Christians as Citizens in the USA

Introduction

Well, welcome. We’re so glad to have you with us this evening. We have a number of guests from other places, and we just appreciate your taking the time this evening to join us. We’re in the midst of a series of lessons that we’ve entitled Christians Facing a Corrupting Culture. I doubt that anyone is here this evening, having lived any length of time at all and having some awareness of what’s going on that would not agree, our culture has become more corrupt in recent times from a number of perspectives. And it’s not a happy thing for Christians as we face those things. And yet it is not unusual, as we find in Philippians the second chapter, which is our beginning passage again this evening, verse 14. So I hope you’ll open your Bibles with me tonight.

I like to encourage folks to take their own Bibles, or if you don’t have one, there’s one near you, I’m sure, and turn to passages so you can see what God’s word says.

And especially intense in the sense that we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what God’s Word says about these topics. Thank you for joining us for that. Philippians chapter 2, verse 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, nor labored in vain. So let me summarize that passage briefly for you. His point is we need to shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. That was true in the first century when he wrote this letter to the Christians that were living under a system of government which was not anything like the one we live under.

And we think we’re in a corrupting culture. That first century was terribly corrupt in a host of ways, and Christians were able to survive and live for Jesus anyway. And he said to them, You make sure that you stay harmless and without blemish in the midst of this kind of a culture. Don’t let it damage you and don’t get mixed with it so that it affects who you are, Christian. Instead, hold fast to the word of life, cling to it with all that’s in you, and you can still be an influence in the midst of a corrupting culture. So that’s our theme passage. We’re going to direct that passage now to a particular topic tonight. I want to talk to you about being citizens of the United States of America.

That’s the nation we live in and the culture in which we find ourselves.

So maybe that’s why you’re here. Well, I’ll tell you I have all the answers. I’m kidding. But I think it is a topic for which we can find answers in the scriptures. So there will be some of my bias in this, folks. I expect you to be alert enough and sensitive to know there are times when you need to do your own thinking. I want to challenge your thinking. As a citizen of the United States of America, what is expected of you? So let’s introduce this generally, first of all. You’re in the book of Philippians. Look at chapter 3 and verse 20. The apostle says, Our citizenship is in heaven, from which you are also, which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to his glorious body, according to the working by which he’s able, even to subdue all things to himself.

So, Christian, in this audience, your citizenship is in heaven. You’re a citizen of a spiritual kingdom. And as a result, you can look forward to being in the presence of our King forever and ever. And he has the power to change your lowly body into a spiritual body as you become truly a part of that spiritual kingdom. But the fact is you’re in it right now. Colossians chapter 1, verse 13 says, let’s turn to that just a minute. Colossians 1, verse 13 says, and he has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. When you became a Christian, you were translated into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

You are in the kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord. We spent a whole lesson on the Lord’s Day talking about what that means. And that certainly has heavy implications for us. But you need to be reminded tonight that even though you’re a citizen in heaven, in the spiritual kingdom of Jesus Christ our Lord, you are still earthly citizens of a nation on the face of this earth called the United States of America. I say that because when the Apostle Paul became a Christian, it did not change the fact that he was a Roman citizen. He still had citizenship in the Roman Empire. Acts the 22nd chapter describes that for you. So while he had spiritual citizenship, he also had earthly citizenship, and it carried with it responsibilities.

1. Render to Caesar the Things That Are Caesar’s

So let’s talk about that a moment. As citizens in earthly governments, what are Christians expected to do? Well, the first point I want to make is Matthew the fifth chapter says you are to shine. So did Philippians 2. You’re to let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. So first of all, you are to abide by the spiritual principles of Christ that direct the life of a Christian as a citizen, wherever you find yourself. And one of the amazing things about Christianity is Christianity can survive and thrive in any governmental setting. We need to let our light shine wherever we are. But let’s look at some more specifics. What are the principles by which we must live?

Let’s turn to Matthew chapter 22. This is a passage I want you to put your marker in. Because it’s going to become the theme for tonight. Matthew chapter 22. We’re going to begin in verse 15. Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle him in his talk, and they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God in truth, nor do you care about anyone, for you do not regard the person of men. Tell us, therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tax money. So they brought him a denarius.

