Good to be in God's house. And we do recognize that it is Memorial Day weekend. And so tomorrow will be Memorial Day. And we recognize and we respect the men and women who have given their lives in the defense of just civil rule which is described by Paul in Romans chapter 13 and I would like to call your attention to this text today Romans chapter 13 and We'll look at I want to look at some verses here in verse in chapter 12 as well and If you want to start in the reading today, we'll start our reading with Romans chapter 12 and verse 17. But our text that we'll be going through will be Romans chapter 13 verses 1 through 7. So we'll start in Romans 12 and we'll begin reading in verse 17. The title of the message today is vengeance is mine. Vengeance is mine. And we look at this passage and want us to think about it today, and I think that what I am saying today, by saying vengeance is mine, and according to the text of Scripture today here, I will be saying something radically different than what a lot of people will be saying when they say, Vengeance is mine, and I believe that there is such a thing as a justifiable and justified vengeance on the part of God That we'll look at and we'll consider, but I want us to read here in verse number 17 the scripture says recompense to no man evil for evil Provide things honest in the sight of all men if it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men dearly beloved Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath. For it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger feed him, if he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger, to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, Ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers, attending continually unto this very thing. Render therefore unto all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor, to whom honor." As we think today and we look at the passage before us today, we find, I believe, that civil rule is something that is, of course, a big part of the context here. And I'd like to call your attention here to some more of the context a little bit. And as we look at this context and and consider the immediate context as well as the biblical context of this passage before us. I want us to seek to understand more about this vengeance is mine as he describes it here in verse number 19. Vengeance is mine. But let's go to the Lord in prayer before we go any further today. Lord, we ask for your guidance, your blessing today, and pray that you would help us, Lord, equip us, and strengthen us, Lord, in your work here. And we ask your guidance will be upon each one, your blessing will be upon each one as we seek to honor you. And as we honor you, Lord, help us to as well be respectful of and honor those, Lord, who have served in the military and many who have given their lives and have, as Brother Steve mentioned, so many that have given their lives, Lord, in this country for the cause of truth and justice. And we just pray for your blessings that now that as we look to your word that you'd just equip us, that you'd strengthen us, that we'd grow some In the ways Lord that you'd have us to and we'll give you the praise use your word Bless that your spirit might be present in Jesus name. Amen Well the immediate Bible context here the immediate context this passage it is found in a section on Christian goodness to others chapter 12 verses 17 to 21 recompense to no man evil for evil Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible as much as life, then you live peaceably with all men. You know, if people would take the golden rule and they take the 18th verse of Romans chapter 12 seriously, it would be a much better world to live in, I'll tell you for sure. If we could live as much as lieth within us, that believers would have this as part of the creed that just flows through their veins, that as much as lieth in us, live peaceably with all men. That we're not just trying to start fights. That we're not just trying to make problems for people. That we're not just trying to be something that's distinct and different because of our ego. But rather that we be a people who are really desirous to be humble and to please the Lord and to truly seek to live peaceably. And verse 19 says, Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves. Don't be avenging yourselves. Don't be personally taking vengeance on someone who has wronged you. And we've got far too much to do than to straighten up problems with vengeance. To straighten up and to have to fix problems with wrath that comes upon us. He says, rather give place, don't avenge yourselves, but give place unto wrath. For it's written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. So stay clear of that. Don't yourself engage yourself in that wrath, but rather give place to it. Allow God to do His work. And let God do His work the way He's designed to do His work. There's a plan God has for vengeance that we're going to read about here, that we look in this passage and we see that there's a plan here. So, vengeance is mine, he says, I will repay, saith the Lord. And so, we read that and we see that specific in this text is that exhortation, avenge not yourselves, because Just like in Deuteronomy chapter 32, if you were to go back and read the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, you see a chapter in which you see a description of a God who is the one who carries out vengeance. He is a God of vengeance. Our God is a God of vengeance. There's no question about it. And elsewhere as well, but Paul reminds us though here, vengeance is is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. And