What Is the Purpose of Government? | Dr. Andy Brown

What is the biblical purpose of government? How should Christians respond to governing authorities while remaining faithful to Jesus Christ?

In this sermon from Romans 13:1–7, we look at what the Bible teaches about government, authority, justice, taxes, conscience, and Christian responsibility in society. Paul wrote these words to believers living under the Roman Empire, just before intense persecution broke out against the church. Yet Scripture reminds us that God’s truth remains true in every circumstance.

This message explores how government is God’s idea, how civil authorities are meant to serve the good, uphold justice, administer society, and remain accountable to God. It also challenges Christians to live as citizens of heaven and witnesses on earth, submitting ultimately to the authority of Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, we discuss:

* Romans 13 and the purpose of government
* Christian submission to governing authorities
* Government as God’s servant for good
* Justice, morality, and accountability before God
* Taxes, honor, respect, and civic responsibility
* Religious liberty and the separation of church and state
* Why Christians must obey God above all
* Living as ambassadors for Christ in society

Our ultimate hope is not in any earthly government, political party, president, congress, court, or nation. Our hope is in King Jesus, whose kingdom will never end.

The greatest way to serve your country is to give your heart entirely to Jesus Christ and live as a faithful witness for His glory.

#Romans13 #ChristianSermon #Government #BiblicalAuthority #ChristianityAndPolitics #JesusChrist #BibleTeaching #FaithAndPolitics #ReligiousLiberty #ChristianResponsibility #FirstBaptistStarkville #LiveSent

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Everything has a purpose. Everything has a purpose. Think about it. Shovels? What's their purpose? Well, to dig a hole. What's the purpose of mouthwash? To make your breath smell good. What's the purpose of a teenage daughter? To spend all your money. What's the purpose of having boys at home during the summer to eat you out of house and home? Everything has a purpose. But what's the purpose of the government? You ever thought about that? What's the purpose of the government? Some of you say, well, their purpose is to pay taxes. Well, you've just revealed, or to take taxes, I'm sorry. Not to uh to take taxes from us. And if you think that way, you've just revealed a little bit of your political position, right? But think about what purpose is. I heard a pastor say it this way one time. Purpose is the reason for which something exists or is accomplished. Purpose is the reason for which something exists or is accomplished. Now, what does that tell us automatically? That tells us that purpose is a means to an end. Purpose is a means to an end. And this pastor rightly said, the trouble that we find ourselves in, the reason why we fell short of discovering our purpose is most of us are not willing to be a means to an end. Most of us, we want the end to be ourselves. But we'll never find our purpose if we're not willing to be a means to an end. The reason that many of us are not willing to be a means to an end is because, well, that involves sacrifice. That involves service. And most of us would rather be served than serve, and that's just the truth of it. But what is the purpose of government? And does government have a purpose? Well, the answer to that is yes. And there's a lot of different places that we could go, but if you have your Bible today, I want you to turn with me to the book of Romans, Romans chapter 13. And we're going to look at this very familiar passage where Paul is speaking to the Romans. Now, remember who he's speaking to as we read this passage. This is so important. He's speaking to a group of Christians who are in a society that soon after the writing of this letter, persecution is going to break out heavily against them. Now, as we read this, remember this. The truths of God's word are true regardless of our circumstances. The truths that are contained in God's word are not casual, they're not circumstantial, they are timeless. And so, regardless of our circumstances, the word of the Lord proves true forever. Now there was an emperor during Paul's day. His name was Nero. This is the same emperor, by the way, that took Paul's head off. This is the same one that martyred the apostle Paul. There's going to be a fire that's going to break out in Rome. And Nero is going to have a scapegoat, and the scapegoat is going to be Christians. So persecution is just about to break out in Rome. And before that, God has a word for his people to prepare them for what comes next. And you're going to read this together. We're going to read this together, and we're going to find it shocking. Listen to what Paul says in Romans chapter 13. And I'm going to imagine by the time we get to verses 6 and 7, there's going to be some things that you wish weren't there. But let's keep reading. Let every person, now, everybody say that's me. Yep, that is. Let every person be subject or submissive to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God. And those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities, resist what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will have or receive his approval. For he that is government is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. He is the servant of God, an avenger, who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this, here we go, you ready? Because of this you also pay taxes. For the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them. Taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. And