And he said to them, Whose image and inscription is this? And they said, Caesar’s. And he said, Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. When they heard these words, they marveled and left him and went their way. Matthew 22 is the great chapter of questions. As people were trying to challenge Christ in those last days of his life on earth and catch him in his words. Well, they thought if we ever caught this man, it was this time. Because no matter what he says, he’s in trouble. Should you pay taxes to Caesar or not? You say, yes, it makes all the Jews angry because they hated the Roman Empire. If you say no, it makes the Romans unhappy because they expected you to pay taxes, and here’s this great man telling them they don’t have to.

So what in the world do you do? Well, as always, Jesus knew exactly what to do. And his answer was, you render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Now, my question for you tonight is, what does that mean in the United States of America? And I’m not ready to try to answer that yet. But that’s where we’re going. What does render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s mean in this country? But let’s look at a couple of other passages first. Romans 13. This passage deserves much more time than we’re going to give it tonight. But at least should be mentioned that the Bible speaks very clearly to the fact that as we are in governments and under their authority, God ordained those governments.

Romans 13 1 says, Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God. And the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authority, resist the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister for you to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Now, this point is not a major point for my lesson tonight, but I must tell you right here, if that passage does not teach that governmental authorities have the right to put someone to death who is evil, I don’t know what it teaches.

This passage teaches governmental authorities have the right to exercise capital punishment. Swords, ladies and gentlemen, were for the purpose of killing somebody. God gave governments that authority. Now they’re supposed to exercise it upon evildoers. But he certainly has granted capital punishment to governing authorities. But let’s read on, verse 5. Therefore you must be subject not only because of wrath, but for conscience’ sake, for because of this you also pay taxes. For they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. So let me tell you right here, you’re gonna pay your taxes wherever you are, folks. Governments take taxes. And I’m not coming back to that. That is so obvious we don’t need to discuss it. Pay your taxes. Do you know there are some folks who call themselves Christians who don’t pay taxes?

Verse 7. Render, therefore, to all their due, taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. There is more to this, ladies and gentlemen, than taxes. We are to be in subjection to governing authorities. They are to rule over us by God’s decree. 1 Peter 2 teaches the same thing. But let’s turn to one more in Acts chapter 4. Bible students remember very well that in the early days of the church, when the apostles were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, there were those in governing authorities who told them to stop preaching. You remember? In the fourth chapter in verse 18, they called them and commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the name of Jesus.

But Peter and John answered and said to them, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. One chapter later, when they were brought in again and told to stop teaching in the name of Jesus, they made it very clear that they should obey God, verse 29 of Acts 5, rather than men. So, ladies and gentlemen, a principle is established that clearly, if a governing authority by God’s authority is telling you to do something in violation of God’s will, you obey God, not men. With those broad principles in mind, I’m now going to ask you, what does render to Caesar mean in the United States of America?

2. Government From the Consent of the Governed

It’s not the same thing as it meant under the Roman Empire, because governments are different in their expectations. So let’s talk about our country for just a few moments. And I start with this statement. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I hope, young people, you’re still learning enough American history, you know where that came from. I’m not going to give you a quiz tonight, but I hope you know where that came from. A little bit later in that same document, it says the following. Then that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, said our Declaration of Independence, July the 4th, 1776.

Now, the passage I have highlighted in yellow and underlined was not in yellow and underlined in that passage. I did that to emphasize what it says. This government under which you today live claims that it received its power from the consent of the governed. Who is that? That’s us, folks. Our government says we receive our power from the consent of those we are governing. That, ladies and gentlemen, is unusual among the governments of men. Our government was founded on the principle that those who are governed will be active participants. You give your consent by doing something. So I’m here to say to you this evening, when it says, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, it is my judgment. That means what does Caesar expect of you in the government where you find yourself?

And I’m telling you tonight, this government expects you to participate and give your consent. Giving our consent we do through elected officials in our system of government. And by exercising the freedoms as described in our own Bill of Rights, which tells us what our rights are as citizens. That’s what this government declares, under which you live today. The government authority, as all others in the United States, is appointed by God. Romans 13, verse 1. I’m thankful that God in His Providence has allowed this country to begin and continue to exist with the freedoms and the rights built in that you and I have enjoyed. May I remind you tonight that most people in the history of mankind have not enjoyed such privileges. You and I are truly blessed to have born to live as citizens under this government.

