A very good morning to all of you, I am excited to be here with you, worshiping altogether and teaching and preaching on the goodness, the grace, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of you, walked in today and say, is this a fashion show or what, it's not a fashion show, but we're looking at a subject that is rather interesting, and very, very rarely will churches preach on this, but in order to start our message today, I have a video that is rather feverish, very exciting, so, get ready as we introduce the subject for the sermon today.

Video plays.

We want change, we want change, we want change, we want change.......

How about that? (Laughter in the congregation).
Well, today, we are looking at Christianity and politics.

There are people who say, religion and politics don't mix. How true is that? Well, in our nation today, we're swept by this fever of political concerns, virtually, all of you, would be hit, all would be familiar with all these political talk and agenda. Today, we know, it is a different political landscape from what it was, years ago. I am 37 years old and you know, all my life here in Singapore, I have never seen a period in our nation's history like today.

Just look at the past elections and the great turnout, huge numbers of people, just burdened, concerned, passionate about politics.

When I was studying, I was totally unconcerned about politics like many of our friends. Well, my friends were like that.

But today, it is a different world; from the young, to the old, from the ladies to the men, people are concerned about politics because, it concerns their lives.

And, we are in a very, very delicate part of the history of this nation. You see, many people come for rallies, you see people today concerned about HDB prices, because, it hits right at home about their livelihoods, their futures, about the children's future, can we ever own a place, can we ever have a place to call our own. We talk about pay cuts for ministers and we look at our ministers and we say, they should have a pay cut and some would say, no, you need to have that sufficient salary to keep them, and so on, there's debates. We are concerned about overcrowding, every morning, and every evening as you take the public transport, you feel it. It was not like this in the past and today, you feel it. Politics, affects the way we live.

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But this recent, white paper that was published, about 6.9 million people and it may have disturbed and ruffled people the wrong way. People are concerned, how can you have a 6.9 million population in a tiny little island in Singapore. And those, other things people are concerned about. So, people say, "Singapore, must be for Singaporeans."

There is a growing xenophobia; we are adversed, to foreign talent and there's a clash, between the government point of view, from the people's point of view on the ground and in forums, in social media, you read of people, how they say they are unhappy about the government.

So, the question is today, does Christianity have anything to do with our way we look at the government, politics. Is religion and politics separate, mutually exclusive, how are they related.

In our church, we have been going through a series through the book of Romans. Now, frankly, if we didn't go to the book of Romans, I might not be able to share with you anything about politics. But, because, Scripture lays it out in the book of Romans, it comes to a strategic point where God says a lot about Christianity and politics and today, we just look at one verse, where God says, let every person, be subject to the governing authorities and I pause there. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.

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The Christian Bible has something to say about politics, about the way we relate to our governing authorities, you see, that every person be subject. The word subject, is a great word, in the Greek, hupotasso word, which means to rank under. Let every person rank himself under the governing authorities.

It means that we as citizens of Singapore, are to support, obey, respect, hold up our government; to rank ourselves under. It's not a difficult concept if you understand, this is the same word that is used in husbands and wives relationships, same Greek word. Wife's, hupotasso your own husbands, rank yourself under your own husbands.

Not many people realize this, but the day you say I do to your husband is the day you say, I am willing to rank myself under him. Is the day you are saying, I'm willing to submit to this one man, to respect him, to support him, to follow him, to obey him. Can you turn to your left and right where your husband is sitting and say "I am glad I made the right choice." (Laughter in the congregation), I hope you can say that, because, on the day of your wedding, that's what you said to him, I am willing, I want to, you are the man, God has placed over me. That's the same word.

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Now, I have been married for more than 12 years, believe it or not. (Laughter in the congregation) yes, more than 12 years and my wife and I are very different people. Characters are different, interests are totally different and the way we look at things are inevitably, different. Now, let me say this about you, no matter how much you feel your husband or your wife is like, you're never going to be the same. We are all very different people, we are all very broken people, we are very, very divergent in our views and in a marriage, there will be many different opinions on every single subject. But you know, what it says to the wife, God says to the wife, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands.

That means, even if you don't agree with your husband, you still rank yourself under. You see, the essence of submission, is to follow, even when I disagree. If I agree with you, hundred percent, that is no submission, you are just doing what you want. The essence of submission, is when I don't agree, it is not 100% consensus at all, but I choose to rank myself under.

