Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment

Leading Christ into Captivity

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Covenant Theology

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2021-05-02

Synopsis: John Weaver examines the concept of Jesus Christ being led into captivity, both historically in Luke 22 and presently when believers and churches submit to civil government over Christ's headship. He argues that Christ, as sovereign Lord with all authority, cannot be legitimately subjected to limited, delegated powers. The message warns against religious leaders and institutions delivering the church—and thus Christ as its head—into bondage to the state, drawing parallels to first-century Caesar worship and urging believers to confess Jesus as Lord alone.

[John Weaver] Alright, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 22. But if you would, please go ahead and find 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 1, Colossians 1. Mark those passages. I've got a lot of ground to cover today. I'm going to be quoting a lot of Scripture. in order that I can get everything in this particular message. Luke 22, we're just going to read one verse. We will come back to this verse. There will be a lot of foundation to be laid before we get to it. But Luke 22 and verse 54, the Bible in reference to Jesus Christ says, Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off. The title of the message is Leading Christ into Captivity. Leading Christ into Captivity.

[John Weaver] Here is a subject that we never consider. The captivity of Jesus Christ. One immediately will answer and object and say, but it's impossible to lead the sovereign, omnipotent, almighty God into captivity. Yet the truth of the matter is He was led into captivity. And he is still being led into captivity, not only by his enemies, but by his friends as well. And I'll make this clearer just shortly. But when we think of captivity, we normally recoil at the thought of captivity because we understand that for us, it's not only a loss of life, a loss of livelihood, but a loss of liberty as well. In captivity, we are made to serve. In captivity, we do that which is demanded of us, not that which we desire. When we think of captivity, one of the first thoughts that comes to our mind is the captivity of Israel and Egypt. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13, and the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. Now, The word serve in Exodus 1 and verse 13 is the Hebrew word abad.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to listen carefully, because I'm going to give you the definition of the word. It literally means to cause to serve, to labor, to be subject, to be compelled to work for another, and to serve another by hard labor. So, I want you to remember this word abad, and I want you to remember this definition. Because I'm going to come back to that just shortly.

[John Weaver] So the truth of the matter is this. When you think about captivity, all peoples, all nations, all ethnic groups have been captive or enslaved at one time or the other. It's not just black folks that have been enslaved, white folks, red folks, every nation, every people have been enslaved and held captive at one time or the other. I also want you to note that it is God's judgment upon His people for their disobedience, oftentimes that brings captivity and enslavement.

[John Weaver] If you would hold Luke 22 very quickly, but look in your Bibles through the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and look if you would beginning there with verse 45. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and notice Please beginning there with verse 45. Look what God says. Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and they shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever.

[John Weaver] Now watch carefully because of service, not the Lord by God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things. Therefore, Thou shalt serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in one of all things. And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." So here's what God is saying. When God sends captivity as a judgment, we are going to learn the difference between the service of God and the service of man. In captivity, we're going to discover who is far more gracious who is far more kind, generous, giving, and merciful. God or man. The captivity of man will make us see clearly and understand that the service of God is a blessing and not something to be chafed at at all. So, we must also, by way of introduction, understand that there are different kinds of captivity. Usually, when we think of captivity, We immediately think of physical captivity.

[John Weaver] However, there is indeed a mental and emotional, an economic and spiritual captivity. For instance, Proverbs 22 and verse seven, the Bible says the rich rule over the poor and the borrower is servant to the lender. So the man that borrows, the man that is in debt is a slave. The word servant there literally means slave, bond slave, or manservant. So borrowing money and being in debt is economic slavery, because once you borrow money, once you're in debt, you're no longer working for yourself. You're working for the other man until you pay that debt off. And so the word slavery is used there. Of course, we also understand that there is a captivity of sin. Our Lord said in John 8 in verse 34, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committed sin is the servant of sin.

[John Weaver] And the Apostle Paul said it like this in Romans 6 and verse 16, Know you not that to whom you yield yourselves, servants to obey, His servants you are to whom you obey? whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness.