And all you need to do, folks, is look at this great discussion and argument about immigration in our time. Why do we have such a problem with immigration? Because everybody wants to come here because of the things you as citizens enjoy in this country. Our government was established by God. And this governing authority expects its citizens to participate by electing representatives at the local, state, and federal levels, who will in turn represent them in establishing the laws that govern what we do. Elected representatives fill all the positions in executive and legislative branches and in many judicial branches of the government. We elect some judges in Florida, don’t we? They do in other states as well. But if government, if judicial branch is not elected, it’s appointed by those who are elected.

So the bottom line is, these representatives make, enforce, and interpret all the laws at all levels of government in this country, and that is all founded on the participation of its citizens. I ask you then, what is rendered a Caesar? What does that mean in the United States of America? The result of this governmental system of the people, by the people, and for the people is a system that has provided unparalleled freedoms for its citizens, and I hope you know where that expression in yellow up there came from, also, young people. If you don’t, go look it up, because you should know. So what’s expected of us Christians in the United States of America? Now, as the old man used to say, you’re going to stop preaching and start meddling.

3. Our Government Expects You to Participate by Voting

Because I’m going to tell you what I think, based on the fundamental principles of which we’ve just laid down. I hope you’re ready. First and foremost, our government expects you to participate by voting. I’ve had the sad experience in my lifetime of getting into rather serious and extended arguments with Christians over this subject. There have been some leading lights among our brethren in the past who take the strong position that a Christian has no business voting because that’s meddling on God’s end of the stick. God’s going to decide what happens anyway, so I don’t need to be putting myself into that position. And besides that, I don’t know what I’m doing. And have you ever voted and wondered what am I doing? I certainly understand that.

Sometimes I voted like this. But my question to you, Christian, is this, and I want to make it strong. Can you be a citizen in this country as a Christian and refuse to vote? I say absolutely not, because that’s what Caesar expects of you as a citizen. And Jesus said, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.

Ask a follow-up question. If everyone who’s a citizen of the United States refused to vote, would we have a government? There would be no government, folks, because it is founded upon the consent of the governed. Do you think the Caesar of Rome in the first century carried one whit about what a Jew would vote in Palestine? There was no vote. We don’t live under Caesar of Rome. We live in the United States that is founded upon the consent of the governed. How do you give consent? You vote. So I would urge you, as a Christian, to go to the voting booth as a Christian and do your research so that you can vote in good conscience at least to support candidates who take godly stands on issues that matter to you.

But you’re going to pay taxes anyway, because it sure enough says that, does it not?

And maybe you don’t know which candidate to vote for on the basis of the tax law or a hundred other things. But could you decide who you vote for on the basis of a moral issue? Where you know the two stands are exactly one is opposite from what God supports and one is not.

4. Praying Fervently About Governments

That when you go to vote as a Christian, you’re going to vote on issues of concern to Christians. But do you just ignore voting altogether because you can’t figure out all the things that might be of concern to somebody? I hope not. Because you live in the United States of America. And I would add to that, if every Christian in the United States of America decided not to vote, then what in the world influence is there going to be relative to the issues of concern to us? And I believe of concern to God, because he says sin is a reproach to any nation. And our vote should be speaking out against it. Is that strong enough? I hope you’ll think deeply about that subject. Secondly, I know for certain that every Christian is to be praying fervently about governments.

Turn to 1 Timothy chapter 2 with us. A passage we referred to on the Lord’s Day. I wish to turn there again. 1 Timothy 2 verse 1 says, Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men. For kings and for all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. So I appreciate it so much our brother who led us tonight, including in his prayer, fervent prayers for those in authority, that they might make judgments and rulings and govern us in such a way that peace might reign, so that the gospel can be spread.

I know for certain that is God’s will, because he says so in such clarity in 1 Timothy chapter 2. So certainly every Christian should be praying fervently about these principles. Proverbs 14 says, righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. And I want you to take a moment with me and turn to Psalm 33, because it illustrates the power and the importance of that about which we speak. I know Psalm 33 was written in the days of the government of Israel in the Old Testament. But the principle of God’s control over governments has always remained the same. Psalm 33, verse 10 says, The Lord brings the counsel of nations to nothing. He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah the Lord, and the people whom he has chosen as his own inheritance. And skip down, if you will, verse 16. No king is saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety, neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. And might I add, neither are bombs and airplanes and armies. If it is God’s decision that a nation no longer stand, it won’t matter how much they have in the way of armies and bombs and airplanes. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his mercy to deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine.

