So do I have to wear a mask?

[NOTE: We're living in a time where we're seeing executive orders, new ordinances, recommendations, and such in areas we never imagined we'd see. What is the Christian's obligation to follow these rules that are, in many cases, quite controversial? The full sermon will help you determine that, and the blog below is a summary of what you'll hear in the sermon. There's a lot that's left out in the blog, so be sure to listen to the sermon so you understand the big picture....]

Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 

We must always consider ourselves first and foremost citizens of the Kingdom of God 

above all else. We owe our allegiance to our King - the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Period. End of sentence. End of discussion. 

As Christians, as we strive to follow Jesus, the Bible teaches that we are to be in submission to the authorities in the various areas of our lives. 

Romans 13 gives us the basic framework for how we are to submit to the governing authorities. That submission, however, isn’t to be blind, automatic acquiescence to every single law or order. 

For a full explanation of what our submission should look like, watch the full sermon here.

(the sermon starts at the 29:43 mark)

Below is the basic outline and principles outlines in the sermon:

The meaning of “Submission” 

Subject - as a soldier is required to obey his superior officer, we are to obey the governing authorities.

governing authorities - This isn’t about a particular person - but the authority that is over you. Ultimately, in America, our final authority is the constitution. It is to be mediated through the various levels of government. 

Verse 1b – there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

God is the one who ordains authority.

God ordains that we are all under authority.

He ordains authority in four areas (all of life)

Home

   wives are under the authority of husbands

   children are under the authority of parents

Church

   believers > the church (through leadership)

Workplace

   employees > bosses

Society

   citizens > governing authorities

You don’t just submit when the authority is good, competent, moral, or reasonable. 

The God-ordained role of government:

• Restrain Evil (including punishment)

• Protect Citizens (Life & Property)

Ultimately, the role is to Implement Justice

Verses 3-5 – it’s not fear of punishment that drives our obedience, but our obligation to God

The summary command:

The basic thing that should characterize us: Submission to Authority, including the Government.

Christians must recognize that God’s delegated authority runs through all of life. Submission to that authority part of how God keeps order in the world, guides His children, and protects them. 

As followers of Christ, we know that He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross at the hands of an evil government that was breaking their own according to their own laws.

While we are to submit to the governing authorities and be known for submission, rather than rebellion, submission doesn’t mean that we automatically obey every single point of law like a robot.

 

Acts 5:29 – Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

This was their highest court.

Their governing authorities

The Real Question at Hand:

• Do I have to wear a mask?

• Do we have to stop gathering?

• Do I have to quarantine?

• There will be many more questions that will come up in the future. 

When are you free to not submit?

Four principles for determining this:

1. Examine Your Heart

Are you known for submission or rebellion? 

For pursuing peace & unity or stirring things up?

Are you looking for an excuse to NOT wear the mask? 

Or are you truly trying to do the right thing?

If you’re absolutely convinced that wearing a mask is going to help others - you should wear one whether it’s a law or not. 

Make sure you have the right heart attitude first. If you don’t, get that right before moving on.

It starts with the heart!

2. Follow your Conscience

Your conscience must be Scripture Saturated and Spirit-Led

God gave us the ability to reason and discern right and wrong. 

Your conscience must be informed biblically, factually, and must be Spirit-Led.

3. Consider Others First 

Philippians 2:3-4, Romans 14:1-12, Matthew 7:12

With or without the governments involvement and command: We must pursue that which is for my neighbors’s good and reject that which would bring them harm. 

This necessarily includes fighting against injustice. 

4. Resist and Seek Reform

Psalm 109:8 – (of the wicked man) May his days be few; may another take his office! 

Remember: as you follow God’s law first and foremost you will always be in conflict with the tyrants who scoff at it. 

And when you submit in the moment while disagreeing with someone - be sure you continue to respect authority. You are free to pursue the path of seeking reform.

Keep in mind, however, that even doing the right thing with the wrong heart attitude - almost always becomes a sinful pride thing. 

Doing the right thing can quickly and easily become the wrong thing

SUMMARY:

We are to submit to the governing authorities because it honors Christ. 

It’s not automatic, blanket submission. 

Before deciding to NOT submit, you must think and proceed carefully always striving to honor and obey the Lord first and foremost. 

I hope this helps as we all wade through every situation and opportunity the Lord brings our way. 

Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Rob 

SUBMISSION

Ephesians 5:21-6:9 concludes Paul's teaching on what the Spirit-Filled life looks like

The Spirit filled life isn’t measured by personal spiritual experience. Your attitudes and actions toward other people is the real indicator of being Spirit-filled.

• Wives and Husbands

In our culture, the roles of men and women are on a constant state of flux, but God’s design has not changed and will not change.

God’s will for your family is simple:

• wives submit to your husbands

• husbands love your wives sacrificially

as you both look to Christ for the example

• Children

Children - these instructions are mandatory

Parents - you need to teach this to your children

Obedience is about actions

Honor is about attitude

In the Lord - when you honor and obey your parents, you are honoring and obeying the Lord.

Disobeying your parents is disobeying God

Outside of your parents commanding you to sin - to disobey God (not going to happen here), you simply must obey them. 

Parents are responsible for three things: 

1. Don’t Provoke

Provoke - a repeated, ongoing pattern that causes anger and resentment to build up.

How you provoke your children:

1. Be overbearing

2. Show Favoritism

prefer one child over another

Compare them - why can’t you be more like your sister!

