Jason Bourne is my kind of hero. He is a man with an awful past, a trained assassin who has lost his memory. I like him because he is like a maniacal energizer bunny, he just keeps on killing and killing. He can kill a man with a bic pen, he can kill a man just by singing “Makes me feel like a woman”. In the Bourne movies, he is after the men who made him what he is, and they are out to kill him. It is but another movie showing how corrupt our government is, and it’s subtle message is to trust no one!
Ronald Reagan said the most terrifying words in the English language “I’m from the Government & I’m here to help you”. Indeed many in America regard the Federal Government, in fact any government, with scorn and contempt. I confess that my attitude has been wrong on several occasions. But God has issued the Scourne Ultimatum to Christians. (I made the spelling like Bourne)
SCORN: lack of respect accompanied by a feeling of intense dislike. Similar to contempt. To show scorn for the court is to be held in contempt.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalms 1:1 (KJV)
The Scourne Ultimatum applies to Being Blessed. If you want to have God’s Blessing in your life You must not sit with those who scorn God’s Ways. If we as a Church want God’s blessings on our efforts to grow and reach out and serve, we must not be Scorning God’s Ways nor God’s Government.
Part of the Scourne Ultimatum is that not only do you miss out on God’s Blessing and Power, but you also lose God’s ability to keep you from temptation. Those that scorn authorities reserve special judgment for themselves:
then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 2 Peter 2:9-10 (NKJV)
Well, you say, God isn’t governing Belton! Oh, Yes He Is!
For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations. Psalms 22:28 (KJV)
God is even governing Cass County. He is governing Peculiar, Cleveland, Raymore. God has ordained our civil government, our civil authority.
God’s Directive – Rom 13: 3-7
For rulers are not to be feared by those who do good, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of those in authority? Then do what is good, and they will praise you, because they are God's servants working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of them, because their power to punish is real. They are God's servants and carry out God's punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities—not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. That is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are working for God when they fulfill their duties. Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and property taxes, and show respect and honor for them all. Romans 13:3-7 (TEV)
They are the ministers of God. They are God’s deacons. θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονός ἐστιν
We are to give honor and respect to ALL Civil authorities, not just some of them.
The impeachment trial for the Blagojevich Governor of Illinois is over. He is out of office. While still Governor appointed a replacement for now President Barack Obama. The Congress at first said they would never approve the person he eventually appointed. They changed their mind and approved now Senator Burris.
Why?
You can speculate about why, but they did the honorable thing. They honored the office of Governor that Mr Blog holds. He may be dishonorable person, he was even impeached, but while he was in office, the citizens of Illinois, the United States Senate honored the office that he represented.
Civil Authorities are ordained by God. They are even His servants, His deacons. If you give your heart to God and allow His truth to guide your life, then every time you see a policeman, firefighter, councilman, mayor, state legislator, governor, judge, congressman, senator, or any other person in a branch of government, you should find respect and honor welling up in your heart. This is the fear of the Lord residing in your heart. That fear leads you to honor God and those authorities He uses.
The way most of us encounter civil authority is by those flashing lights in our rear view mirror.
I remember driving to Springfield one time near 1980 or 81. We were going to Branson for a little family vacation. We were in a 1978 or 79 Chevy Impala. Big back seat. We had at least four kids then. The baby was up front but the three boys were in the back. It was late at night, the kids were asleep, and one was laying in the back under the window, two were sprawled in the back seat. You looked in our car and it was all kids.
Well, I got caught speeding. The officer came to the window and said his usual, I said I’m sorry that I was speeding and I thanked him for doing his job. He goes back and then comes back. He said. The fine for this ticket would have been 75 or 80 dollars, but I’m just gonna give you a warning. You take that money and spend it on your kids.
I thanked him, and drove away thanking God for His mercy.
Now I have had not so kind encounters with policemen. And I am sure you have too. They have a tough job.
You cannot watch TV without seeing and hearing people dishonor policemen, and government officials.
Why should we have a good reputation with the city?