The psalmist says, you best have the Lord on your side, or your plans will come to naught. So praying fervently by folks who are devoted to what God says can be life-changing for a nation. Turn with me to Jeremiah 18 again. And the first lesson we talked about on the Lord’s Day, I pray made an impact on all of us. That God has so ordained and circumscribed his rule in such a way that the prayers of his believing saints can impact his rule. I hope we prove that to you beyond the shadow of a doubt with passages of Scripture Sunday morning. If you were not here, please get that lesson and listen to it. And look again with me at Jeremiah 18. Verse 5 says, The word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter, says the Lord?

Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so you are in my hand, O house of Israel. The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I’ve spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster I thought to bring upon it. May I explain that in plain English? What he’s saying here is if the Lord has decided a United States of America will be destroyed because it is doing things against his will, if that nation changes, he’ll change his mind.

But if it would change those directions, he will change his mind.

He spoke this in the days of Israel and Judah, who were in violation of God’s will everywhere you looked. And it was a begging from God through Jeremiah to please come back. And I’m telling you, the omnipresent, omniscient, all-powerful, sovereign God says, I’ll change my mind. Can we Christians make a difference in what happens ultimately to the United States of America? And you say, What’s pitiful little mean in the midst of all this? And I grant you’re weak, have very little power, but the same sovereign God that spoke to Israel is speaking to us and says, You pray for those in authority, and things can change. The potter will change his mind, is what that passage teaches. So we’ve said two things so far. What is a Christian responsible for in rendering to Caesar in this government?

5. Let Our Light Shine on Moral Issues

First, he’s supposed to vote. And he should vote intelligently on issues that matter. Second, we should be praying fervently with our full being, with full expectation and faith that God will listen, and that he cares about the prayers of righteous people. And third, I would say to you, we need to let our light shine on moral issues. Turn to Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5, verse 10. Let’s start with verse 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. Is a Christian supposed to remain silent about things that are evil? No, he says you expose them. You speak about them. You speak against them.

You practice things that are righteous and do not participate in the wickedness of this world. And as such, you are shining as lights in the crooked and perverse generation. Does God expect that of citizens of the United States of America? I think he expects that of citizens under any governmental system. So what about this? I know people can take this position and run off and turn the Church of our Lord into a social activist political organization. So listen to me closely right here, please. I am in no way recommending that the church at South Bumby become a political entity. That is not why God built his church. Or become social activists, where you turn the church into something God never made it. But I am saying Christians are to be lights in a dark world.

So make that distinction in your mind. So, what do we do about something like abortion? One of the most infamous rulings made by our Supreme Court in 1973, which declared that unborn children do not have any rights. And as a result, since that time in our country, there have been more unborn babies, have their life taken, than have been killed in all the wars Americans ever fought by far. It is a national shame. Should Christians speak to this issue? I think so. Should we start a political organization that celebrates and marches? No, but I think Christians need to stand up and be counted. And to those over whom we have influence. Help folks who are thinking about abortion to find godly alternatives. So I want to recommend one to you.

And who had lots of young women coming to them asking for help in how to go about getting abortions? And it was so painful to them as Christians. Of course, they tried to help folks not do that. But they decided we need to do something special ourselves to try to provide ways for people to have alternatives. So they started an organization they called Sacred Selections. Some of you know about that organization, I’m sure, in this audience. But if you don’t, I’d just like to say to you what that organization has done by two Christians. It’s not the church doing it. They established an organization by which Christians everywhere can help. They can help by providing funding for young couples who want to adopt little children who were going to be aborted.

And they will adopt them to New Testament Christians. And so far, I don’t know the latest number, but it’s well over 200 young children that have been adopted through this organization. And if you’re interested in adopting, or if you’re thinking, even in your mind considering, or if you know somebody that is of aborting an unborn child, do you know what God says about unborn children? Will you just think about what God said about Jesus in the womb of Mary? That’s enough. Jesus in the womb of Mary. Imagine hear this woman who was in an embarrassing situation. If there was ever a time when modern-day world would say to her, you need to get an abortion, it would have been Mary, the mother of Jesus, wouldn’t it?