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Now, when you look at the government, there will be many things you don't agree, isn't it? How many of you here who will say, I will agree with the government 100%? Very few. If you are, maybe you have political ambitions. (Laughter) I don't know, but very few of us, have hundred percent consensus. And we all have our griefs, we all have suffered, maybe under some bad policies. But the Bible says, you subject yourself. Pastor, you don't understand, you are not real, you don't know the pains in this country, you know, you, you don't understand the difficulties, living in a nation like Singapore, you don't know about GST, he doesn't know about the COE, and the ERP and the MRT, he doesn't know about the HDB and the COV and the kiam chye cha loh tee. (Laughter in the congregation).

You don't know about all these, you're not real, you are not where we are.

Well, I feel it as well and we wish it could be even better, but, hey, let me ask you, would you rather be in another kind of a government, where, people employed by the government can come to you and ask you to pay taxes that are way above the official rate. They come to you and say, you pay me this, because, I am empowered by the Zheng Hu (colloquial for government), the government to get money from you. I don't care what they say, I have the right to get what I want. In other words, they can charge you exorbitantly and even extort you.

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How would you like it, when you can come to a country where slavery is part of the culture, how would you like it, if you come to a country, where Christians are persecuted, where you are thrown into the boiling oil to fry, where you're burnt on stakes. You say, Pastor, there is no such place, there is no such nation like that.

Well, when Paul wrote these words, he did not write it for Singaporeans, he wrote these words, for the citizens, or for the believers living in Rome. And Rome, is a nation exactly as what I've described to you.

It was a nation that exacted unfair taxes; remember Zacchaeus? The Bible, Zacchaeus when he came to Jesus, he said "I am going to repay all that I have extorted, and four times over." Why, because he was a publican, a tax collector, who is used to this high-handed exorbitant way of charging taxes for his own benefit. And that government, endorsed these taxes.

It is said, during the ancient Roman times, there were three slaves to every free Roman citizen. It was said, in those days, Christians were dipped into boiling oil, Christians, were burnt on stakes to be human torches for the Caesar to enjoy the light during his garden feasts at night. It was said, animal skins would be sewn onto human flesh, human beings so that the animals and wild dogs would maul that man to death. It was a cruel nation, by a wicked man, messed up morals, homosexuality and so on and so forth, it was totally messed up.

But, Paul says, to the people at Rome, subject yourself to such a ridiculous, in our opinion, government. I am not kidding, because, if you read the Bible, the day Jesus was born, or the times Jesus was born, one of the governors under Caesar's rule, Herod, at Palestine, you know what he had authority to do, he had the authority to kill all boys, born, Jewish boys, two years and below, to kill all of them. Crazy, if you approve even one child to be killed this way, we would arise and revolt.

But, Paul never said, revolt, rebel, protest, mass rallies. He says, subject, every person be subject to the government authorities. This is tough.

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Whoa, how can it be so? The Bible says, we are to be subject to the governing authorities, not to fair ones, or good ones. It doesn't say anything about intelligent ones or wise ones. They may be corrupt, they may be unwise, they may be foolish, but this is a clear command of Scriptures.

Now, what it means is this, we need to obey our government, we need to obey our government. Now, I was not employed by the government to say anything like this, alright. I do not get any commission or anything like that; this is what the Lord has to say, you obey your government.

What it means in obedience is this. Even, when there is no one watching you, you don't do it, if you know that it is against the government.

I was with my son, he was eating his biscuits, there is a wrapper, he was holding it in his hands. I was curious, how come my son doesn't want to throw the wrapper anywhere. Little kids, when you give them something, they just carelessly litter. So, I ask my son, why is it that you hold on to the wrapper? He says, because, otherwise, the police would catch me. (Laughter in the congregation). I was saying, "Oh no, that's the wrong parenting, wrong principle to give to my son."

You see, that's the way we raise our kids, that's the way you have been raised up. Don't do this, otherwise the mata (colloquial for police) catch you. The mata law, the mata phobia. We are scared of the police.

But, the gospel transformed person, obeys the government, not because he's scared, and that he's going to be caught, but, it is the right thing to do. That means, the way we drive, should change.

