Sermon Outline

1. Introduction
2. Psalm 146
   1. Call to worship (Ps 146:1-2, Dt 6:5)
   2. Implications of an improperly oriented worship life (Ps 146:3-4)
      1. We tend to worship political figures.
   3. Implications of a properly oriented worship life
      1. Don’t put your trust in princes
      2. Reason: Princes are only human
   4. God alone is to be relied upon (Ps 146:5-10)
      1. God’s unique character: (Ps 146:6)
         1. Creator of All (Ps 146:6ab)
            1. David Innes, Christ and the Kingdoms of Men realms and rulers[1]
         2. Faithful (Ps 146:6c)
      2. God’s Governance is good for all (Ps 146:7-9)
      3. God is Sovereign. (Ps 146:10)
3.  Implications
   1. Any government that doesn’t begin with individuals who acknowledge and worship the living God will ultimately be a government that brings death not life.
   2. All human governments derive their authority from God.
   3. All Governments must seek to execute God’s justice.
   4. People are to submit to the governing authorities.
   5. Human governments can be sinful because people are sinful
   6. Governments need the prophetic critique of Christian witness
   7. God’s people belong to a higher kingdom but seek the benefit of their neighbors in the lower kingdoms by faithfully participating in the political process.
   8. We assert with certainty and conviction: God, not the state, is Sovereign!
      1. A.W. Pink on God’s sovereignty (Ps 115:3, 22:28, Dan 4:35, 1Tim 6:15)
      2. The Proper Question to ask of any and all Government and Law is this:
         1. To what extent do the laws and rulers of any given human institution, at any point in history, conform to God’s standards?

[1] Innes, David. Christ and the Kingdoms of Men. (P&R: Phillipsburg, NJ, 2019). Page 8-9.

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