effort to save themselves. We cannot defy God and expect to live well, because He is our creator. We will be strongest in spirit when we take the time to concentrate on His word.

Galatians 6:6  :

But let him who is taught in the word share all good things with him who teaches.

Here we see an extremely frank and practical application for how we can objectively bear a burden of another and fulfill the Law of Christ. We should pay our Bible teachers! This starts with where you are really get your teaching, not who is doing the begging. If you go to church and are blessed by your teachers and preachers there, you should share what you have with them.  Is it money that we share, in many cases it won't be!  Most of us don't have money.  What do you have to share?

This is not a painful thing, it's just an honest thing. Paul is also not saying that we should try to find a cheap good deal preacher. No, we should pay for what we value. Do you value the teaching you are getting? Then it is only honest to pay for that value.

I'm not saying to tithe, although, if that's how you want to do it you can. I'm just talking about sharing with those who share with you. I think that the "sharing" plan is better than the "tithing" one because it's so simple and natural in a family of those who have already died to the Law.

Government: The idea of personal sharing is a much better idea than that of Socialism. Socialism says that we have to give to a few so that they can share for you. Capitalism, legally applied by a good people, allows you to work and have that you may share! It's hard to share when you are forced to give everything above your own needs to the government.  I can see how some might take Socialism as an excuse to not ever have to give something from the heart.

Galatians 5:22-23  :

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

One of the amazing things about the Law of Moses is that it doesn't disallow anything in this list. I have found many human systems that interfere with this list but God was able to make a perfect law that defines behavior that promotes these things. In a society that is aware of spiritual things, letter-of-the-law can give way to spirit-of-the-law when it is obvious that the heart was acting out of love, kindness or goodness. What the law should be wanting are the things in this list and if that isn't what is wanted, then there is corruption among those who are promoting the law.

As believers, we really want to do these things. Isn't it interesting that Paul doesn't give detailed instructions about how to do each one of them? I believe that this is because it isn't our job to produce these things. These things are the produce of the Holy Spirit even though they grow in us.

These things, unlike the works of the flesh, are very uncommon among people in the world, even though they are often talked, written, and sung about. Everyone knows that "all you need is love" but no one is able to do it. The ability to do these things stands out and that is what God makes possible in those who believe in Him. What a great thing to be a part of a community of those who produce the fruit of the Spirit. That is one of the greatest things about belonging to the Church.

If we trust in God's word and allow God's Holy Spirit to work in us we can expect to produce these qualities.

Notice that "self-control" is in the list. The Holy Spirit really doesn't "take the wheel." He gives you the ability to steer in the right direction. Believing this fact will help you stay away from many misunderstandings about the walking in the Spirit. Even though we drive by His power, we can forget and when we do, we start to steer in the wrong directions. God must be the one who produces this fruit as long as we remain in our flesh.

Galatians 4:19-20  :

My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ is formed in you— but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

It is obvious that Paul deeply loved the Galatians. This is an interesting place where Paul takes a motherly tone and compares himself to a woman who is giving birth to a child. It is very important to remember that both man and woman were made in the image of God according to Genesis. God is represented by both men and women and Paul was showing God's love to the Galatians by way of an illustration using a mother's love through the pain of childbirth.

True leadership really cares. It isn't just about about being wise or knowing more than others. It's about having a genuine love for those those that you are guiding. Paul cares so much and is so distressed by their behavior, that he was torn between calling them his children and wanting to give them a spanking for being bad.

Notice that caring leadership doesn't run from the problem. The Galatian church had made Paul their enemy and all Paul could think of was to go right strait to them. I am sure that Paul was not afraid to address the issue head on. It would have been pretty easy to just say that they have made their choice and leave them alone to suffer in it. Paul treated them like his own children and simply wouldn't let them go the wrong way if there was anything he could do about it.