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What's the difference, you know how it is, all of us, when you are near the speed camera, eh, somehow you slow down, or when you see the traffic police come, the way you drive changes. You see, we are more concerned about being caught then we are about being right. Scripture says, you have to obey, because you are to subject, rank ourselves under the governing authorities.

Pastor, is it then that I can never speak up, is it then, I can never voice my opinions. No, of course not. It is the same as wives. Does submission to the husband mean you keep silent forever, you can never have a different opinion? No of course not. You can speak up, you can voice your opinions, you can share your insights. But at the end of the day, someone's got to decide and you have got to be careful that as a wife, you speak respectfully, even to your own husband, because, you have chosen to rank yourself under him. Same, for the government.

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Sure, we can voice our opinions, sure, there is this new, channel or portal, I hear you, or Singapore hears, I don't know what is that. Singapore connect or something like that, it's a portal for Singaporeans to feedback. There are channels to do that, but, I think, it is not in the place of a child of God to arise, in protests, riot, malicious words and slander to the authorities that bear this.

It's not, because the Scripture says, if you're not really that happy about it, if you feel, there are problems about it, the way to do with it is not protests but prayer. You say, where does it say so. Well, it says here, first of all, in 1 Timothy, I urge then the supplication, prayer, intercession and thanksgiving, be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions.

Scripture is clear, it doesn't tell you to protests; tells you to pray. Doesn't tell you to speak evil of them, but to speak well of them and to give thanks for them.

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Again, Timothy lived in a realm, in a day where the authorities there be are far, in my opinion, far worse than what we have today, sheer wicked rule, yes, this is what is said, you pray for them, you give thanks for your government, for your king, whether it is a monarchy or a democracy, doesn't matter the rule, it has been set by God and you give thanks for it.

It means then, we are to speak well of our government, it says, it is always easy to complain and say that the government is unfair, but God's Word says that which give thanks, and lift our leaders up in prayer.

Simple but true, lift up your leaders in prayer and not pull them down with malicious words. I think it is very important that we get this, because I don't want to see you in jail as well and what you say, and even what you post on social media. It's biblical, first of all.

Titus, Paul says to his protege, Paul says to his disciple, this is what you do as a pastor, remind them. I hope this is what I am doing, remind them, to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient. The word there is to yield, to trust, to have confidence in them. To be ready for every good works, to be ready to speak evil of no one. Very high standard of living, very hard, because, the natural tendency in us is to speak evil of others. But God says no, you have been transformed by grace.

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In fact, if you read on in verses 3 and 4, Paul is saying, "Hey, you have been forgiven, you have been graced, you are a recipient of the good news of Jesus Christ, it should change the way you deal with others and you should therefore, be humble and not speak evil of them." So, this is the premise, we start.

That every person be subject to the governing authorities, you obey them, you pray for them, you respect them. It doesn't matter whether they are handsome or not handsome, smart or not smart, kind or unkind, Scripture is clear.

The question now, is why? Huh, huh, why? Caesar will mess up our country, yah , but you still subject, why? Why should you and I submit to our own government. Now, this is the reason God gives.

God says, for there is no authority except from God and those that exist, have been instituted by God.

You submit, because God placed them over you. This morning, you came in, you say, this is a fashion show. No, this is not a fashion show. This morning you came in and you say wow, how come there is a flag here, are we going to sing the national anthem? No. But something here, speaks to you isn't it. Every piece of costume uniform, flag, they are a symbol of? Of what? of authority. Behind these uniforms, costumes, is God who placed them right where they are. I don't think there is any doubt, when we see the Army uniform and when you see a captain's rank there, to understand that a private, a sergeant, a corporal, needs to submit to the captain. If you are in the army it's crystal clear.

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For citizens of Singapore, we sort of get very nervy and cringe when we see that uniform, aiyoh, mata lai leow (colloquial for police has arrived). That's what I have been told since young and I have that natural reaction when I see a police, it's almost like a whoa, some big shot here and indeed, because they represent the government.

So, what is this? It's a school uniform, looks like Swedish soccer jerseys, it's actually a school uniform, alright, school uniforms and students, need to learn to submit to their teachers.

