WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:03:14.159 does the government affect how does the government affect our ability to spread love now that sounds like a a trick question actually but it's not it's not in in the book of first john there was the Jews they they had no no dealings with the samaritans i mean it's a situation where uh they had conquered the samaritans and and because of the the hatred the jews had of the samaritans it was longstanding so they had won a fight of 20 000 and and these sit the situation with with the samaritans and the jews is it could be because the people did not look like them it could be racial uh it could have been uh things that there were unnecessary but anyway there are countless modern parallels to the Jewish Samaritan community and indeed whenever principles are divided by racial ethnic barriers perhaps that's why the gospel acts and provides so many instances of Samaritans coming with contact with the message of Jesus it is not the person from radically different cultures on the other side of the world but that is hardest to love but the near the nearly neighbor whose skin color language rituals ancestry history and customs are different from their own these are reasons why the Jews hated the Samaritans but one of the reasons but anyway in John 4 20 20th fourth chapter 20th verse it reads If anyone says I love God yet hates his neighbor his brother or his sister he is a liar for whoever does not love their brother or sister whom they seen and cannot love God whom they have not seen so I know we've we've probably heard this scripture before you know how can you love God you haven't seen him yet but you you despise your brother or sister who you who you see but in John he's teaching that our love for God is demonstrated by how we treat people it's easy to say we love God whom we cannot see but genuine love for God shows up in our relationship with those around us hatred bitterness or refusing to love others it contradicts our faith so as we go on and it has been given this commandment this command must also love their brother and sister God reminds and believes that loving others is not optional it's a command from God. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:42.240 Jesus taught the same truth loving God and loving our neighbor to go together so in when it comes to the government there may be uh our love for others is is evidence that God's love is at work in us and and the key lessons that that I've learned in this chapter is that that it's all about love. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:04:30.399 This love is evidence of a genuine relationship with God our actions should match our words saying I love God is not enough if we mistreat others but when I ask the question can the government allow us to show love it's not a quick I mean a quick question it is a real question and there are reasons how the government can show us love our ability to walk or spread love and that's a thoughtful question but from the biblical perspective the government can influence the environment in which we live but it cannot determine whether we walk in love. 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:44.319 And the scripture constantly places the responsibility for loving others on the individual belief empowered so here are a few ways that the government can affect our ability to express love. 00:04:45.040 --> 00:05:24.399 It can create peace or instability a government a just government that protects people maintains order often makes it easier to care for neighbor it gathers for worship serve community and help those in need and an unjust or aggressive government can make their assets more different or even dangerous but but there are ways that the government can affect us if they were doing the right thing. 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:35.839 I'm not saying that they they aren't but there's things that are going on and people aren't happy I mean I'm not sure they don't know whether to pay for groceries or for prescriptions now. 00:05:36.560 --> 00:07:00.959 But if even during something like this when whether they're correct or incorrect as far as the government we still are to show love we still are to maintain the love that God gave us I mean the things and the ways that they teach or the the assignments that they have may not have gone our way there are programs that that we are not receiving that that are closed down but we still have to show love even in spite of the things that the government is doing and we we uh disagree with them it can it also can test our character when government decisions seem unfair or conflict with our values their belief they they're believers that face the challenges of responding without hatred or bitterness or vengeance the scripture calls Christians to speak truth pursue justice and still treat others including leaders and opponents with dignity and love that that can be a task but that's what the word of God says because in Romans 13 1 through 7 the believers are encouraged to respect governing authorities because civil rights civil authority I'm sorry as a whole is in maintaining order. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:42.959 And if you remember in in the Old Testament the Philistines they wanted a king they wanted someone to govern them with their stipulations when you have a a king or or are you assigned as judges to to lead and guide the people in the right direction and to and to uh hold them accountable for the things that they do and the and the rules that they make and the situations and all of the the programs that they take us through or don't take us through that now the government today it may not be what we agree with. 00:07:43.120 --> 00:08:23.040 It may not be something that that we are in tune to or appreciate but as Christians and and and as women and men of God we're still to love them no matter what is going on now I know that many of us can get bitter we can have hatred in our hearts for the things that are going on with our government today but as Christians we can pray we can pray and God will change things he'll change things because that's what we have we have the word of God that we we pray and we ask God anything we ask in his name he'll do it. 00:08:23.199 --> 00:10:41.279 So it's just taking time for the things people buying not able to get whether having a concern whether they have uh buy groceries or get prescriptions now I know that many of us may well I don't know about us but many people may be bitter they may be uh harsh about the things that are going on in the world when it comes to the government because a lot of programs have been closed down a lot of uh programs for the for the needy for the power for poverty those are in poverty they have been removed even people that had seniority on jobs they they may not have worked today they were taken off for reasons unknown and we as Christians we pray we ask God for the things that should be in the right direction although it sometimes it may take time but we know that in the end God will change us he will do what he said he would do so even if we disagree with the things that the government does or the things that people have certain uh certain attitudes towards others I mean uh or hate them for whatever reason or dislike them but say I love God that's not true you can't do both there it is a command to the second the second uh commandment and the oh and the uh tin commandment says love thy neighbor as thyself so we can get off face sometimes but that's why we meet on a regular basis we come together as men and women of God we ask God to direct our path direct our our way teach us Lord show us show us what we are to do and how we are to love now I'm sure many may be bitter at the things that are going on when it comes to the government but they they have a heart God made them just like they made us and and even if they grew up with hatred in their homes they can change we've changed. 00:10:41.360 --> 00:11:22.799 I know each and every one of us that here each and every day on a regular basis I know God is changing because he certainly has changed me and I just thank God for the opportunity to be here even though I haven't learned how to to get my camera straight but Ed I'll track you down and you can show me amen but but I just want to say that you know the government when it comes to to acknowledging the things that are going on and the things that we the the rules and regulations that we have we may not agree and I'm sure we we may be want to be bitter but we that's not what God has given us. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:45.679 We are still to love them they're people they're human just like we are excuse me and we know regardless of what they do or say we can pray and ask God and these things will have we'll change we have to be patient and wait on him amen amen and and with that I will yield