Can a Man Serve Two Masters?

A sermon delivered March 2022 at Terlingua Ranch Community Church in Texas by Pastor Hat Bailey

I read the following due to a comment the author made on my brothers post “To My Followers” and felt it needed sharing. The truth of this come straight from the Word and the Holy Spirit inspired author. Read it and realize this is one of our major issues in the world of “Churchianity”. C.L.

Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Who or what do you serve? Is money your master? Or is it status and prestige, or simply the good opinion and flattery of others who have status and prestige. Or is it simply the good opinion of the crowd. Is it carnal pleasures, the fine things and seeming security that money can buy? Is it something as simple as mere convenience? If it means a possible struggle or hard work will you go along to get along. Will you comply or make compromises with popular opinions or unjust “laws” even if they seem unethical or wrong to you?

I’m sure you are aware of what you will encounter if you go against the popular worldly view, aren’t you? Jesus warned us about that in the book of John.

John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.”

Let me ask you this. Is the “government” or its leader your master? As the founders of this great nation in the Declaration of Independence stated: “... all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

The advice of the scriptures teaches that graciousness, the willingness to avoid pointless arguments, contentions and violence, is the path of the humble Christian, to “go the extra mile.” Yet there is a limit even to this as described in the words of the founding document I just cited above. There may very well come a time when what is required is unjust, unethical and in violation of the just laws of love and of reality. The only answer at that point is ‘I will not comply,’ a humble refusal to do what you know to be wrong, and to rely upon the promises of the Lord Who alone is your only true Master.

Acts 5:27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!”

…..33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.

The authorities were prepared to put them to death over this refusal to obey the constituted authority. Yet they were indeed under Divine Protection and this did not happen.

In fact the “power” of these authorities was nothing compared to the Authority that the apostles chose to obey. When they were first arrested they were put into jail by that “authority” yet a Higher Authority easily set them free.

17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin—the full assembly of the elders of Israel—and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to.

The authorities of this world are put in place by what Paul called “the god of this world” who makes king, queens and presidents.

2Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

This is the “god” who appoints and controls the top authorities of this world and that dark influence seeps down even as far as the local levels today, as the world has become steeped in materialism. Do not doubt the control this insane “god” has over the affairs of this world. This was how he could offer Christ all the kingdoms and power of this world after the forty days of fasting in the wilderness. He had them to offer. However this is not the kind of kingdom Jesus wanted or needed. His kingdom was based on obedience through love, trust and understanding, not on coercion, and fear of the threat of violence, or bribery and blackmail.

Nevertheless our Father is a God of allowing. We are allowed to give our power to these creatures, if we choose to believe their lies and blasphemies and fair sounding but false promises. These have been broken over and over, yet people still choose what they are familiar with as they did of old. When they petitioned Samuel for a king he warned them what this would mean, yet he respected the choice of the people. At first he was tempted to believe this was a rejection of himself.

Samuel 8:7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”

Today we are faced with the defacto requirement to be a corporate church under the rules of the legal, but in my view unlawful, authority of the IRS. Otherwise we are told we cannot have a bank account and there may be adverse liabilities for our church trustees. Personally I have refused to comply with requirements that in my own view are unethical and unlawful, even though accepted by most people. I had hoped that the Terlingua Ranch Community Church would never be a 501c3 organization under my watch. Yet it appears this is what most of our leadership feels is expedient. For myself I do not accept their jurisdiction and will continue to say what the Lord inspires me to say whether it is pleasing to any earthly authority. If this makes you uncomfortable then I urge you to find another pastor who will teach those things that do make you comfortable if that is the will of the people and I will accept it. I’m not going away unless I am asked to do so, and I will not abandon this little flock. Every man and woman must always do their best to follow the guidance of their conscience and that precious Holy Spirit of Truth. If this is done sincerely you will in no wise lose your reward. Neither will I judge or condemn you for it. This is my promise to you and my message for today. ~Pastor Hat Bailey

---

I whole heartedly agree with this message…