Does God Appoint World Leaders?

In the Old Testament. The Bible says that God appoints kings over nations. Does he still do that today or was that just for Israel under the old covenant best is one of the questions will be answering on today's edition of core Christianity hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez and this is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day. You can call us right now with your question. At 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673. You can also post your question on our Facebook, Instagram or twitter accounts or email us at questions at core, Christianity.com. While politics can be a ruthless business but Utah's candidate for governor just made history in an unexpected way while Democrat Chris Peterson and Republican Spencer Cox would both like to win the gubernatorial election. They'd also like the people of Utah to accept the results of the presidential race, no matter what the outcome so they banded together for a TV ad encouraging just that it could be the first time, to opposing candidates appeared in one ad so close to an election in the ad. Mr. Cox says were both committed to American civility and a peaceful transition of power and Mr. Peterson encourages you times to be an example to the nation that cool yeah that is pretty cool. Hopefully there were no fighting words. You know when they were making that commercial they fell like good guys so I don't read so yeah well you know and and it really is important I think for us to be able to highlight those kinds of stories, especially in a time like you said Bill were there's a lot of tension in it and it seems like just the opposite is happening, you know people who are unwilling to come to the table to separate cordial discussion with each other and so I think that that was awesome.

Will be praying about that in the days to come. With the election tomorrow and what our responsibility is as followers of Christ in time of a lot of tension in our country was good to our first question of the day. This one comes from Tim who posted on our twitter account.

He says, should pastors preach on current events. More I've seen some pastors not mention current events in their sermons at all, and others seemingly construct their sermons around what's happening in the news. What are your thoughts on this. Hey Tim, thanks for that question and I think that there are a couple of dangers here that we have to watch out for first we need to understand that the main job with the pastor is at least in the context if you know what's what's taking place on Sundays happening that the primary job is to preach the word of God. This is what Paul charged Timothy with doing second Timothy chapter 4 verse one I charge you, Paul said in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom preach the word be ready in season and out of season, reproof, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. The main job of the pastor when it comes to the Sunday services to proclaim God's word is to give people God's word unfiltered and I think this is really important because you know we talk about you know should pastors preach on current events. More or less will they shouldn't preach on current events. They should preach from the Scriptures and apply the Scriptures did the things that are happening all around us and I think that there's a subtle but very important distinction there and so we focus on God's word, we let God's words speak to us. We applied the truth of God's word to the things that are happening around us. And so I think you know what we have to be careful that were not preaching the newspaper were not coming to church on a Sunday morning is a deep see everything that happened this last week. Let's talk about it know you preach the Scriptures go through the Bible verse by verse, line upon line and it is so important. That's what people need. They need to hear God's voice speaking from heaven on a Sunday morning so if one danger is you know just preaching the things that are happening and not preaching God's word. Another danger is not applying God's word to the things that are happening around us. I think this is really important you think of 9/11, for example, I remember hearing a pastor who was in New York City at that time ministering to a congregation thing you after 9/11. I basically had to just from the pulpit using God's word. Apply the truth of Scripture to the questions that people had related to everything that was taking place. And this particular pastor talked about their church just grew significantly around that time because people were coming because of that that fear that anxiety mean they just experienced this terrible terrorist attack, and I think this past did an excellent job really just applying God's word to the fears and the concerns of the people not twisting the Scriptures using the Scriptures to speak to allow God to speak to the needs of the day. Imagine how crazy would have been added.

9/11 happened and all these people show up to church on Sunday there in New York City and it's not even address that the Scriptures aren't even used, to speak to the pain and the suffering that people were experiencing, so I think we have to have a balancer we have to make sure one that were preaching the Scriptures and to that were applying the Scriptures to the cares and concerns of people today not twisting the Scripture, but allowing God's word to speak to us where we are right now. Now personally, Tim. I do expository preaching, so I like to preach through books of the Bible because I think that that's that's the primary need, we need to hear all of God's word the whole counsel of Scripture, but even there as your preaching through design preaching through books of the Bible.

I'm able to apply it to specific things did to the idols of today to the needs of my particular congregation.

I think that's just a store called to do as pastors and so thank you for your question Tim and and especially at a time like this room. We need to be comforted from God's word in one of the things I appreciate about you Israel is that you always try to point things back to Jesus and that's what every pastor should be doing it. Whether were talking about current events, life situations, particular Old Testament book. We always want to point to Jesus and that's what our faith is all about, then any for faithfully preaching God's word.

That's precisely what will do, because Jesus himself said that all Scripture points to him you think of the discussion he had with his disciples on the road to Emmaus where he met those two disciples and he opened the Scriptures to them and he showed them how no all of it. Everything written in the law of Moses sitting in the prophets and in the sum total pointed to him and even in John chapter 540 speaking to the religious leaders and he says you know you search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. But these are the very Scriptures that speak of me that testify of me.

If you believed what Moses wrote you would believe in me, because he spoke about me all the Scripture does point us to Jesus and pastors were faithfully preaching God's word like Paul called Timothy to do organ appoint us to Jesus as well. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you have a question for us.