then we find the words of our text with this command in chapter 13, this command and this commission of an orderly and divinely endorsed civil vengeance. Of divinely endorsed civil vengeance. Can we all agree that the Bible clearly teaches that vengeance is a good thing. Vengeance is a good thing. There is no doubt about it. When you look to the Scriptures, God is a God of vengeance. And you see Him carrying out that. And He says, hey, don't avenge yourself. It belongs to Me. And give place to it. Because I'm going to carry it out. Vengeance is something that God is going to carry out. So, are we still fraught? As we go on out of this world and we pass on into heaven with the Lord, into paradise with the Lord, then what happens? Do we still? Are we still fraught with sin? No. We're delivered from that. But if you look to Revelation 6 v. 9-11, you see the saints here who have passed on, and what is their statement there? Look at what they say in Revelation uh... six verses nine through eleven revelation chapter six and verse nine whatever we make of the fifth seal we see that's where we're reading the fifth seal says and when he had opened the fifth seal i saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of god okay that's saints of god who have passed on so they're with the lord and the scripture says and for the testimony which they held so they were martyred believers besides just being believers they're martyred but they're with the Lord and they cried with a loud voice saying you should never what they're going to say here a lot of people are going to tell you that you should never ever have a thought like this You should never have thought that somehow you want people to be avenged of wrong that's been done to them. But the Bible says here, they cried with a loud voice in the presence of the Lord, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Does the Lord correct them here? Absolutely not. Why not? Because vengeance is a good thing. And the desire for vengeance is not a bad thing. They're here crying out for the Lord to avenge the blood, their own situation, the injustice that came upon them. They're looking to the Lord. They weren't trying to avenge themselves. They weren't trying to bring vengeance themselves. But they were looking to the Lord for vengeance. They're looking to the Lord. Lord, work this out so that this criminal, so that this rapist, so that this murderer will be properly taken care of. Will be properly punished for what he or she has done. And so as we look at this passage, we're reading this passage in which in the New Testament we see a context, clearly, in which that vengeance is seen as a good thing. The Old Testament was not silent on the absolute necessity of human government. Because that man was made, God's Word says that because man was made in the image of God, that who so uh... genesis chapter nine verse number six right after the flood remember after the flood god says to know here's what's going to happen here's the here's the order now who's so sure that man's blood by man shall his blood be shed. It is an act of, truly an act of wrath, an act of vengeance upon someone who has acted in wrath, someone who has acted as a criminal and has needlessly slain someone, killed someone else. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Also, the chapter following the thou shalt not kill command in Exodus chapter 20, we know the command in Exodus chapter 20 verse 13 says, thou shalt not kill. And there's a lot of people who take that and they say, see, we should never have the death penalty. We should never have capital punishment or anything like that. But the fact of the matter is that in the very next chapter it says clearly, He that smiteth a man so that he die, Acts 21.12, He that smiteth a man so that he die shall surely be put to death. The scripture makes it clear, under the law, here was God's design, God's plan as it pertained to what does thou shalt not kill mean. What thou shalt not kill doesn't mean is it doesn't mean that it is wrong and it doesn't mean that that is an injunction against capital punishment. It does not mean that is an injunction against defense of one's person or one's family and one's property and things. Whatever self-defense, defense of others, are local or national government-based as it pertains to civil justice and the defense of the people that God has given them the responsibility to defend. That means war at times. That means soldiers out to war. People that come back, and it's so sad that there's so many people, they're so completely misunderstand what's going on in war, and they themselves have taken people's lives, and they feel this burden of guilt, and their preachers are telling them how wrong it is to kill. How wrong it was for them to even be involved in such a thing as that. where God's Word makes it clear that that is not what He says. And that vengeance is an appropriate thing. And as we read this passage of Scripture, I want us to see that in this. So now let's just look. Let's look at the text. Start with verse number 1. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. So let's just think about the text. Very simply here, because that's how I am. God is behind human rule, so submit. God is behind human rule, therefore submit. Now, I know that there are clearly, just like there are in other areas of teaching and other areas of practice, there are clearly things that we would say, well, there are areas in which that there are exceptions to this general rule. There are. There are exceptions to a number of general rules that we find in the Word of God, and the Bible specifically states them. But as we look at this passage, I'd say God is behind human rule, and so in general, submit. Look what we've made of 1 Timothy chapter 2, verses 1 and 2. 