And how did God look upon that precious unborn child? The hope of the world. No, let’s help folks learn there are alternatives to abortion. And these folks in sacred selections, in a godly way, try to show a better way to provide for adoption instead of abortion.

Adoption in the homes of folks who are determined to show the love of God and their family and to help provide financial help to those who are trying to adopt. It’s a wonderful thing. I’d highly recommend it to you. It is a way for a Christian to speak out against abortion and do something to help turn the world in a better direction. I want to bring it a little closer to home. And this is a little dated, but it’s very close to home for me. As the president of a small, mission-driven, religiously affiliated college, who try to practice our business on the basis of the principles of our Lord Jesus Christ. This came very close to home. Because we went through a period of time with our government in the United States of America in which the government was trying to enforce rules and regulations through health and human services that required people to provide insurance coverage for the women in their organizations that included the coverage for abortions.

When it was in direct violation of the principles by which they lived. And so in January of 2012, we were under the threat of a ruling from our own government of huge fines, sufficient to put us out of business. And it was not only our little organization, it was any profit, for profit or not for profit organization under this ruling, and that’s all of us. I’m very thankful that a number of organizations, both on the for-profit side, headed up by Hobby Lobby, and the not-for-profit side headed up by the little sisters of the poor, both directly filed suit against the United States of America in defense of their First Amendment rights. I’m very thankful to tell you that both of those cases went all the way to the Supreme Court and won on a vote of five to four.

Scary business.

But it could have been the exact opposite. And what I want you to recognize is this government, the federal government, took both of those cases all the way to the Supreme Court to try to force people to do something against their conscience and against their religious convictions. If that’s not a direct violation of the First Amendment of our Constitution, I don’t know what is, and our federal government was doing it. And I say, in those cases, we will have no part in it. And I hope you would too. That’s a case where Acts 4 and Acts Vecome real. So will we stand up for moral principle? I say to you, beloved, we live in an age where moral principle is being sacrificed many places. And were it not for folks standing up for principle on this matter?

We would be in a different place today than we were just a few years ago. Let me add another one, if I may. If you’re not familiar with Title IX, Title IX is a governmental ruling that relates to discrimination. It began in the 1970s as a way to even up athletics, so you’d have as many women’s athletics teams as you did men’s.

Up to and including things that I’m convinced are immoral, but you can’t discriminate. So what do we do about Title IX? Well, I’m thankful that Title IX, as it relates to colleges and universities, allowed for some exemptions to the onerous overruling of some of those regulations. And I can tell you that for our school, our request for exemptions to those onerous regulations sat somewhere in the Office of Civil Rights for years. And it was only with the recent change of administrations that that changed and within a few weeks we got our exemptions. I’m giving you that illustration for this reason. The administration of this federal government changed when the government administration changed in this instance on several moral issues of which we have been the beneficiary of not having to worry about that anymore.

So on the subject of general morality, the sanctity of marriage, which is our subject for Wednesday night, pornography. May I pause a moment there and say to you that in my experience, pornography among us is eating us alive. Because Christians are not standing up and saying it’s wrong to allow your mind to absorb these filthy, awful things. And it starts, beloved, when we let our guard down and start allowing ourselves and our children to participate in all kinds of things where they’re constantly bombarded with pornographic things. And our federal government simply turns a blind eye. There used to be rules and regulations about what went on the public airways. There’s not enough support for that now from the citizens of the United States of America. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Or a bridging the freedom of speech or of the press or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, like we’re doing tonight, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. That is the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. I ask you, Christian, are you thankful you live under that kind of a system? Is it worth standing up for and speaking out for? I’ve just given you two or three illustrations of why it is. I hope we never lose it.

6. Use the Rights Afforded Us

Should we use the rights afforded us to promote righteous causes? I say absolutely. And I want to show you examples of that. Would you look at Acts 22? Did the apostle Paul use his rights as a Roman citizen for just causes? Acts 22, verse 24 says, And the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. This is a Roman commander. He’s ordering a Roman citizen to be scourged. And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, is it a lawful thing for you to scourge a man who’s a Roman and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.