[John Weaver] Now, in each of those passages and many other passages, the Greek word is the word doulos, which literally means slave, bond slave. So our Lord said, whosoever committed sin is the slave of sin. And Paul said, to whomever you yield your body as a servant, you are that slave. The interesting thing to me is I've heard men boast all my life concerning their sins. Well, I can just quit any time I want to. Isn't it amazing, though, those who say that they can quit any time they want to never want to quit? I heard one man say he said quitting smoking is easy. I've already quit a thousand times. Well, obviously, it was not easy. So, you know, but I'm just simply saying, you know, we always say we can stop something, but usually we can't because there is a servitude to our habits, to our sins.

[John Weaver] Now, I don't have to dwell on the captivity of the mind. The Bible tells us very plainly that as a man thinking in his heart, so is he. So basically, it's our mind that controls our lives. And if we think wickedly and wrongly, obviously we're going to act wickedly and wrongly.

[John Weaver] Now, before I go into really the part of the message I want to get to, let me take you back to the objection that I mentioned at the very beginning of this message. Someone says, but it is impossible. To lead the sovereign, omnipotent God of heaven and earth into captivity, really. Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, and I want you to look, please, at verse 24. I want you to see what God said to His people. Look, if you would, Isaiah, chapter 43, and note, if you would please, verse 24. And now He is talking to Israel, and look what He says, Thou hast brought Me no sweet cane with money, Neither hath thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices, but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. Now, interestingly, God said to his people, Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. Would you like to take a guess at why I said earlier, I want you to remember the Hebrew word Abad, and that I wanted you to remember the definition.

[John Weaver] It means to force to serve, to make to serve, to do hard labor. And that's because it is the same word that is used here in Isaiah 43 and verse 24. God said, you forced me to serve with your sins.

[John Weaver] Now, the point I'm trying to make right here is this. We do not understand the implications of a covenantal relationship. You see, the truth of the matter is Israel was just simply basically in an external covenant with God. And yet they did not obey God. But since he was covenantally united to them when they sinned, they made him to serve with their sins as well. Now, let me point this out. That which is true in the Old Testament is equally true in the New Testament, and it is made even clearer.

[John Weaver] So I want you to turn to first Corinthians, chapter six, first Corinthians, chapter six, and let's begin reading there with verse 15. Watch this passage very carefully and keep in mind that God said, thou hast made me to serve with thy sins. So look at it. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 15. Know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ?

[John Weaver] Now, let me just stop right there. You remember that He is our head. We are His body. So He says, know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What? Know you not that he who is joined to a harlot is one body? For two saith he shall be one flesh. Now look. But he that is joined in the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body. But he that committed fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God? You're not your own, for you're bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body and your spirit, which are God's."

[John Weaver] Now, here's the whole simple truth. Jesus Christ is our head. We are His body. When we sin, we unite Jesus Christ to that sin. That's why He said,"...but he that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit. Very clear. Very understandable. So, since Jesus Christ is our head and we're His body, when we sin, we make Him to serve with our sins. So sin is no laughing matter. Sin is no joke. Sin, then, makes a holy, righteous, and just God to serve with our sins. And no wonder, then, we are chastened and we're judged.

[John Weaver] And we never think of the implication of a covenantal relationship. Now, I'm endeavoring to lay this foundation because I want you to see another type of captivity. I want you to see a political and a governmental captivity of Jesus Christ. Now, as Christians, we believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is God. We believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You remember the word Lord? It's the Greek word kurios, which means boss, owner, master, sovereign. We also confess and acknowledge the truth of Matthew 28, verse 18, where Jesus Christ said, all power or all authority in heaven and earth is given unto me. So God the Father raised Jesus Christ up from the dead. God the Father made Him Lord, and God the Father gave Him all power and all authority.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1. I want to just emphasize this very clearly. Galatians, Ephesians, Ephesians, chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15, and we'll read through verse 23. Watch carefully. Ephesians 1, verse 15. Wherefore, I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.