so we're going to look at this and we're going to learn how to pay our taxes. No, we're going to look at this and we're going to learn what is really the purpose of government. Now, I want you to understand what I'm trying to do here. This message is going to have two parts. We're going to talk first about the purpose of government, and then we're going to talk about our responsibility. And I'm going to give you four purposes of government that are here, as well as some responsibilities that we have in response to government. But remember this. We're trying to understand purpose. Purpose, remember, is whatever something is accomplished. Purpose is a means to an end. And then we're understanding the government. And we're going to put those two things together. There is a purpose and there is government. So what is the purpose of government? Well, write this down. Number one, first, government is God's idea. Now, no doubt there are some revolutionary individuals within us. Some of us might not like this idea, but government is God's idea. And the reason that it's God's idea is because he instituted it. Notice what the Bible says. First off, it says, let every person be subject to governing authorities. And so here we have sort of the seed of what God's design for good government is. It's not for one person to be in complete control, but it's for an authorities to exist. It's a plurality of government. Now, this is giving us clues again to God's good design. For example, take our uh the preamble of our Constitution, the Constitution of the United States of America. There's a phrase that's there. It says that they are aiming at a more perfect union. A more perfect union. What's the reason that it's saying it? Well, it's talking about the Articles of Confederation. It's saying that there's a better way for us to govern ourselves than what we first wrote up. It's also saying that there's a better way for us to govern ourselves than what we experience under the rule of England. But what's it saying? By saying that there's a more perfect union, you know what it's saying? There's a design for which we are after and seeking. Now, here's the truth as we're thinking about government. Some people worship government. Remember this, and this is so true. Some people, they are without God and godless in this world, and they place all of their time, all of their efforts, all of all that they, all of their, uh they're consumed by government, as if government is their God. And let's be honest, for a lot of the people who are trying to influence me and you as Christians, they're godless. Well, they're really not godless. Government becomes their God. Listen to this. Remember this: the greater the purpose, the more we are inclined to fulfill that purpose. And what do you mean? I mean that whoever has the higher purpose is the one that we should pay attention to. There is no higher purpose than honoring God. And so, right off the bat, what are we saying? Government is not just something that is just here to make the time go by. God, the Bible says plainly that God has instituted government. And so, as we have, for example, this is the 119th Congress that we have here, what does this mean? It means that this is a form of government underneath the main form of government. This is an opportunity for us to continue to strive towards this more perfect union, recognizing that government is God's idea. So there are some things, listen carefully, as Christians, we have to be able to pull ourselves up from this. As Christians, we have to say there are some things that are worth conserving. There are other things that we need to progress towards. Both of those things are true. Because what are we after? We're after this, as the preamble of the Constitution of our United States says, a more perfect union. Where do they get this idea of a more perfect union? They get this idea from God, who the Bible says plainly, it is those that exist, verse one, have been instituted by God. Now, you and I, as Christians, we get to come into this arena and we get to speak. We get to say first and foremost the purpose of government, remember this, this is God's idea. And since it's God's idea, government is then accountable to God. Now, number two, write this down. The second thing we can learn is not only is government, uh government is God's idea, number two, government is a servant for good. Look at the verse, in uh look at verse 4. It says, notice again how many times it says this. This is uh verse three. Let's go here. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. And some of you are already thinking, well, what if they are? And then the question is, or the answer is, if they are, then they're not living up to their purpose. Would you have no fear of those who are in authority? Then do what is good. And look at the way that Paul is just continually orienting us. He's reorienting us towards God's ideal. He's reorienting us towards God's good design. He says, you'll have his approval. Now look at verse 4. He says, government is God's servant. And the reason that it's God's servant is for our good. And so government then is to serve not as a uh government is not to be the uh end of itself. Government is, again, to be the means to an end. In other words, and this is our opportunity as Christians from Romans 13 to say this plainly and clearly as a servant of good, what does it mean? Government is not there for its own survival. Government is never intended by God to be to set up systems and processes that are to perpetuate its own survival. As if, again, government is the end instead of being the means to the end. And as Christians in particular, this is an opportunity that you and I have to live as, listen to this, citizens of