1 Timothy chapter 2. And verses 1 and 2, the scripture says, I exhort therefore that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, for all that are in authority. that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior." And so when we read that and we see that, the Scripture is saying to us that God is behind human rule. In Titus chapter 3 and verse number 1. Titus chapter 3, put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. Now why would I say there's certain exceptions to this? Well, clearly there are certain exceptions to this in that just like whenever the Word of God tells us that the apostles, there was a period of time in which they were preaching and Paul and others preaching the word of God and Peter and before Paul, Peter and John were preaching the word of God and what happened is that they were stopped. They were told that this is illegal, you can't do this. And they said, well, is it right for us to obey God or men? There are exceptions as it pertains to human government because not all human government and everything they do is perfect, right? We all know that, without doubt. So I'm not going to violate God's word, God's clear command from his word over over submission to human government. But I am going to submit to human government nonetheless. Even an evil human government that says, you're not to do that, or you are to do this. And I'm going to say, well, I'm not going to do that. I'm going to trust God that I'm going to be OK not doing that. because I'm going to obey God rather than men, but I'm still going to submit to the human authority. I'm still going to submit to that human government because that is of God. God has designed that we have such a thing as human government. And it is a blessing that we do. Okay, so we said God's behind human rule, so submit. Verse 2. If we refuse, expect consequences. If we refuse, expect consequences. Kids need to grow up understanding that if you don't do what they tell you to do, if you don't obey the law, then expect consequences. You don't just get to make your own life and your own rules. It isn't appropriate. Verse number 2 says there, Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God. And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. And that's talking about the judgment or the justice of a magistrate. You're going to receive justice. You're going to receive the punishment that you're due. If you do that, if you're going to resist, then expect there's going to be consequences. And that's for every one of us. That's for a believer just as well as for an unbeliever. It's a shame that a believer is under the situation, but at the same time, it is something that is clearly God's will, God's design, if we refuse to expect the consequences. Verse 3, For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have the praise of the same." Since they are under God, they can't stop us from doing good. That's what I say about verse 3. Since they're under God, they cannot stop us from doing good. What's the purpose in human government? It's for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well. We'll read that in a moment. But since they are under God, as we read in verse number three, rulers are not a terror to good works. Doing good is something we need to be doing. I mean, do that which is good. Do that which is pleasing to the Lord. Follow the Lord's will. Obey His commands and His commissions. Do what He says for us to do. Because the real problem, the way God is going to providentially use human government is going to be to punish evildoers and to praise those that are doing that which is right. And it's going to be His way of doing it. It's going to be God providentially working through human government to do that. And so I say, I need to work with human government. I need to understand that human government is not something that is against me, but it is for me. It is for my good. And verse number 4 then. Look at verse 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid. For he beareth not the sword in vain. For he is the minister of God, a revenger. to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Notice, he is that vengeance taker for God. God, we are to submit to God's form of taking vengeance. We're to submit to God taking vengeance, God doing it, God working it out. And how does he do that? He's given us such a thing as human government. And that human government is the way in which we are to rightly not take it into our own hands, but go to the authority and seek Seek that that right of the wrongs according to God's plan Verse 4 rulers they're designed to be our aid for good and our God's ordained Revengers in first Peter chapter 2 and I said I look at this passage a moment ago the first Peter chapter 2 and And in verse number 11, Dearly beloved, I beseech you, and we'll read down through verse 17. Dearly beloved, I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be to the king as supreme or unto governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers. Notice, sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king, he says. Rulers are designed to be our aid for good. And we need to recognize them as God's ordained revengers. They're the ones we're to go to. Verse number five of our text again. We're going through this kind of quickly. This is not going to be the end of the message as soon as we get through this part, though. But verse five says, it says, Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath, but also for conscience' sake. both out of respect, out of respect for the authority, out of fear in the sense, out of respecting authority, and then also for conscience sake. What does he mean for conscience sake? We're to have a good conscience as God's people. And look with me to 1 Peter chapter 3 and verses 12 to 17. I should have told you to hold your place in 1 Peter. I'd be upset with the preacher if he did that to me. No, I'm just kidding. I Peter chapter 3 and look down to I Peter chapter 3 and where did I say? Verse 12. Verse 12 to 17 here. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous. And his ears are open unto their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. You ever thought of that? That's the Lord's, His appearance, if you were to look at Him, and I don't think, He's not talking about physical appearance and such, but it's as though, if you were to look at Him, He's looking after His eyes, He's looking after His people, and He's got eyes that are stern, as the scripture is saying here, against those that do evil. He says, "...the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." It's like you get this loving, caring appearance of the Lord, countenance of the Lord for the believer and for the unbeliever. The Scripture says He is angry with the wicked every day. what the Word of God tells us. Our God is angry with the wicked every day. Now, that just doesn't set well with a lot of people, but that's who God is. He's a God of vengeance and of wrath. He's a God who holds people accountable and responsible for their sin, for their offenses against Him. And so the Scripture says, and who is He that will harm you? if you'd be followers of that which is good god is providentially working and he's in control of things that we can trust him that we can that we can say okay i can trust god that even though going to the police about this might mean i'd go to prison but i'm gonna go to the police about this there may be some circumstantial stuff that's going on in my life that it's going to say uh... they're going to misread that they're going to think this of me they're going to think i might have done this because i don't even have an alibi or whatever but i'm going to trust that God's going to take care of me. And that's what we're going to do. I'm not to go take it into my own hands. I'm not to say that since justice is not going to be done this way, that I'm going to go carry it out myself. I'm not going to do that. It's not the Lord's will. We are those who are to understand that the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers. We go on to say, Verse 14, but if you suffer for righteousness' sake, okay, so even if you do get accused, and you do suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye, and be not afraid of their tyranny that be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing than for evildoing." And he says the Lord's plan is with human government, even when there are mistakes, even when we get blamed for something that we should not have been blamed for, God is still in control. God is still working. And He's still going to take care of you. And you're going to have a good conscience. You'll have a good conscience. You'll be fine. So, then in verse number... So since God's plan... Since God's plan and... I'll tell you what. It is really hard, I'm just going to tell you, with that light flashing. It is difficult to concentrate somewhat, but since God's plan, although, you know, I should just take in the limelight and say, hey, this is cool. But anyway, since God's plan, since it's God's plan, and His plan is a good plan, verse number six, back to our text, then we are to willingly fund it. We're to be paying taxes, right? We're to be paying our taxes. We're to be paying tribute. It says in verse number 6, for this cause pay ye tribute also, for they are God's ministers attending continually upon this very thing. Notice, they're attending continually upon this very thing. Do you note how the extent, how how overwhelming this job is that god has given the human government you know how difficult it must be is there ever a human government that is appropriately funded for all the people that is done within the society probably not But God's in control of it all. God's in control. And so what should I do? Well, I should be one who is doing my part and realizing that I'm not to be a conscientious objector as far as Paying taxes such as this, as I have the responsibility under law to be paying my taxes, then I need to be paying my taxes accordingly. I need to be doing what God would have me to do. In verse number 7, so let's be responsible citizens. Tribute and custom respect and honor to those to whom it's due. It says in verse number seven, it says, render therefore to all their dues, tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. give them their proper dues. When we have Memorial Day, then we're memorialize it. When I when I heard about the, as Steve's talking about the, the gentleman, whoever it is, that's putting out the flags and sisters that that's a wonderful thing. I mean, it is what can we do to honor those that have gone on before us, the Word of God tells us that we're to, that it's an appropriate thing for us to do not consider how this plays out. as we looked at the text here. But how does this play out? Well, first of all, as a believer, I need to be praying and striving for good government. I need to be concerned about it. I want good government. I need to be involved in it. I don't need to be someone who is just a pacifist. I don't need to be someone who has just shunned my responsibility in a land in which we have