[John Weaver] Now pay close attention to this. And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us who believe according to the working of His mighty power which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body.

[John Weaver] The fullness of Him that filleth all in all. So here's a clear passage. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We are His body.

[John Weaver] Now if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15. And we'll read through verse 19. Colossians 1 verse 15. We're talking about Jesus Christ. who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature, for by Him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist or have their being. And He, that is Jesus Christ, is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He might have the preeminence.

[John Weaver] For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. So we must understand this truth. It's very simple. And that is that Jesus Christ is the head of his church. He has absolute jurisdiction. He has absolute and total authority. No man, no ruler, politician, government or entity has any right to rule, run, manage or direct the church of Jesus Christ. It is his church. He is declared in his word in the way which he is to be worshipped, praised and adored. He's declared in his word how we should act in church. He is also declared in his word how we should live outside of the church.

[John Weaver] In other words, he is king. He is head. He is Lord of lords and God of gods.

[John Weaver] Now, here's another truth that's very simple. Jesus Christ is not just simply head of the church. He is head of everything. Because He is God. He is absolutely sovereign. He has all power. And He has all authority. And no one, no organization, no institution can exist apart from Him. So, let me make this very clear. Any authority, any power, any jurisdiction that anyone, any individual has, or any organization has, or any institution has, is delegated by Him. That means that jurisdiction, that authority, is limited. He gave that authority. Let me just say this another way. God has not abdicated His throne. God has not ceased ruling. God has not thrown aside His power, His authority, His jurisdiction, and He has not turned His church and He has not turned His world over to a handful of petty bureaucrats or billionaires to do with as they please. No, God is still on the throne and He is still in charge.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to listen carefully. In Proverbs chapter 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified. And here's what he says in verses 15 and 16 by me. Kings reign and princes degree justice by me, princes ruled and nobles and judges of the earth. In other words, it's only by him that judges, princes and kings rule. And when you get to Psalm 75 verses five through seven, it cannot be any plainer. The Word of God says there, lift not up your horn on high, speak not with a stiff neck. Listen, for if a motion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the judge, he putteth down one, and he setteth up another. God is the judge, he putteth down one, and he setteth up another.

[John Weaver] Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Sennacherib, Haman, and a host of others learned this truth the hard way. God is the judge. God is sovereign. He puts up and He takes down as He pleases. Understand this principle. Delegated power, delegated authority, delegated jurisdiction cannot usurp Overrule, override or overthrow absolute power, authority and jurisdiction. So God alone has unlimited authority. God alone has unlimited power. God alone has unlimited jurisdiction. All power outside of God, all authority outside of God is limited. It is delegated and it is finite.

[John Weaver] Now, here's a principle that I've taught for years. If you've never really grasped this, please do so now, because in light of what is happening. And what will probably happen, you need to know this and you need to have it in your heart, and that is simply this. God has created only three institutions. He created the family, which is a ministry of education. He created the church, which is a ministry of grace, and he created the civil government, which is a ministry of justice. And each one of these institutions, he gave a limited sphere of authority. Each institution is to function in its proper sphere. And once it leaves that proper sphere, it does not carry its authority with it. In other words, once it steps outside of its God-ordained jurisdiction, God-appointed authority, it does not carry that authority with it. So civil government has no authority to dictate to families how they're to raise their children. Civil government has absolutely no authority to dictate to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet, what it can do, or what it cannot do, or what it can worship, or what it cannot worship.

[John Weaver] Civil government has no authority to tell the church on how many may attend, when they can attend, and how they can attend. And it has no authority to tell the church whether it can sing or not sing, carry a Bible or not carry a Bible. All I'm simply saying is the power of the civil government is limited to that of justice according to the Word of God. Now, we're talking about seer authority. Likewise, the church cannot look at the civil government and say, you cannot execute that murderer. Yes, they can. For God gave the civil government the sword and said, use this sword. I can't say that. I can't say to the civil government, you can't put someone to death. Yes, they can. Each sphere has its authority, but only in its own sphere. So. I might be a husband and I might be a father, but I can't go to Gary's house and tell him how to run his house and tell his wife what to do and tell his daughter what to do.