This one, is the hardest, submit to your wife? (Laughter in the congregation), this is an apron and is a picture of a homemaker, a parent and children are to submit to their own parents. What about that? Tuxedo ? Pastor? I was thinking of what would represent a pastor, I couldn't think of one, but this is a picture of an employer, alright, your boss, your CEO, your towkay, your chairman and all these, are familiar symbols of authority.

Of course, the flag, the national flag and what we're talking about is submitting to our government. All these, are symbols of authority and when you look at these, let me tell you something, try to see something beyond the uniform, see God behind it, because it is God who placed them in positions of authority.

What I like about using these uniforms as a picture and not a mannequin, is that it doesn't matter who is in the uniforms, it doesn't matter if it is fat or skinny, doesn't matter if it is tall or short, doesn't matter if it is handsome or not handsome, because he is in that uniform, he is part of that authority structure, you obey. If a traffic police comes, he looks really ugly, he doesn't talk well, but he is in that uniform, you don't say, I don't like your face, please go away. (Laughter in the congregation) you can't do that, he represents the Republic of Singapore, you subject and you subject, because you know God is the one who placed him in that position of authority over you.

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Every one of us lives under authority; everyone. You are under one of these or many of these authorities, everyone and we need to see God behind the authority structures in our lives.

Is it an easy thing to teach today? No, I don't think so at all. We live in an age where we are averse to authority.

These are pictures I got off the Internet, is not what I created myself. It says here, there is no authority but yourself. Now, it sounds really exciting, it sounds really liberating, but it is actually very destructive. Authority is set in our lives for our good, for our protection, for our refuge, but when a man says, there is no authority but me, whoa, you are headed for destruction, because you are stepping out of the God ordained realm of protection for your life. But, this is the age we live in, you know. There are people today, who says, I don't want authority, I want to be myself. They say, authority is a backward concept, it's prehistoric, it's archaic, it causes only violence and despair. Liberty is the cure.

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It's not true liberty, it's a destructive liberty. It goes on to say, stop believing in authority, stop believing in each other, all are equal, no one above me. And I say to you, this is the day and age we live in, this is the spirit of our era, that children will disobey their parents, would despise authority, have no sense of loyalty whatsoever, because this is the day and age where we say, "We are authority.", Not somebody else.

Just watched the media, who is the cool guy, you all know the Simpsons, Bart Simpson, Homer Simpson, the Simpsons, who is the cool dude? Who is the cool dude? Bart ! Who's the loser? Homer, the daddy. And you see, this is the image that people are used to, that our daddies are the loser and I, am the cool Joe.

Who is the most popular guy in class, whose the wah, cool guy ah, the one who studies kwai, kwai (colloquial for obedient), no lah, he's the nerd, the one who always obeys, teachers pet and those other things you say. But the rebel in the class, always fight with teachers, Wah, he is the cool one.

We think about revolutionaries and the heroes of the movies, in Rambo, is Rambo because he fights authorities, tat, tat tat tat tat tat tat tat..., No idea of authority. I know the authority is bad in the show, I think, it was supposed to be lousy authority, but it doesn't mean we have the right to be Rambos, it doesn't mean that as a wife, I want to stand up to my rights and fight my husband, no, I know it's difficult, I'm not saying this slightly in any way, but we swim against the whole tide of spirit.

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Let me tell you, this anti-authority spirit is because there is a despising of the authority of God. The Scripture tells us, in the last days, we live in the last days, by the way, and these last days are getting even shorter and shorter already, laster and laster, words like this, in these last days, there will come perilous times, King James. For people, will be lovers of themselves, you know why this world is going to be in danger, not because of earthquakes and so on only, but because, we are going to be lovers of ourselves, more and more, we will be lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to the parents. These are the symptoms of people in the last days, because, the people in the last days are going to throw away their regard for the authority of God.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, ��.
(2 Timothy 3:1-3 ESV)

And when you disregard God's authority, you begin to disregard authority He has placed over your life. This is the age we live in. I believe, if I were to preach this sermon, if I was alive, 100 years ago, it would be easy. And I suspect, if I were to preach this message 100 years later, it would be really, really difficult. People would be scratching their heads, and saying, are you sure, it doesn't make sense, because, there is this despising of authority all around.