self-government. I don't want to be one who is irresponsible to take the responsibility of the duties that I have as far as my duties as a citizen of the country under which the Lord has given me. Some people say, I can never do anything with this country. I don't want anything to do with it. And I don't have to because God has nothing to do with these rulers. These people are so bad. They're so evil. Well, why do you think that is? Maybe, perhaps, it's because God's people haven't been concerned about it. Perhaps it's because God's people haven't seen the terrible need that is there such that they would cry out unto the Lord for help and for the Lord's blessing and for the Lord's goodness to be done. And so we do need to be involved. We do need to be those who are praying and striving any way we can to improve the situation that we are under. I believe it is God's will that we do that. And you know what? Just because God's the one who calls a pastor As an example, just because God's the one who calls a minister into the ministry, and he comes and he says, well, God's called me into the ministry. And so you need to just surrender to me. You need to be my flock. No, no. There's a confirmation of that call. that involves all the people, that involves a church, that involves people to say, you know, God, we recognize that call, and not only do we recognize that call, we think that God would It would be good for you to be with us and we can submit ourselves to you. You know, that whole process took place over a couple of hundred years ago in this country. But it should be taking place all the time as it pertains to us engaging and desiring God's will to be done with the government that God's given us. We want what is best. We want good. So pray. Strive. I preached too long on that. Then there's no perfect government yet. Not yet, I said. Some are better than others, no doubt about it. We're probably living in the best one on this planet right now. Honestly, I believe that. We're living in the best one on this planet, and I don't believe there's any promise that that's going to continue. I don't believe for a moment. There's no prophecy that says, although some people have goofy interpretations of prophecy, There's no prophecy that says that the United States is going to be around when Jesus comes. There's no such prophecy. There's no prophecy saying we're going to be a free nation for the rest of this world's history. There's no such prophecy. There's no perfect government. There will be one of these days, when the Lord Jesus establishes his kingdom, there will be. But some are better than others. And we ought to be thankful for that. If yours is a little bit better than somebody else's, if you've not got something to be thankful for, I'm just saying. I'm just saying, if yours is a little bit better than somebody else's, and ours is a lot better than most, don't be afraid. Also, when I think about this passage and all of what it's saying, don't be afraid of the death penalty. Don't let people cause you to feel this weight of some moral weight that they put upon you in thinking that the death penalty is evil. Because it's not. It's God's plan. Capital punishment is God's plan. What they do to deserve it is what's evil. What people do to deserve it. That's where the evil is. Don't let people take the crime off of the criminal and put it on the victim. That's what we'd do if that were the case. And God is not a God of injustice. God is not a God who says it's okay Everything will be fine in the end. No, there's such a place as eternal hell. And it's a real place, and it's for suffering the consequences eternally for your sins. Don't be afraid of the death penalty. Submission to God, next point. Submission to God requires submitting to His plan for vengeance. Submit to His plan for vengeance. If it's bad enough for you to be complaining about it for the rest of the week, call the cops. If it's bad enough, if they've done something bad enough that's caused that somebody else could be damaged, if somebody doesn't stop them, Call 9-1-1. Call the police. Seek to stop it. That's God's plan. That's God's order. 9-1-1 is not right here, but it's as though it were. 1611, you know, Bible. But at the same time, I believe in a 9-1-1 Bible, too. I believe that God's Word teaches us that there's a right and a proper thing to do as it pertains to vengeance. Then next, be a testimony of good citizenship and patriotism. Be a testimony of good citizenship and patriotism. Be a good citizen. Be patriotic. Show a love. Show a concern. Say, thank you for your service. Be that person that says, hey, where were you? And what did you do? Be that person that says, that's concerned and that cares enough. And that is, you know, I know some people that have been in the military, they'd rather you just be quiet and such as that. That's okay. There's a humility about it and I understand that. But be respectful and show honor where honor is due. Be a testimony of good citizenship and patriotism. Even law that is imperfect is still going to work for good. Even law that's imperfect, even law that is for a period of time, it's just flat wrong. God's still going to work it for good. God's still going to accomplish His purposes through it. Philippians chapter 1 verse 12, Philippians chapter 1 verse 28, a couple of passages of Scripture I think that say that. But also something else that I take out of this just briefly here, and that is that the way this plays out is for the furtherance of the Gospel. Now let me explain what I mean by that. And that is that, well first of all, that God is a God of vengeance and justice, and if people don't hear