3. Have Unreasonable Expectations

It’s never good enough

4. DIScourage - never encourage

only point out what they do wrong

5. Don’t Sacrifice for them

Do the bare minimum: food/clothing/shelter

6. Don’t let them grow at a normal pace

Don’t allow them to be their age. 

7. Use your Love/Affection as a tool

Reward good punish bad with your love, time, etc. 

8. Abuse

whether physical, verbal, emotional, etc. sbuse is never 

acceptable

Do Four things:

A Harvard study points out that when families do four things, there’s a 90% chance that the children will not grow up to be delinquent. Obviously this isn’t a guarantee, but it’s reflective of biblical principles:

• Dad: firm, fair, consistent discipline

• Mom: supervise and be their companion

• Mom & Dad: Love one another - affectionate

• Spend time together as a family

2. Discipline

Training in the rules of life, how to behave in all situations, education, correction/punishment Proverbs is full of instruction on Training

3. Instruction

To insert into the mind. Starting with information and pointing toward right attitudes and behaviors.

The key is of the Lord

According to Scripture

Through the Spirit

In the name of Jesus

To the glory of Jesus

• Employees/Bosses

In every aspect of our lives, God ordains authority - and requires submission

HOME - WORK - CHURCH - SOCIAL - ETC.

Do your job well - to the best of your ability

Don’t brag

Don’t complain

Don’t criticize

Be the best employee you can be. 

1 Peter 2:18-20 – [Slaves], be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. ¹⁹ For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. ²⁰ For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

• The Motive: Christ

Out of love for Christ (He commands, you obey)

Bby the power of Christ (He enables you)

To the glory of Christ (this adorns the gospel)

Bosses - you’re called on to express the same kind of humility and love toward those who work for you as they do to you. 

The bottom line about submission:

Submission points inward not outward. 

Submission is willing and gladly giving up your rights to another’s authority.

If your submission is begrudging,

It’s not submission - It’s pride

EVERYONE has SOMEONE they are to submit to. 

(probably more than one)

Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of humility

He Is God, And He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷ but emptied himself, by taking the form of a [slave], being born in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2)

Jesus modeled this in His incarnation, life, and ministry. The cross was the culmination. 

The resurrection brought the ability to submit.

In Christ - we CAN joyfully submit!

WE can because He did

Submission is one of the primary ways you demonstrate the change that has happened in you because of the gospel.

Submission and humility go hand in hand and are one of the primary evidences of the change that the gospel brings in your life

Quarantine Lessons and Livestream Worship

So this past week, Amy and two of the three kids were sick. For families with young children, this isn’t unusual. What is unusual is the whole Coronavirus thing going on. Normally, when your kids are sick, you just  stay home with them, but it’s not so simple these days.

After a couple of conversations with our doctor, we headed out Thursday afternoon to get tested for the virus. We were told only one family member needed to be tested because “if one of us has it, we all have it” (ask Amy how fun it was to get tested).

They told us that they’d call Saturday or Sunday and that we’re all in quarantine until we find out. So that meant that unless we get a “negative” on Saturday, no church for me on Sunday. I’m thankful for Ed Willoughby and his willingness to step in and be ready to preach for me. (it’s after Noon on Sunday and still no word…)

So here we are - Sunday morning - a few minutes before church starts. Trying to get the kids settled in to join the livestream. I’m headed to the living room - I’ll finish this after the service is over….

Just finished the service - and it’s certainly a whole different experience. During the “lockdown,” my Sunday routine stayed pretty much the same.

• Wake up at 5:00 a.m. - final sermon run-through - then head to church

• Gather for worship (only nine other people, but still in the sanctuary)

• Preaching in the same room with the same pulpit, just to the camera, not a live congregation.

Until today…

So while preparing for the worship service this morning, I thought through some things I’ve learned through all this:

1. The importance of routine & rhythm.

I’m a creature of habit. I need routine. I like my rhythm. Just knowing that I wouldn’t be able to go to church threw me off a bit. I’m absolutely thankful for the livestream, but I’m already longing for routine and to be back physically present with my church family. 

2. Distractions abound

Being physically at church is not just routine - it’s singularly focused. There for one purpose. Only one thing going on. Only one option. At home, there are 1,000 distractions and you really have to be ready to begin. 10:30 comes much faster than you expect. It’s hard to stay focused in the living room.

3. Singing is congregational! 

It’s weird to sing at home in my living room while watching the service. Even streaming through our TV with the volume up, it was just strange. It certainly highlights for me the joy of congregational singing. No wonder God commanded us to sing together! I’m already looking forward to singing with everyone again. 

4. There’s no Substitute for Gathering

I’m very thankful for the livestream, but it’s clearly no substitute for gathering with my brothers and sisters for church. In one sense, I’m glad that we had to do this because now I have a better grasp of what it’s like for those who still aren’t able to join us. Just one week and I’m already longing to see everyone. Those that are in week 15 of all this - I can only imagine the longing you have to gather. 

The Bottom Line:

Let’s all be intentional to pray for and reach out to those that are still unable to join us in person. While I’m sure it becomes more “normal” to do church like this - it’s not what we were designed for - it’s not what we need. We’re made for relationship. We’re made for face-to-face interaction. 

I’ll certainly let everyone know what the test results are when we get them (hopefully sometime today). In the meantime, let’s redouble our efforts to pray for and connect with one another. Let me know if you want a one-page printout of all our church members to keep in your Bible as a prayer list. I’ll email you a PDF. 

I love you all and can’t wait to see you again!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Pastor Rob

P.S. – if you haven’t signed up for a Home Group - get in touch with me and I’ll get you in a group. We have room in several groups, including one that with a huge living room where you can participate and social distance at the same time.