So, God says, let every person be subject to the governing authorities, why? Because, they are instituted by God.

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I have one simple catchphrase for you to remember today, and it is this, "Your response to authority, is a reflection of your response to God." Your response to authority, is a reflection of your response to God; how you relate to your mom, to your dad, to the police, to the government, to your teacher, to your boss, to your pastor, to your spiritual leaders, is a reflection of your response to God. Why? Because, God is the one who has installed authority in your life.

I think, this is both an exciting and a scary idea, if you really think about it. It is exciting, because this is how it works. When mom, tells me to make my bed and in my mind, I process, this is a stupid request, because I am going to sleep in an hour's time anyway. But you say, mom is placed over me by God, it doesn't make sense to me, I don't have 100% consensus, but I will hupotasso myself under her, because I see that God is behind mummy.

When you do it, when you make the bed that day, with a happy joyful spirit, what happens, is that you are being a living sacrifice. You are worshiping God. Let me say this, making your bed, brushing your teeth, going to bathe, can be a 1000 little choices of worship in your life, because you are doing it because you obey the authority God has set over your life. It's exciting, don't you think it's exciting now to make your bed? Wah, mummies rejoice, don't you think now is exciting for you to go to work and when your boss is unreasonable, throw the whole load of work, says you must finish it today and you say, yes, I would do it, I would submit to my God. There is an aroma of worship that comes out of your life.

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My friends, worship is not once a week on Sunday when you are singing. Great, we sing, but we worship every day until we come to Sunday and we express that to God again. Worship is an everyday thing, that's what it means my friends, to be a living sacrifice, that's what it means to live the gospel, that's what it means to be transformed in your minds and not conformed to the world.

See, it comes down to the little, little practical things in your life. It means, the way I drive can be an act of worship. You believe that? The way I drive, it can be an act of worship, because, the way I used to drive, is not very respectful, but because of God, I choose to drive differently.

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Wow, we draw a line, "My response to authority, is a reflection of my response to God" and the way I submit, obey would be an act of worship to my God, it's exciting, every day is a day of worship. The way you pay your taxes, is an act of worship. You know, it's painful, to fill in your tax form, yet it is an act of worship, when you are not cheating, you are paying your dues.

Let me say this, on the other hand, let me just explain this further, on the other hand, it is equally scary, when you disobey authority. Do you know that? Because, if my response to authority, is a reflection of my response to God, when I disobey the authorities God set in my life, I am actually fighting who ? God.

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You're not just fighting your mom, you're not just fighting your husband, you're not just fighting over the government, with the government, you're fighting with your God. You say, Pastor, are you sure?

Well, let me share with you a story long ago. There was this man, a great leader, I think, if he were to live today, if he lived today, we will all be happy to follow him, his name is Moses. Prince of Egypt, schooled in all the fine arts, literature, science of Egypt. He was a humble man, great guy, spiritual man, led 2 million people. And one fine day, there was this man called Korah. Korah, began to talk behind his back, began to subvert people to himself, gathered about a group of 250 men and challenged Moses.

Moses, who do you think you are, how can you rule this nation, is it true that God has appointed you? And so, it was a face to face confrontation between Moses and Korah. Moses didn't try to defend himself, he puts it to the test and in Numbers 16:13, he say something like this, he says

But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.
(Numbers 16:30 ESV)

You know what, Moses, it's interesting, he didn't say, you shall know that this men has despised me.

I thought, he would've said that, but Moses saw something beyond himself. He saw that he was God's appointed leader and therefore, when Korah fought him, Korah was fighting God. When Korah was despising Moses, Korah was despising God; you have despised the Lord and you know the story, alright, and his gang, was swallowed up and fire came upon them, it was clear as daylight.

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You see, people despise authority, because they despised the Lord, your response to authority, is a reflection of your response to God.

False teachers, we live in a day where false teachers can abound and I think they do. They claim the name of Jesus, they claimed to preach the Bible, but 2 Peter actually, gives us a very good description of false teachers. And one of the marks of false teachers who look spiritual is that they had this problem. One of it, there are many, many issues and symptoms, and one of them, is that they are unrighteous and they despise authority. You can't be surprised with that, why? Because they despise God. .. If you despise God, you despise authority.

So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the statement you have got to remember. Your response to authority, is a reflection of your response to God.