Lastly, we see here that perplexity isn't a sin. It is easy to think that you "need to have it all figured out." Evidently, even Paul didn't have it all figured out and would get perplexed from time to time. We know now, looking back, that Paul was addressing one of the biggest problems the church as a whole would face going into the future. Many would need to hear Paul's instructions about this very issue as we need it right now. This problem was a big blow from Satan and Paul was perplexed. I would say that he was also hurt by rejection.

God knows when we are confused and hurt and He is always there to guide us through and bring us to a major victory. I think Paul, although he was thinking about whether or not his effort was wasted, knew in his heart that God was going to bring a victory in this situation. God did bring victory to me through these words. I am very thankful that he cared enough to write them down and attempt to do something about the problem.

Galatians 3:20-21  :

Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.

I am not certain I fully grasp what Paul means to say about the mediator here, but this I know. We needed a mediator between ourselves and God the Father. Since God is three in one, it is confusing to us. He can be a mediator and one of the two sides. This is one of the mysteries of God that we can only accept. We really don't understand it. Jesus made the way, as God the Son between us and God the Father. That is what we must accept as Christians. There are many things like that in the Bible. To God, our understanding is like children. We can't understand it all yet. Some of it we may never understand because God's ways are much higher than ours.

One might be tempted to think that the law is opposed to the promises of grace. It isn't opposed because the law simply doesn't work. It isn't that the law was wrong, it's just that man is so bad that it can't work to make anyone righteous based on their own performance.

Paul also tells us that there was never a better law in the world than the law of the Bible when he says if it would have been possible for a law to make men right with God, then that law would have been the law of the Bible from Moses. It really doesn't make sense for people to follow any other religion other than Biblical Judaism. It is the best there is according to Paul. The main problem is that religion is just not going to work, no matter which one you follow.

The other religions have problems with their laws as well as problems with their followers. Judaism has no problem in its laws. It just has no capable followers. So, in a way, all legal religions are "one" in that they don't accomplish anything for the one attempting to follow them. If there would have been a way, it would have been through Judaism because it is a perfect physical law from God Himself.

"I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious."
– Thomas Jefferson, letter to William Ludlow 

"The leech has two daughters: Give, Give" 
- Proverbs 31:12

 "Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle, but whoever earns it through labor will multiply it."
- Proverbs 13:11

"The diligent hand will rule, but laziness will lead to forced labor"
- Proverbs 12:24

"a man who schemes is hated."
- Proverbs 14:17b

 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren,
but the sinners wealth is stored up for the righteous."
- Proverbs 13:22

"Wealth is not profitable on a day of wrath,
but righteousness rescues from death."
- Proverbs 11:4 

 

"My son, [reverently] fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary], 
    For their calamity shall rise suddenly, and who knows the punishment and ruin which both [the Lord and the king] will bring upon [the rebellious]?"

-- The Words of God to Solomon, King of Israel, Proverbs 24:21-22 (Amplified Bible)

There is a time when fighting for "Change" will get you in trouble.  It is when you are rebelling against the Lord and "the king."  God has said here that their calamity will rise suddenly and suggests that the punishment will be severe.  You would not want to be anywhere near this.

I know that we don't have person who we call "the king."  That's because in a republic, the law of the land is the king.  It is obvious that in the United States, the law of the land is our Constitution.  To make this proverb clear to us we could say,

"Don't associate with people who disrepect God and the government by attacking the constitution in the name of change.  Who knows what kind of trouble they will be in when suddently authorities come down on them."

Obviously, the "Fear of the Lord" is supreme.  If you find yourself in a government that doesn't fear the God (The one of the Bible), then, clearly, this doesn't apply as God has made it clear that we should obey God rather than men.  In other words, when the king is a rebel, the whole country is in trouble.  We know that rebel leaders of the past have been brought down suddenly such as Hitler and the recently removed leader of Iraq.

Who are the authorities?  Well, according to our constitution, "we, the people", are.  We are not rebelling to uphold the constitution.  In fact, the constitution says that it is our responsiblity to uphold it.  Instead, it is our responsiblity.