that, and they don't know that, there's no good news in the Gospel. If they don't understand the justice of God and the reality of a vengeful God over sin, a God who is truly offended by sin, a God whose stern countenance is against the evildoers, if they don't see that and they don't feel that, they will never see the good news of the Gospel. They will not experience the good news of the Gospel. The first thing that happened to me before I came to know the Lord was I came to be brought to grips with a tremendously stern God who is going to send me to eternal hell because of my sin. And that was a weight. It became a weight that was a weight upon me for days. And it was a weight that comes upon, that must come upon people. The law must do its work. And I'm talking about the law in the sense of the moral law of God must do its work. When we don't communicate clearly the justice of God and who God is. And we've got a God that's just this loving God. I was sitting at the Panera the other day. And I heard and listened to a couple of guys talking, and they have got, I mean, they just were convinced there's no way that the God that people are preaching about is the God that they serve. They serve a God who would never do anything, there is no such, there can't possibly be any such thing as hell. There can't possibly be any such thing as consequences for sin. Life should just, if I were, here's what one of the guys says. He says, if I were a designer, I'm a God, I'm the God. If I were a designer, I want my design to put a smile on my face. That's what he said. I want my design to put a smile on my face. And I'm thinking, you know, you just don't understand the reality and the complete picture of God and of His will. God is not just communicating himself just so that everybody in the world can all be happy, God is communicating the whole of His nature to us. He's communicating not only the goodness of God, but also His severity. The severity of God. He is showing to us... Long ago, I remember hearing somebody talking about grace and the grace of God and salvation and such as this. And I remember how that it was told me, and this is something that was just very shortly after I came to know the Lord, but it's something that just sticks forever. And that is, and I've used it many times, but it is that How can you possibly know what grace is if you don't know what justice is? How can you possibly understand grace if God is not, if there's no severity of sin, if there's no consequences of sin? If there's no consequences for sin, how gracious a God is he? He's a God of tremendous grace. And I'm saved because He has delivered me from the consequences of my sin. How? By sending His Son to suffer capital punishment. by sending his son to take the death penalty, by sending his son to endure the highest, the most awful of humiliation that could possibly be had as though he were the most hardened criminal And even in that, even further injustice, but He has saved me by sending His Son. What does it mean that Jesus Christ went to suffer for my sins if my sins do not offend God? What does it mean that He came to provide grace? How much grace do I have? Well, how much have I sinned? You know, reality. How much have I sinned? How much have I offended God? There's how much grace that God has given to me. There's how much He's provided. There's the means of my salvation. It's not by any works I can do or undoing things or anything like that or that it's okay, everything I'm doing is okay with God and God's just going to let me in no matter what. God is a God of justice and vengeance. There is ultimate penalty for sin. There is an ultimate penalty for sin. And then Christ's death was to pay the ultimate price for sin. And so when we think about it being a furtherance of the gospel. The Apostle Paul talked about the furtherance of the Gospel in another way. He says, you know, all these things that have fallen out upon me, you know, my chains, you know, I'm a prisoner. All these things that have fallen out, that have happened to me, have fallen out, rather, for the what? For the furtherance of the Gospel. You see, what was being done? He was being falsely accused of things by the government. He was being taken to Rome, and he's going to be held as a prisoner for years in Rome, and God would bless, God would take care of everything, he's going to use it. It all happened for the furtherance of the gospel. As injustice as it all was, he didn't He doesn't throw down his hands and say, you know, I'm done. This is it. I'm quitting. I'm through. No. He's got a conscience and he has a testimony and he has a job from the Lord to continue. And so as we look at this passage of Scripture, I think there's a few things we can take out of that. But vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. It doesn't mean that God doesn't like vengeance. He doesn't want us to take vengeance. Vengeance is mine, but he does say give place to it. He says they give place to wrath and Realize that God's plan is a good plan. Hope we all Have a blessed and an honorable Memorial day tomorrow and and do what you can to to to show honor at least in your heart pray for those that are in authority and Pray for those that are fighting. Pray for those who are serving. And give a great big thank you to the Lord for all those who have given their lives to defend the cause that God has given them. The cause that God gave them to fight for. And so we look today at this passage and I think it's worth our respect to those who fight and those who defend us, those who take care of us in our day-to-day lives as we look at Romans chapter 13. Let's go to the Lord in prayer.