Pastor, it is very difficult. I really can't understand how I can submit to my, useless husband who sleeps all the time, doesn't work, really lazy. How can I submit to this lazy husband of mine, sleeps all day, can't be bothered, how would anything good come out of submitting to this useless bum. Hey, maybe that's how you feel.

How can there be anything good when I submit to my terrible boss, how can there be anything good, if I submit to this government ? Let me say this, I have found this statement really, really helpful; it is this, "Submission means, believing that God is able to accomplish His will, in my life, through those He has placed over me."

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You know what, at the end of the day, submission is a choice of faith. Faith, and let me tell you, it makes sense, right? How do we worship God? Faith, because without faith, it is impossible to please God and when we submit to someone, even when we can't make sense out of it, we trust, God has placed him over my life for a very, very, very good reason and I will worship Him, I will trust Him. Submission means believing that God is able to accomplish His will in my life through those He has placed over me.

Now, this should revolutionize the way you look at worship, the way you look at relationship. Now, let me say this, children, now every one of us is under one authority or many. No one is without authority. This is what is said to all of you, all of you are children unless, I don't know, drop off from the sky, but all of us would fall into this category, right. Children, obey your parents in the Lord, hupakoe. Listen to your parents, for this is right, honor your father and your mother.

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You know why God wants you to honor your parents, you know why God wants you to listen to your parents? It's for your good. He says, this is the first commandment with a promise.

This, by the way, it's so important, it's in the 10 commandments, commandment number 5 and is the first commandment with a promise that says, so that you may live long on this earth. So, the implication of that commandment therefore, is God has ordained this, family, parenting structure for your good, for your protection. Authority, is a great thing. For all of you as children, when you rebelled against your parents, you are not doing yourself any favors. You are just shortcutting yourself, you're just shortchanging yourself as well. And I believe, this is so important for us as parents to inculcate in our children.

I remember, I can't remember what his name now, it slipped my mind but, in parenting, they are just two things, right? I have often said this to you, in parenting's, just two things, for your kids to really grasp. One, you have got to help your kids to understand they must obey their parents. Number two, they have got to know that they are loved, unconditionally. That's it, that's it.

Why is it so important, that they should know, they obey their parents? Because, the instruction and the exampling of authority must begin at home. You know why there are so many delinquents, people who rebel, hit out as society, angry at government? It begins at home. No concept of authority; don't understand, I need to obey my parents. You see, it's only when a man understand, he needs to obey his parents that subsequent in life, when it comes to Jesus or when he wants to know Jesus, he can transfer authority to God. Just as how I have obeyed my parents, I need to obey my God. It begins at home.

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Parents, you're doing your child a favor, when you teach them authority, you've got to obey. And I say this to all parents, you got to model authority, you've got to model submission to authority. If they look at you, and you just can't care about the rules, you can't care about people, you can't care about government, you can't care about your own parents, you know, they will pick that from you and that's why, in the last days, man shall be disobedient to their parents, it's just a vicious cycle. So I say this, all of us, hey, obey your parents, this is right, this is good.

Wife, submit to your own husbands. I know pastor, I will submit to my husband, in the finance, buying a car and housing, but when it comes to the food I cook, I take charge, when it comes to holidays, I take charge, when it comes to taking care of the children, I take charge.

You know what the Bible says? You don't take charge, you may be delegated that role, but you are to submit in everything to your husband. Hah ? (Laughter in the congregation). Submission, is believing that God is able to fulfill His purposes, in your life through the people He has placed over you, including your husband.

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This kind? Yes, believing God is, because the day you said I do, you have already sealed the deal. You can look left and right and look at your husband and say er, I regret, instead or I rejoice, one of two choices. But you are to know, you have committed to him in everything, what a word, what a word.

Servants, now this is spoken in the days of the slaves of course, but the principle doesn't change. If you're working for IBM, your boss is your boss. If he dumps a pile of work on you, it seems unreasonable, still, do the will of God, from the heart, rendering service with a goodwill as to the Lord. Service with a smile. Thank you boss, I will do it boss and don't kill him in your heart, smile from your heart as well, because that act of doing that work, given to you by your boss, is an act of worship.

