1. God’s Sovereignty All authorities are instituted by God and as Christians we submit to these authorities to obey God, not man.

2. Other Examples Psalm 75:6-7 “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. 7 But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” Psalm 75:6-7 “No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. 7 But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.” Daniel 2:20-21 "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 2:20-21 "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” Daniel 4:17 " The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.' Daniel 4:17 " The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.'

3. The Lord is Sovereign Isaiah 45:6-7: I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things. Isaiah 45:6-7: I am the Lord, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.

4. Authorities are God’s Servants Mentioned 3x in our text this morning Mentioned 3x in our text this morning Does not mean they will follow God’s lead Does not mean they will follow God’s lead King Nebuchadnezzar (Jer 27:6) King Nebuchadnezzar (Jer 27:6) Pagan King Cyrus Pagan King Cyrus –Isaiah 45:4-6“For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.”

5. Some things of God we will not comprehend Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,” Deuteronomy 29:29 "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever,”

6. King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4) "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" “Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" “Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

7. Jesus Christ (John 19:8-11) What if Pilate was not there? What if Pilate was not there? The gift of salvation at the cross. The gift of salvation at the cross.

8. Examples of Godly Disobedience In Exodus 1:17 “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.” In Exodus 1:17 “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.” Moses' parents Moses' parents 1 Kings 18: Obadiah 1 Kings 18: Obadiah Esther illegally approached the King Esther illegally approached the King Daniel disobeyed King Darius Daniel disobeyed King Darius The Magi The Magi Peter and the apostles “We must obey God rather than men” Peter and the apostles “We must obey God rather than men” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3) Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (Daniel 3)

9. So what about us, today? Three realizations: Three realizations: –1) We are people of the Gospel; God is supreme; we ultimately answer to Him –2) Winners of elections happened under Sovereign authority of God –3) Ultimate authority is in Christ through power of God John 3:31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.” John 3:31"The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.”