heaven and witnesses here on earth. I want you to write that down because I'm going to say that several times. This is our responsibility, and I'm jumping ahead. But as Christians, we get to say all of this to government because what are we? Who are we? We are citizens of heaven, and our lives are witnesses, witnesses of his glory. We are citizens of heaven and witnesses on earth to who he is. And so, in other words, it says that government is there again, not to be a not for its own survival, but to serve good. Number three, the Bible says this government is an avenger of justice. Notice what the Bible says. He says in verse 4, he's God's servant for your good, but if you do wrong, be afraid. Now here's what we all need. We all need law, we all need order. And the Bible says the purpose of government is to institute and uphold law and order. Notice what it says. It says, For he does not bear the sword in vain. And there again, notice the way the Bible's written. He is the servant of God. That's the second time so far, at least, that the Bible has mentioned the role of government to understand its place as subservient to who God is, who you already know this, but he himself is the standard. He himself is the greater authority. He says this: he is the servant of God, an avenger, who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Now there was a man by the name of C. S. Lewis. I know you've heard me mention him before. If you read his book, Mere Christianity, then one of the things that C.S. Lewis does is he talks about the moral argument for God. Just consider this: God is the one who designed morality. God is the one who gets to determine what is good, what is right. God has not left us to try to figure that out and try to discern by looking at the stars and seeing how they align, or looking at the clouds and discerning the shapes. No, he's given us a book. He's given us a book as a guide. He's given us a book as the revelation of who he is and what he requires of us. And so we have uh we have innate in us. The Bible says in the book of Ecclesiastes that God has created us upright, but yet we have sought after many devices. So, in other words, God has put morality, he's put eternity into the hearts of every man, woman, boy, and girl, but we can't discern it not without revelation, not without what he tells us. And there again, he's not left us alone. He's not left us without a guide. Instead, what's he done? He's given us his word to assure us. He's given us his word to say, this is the way that you should go. Just think, for example, and we are praying for Carreville, Texas. We are praying for these little children and all of all of these workers. All of us look at the reaction of the flood in Texas, and we all have the same reaction. It's not happiness, is it? It's sadness. And in some cases, it's anger. Why is that? Because there is a moral ordering in this world. We know evil when we see it. We know goodness when we see it. We, government is an avenger of justice. That is, government is placed by God to be a servant of good, an avenger of justice, to uphold a moral standard. Now, listen, that doesn't always mean that they get the moral standard right. But what it does mean is that there's an opportunity for us as living witnesses who are citizens of heaven in this earth to remind our whole world and society that morality does not belong to them. Morality belongs to God. It is his morality to which we must uphold. It is his morality by which we will be judged, every man, woman, boy, and girl. This is the reason, for example, the Bible says, hey, by the way, it's an avenger of justice, but what's it doing? It's under God's authority. It's serving God as an avenger of the justice that is due him. And let me say this for those of you who are uh who have deep wounds. Some of you in here, no doubt, you have something that's happened to you maybe in your past that is so difficult you don't even like speaking about it in public. And matter-of factly, you've never said it to anyone but a short few. Some of you right now, the cry of your heart is for justice. The law has failed you, your friends have failed you, society you've seen has failed you. But listen, there is a day coming when the Bible says, Every valley will be lifted up, and the high places brought low, and the rough places smooth. On that day, all of your tears that have been stored in a bottle, all of those miscarriag miscarriages of justice, all those times when God has seen and he's known and he's heard your cry, and you've wondered, where are you, God? There is one day coming when God will make every wrong right, and every right he will lift it up. There is a day that's coming when God, who desires mercy, justice, and love, there is a day who's coming when this King Jesus is going to split the eastern sky and he's going to right every wrong. And when he does that, the Bible says that he takes your tears and he stores them in a bottle. You know what that means? It means that he's going to say, I know, I saw, I have not forgotten, that he one day will make it right. So what does that mean for us? It means that we cry for justice. It means as we do, we recognize that no matter how much we try, or whatever attempt we have, we're going to fall short of the ultimate justice that one day Jesus is going to bring. And so you know what that means for you, dear friend? It means all of your hope is in him. Even as you fight for justice, even as you stand for truth, even as you stand for what's right, you do so, listen, with purpose. You do so as a means to an end. And what is the end for which all of us are seeking? What is the end for which we are infiltrating this whole society with? The end that we're seeking is where we'll seek the