And the centurion came and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? He said, Yes. And the commander answered, With a large sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, I was born a citizen. Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him. Can you picture this? Did Paul use his rights as a Roman citizen to stop them from doing something wrong? Yes, he did. Should we do the same as citizens of the United States of America? We have the First Amendment, beloved. We do not have to be mistreated with impunity. Acts 25, verse 10.

Then Paul said, I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat where I ought to be judged. To the Jews, I’ve done no wrong, as you very well know, for I am if I’m an offender or have committed anything worthy of death, I do not object to dying. But if there’s nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar. You see, a Roman citizen did not have to give in to the local authorities when they were doing something wrong. He said, No, sir, I’m going to appeal all the way to Caesar. And he did. I think that proves the case. The Apostle Paul certainly did. So should we use the rights afforded us to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ?

1 Timothy 2 says we should. And we should be praying that our government will never change in such a way that we don’t have that right anymore. And that that right can be spread far and wide, not just here. Romans 1 says the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the first, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. Yes, beloved. When it comes to freedoms, you live in a country that’s allowed it more than any country in the history of mankind. And in particular, the spread of the gospel of Christ. And if you don’t mind, I know our time’s about gone, but I’ve got to tell you one more story.

I lived through 1989. Some of you were alive then. Please nod your heads and make me feel better. Some of you youngsters don’t know what powerful year 1989 was. It was the year in my lifetime where a hateful force over on the other side of the world called the United Soviet Socialist Republic came to its knees. And who would have ever dreamed it? It started with the Hungarians taking down their barbed wire fence in April. And we all knew who had lived through the 1950s. Some of you were alive then, right? When the Hungarians tried to declare their freedom in 1956, you remember what happened? They sent in their tanks and smashed them. In 1989, nothing happened. Not long after that, Poland under Lek Walenza, you remember?

Started speaking out against communist control. And I thought the end is near. Third world war is upon us. They didn’t do anything. And Lek Willenza ended up running that country. And right next door in Czechoslovakia, Vaklov Havel engaged in the Velvet Revolution as he who had been imprisoned by the communists was now standing up publicly speaking out against the communist rule, and Vaklov Havel became president of the Czechoslovakian Republic. And in November, that hated wall in Berlin. I would love to drill you youngsters. You don’t even know why there was a wall in Berlin. Maybe. I hope you know. That city was divided in half when we dealt away half the world back after World War II. And the wall was built to keep people from the East from coming to the West.

Long story behind that. Hundreds and thousands of people lost their lives trying to get over that wall and get out of there. And in November of 1989, we were privileged to see folks dancing on that wall as it came down. And in May of 1990, if I may get personal, I was standing at the Brandenburg Gate and walking up and down that hateful wall, and little boys were running up and down renting hammers and chisels so you could help chop part of rock that big sitting in our library at Florida College that I personally chopped out of that wall, which represented the hatefulness and the oppression of the communist empire. December 25th, 1989, Nikolai Chaochescu and his wife, the hated dictator of Romania, were taken out of, after the shortest trial in history, and shot to death as Romania declared its freedom.

Conclusion

I say all that to you, beloved, because in our lifetime, God allowed the spread of the gospel in Eastern Europe and Russia in a way it hadn’t been possible for many, many years. Can we make a difference? I ask you to remember the words of the potter in Jeremiah 18 6 through 10. And that’s the lesson for tonight.

I hope it has gotten your attention, and that every child of God will think seriously about my responsibilities as a citizen of the United States of America. More than that, I hope there’s someone in this audience who wants to add to your citizenship. A citizenship in heaven. As you kneel and humble yourself before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and say, I believe with all of my heart that Jesus the Christ is the Son of the living God. I believe he died for me. And that God raised him from the dead and made him King of kings and Lord of Lords. I want to give my life in service to him and to be a kingdom citizen. To add on top of my citizenship in the United States of America.

And we would call on you to do that this very night. Here’s what Jesus said as he sent his disciples into all the world to preach the gospel. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. He who does not believe will be condemned. We’re going to sing a song. We hope you’ll come and make the most important confession you’ve ever made. Come while we stand and as we sing.