Honor for Civil Authority is God Directed
Furthermore, he (church leaders) must have a good reputation and be well thought of by those outside [the church], lest he become involved in slander and incur reproach and fall into the devil’s trap. 1 Timothy 3:7 (AMP)
We bring offense to the Gospel by not having a good reputation
The early church in Jerusalem:
but the people (outside the church) held them in high regard and praised and made much of them. Acts 5:13 (AMP)
We hinder the advancement of the gospel
Is the cause of Christ Lifted up by protests and controversy?
WestBoro Baptist Church, Rev Phelps. We are to Live Peaceably with all men.
An unbeliever in early Rome wrote: “They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time, they surpass the laws by their lives. (Letter to Diognetus, chapter 5)
Do we compromise the Gospel to honor and reach civil authorites?
Definitely Not!
John the Baptist was beheaded because he warned Herod of the lawlessness of sleeping with his brother’s wife.
The Apostles, Peter and John
And they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20 (NKJV)
Our attitude of Honor is so important in showing our authorities to fear God.
Pastor Ken Wilde is the Senior Pastor of Capital Christian Center in Boise, Idaho. 22 Weeks out of the year he spends in Washington DC praying for the leaders of our Country. Ken founded the National Prayer Center is an inter-denominational, non-profit organization dedicated to activating, mobilizing and inspiring Christians across America to become involved in the Biblical mandate to pray for our leaders and for national revival in order to heal our land., with over 2000 attendees. The Center is open to members of Congress and their staffs for times of prayer, devotion and spiritual encouragement.
Ken Wilde tells of meeting with a Congressman for the first time. He brought 15 intercessors from a local church along with their pastor. When they were allowed into his office, Ken could tell by the congressman’s body language that he wasn’t sure what they wanted.
He asked what he could do for them. Ken proceeded to tell him they did not want anything, but were only there to thank him for his service to his country and to pray for him.
He said this is a real gift for me. Every day it is an endless stream of people and groups coming in to his office to request money for this or that special interest. He pictures a digital readout on the wall that totals all the money requests each day. “But you have come to give me something today. That has never happened before.
The group prayed for the Congressman, and when they had finished, he asked them if they would pray for his staff as well. When they had finished, he looked at his watch and said, I just had an appointment cancellation, would you like to go over to the Capitol and have a look around? (A Congressman never does this-only interns and staffers.) He led them on a quick ½ hour tour of the Capitol.
Two weeks later Ken received a call from the local Pastor. He was quite frantic. The Congressman had called and told him he was going to come and visit his church with his wife.
Are we to bring the truth to our leaders?
We must speak the truth, but speak it in love.
Sometimes God will raise up servants to speak strong words to a civil leader.
Nathan to David
John the Baptist to Herod
What good does it do when we get in our groups and backbit against our leaders, we disrespect them, dishonor them.
What we say in private God will shout from the rooftops on the day of judgment.
Speak the truth in your hearts and you will have a heart burning with honor before our leaders.
Otherwise your dishonor will poison your spirit and will be manifested before our leaders.
Honor for Civil Authority Restores the Fear of God.
The Scourne Ultimatum
Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 1 Peter 2:17
Peter says how can you fear God whom you cannot see, when your don’t honor the leader he has placed his authority upon that you do see?
In America we say: “You will have to earn my respect”
The fear of God says: “I see the authority that God has placed upon you, therefore you already have my respect”
We are not to sit in the seat of the scornful, but we are to walk in the fear of the Lord
Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Psalms 33:8 (KJV)
Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him. Deuteronomy 8:6 (NKJV)
The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil. Proverbs 19:23 (NKJV)
Honoring our civil authorities opens up our community to the Power and Authority of God!
and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, Ephesians 3:9-10 (NIV)
If we do not fear our authorities, we will not fear God, we will not be living testimonies of the Power of God!
Herod Agrippa came into power in 37AD.He helped the Emperor Claudius gain the throne after Caligula was murdered. As a reward he was given Judea nd Samaria. Now his kingdom was as large as his grandfather Herod the Great.
Herod Agrippa (I) was the one who persecuted the early church. He killed James. He imprisoned Peter tot kill him.
The Christians continued to honor Agrippa, even though they feared him and endured horrible persecutions for their faith in Christ.