You can call us at 1-833-843-2673. That's 833.

The core on a copy on that allowed a certain time. I do you think you so much for your question, let me just read Luke 16, the first while the first part of the chapter, the parable of this dishonest manager. The unjust steward begins like this. He also said to the disciples. There was a rich man who had a manager and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions and he called him and said to him, what is this that I hear about you turn in the account of your management you can no longer be manager.

The manager said to himself, what shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me. I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from the management people may receive me into their houses so summoning his master's debtors one by one.

He said to the first much do you owe my master. He said hundred measures of oil.

He said to him, take your bill and sit down quickly and right 50.

Then he said to another, how much do you owe any set 100 measures of wheat, he said to him, take your bill and write 80. The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness, the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light and I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings, one who is faithful in very little is also faithful and much and one who is dishonest and very little is also dishonest in much if then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will and trust you with true riches.

And if you've not been faithful in that which is another's who will give you that which is your own. No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money and ran the reef reason I I read sort of a longer section.

There is because I think it's all related. Now one thing you need to know is Jesus is not commending here of the fact that he was dishonest or unjust in the way he was dealing with his master's affairs. Initially actually later after he he thought of you know, lowers the prices that he get some money for his master from these people that that I owed him money. I don't know that that was the particular act that was unjust. The recent use described here is unjust or dishonest.

Because of the way he had been living.

And when he hears that the master is basically coming to hold them to account, he's afraid. And so what he does is he begins to is that it just sort of throwing in the towel. He begins to try to get money for his master and he goes to these different people and he basically says okay how much did you okay will give me 50% of that are 80% of that now there are differences of opinion about you know what exactly is going on there.

Some people think he's just lowering the price in order to get some money for his master immediately. Some people think that there was interest that he was charging maybe taking a little bit off of the top and so he was removing that added price. In particular, their their differences but but the point is Jesus is commending this individual not because he was dishonest, but because of his shrewd behavior when essentially he had been confronted with his dishonesty and then Jesus sort of brings it home in verse eight, the master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness again.

That's what he's been commended for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. He's talking about how the sons of light. Now, in this context, it's probably the religious leaders, those who would claim to be the people of God is talking about how they didn't prepare essentially for the future. But this dishonest manager did and so he's being commended. But then he also says you know the one who is faithful in very little is also faithful and much and the one who is dishonest and very little is dishonest in much.

And so Jesus is not commending dishonesty. He actually says you know if you're dishonest and in little you're probably gonna be dishonest and a lot more and you cannot let yourself be controlled by money. You cannot serve God and money. But we should be shrewd with our dealings in our dealings, wise, and that's what Jesus is commending here so hopefully that unpacks us a little bit but definitely what you can rest it is, Jesus is not saying hey dishonesty is a okay no not at all your listings are core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Some Christians get confused about the promises that God makes in the Bible. Some may claim that the promises God made Israel apply to individual believers today while today we are offering a great resource that will help you understand the promises of God. You have built today were sharing a really helpful resource. Sometimes you can feel like the Lord has let us down. You know the reality is it's often our own expectations that need to be adjusted so we have a four-week study called what did God promise that will guide you through the biblical foundation for understanding what God is actually promised to his people and how he continues to keep his promises throughout the ages. You can find on our website. Core, Christianity.com and it's free and you sign up for our weekly newsletter at a record, Christianity.com/offers to download what did God promise. You can also call us for that offer or any one of her offers at 833-843-2673. That's 833, the court just a reminder that core Christianity is listener supported. So we, people just like you to keep our program on the air while here's an email that came in Israel. This is from Shar Mae and she says, how can Christians sometimes be so unkind, short and to the point, Shar Mae. I don't know why you specifically are asking this question, but I hope that it isn't because you've experienced the bite of someone who claims to believe in Jesus or does believe in Jesus, but has acted in a way that is not in line with their faith in Jesus Christ, and the fact of the matter is Charmaine. We can all do that we can all as followers of Jesus Christ live act do things that really don't fit with what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. And that's why it day by day and were called to repent, to humble ourselves before the Lord to say God help me and God fill me with your Holy Spirit. You see, because loving others are neighbors are enemies.

It's not necessarily something that were naturally good at its it's the grace of the Holy Spirit in our lives and I think of what the apostle Paul said in the book of Galatians when he talked about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5. He says this, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience and kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law, and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

And at the very beginning of that section in Galatians chapter 5 verse 16 again Paul exhorted, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh for the desires of the flesh are against the spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Why is it that we oftentimes aren't kind like we should be well it's because were not walking in the spirit it's because were not living in a manner that's in line with what God is called us to do and the fact of the matter is I said each and every one of us can fall into this and that's why Paul's expectation here is so important for all of us.

We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now you might be wondering what the set look like, how does that happen. It's not rocket science. Actually, it went Paul in Ephesians and Colossians talks about being filled with the spirit he really associated with being filled with the word of Christ as the word of Jesus Christ fills your heart and mind. You are filled with the spirit that is brought under the control of the Holy Spirit so that your guided by led by the spirit and that something each of us needs and so again getting to your question.