face of God and his glory in all things. A glory, by the way, don't miss that Jesus Christ is going to bring to us. That's our ultimate hope. Not in who's in authority, in uh Pennsylvania Avenue or wherever they do Congress, whatever the avenue where I guess it's Capitol Avenue, I guess. I don't know. You'll have to tell me later. But our ultimate hope is in King Jesus, who resides, as the Bible's already said, not only in heaven, but he also resides in you. You say, where do you see that? Well, look at verse 5. Therefore, one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. That is, that internal mechanism that God has put within you that shows you what's right, that shows you what's wrong. Because one day, listen to me carefully, every man, woman, boy, and girl, no matter their status, no matter their title, no matter where they were born, no matter anything that they have, one day every person will give an account to Almighty God. Why do we say that? We say because we say that because morality is not something that we invent. Morality belongs to God. And some of you, I know I've talked to you before. You've said certain things like me, you've said, uh, well, you know, you can't legislate morality. And I understand that. Someone will say, you can't make anybody do anything. And I know that. But the truth of it is, and I understand what you're saying, you're talking about we have to have heart change. Only the kind of heart change that Jesus Christ brings through redemption. And I understand those things, but here's the other side of that truth. You can't legislate without morality. Why is that? Again, because you were made in the image of God. Every man, woman, boy, and girl is made in the image of God. You know what that means? It means that you're accountable to Him. This is the reason why in our school systems here, in our great US of A, they do everything that they can to take God out of schools, and they begin by teaching this doctrine of macroevolution that says that everything started by some kind of water molecules. And so, in other words, we just take the creator out. You know why we take the creator out? Because if you don't have a creator, then you're the mean, you are you are the end instead of the means to the end. In other words, if you don't have a creator, then you're not accountable to anyone except whatever you think is right. Friends, there is a creator. And you made in his image. And you're accountable to him. The Bible says the government is there to dispense justice. The government is there to show us what is right. But it doesn't always do this right. It doesn't always do this perfectly, but it's there to remind us that there is a perfect standard in this world of morality that God designed. And it's there to give a glimpse, however fleeting, of the justice that's due Him. Now, what's the fourth purpose of government? Well, the fourth purpose of government, and we're just going to sum it up in this, and you're not going to like it, but it's just what it is. Government is there to administer society. That's what it's there for. It's there, again, not to be the end, but to be a means to the end, to be a servant of the good. In other words, it's there to uphold society. You say, well, how does it uphold society? Notice what it says. It says in verse 6, for because of this you also pay taxes. You know, Jesus one time he was asked, uh, is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? You remember this time that he was asked that? And he said, Give me a coin. And then he said, Whose inscription is on it? And then he said something. Don't you wish he wouldn't have said? He said, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar. You think, Lord Jesus, you had an opportunity and you missed it. You get you almost had an opportunity for us to. Not pay taxes. But you know what he didn't say on the other side of that? He said, Render whose image is on the coin? Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. And what he didn't say, but he implied was there. Render unto God's the things that are God's. Whose image is on the coin? Caesar. Whose image is on you? It's Jesus. And so government is there to hold up society, to show us as God's good idea. This is his idea. This is what he has designed. It's instituted by him, and he doesn't make a mistake. Now that doesn't mean that governments are faultless. What it does mean is that God is sovereign and we trust him. Even if that trust, listen, part of finding purpose is service, being a means to an end and not the end. You know what that means? It means sometimes there'll be sacrifice that's called for us if we remind our government of its purpose. But it's there to administer society. And notice the way the Bible is just all encompassing here. It says that government is a minister of God. Again, that same phrase of service to God, attending to this very thing. And let me say this before we get go any further. God is not, is not simply to be defined by whatever you wish. When Paul is speaking here of God, he's not talking about some idea of God. He's talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. Don't miss this. So when we read on our money in God we trust, we read something a lot different than maybe the rest of society. Not some idea of God, not just some dis not some pie in the sky by and by, but a real living Savior who was born of a virgin, who lived a sinless life, who died on a cruel cross for my sin, your sin, and the sins of the world, who was buried and three days rose again, and who, by his word that is always sure, he one day is coming again. That's who we mean when we say God. It's not your idea of God. It's not a God of your own imagination. It's this God, who we see his face, the face of