Trail Life Troop
NC-613
Devotional – Honor
Opening
- Today we learned a lot about our country, now let’s see what the Bible says about honoring it.
- Read, or someone read the Teaching verse. FYI: The memory verse is further down
1 Peter 2:17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the authorities.
Devotional
Big picture Honoring our Country
- Q: Where is a Christian’s true citizenship? (Heaven. Give hints if needed)
- But we are also citizens of America and, therefore, we must honor this country as well.
- Q: So, where should our first allegiance be, to God or to the U.S.A? (God)
- Many people mistakenly think they only need honor God and not government, especially when they don't like the government in power.
- But the teaching verse says just the opposite, we are to show proper honor and respect to all authorities in power over us. It just a matter of priorities, meaning our first priority is to God, but honor all else too.
- Q: Who are some authorities over you? (parents, elected officials, police, military, teachers, etc)
- But let’s talk about honoring our country. God desires for us to honor our country and its leaders that are in power.
- For God has established all governing leaders. God established all Presidents of the United States. And God established ALL world governments throughout history, whether good or bad, for His purposes.
- Jesus lived during a very bad Roman government with much Christian persecution. Yet, He did not demand Christians overthrow the Roman government. He told them to live quiet lives and pay their taxes (render unto Caesar Mt 22:21) and to honor the authorities over them.
- Part of showing respect for everyone (per the teaching verse) is also showing respect for our nation’s symbols, such as the American flag, which many men and women have given their lives to defend.
- That is why we learned all about our flag and how to take care of it and properly respect it.
- Think about that the next time you stand at attention and salute the flag. You are honoring not just the flag, or what it stands for, you are honoring all the men and women who died for this country.
Memory Verse #2
Ask if anybody knows it yet and can say it? Read it together 2X Consider having a memory verse pamphlet for kids take home.
Matthew 22: 37-39 Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Topical Questions
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The Bible says our citizenship priorities are to: heaven first, the church second, the world third, and government last. But we are to show proper respect to everyone. Proper means what is right and holy. When might these citizenship priorities become in conflict?
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The Apostle Peter says proper respect for believers = Loving them, proper respect for God = Fearing Him, and proper respect for the authorities = Honoring them. To honor means you submit to them. What is one way that you might honor authorities?
Closing Prayer
Dear Father God, we thank You for allowing us to be citizens of this great nation. We thank You for our beautiful flag that means so much. God, we know that you are good to us. Never let us forget that all our blessings are because of You. You have chosen to bless this nation because we are dependent on You. But we know even above this nation we are citizens of heaven waiting for Jesus’ return. In Jesus' name. Amen!