Why is it that we can sometimes be unkind.

Well is the word of Christ filling us. Are we sitting under what we call the means of grace.

Hearing the preached word receiving these gifts that God gives to us.

Are we studying the Scriptures are weak our hearts being opened to the teaching of Jesus. That's what we all need NS that happens more and more as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of Christ in the word of Christ were also growing in that kindness and that love that Paul described in Galatians chapter 5 and so thank you for that question Maria and I pray that the Lord blesses you and I pray that God fills you with his spirit. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and Adm.

Here's an interesting question that came in from Deborah and given that tomorrow is election day. This is particularly appropriate.

She says I know that God is sovereign and in light of the upcoming election. I know he will not be surprised by who wins. My question is about. If God really chooses who's going to win. Daniel 221 says he changes times and seasons, he removes kings and sets up kings.

He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding that versus seems like God appoints rulers over nations but was that's specific to the kings of the nations only during the time of the Old Testament, or does this verse apply to the world and its rulers today absolutely, Deborah does apply to the world and its rulers today and frankly I think that this can be such a great comfort for us. One of the things that were sitting there and in Daniel chapter 2 and you see this over and over throughout the book of Daniel, actually, is that God is absolutely sovereign.

McDaniel is about these Hebrew youth that have been taken into captivity to Babylon. There they been exiled from their from their land.

And yet God is the one who's been caring for them watching over them protecting them. Even in the fiery furnace, and the kings of this world who think that they're in control. Kings like Nebuchadnezzar well know Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel is humbled. He's made to see that God is the ultimate king, the Lord of heaven and earth rules over all things, and it's the same today. It's true today.

God is on the throne of God is ultimately king and frankly I think in this season that something that we can each rest in because there there so much tension right now there's a lot of anxiety about who's going to be the next president. And there's there's fear that if you know the person who we want to be in office is not an office that everything is going to go down the drain well.

We need to remember that no matter what happens God is ultimately the king God already knows and knew long before we were ever born. What this upcoming election was going to hold and so we can trust in him and we can rejoice in the fact that he is sovereign and that he does appoint world rulers know sometimes that's a judgment on a nation. Frankly, but we can as the people of God continue to cling to the sovereign Lord Paul said in Romans chapter 13 verse one. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. They process very clearly there in the New Testament, and frankly and of the authorities that were in power. Around the time that Paul was writing the book of Romans were not the most kind and gracious authorities.

Especially not the Christian semi Peter said the same thing you said in first Peter chapter 2 verses 13 and 14 be subject for the Lord's sake. Every human institution, whether it be the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. What were not saying what I'm not saying is don't be engaged in these discussions don't participate in your civic duty to try to seek to do good to your neighbor to be engaged with and know that the kingdoms of this world in a way that honors Christ in a way that recognizes that ultimately your citizenship is in heaven know we do engage, but at the end of the day. Our hope your hope.

My hope is not in the kingdoms of this world.

It's in the kingdom that God is building and actually in the book of Daniel Deborah in Daniel chapter 2.

You have a picture of that kingdom.

It's this stone that's cut out without human hands that fills the whole earth is the kingdom of God, not built by coercion or human power. Human wisdom it's built by the power of the Holy Spirit. And that's the kingdom that's being built right now I think we need to hear that so much these days and I think we need to rest in that. And frankly, our resting in that truth are receiving it and rejoicing in it is a witness to the world around us. It's a witness to those who are putting their hope in this present age.

And again I'm not saying we don't engage in. We don't have positions and ideas and and we are seeking to bring about good for our neighbor manner. Hope is Jesus Christ. Thanks so much for that. This is core Christianity and Adm. Here's a question that came in through our website at core, Christianity.com from Eli he says is all just another name for God, Eli, that is the really good question and it is kind of a controversial question because there are some people will say well yeah it is is just the and of the Arabic name for God.

And so even in Christian worship and Christian liturgies you know and from places that will just use that word because they're talking about God and and so what's the big deal, but in other places you know and and I think with this discussion. The reason it's controversy arose because if if what you mean by that is is all the God of Islam, the same as Yahweh, the God of the Bible will then we have to say absolutely not, you know, one of the big problems that we see today in terms of how many people think about God as they just sort of assume well you know all the religious beliefs out there are the same there equal they're all basically saying the same thing you know love God, love your neighbor that kind of a thing. All paths lead to the one God in these different religions like Islam or Christianity or Buddhism are just different expressions of the one truth that ultimately are all in a line in eternity. Are you know something like that will that's not the case at all. In fact, Islam teaches that Jesus was not God that he wasn't the son of God, that they say he was a prophet the way you answer that question has eternal significance. Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God. The king who is on the throne. The one in whom we placed our hoping any other Jesus is not the Bible. Thanks for listening to core Christianity to request your copy of today's special offer. Visit us@corechristianity.com and click on offers in the menu bar or call us at 1-833-843-2673 that's a 33 core when you contact us. Please let us know how you been encouraged by this podcast and be sure to join us next time. As we explore the truth of God's word together