Jesus Christ. He says that ministers of God attending to this very thing. In other words, attending to what God designs. And then in verse 7, pay tax, pay to all what is owed. Do you owe anybody anything? The Bible says pay it. Taxes to whom you owe taxes. Revenue to whom you owe revenue. In other words, if you're a business owner and you have someone who's done work for you, pay them right away. And then it says this respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. And that includes, listen, governing authorities. And so we look at this list here. We see what the Bible says as the responsibility of government. It says that it's God's idea, it's a servant of good, it's an avenger of justice, it's administer of society. And we, listen to this, I love this. We are these people that walk into society and we tell society this is what God requires. And you say, well, who society may look at us and say, Well, who do you think you are? You're just a church. You're just a little group of people here in Starbucks, Mississippi. Who do you think you are? It's just like what uh George Truett. He was an old pastor back in the night, early part of the 1900s. One time in May of 1920, he was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas back then. And on May of 1920, he went on the Capitol Steps and he gave a speech that some have said is one of the most influential speeches in Christians' responsibility of the government. He titled that speech, Baptist and Religious Liberty. I love that. Baptist and Religious Liberty. And you know what he said? He said what any good Baptist would say. There is a separation of church and state. You know what that means? It means that I don't need the state telling me how to worship. It doesn't mean that I won't influence the state, but it means that I don't want the state influencing me. Why is that? Because we have a higher authority. Or, better yet, who are we? We're not only like George Trubett standing on the steps, reminding us of our responsibility as Christian citizens, but I tell you, we're also like John the Baptist, who he went to those religious leaders in his day. And you remember what he said, you bunch of brutal vipers? Or we're like Jesus Christ, who he went to those governing authorities, those religious leaders in his day, and he says, this is the way that you should walk. This is what God demands. And what did they say to him? They said, Who do you think you are, telling us? You're not even 30 years old yet in this. Aren't you Joseph's son? Don't you know who you are? That's what society says to us. But if they only knew who we are. And believer, if you only know who you are. You know who you are? You're one made in the image of God, who is a sinner who's been saved by grace. God has sought you, he's bought you, he's redeemed you, he's put his spirit within you. What does that mean? He's put his very life within you. Now your whole life, you know what it means? Your whole life is a consumed witness for his glory. It's as if God was making his appeal, 2 Corinthians 5. It's as if God were making his appeal through you. You're an ambassador, Paul says, for God and his glory. And your very life is to serve as a witness. Your very life is to serve as a witness. Remember what Paul says? He says, we are ambassadors, we are constrained by love. We're ambassadors for God's sake, as if he were making his appeal through us, and you know what our message is? Be reconciled to God. Be reconciled to God. And we say that to every government. We say that to every institution. O believer, if you only knew who you were, you are a citizen of heaven and a living witness on this earth. And the way that Paul's writing this whole little section here in Romans chapter 13, you know what he's doing? He's telling us you have a greater responsibility as you live in society. I love the way Paul writes his letters. He says, by the way, Christians, do your best to live a quiet life. He says, Do your best, Christians, to be left alone so that you can worship God. He says, but never sacrifice your responsibility to serve as a witness. So what is our responsibility? Number one, write this down. We have a greater submission. We have a greater submission. Who are we submitting to? Even as we submit to governing authorities, who are we submitting to? We're submitting to God Almighty. Again, governments are not perfect, but God is. And we trust Him. And even, remember this, this is the second thing. We have a greater motivation. Not only do we have a greater submission, we submit to God. But the second thing is we have a greater motivation. What's our motivation? God's justice. What's our motivation? One day we're going to stand before God. One day we're going to give an account for everything that's done. And listen, even if there's an opportunity that we have to protest, we protest in submission. You say, what do you mean? We protest in submission. Think about the Apostle Paul. Think about his example. And this word that he wrote here is going to be, he's going to be tested by his own life. Caesar comes, and this is a scenario. What led him to Caesar's guillotine? What led him there? What led him to have his head removed by Caesar? I don't think they had the guillotine then, but you understand. What led him to that moment? He said, Jesus is risen from the dead and he is Lord. He never compromised his conviction. And as a result, he was willing to undergo the penalty from government. And so here is a greater motivation that you and I have. The greater motivation that we have. Remember what it means to find your purpose? It means you have to be a means to an end and not the end. It means that you have to be willing to suffer. It means that you have to be willing to sacrifice. If