[John Weaver] I have no authority to do that. I can't tell Steve how to control Lorraine. Wouldn't do any good anyhow, would it, Steve? But you see what I'm saying? I can't go over and say, well, Effie, you need to raise your children this way. No, no, no, no. I might be a husband. I might be a father, but it's only in my sphere. It's not when I leave my sphere, I might give you some counsel. I might tell you some biblical principles, but I can't tell you how to run your house. And I can't, even as a pastor, tell other pastors how to run their churches. I can't go to the church and say, you must do this and you must not do this. No, no, no. That's not my sphere of authority. My sphere of authority is right where I am. And if I leave that sphere of authority, I do not carry that authority with me. That is very simple. That is very clear. So every institution that God ordained has limited authority, delegated authority within its proper sphere.

[John Weaver] And when it leaves that sphere, it leaves its authority. Now, with this in mind, when you look at Luke chapter 22 and 23, we're going to see Jesus Christ led into captivity. Our Lord in this passage was betrayed by one who had been with him for three years. He was betrayed by Judas and he was betrayed with a token of affection, a kiss, and he was betrayed in the place where he most often resorted. And he usually resorted there for prayer. Now. How in the world did Judas know where he was? In John 18, verse two, the Bible says this and Judas. who also betrayed Him, knew the place, for Jesus oftentimes thither resorted there with His disciples." In other words, He knew where Jesus went. He knew His habits. He knew when He was praying, when He was not praying. He knew where He prayed. And so He knew the place. Now, I know that Judas was an enemy of Jesus Christ. I know that he pretended to be a follower. I know that He was not a real friend of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] And when He came to betray our Lord, our Lord did not call Him a personal friend. Without me going into it, in Matthew 26 and verse 50, when Judas came to betray our Lord, our Lord said to him, Friend, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? And the word friend is the Greek word hetairos. It's not from phileo, I love, or phileo, our English word for family. No, no, no. It's hetairos, which means acquaintance, someone that you know.

[John Weaver] In fact, hetairai in the feminine was used of the prostitutes in Bible times. They were strangers to the family, but they were acquaintances to some individuals. And so basically what our Lord did in calling Judas a Tauros, he was calling him an acquaintance, even a prostitute, because his love was not real and neither was it genuine. So Judas has come now to betray Christ into the hands of his enemies.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at verse 54. So let's say Jesus Christ has already been captured. Notice, if you would, verse 54, then took him and led him and brought him into the high priest's house and Peter followed afar off.

[John Weaver] Now, here's a good question. Why was he led to the house of the high priest? And the answer is because they were there anxiously awaiting his arrest. They had sent to have our Lord arrested. Without you turning there in John 18 in verse 3, here's what the Bible says. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with ladders, torches, and weapons. So they had sent you. They had sent a band of men and officers to arrest him once he was arrested. He's now taken to the house of the high priest. So here's another question. Why was he led to the house of the high priest? Now, you could properly answer that the high priest was the leading religious leader of his day, and that certainly would be correct. But here's a secondary observation. This house. into which Jesus Christ was led was probably not the high priest's private abode. It was probably a much larger building.

