(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

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