we're going to remind something of a greater purpose, then what does this mean? It means that we use our lives as martyrs. That word martyr, you know what it means? It means living witness, living example. God, we cannot before God, we cannot compromise our convictions. We cannot before, because we have to stand before God on one day. And there's something very dangerous about our message. There's something very dangerous. And this is going on in Europe right now. It's heavy in Europe where they're trying to silence free speech. Why is that? The same thing that they tried to do back in the days when John Bunyan, the writer of Pilgrim's Progress, he wrote Pilgrim's Progress in Prison. You know why he was in prison? Because his preaching was dangerous. Because his life was a living witness. Even as he was a citizen on this earth. You see, we as we influence government as we have our responsibility. We are motivated by a greater motivation, and it's God's ultimate justice. One day, every man, woman, boy, and girl, listen to me carefully, and every government is gonna give an account to Almighty God. Number three, what's our responsibility? I love this one. You and I, we have a more pressing governing. You say, well, what's governing us? It's our conscience. You know what the conscience is? It's not that little voice inside your head. Listen, it could be, but you don't always trust that. Regardless of what Jiminy Cricket said, don't always let your conscience be your guide. Let your conscience instead be formed by God. Because listen, God governs the conscience. God guides the conscience. And there is a greater and more pressing governing that we have. And what's that pressing governing that we have? The conscience. The place where God Himself rules. And since God Himself rules, you know what that means for you? It means one day you're going to give an account for everything that you did before God. And that's not just the message for us here. It's the message for everyone anywhere. Regardless of any time, regardless of any place, regardless of any title, there is an accountability to which every person, including governments, kings, authorities, presidents, everyone, senators, congressmen, mayors, uh, board of aldermen, everyone, everyone will give an account to Almighty God. And our responsibility, what's our motivation? We have a responsibility to obey God, listen, and let Him worry about everything else. Now let me just say this. You know what the greatest thing, the greatest way for you to serve your country is? The greatest way for you to serve your country is for you to give your heart entirely to Jesus Christ. The way for you to faithfully fulfill the purpose that God has for you. God's ultimate purpose for mankind. Listen, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. The greatest thing that you can do is to give your life wholly to Jesus Christ. And let me just say this it's appointed for a man, a woman, a boy and a girl one time to die. And then when you die, you will either meet God and He will say, Welcome, good and faithful servant. Or he will say, Depart from me, I never knew you. You say, What's the difference between the two? What's the difference between living in peace forever in heaven and being lost forever in a place called hell? Here's the difference. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart, but instead receive him as your Lord and Savior. Give yourself completely to him. And Father, how grateful we are for this opportunity that you've given us. Lord, it's so easy for us to be consumed by lesser things. It's easy for us as we watch cycles of the news that have been so fast to forget what purpose is all about. You're accomplishing something. Even through our ignorance, even through our failings, Father, even through our government, you are accomplishing something. And Lord, we trust you. And Father, we know as Christians we have a responsibility. And we take that responsibility seriously. But Father, don't let us make the mistake of missing what all this is about. All this is a means to an end. And the greater end is Jesus and his glory. So Father, as we navigate these things, help us, Lord God, to be people that are living under your authority first, that have a conscience that is governed by the Holy Spirit, have a conscience that's sensitive to do your will your way, regardless of the consequences. Father, if there's anyone here who doesn't know you, they realize, Lord God, that they worship something else. May you today convict them of their sin and show them that there is a way, a better way, a more excellent way for them to live. And Lord, that begins by them confessing their sins and calling you Lord. And Father, we want to take a moment just to pray for our nation. We're so grateful for what you've done, how you have let us live in freedom. Father, help us as Christians, our lives to be a living witness here on this earth. Ambassadors for God, make your appeal through our lives, and help us to have a singular message and to be reconciled to God. And Father, I pray for this church that you, Lord God, would help First Baptist in Starbucks, Mississippi, to never be captivated by lesser desires, to never be capsized by pursuing lesser things, but instead help us to remember our king's marching orders and to make disciples of all nations. And Father, for our governing authorities, we pray for them because your word tells us to. Father, we pray for our Christian men and women who are in places of authority in government. We pray, Lord God, that you would give them a bold witness and be willing to obey you and accept the consequences. Father, we're grateful to be yours. And we pray these things, trusting you. In Jesus' name. And everybody said, Amen.