Living sacrifice, sacrifice is painful, right, it is painful, but you do joyfully because Jesus sacrifice Himself for you, that's what it means to live the gospel.

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What about the next one, remember your leaders and here I'm talking, Scripture is talking, not about the government, it's talking about spiritual leaders. I think, we live in a day and age where, people hop church, one place to another and somehow, we don't see the need for loyalty and submission to authority. But the Bible is very clear, you know, Hebrews 13:7, 17 says

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the Word of God.

So, this is spiritual leadership. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who have to give an account.

Your spiritual leaders, have to give an account, to who, to God. Let them do this with joy, and not with groaning for that would be of no advantage unto you.

Aah!, but my Pastor is useless, Pastor doesn't know what he is doing ! Yah, maybe he would mess up, like maybe the government or your parents, all the people who you have experienced in your life. But submission, is believing that God is able to accomplish His will through, in our lives, through the people He has placed over me.

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My response, to my pastors, my spiritual leaders, is a reflection of my response to God. Whoa, authority throughout and of course, we bring you back to our subject, today, Christianity and politics. Hey, I'm not asking you to support any political party alright. I'm not here to say support PAP, WP, to know, what, what SDP or whatever Ps.

There is a period of time that allows, where the parliament is dissolved in that we are all free to vote, we should vote responsibly, we can talk about who we should want to be in government positions and that's part of democracy, we all have a right to vote. But once, the parliament is set and installed, this principle, kicks in immediately. Your response to authority, is a reflection of your response to God, respect them, pray for them, obey them, support them.

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Last question, Pastor, sounds like you're not very concerned about change in this nation, you're not concerned, you just want to obey, obey and then, if things go wrong, how? If policies, messed up how ? You seem like you're not?

No, no, no, I think, a man who is truly gospel transformed, a man who has been touched by grace, will be concerned for justice. He will, and there is no, there is nothing wrong for a Christian to be involved in politics by the way. Is not a wrong thing. I know Joseph, who was a prime minister in his day, Daniel, who is a prime minister in his day, Nehemiah who is cupbearer, the king's cupbearer, the second man in the kingdom of middle Persia. There are people involved in politics, but, I believe, whilst it is important to be engaged politically, it is not the ultimate thing, because, the ultimate thing is not about a political kingdom but, it is about the spiritual kingdom.

And I bring you back to the life and times of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to this world, some 2,000 years ago, the political scene is an ugly one. Caesar was in power, as I've said, slavery, exorbitant taxation, persecution of people who were against him was rampant. It's terrible, but did you ever hear or read in the Bible, Jesus fought Caesar? Did you ever hear Him gather a mass protests and say "Caesar, out of your throne"? Never, instead I hear these words, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. I hear these words, "My kingdom is not of this world, otherwise, my soldiers will kill." I am concerned about the political scene, but I came to seek and save that which is lost, I came to preach the gospel, I came to preach the good tidings of the Lamb of God chasing away the sins of the world, I came to preach deliverance to the poor, bring sight to the blind and help the lame to walk again, I came to bring spiritual recovery to the God who made us. In other words, the ultimate for Jesus, my Lord, is the gospel.

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And Jesus, in his own life, exemplified perfect submission to authority. When He was young, I think His IQ is skyhigh, I think He has knowledge of Scriptures, more than Mary and Joseph, but you know what, the Bible says, He was subject unto His parents. Even if He thinks you are stupid, He subjected and when He was older, even in His ministry, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Obedience to authority, focus on the great commission, the gospel.

My friends, if you are in politics and that's God's calling for you, God bless and for every one of us, whilst we should be engaged politically, because we are concerned, let us be the best citizens, Singapore has ever seen, because that is the gospel, that's what it means to be Christian, that's what it means to be a Christian citizen in any nation and let us live out the gospel, let us live out the living sacrifice and let us give out the gospel, like Jesus, preaching the gospel everywhere, the life-changing message. And we believe change will really take place, not on the outside, but from the inside. That's the revolutionary power of the cross of Jesus Christ.

I end with the story. There is this man called Chuck Colson, famous Christian, involved in ministries to the prisoners and so on and this is what he wrote, I want to share the story with you.