[John Weaver] How can I say that? Well, in Matthew 26 and verse 57, listen carefully. And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. How many men were in the Sanhedrin? 70. So wherever the high priest was, probably the 70 were there, not counting the officers and the other men who went to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] This house may have been a special place or designated place and not necessarily his private abode. So it had to be large enough to accompany a large number of people. If you look at Luke 22, beginning of verse 63, here's what happened during the night. Look at it. And the men that held Jesus mocked him and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, saying, prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

[John Weaver] And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. So he's taken now to the high priest. He's taken to this house, and here he is interrogated. Here he is mocked. Here he is ridiculed. Here he is blasphemed. Let me give you a quick quote by Calvin. He said on Matthew 26 and verse 57. But they who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas. Though the Jews had been deprived of what is called a higher jurisdiction, that is, the ability to execute someone, there still lingered among them some vestiges of that judicial authority which the law confers on the high priest, so that while they had lost the absolute authority, they retained the power of administering moderate correction. This is the reason why Christ is brought before the high priest to be interrogated.

[John Weaver] Not that a final sentence would be pronounced upon Him by this tribunal. So, Jesus Christ is brought then to the house where all of these scribes and elders are. Probably the whole Sanhedrin is there. The authors that went to arrest Him are there. Everybody's there. During the night, He's interrogated. He's mocked. He's ridiculed. There's no rest, no respect given him.

[John Weaver] Now, look what happens next. Look, if you would, in Luke chapter 22 and verse 66. Watch. And as soon as it was day. The elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, in other words, some did not stay all night, some did, and led him into their council. Say, are thou the Christ? Tell us. And he said to them, if I tell you, you will not believe.

[John Weaver] And if I also ask you, you will not answer me or let me go. So now he's led not just to the high priest's house, but now he's led into their council. Now, the council was already fixed. The council had already determined its outcome. It was here that our Lord was officially, religiously condemned as an imposter and as a blasphemer. The council was not interested in the truth. The council was not interested in Jesus Christ. The council was not even interested in the people. Well, what were they interested in? The answer is they were interested in preserving their own power and their own position. And that was it.

[John Weaver] How can I say that? Well, whole Luke chapter 23. But look in your Bibles to John 11. And let's read verses 47 and 48. John 11, verse 47. Watch. John 11, verse 47, Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and our nation."

[John Weaver] We won't have any power. We won't have any party. I mean, we won't be rulers anymore. Our position will be gone. Our place will be gone. We will not be needed. We've got to do something to this man. Because one of two things, either everybody's going to believe on him and leave us. And if we don't do something, the Romans won't come and take it away. So we'll lose it one way or the other. So we must then take care of Jesus Christ. We must get him out of the way. So you see, the truth of the matter is this, that many denominations, churches and seminaries condemn Jesus Christ in one way or the other. In fact, Oftentimes, Jesus Christ does not fit into their doctrinal understanding.

[John Weaver] I just read within the last two weeks of a southern seminary that is requiring all students that attend this seminary to sign a pledge, to sign an oath stating that they will obey anything the civil government tells them to do. Really? How can that be biblical? How could you do that? Some people just simply do not understand sphere authority, nor do they understand that God only created three institutions. But here's what happened.

[John Weaver] They led him to the high priest. He was interrogated. He was mocked and ridiculed. They took him to the council. And look what the council does next. Look in chapter 23 in verse one. Here it is. and the whole multitude of them arose and led him to Pilate." So, he's gone from the house of the high priest to the council and now to Pilate. The religious leaders, the religious establishment turned Jesus Christ over to the civil authorities. Religious iniquity had now only to lean on civil government to finish the wickedness which it itself had taken the lead in. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to turn to John 19. Turn over just a few pages. John 19. And look if you would at verses 6 and 7. Jesus Christ is standing before Pilate. And look at what the chief priests. Say. John 19, verse six, when the chief priest, therefore, an officer saw him, they cried out, say, crucify him, crucify him. Pilate says unto them, take him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him.

[John Weaver] We have a law and by our law, he ought to die because he made himself the son of God. Now wait a minute. Why did they not look at Pilate and say? Thank you. We will take him and put him to death. Well, now I believe there's many answers to that. And I'm not going to go into that right now. Of course, the prophecy was that he was to be crucified.

