How often do we fall into the trap of thinking that our country or community will be a little slice of heaven if we just have the right person or party in power? To the degree one thinks like that, he proves himself a fool. For again and again, Scripture warns believers not to trust in princes. Governments fail. Leaders fall. Nations crumble. Even the wisest and most godly ruler is still human, and thus flawed and fallible. Human rulers are necessary, for the sake of order; but they are bound to disappoint, at least to some degree.

Yet Christians are not undone. Why? Because our hope is not in earthly power, but in the King who conquered death and reigns forever. St. Paul puts it this way: “Our citizenship is in heaven.” That doesn’t mean we withdraw from the world. It means we engage with perspective. We pray for our leaders, vote our conscience, speak the truth. However, we do not place our hope in any ruler other than the one who commands the angels. No matter happens in government, Christians do not panic. We fix our eyes on Jesus. He will return and reign in perfect peace.

What happens when civil rulers oppose God’s will? Scripture teaches that we must obey God rather than men. Throughout the Bible, faithful believers resisted government decrees that contradicted God’s commands. But they did so, not with rebellion or rage, but with humble, courageous conviction. When Pharaoh commanded murder, the midwives refused. When the apostles were told to be silent, they kept preaching Christ. Their defiance was not political. it was devotional. They answered to a higher King.

While every authority has been established by God, governments often fail in their God-given purpose—promoting order and peace. When rulers govern in a way that opposes the Almighty’s authority—when God’s gift of life is devalued, when God’s moral law is ignored—Christians will speak and act. That is not partisan. It is biblical. Yet, our calling is not to overthrow but to outlast. We witness. We intercede. We suffer, if necessary. But we do not compromise. And we do not fear, because we know who really sits on the throne.

 “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” With those words, Jesus taught that Christians live in two kingdoms: the spiritual reign of God, and the civil authority of earthly governments. These are not competing allegiances. Both are established by God, but for very different purposes. Earthly governments promote order and peace by restraining evil and punishing wrongdoing. The Church provides salvation and eternal life through the proclamation of the gospel in Word and sacrament. Christians are called to honor both.

Living as dual citizens requires discernment. When we understand the purpose and limits of each kingdom, we can faithfully serve in both. We pay taxes and pray. We follow Christ and we obey laws. In a time of political confusion and division, this message brings clarity. Our identity is not partisan. It is baptized. Our nation matters, but it’s not ultimate. Christ is.

There’s the type of fan who follows his team if they make the playoffs. Then there’s the type of fan who, regardless of his team’s record, watches every game and knows the stats for every player. There are different types of followers: the halfhearted versus the committed. Jesus is uninterested in half-hearted followers who shoehorn him into their lives only when their other pursuits provide time for the Christ. Jesus wants followers who are all-in… who love him above all things… who would be willing to leave everything else behind if that were what it would take to be with him. We simply do not have it in us to produce that level of commitment. But Jesus’ words have Jesus’ power. In his gospel Jesus explains how he went all in for our salvation. He tells us he left the comforts of heaven behind to come rescue us. And through those words Christ creates within us the very commitment that he seeks.

God’s words are so powerful! With only his words, Jesus cured illness and raised the dead. With his words, Jesus created the faith that receives his forgiveness. So we should not be surprised this week when we see that Jesus’ words also have the power to push back the spiritual forces of evil that are in the world. Jesus’ words expose idols as worthless and following idols as self-destructive evil. Jesus’ words are so compelling, even demons must obey them. It is not surprising that God’s words crush evil. It is a surprise, however, to see that Jesus’ words have Jesus’ power even when they are not coming from Jesus’ mouth. Jesus puts his words on our lips. He makes us his witnesses. And as we carry out that awesome role, Jesus continues to drive back Satan and his allies, just as he did when he walked the earth. When the gospel comes out of the mouths of sinners like us, Jesus “sends the power of evil reeling."

The Scriptures never use the words “Trinity” or “Triune.” They never even summarize in any single place the entirety of this doctrine. Instead, as we read God’s Word from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, he gives us hints and glimpses of his Triune nature. Thus, the doctrine of the Trinity can seem very academic, even abstract. It may seem to have little relevance to the Christian’s daily life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, as God provides those hints and glimpses, his primary focus is on the way in which his Triune nature is a blessing to us. God shows us how we benefit from the fact he exists as Trinity. God dwells in a “majesty and mystery” that far exceeds our understanding. But here is what we can understand. Every time we gather in the name of the Lord, our Triune God, we receive indescribable blessings.