I witnessed a prison in Brazil like none I had ever seen before. Twenty years ago in the city of San Jose Dos Campos, a prison was turned over to two Christian laymen. They called it Humaita, and their plan was to run it on Christian principles. The prison has only two full-time staff. The rest of the work is done by inmates, so, it is a regular prison, turned over for Christians to run. Every prisoner is assigned another inmate to whom he is accountable. In addition, every prisoner is assigned a volunteer family from the outside that works with him during his term and character development. Every prisoner joins a chapel program or else takes a course in character development. When I visited Humaita I found the inmates smiling, particularly the murderer who held the keys and opened the gates and let me in. Wherever I walked I saw people working industriously. The walls were decorated with biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs.

Humaita has an astonishing record. The recidivism which is the relapse rate is four percent, compared to seventy-five percent in the rest of Brazil and the United States. How is that possible? I saw the answer when my inmate guide escorted me to the notorious punishment cell, once used for torture. Today, he told me, the block housed only a single inmate. As we reached the end of the long concrete corridor and put the key into the lock, he paused and asked, "Are you sure you want to go in?" "Of course," I replied impatiently. "I've been in isolation cells all over the world." Slowly he swung open the massive door and I saw the prisoner in that punishment cell: a crucifix, beautifully carved by the Humaita inmates; the prisoner, Jesus hanging on the cross. "He's doing time for the rest of us," my guide said softly.

In that cross, carved by loving hands, is a holy subversion. It heralds change more radical than mankind's most fevered dreams. Its followers expand the boundaries of a kingdom that can never fail---a shining kingdom that reaches into the darkest corners of every community, into the darkest corners of every mind; a kingdom of deathless hope, of restless virtue, of endless hope. This work proceeds, this hope remains, this fire will not be quenched---the enduring revolution of the cross of Christ.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the ultimate thing, may we be living out the gospel and giving out the gospel and may the beauty of Jesus, be seen in us. Let's bow, for a word of prayer.

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As the music plays, I like us just to reflect on the key thought God has given to us. My response to authority, is a reflection of my response to God.

Are there areas, in your life that there is a spirit of rebellion, a spirit, that you feel is not what the Spirit will have for you today. The Holy Spirit is in our lives to change our spirit, our attitudes, our perspectives that we would not be conformed to the world. The world, is under the hands of the evil one, moving us to be anti-authority, anti-God, but the Spirit is here to change, to renew our minds that we may see our response to authority is a reflection of our response to God and the Holy Spirit is here today, to bring us in alignment to the authority of God and His will will be beautifully lived out through the authority He has set over your lives. My friends, look to Jesus. He has suffered immeasurable injustice. There on the cross, my Savior, bore it all at the hands of wicked evil people. But He believed in God, that His will would be lived out through, the wicked men, the structure, the authority He has placed over Him. My Savior, has walked this way and He calls us today, to follow His footsteps and may Jesus be so real to us that when we suffer wrong that when we go under difficult authority, we would still rejoice and say, may this be a living sacrifice unto You.

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My friends, if you're here today for the first time, and you did not know this Jesus. You came, looking for political answers, you wish this world to be a better world, this nation to be a better nation, let me say this, you will find more than you have wanted, when you first stepped in, when you come to Jesus Christ, because, He doesn't change the world outside you, He changes the world inside you. When He changes you from the inside out, this world, looks different, different. The gospel, changes everything.

Can I ask you, to consider today, would you, submit to the Lordship of God, He commands you today to believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is a command, that you are to obey and he that obeys, those who believe in Jesus, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Come and be saved, look unto to Me, all ye ends of the world, Jesus say, be ye things, the offer, the command is right before you. And one day, whether you are a believer in this life or not, we will all stand before God, we will all bow down, sons and daughters, kings and paupers, because Jesus is King. Would you meet Him, your King, as a child, as well or as a sinner, still bearing your sins. My friends, Jesus saves, believe in Him. So, Father, this morning, we are eternally grateful for the Gospel, for Jesus, His life, His death, His resurrection and all it means to us. Bring us dear God, to the throne today, let us all bow down before Your presence and to worship You, to trust You, to live out that Christian life, every single day and may Your Name be lifted up through Your church as we give the gospel and live the gospel. So, bless Your people, I thank You, I can trust the Holy Spirit to work in hearts, we pray all this now in Jesus Name amen.