[John Weaver] He was to be hanged. And numbered with the transgressors. But what they were saying is this. We don't have the official authority to crucify Him.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that under the Roman rule, they lost their power to execute officially. But that surely didn't stop them from stoning Stephen to death in Acts chapter 7. You see, here it is. What they wanted was our Lord officially Condemned by the Roman rulers. They wanted. Them to do the dirty work. They delivered him over to them so that they could crucify him.

[John Weaver] Now look if you would John 19 verses 10 and 11. Of course, our Lord stood silent before pilot. This is pilot in him speak is not under me. Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Pilate said, I've got the power. Our Lord said, No. The only thing you've got is what you were given. Can you see this?

[John Weaver] Here is a limited, delegated, finite, authoritarian figure elevating himself over an absolutely sovereign, omnipotent God who has total authority and jurisdiction. Wow. I want you to understand something. There's a verse in the Bible that describes this very well. The wise men said, I have seen servants riding upon horses and princes walking. In other words, everything's turned upside down. And now you have this picture of it being turned upside down as well. So the whole point of this message is this, the powers that were delegated by our Lord The jurisdictions that were delegated by our Lord. The authority that was delegated by our Lord were all used to condemn Him. Listen.

[John Weaver] And in condemning Him, they're establishing themselves as the higher power. We're over you. Wow. I want you to listen. As preachers, denominational leaders, religious charlatans today, are all crying out that we must obey. We must obey. We must all be vaccinated. We must all get vaccine passports. We must do everything that comes down the pike. I just heard this this morning. I did not hear it myself. But the brother who told me said I had to listen to it twice, he said, because I could not believe it.

[John Weaver] But a leading pastor in Jacksonville, Florida. When asked about. The fetal cells in the vaccination said he didn't see anything wrong with it because Jesus Christ gave himself as a sacrifice. He said, I heard him say that twice. In other words. It didn't matter that the aborted fetal cells were in the vaccine to him. It was just a matter of sacrifice. They were sacrificing themselves so that we could have this vaccination.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to point out is this. You look and think about recently, even the churches that were shut down by the civil government, not only contrary to the Constitution of the United States, but contrary to the Bible. Civil government has absolutely no authority over the church unless the church is violating the law of God. Civil government may investigate a murder inside the church building, just like it can investigate a murder outside the church building. But unless the church is violating the law of God, it has absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction over the church. Look at what is happening in Canada. If you have not been keeping up with it, you need to learn what is happening. Pastors are being arrested. Churches are closed and walled off.

[John Weaver] In one instance, two fences have been built around the one church to stop them from meeting. The pastor and the people had to go to a secret location in order to hold church. And when one church continued, 200 officers were called out to circle the building to stop them from going in and using their church building. And I just saw last night where now the Canadian government, contrary to the Charter of Rights, are saying that they have any They have every right to go into a church building even while a service is going on and shut it down and lock it down.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to point out is this. It will not be long before it's here. If we don't understand the principle that I am enunciating today. In our politically correct Marxist and socialistic society, the state, the civil government is being touted as God and our religious leaders are delivering the church of Jesus Christ bound into captivity to the state. And in doing so, they're delivering Jesus Christ into captivity because Jesus Christ is the head and we are his body. You cannot deliver the body without delivering the head. Wherever the body goes, the head goes as well.

[John Weaver] Now, I want to remind you of some historical truth. I want you to listen very carefully. All of us know about the persecution in the Roman Empire. Many Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. But may I point out the fact that the Christians of the Roman Empire that were put to death were not put to death because they were simply Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to worship Baal, go for it. If you wanted to worship Ashtoreth, fine. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, no problem. All you had to do was once a year swear by the Jesus Caesar and say Caesar is Lord. And the Christians refused to say Caesar is Lord because Jesus Christ is Lord. And consequently, they were put to death as being treason, traitors and treasonous to the Roman Empire and to the emperor cult. Now, I don't know if you remember this or not.

[John Weaver] But the very first baptismal formula that you find in the Bible and in history consists of three Greek words. And that formula was this, Jesus is Lord. You see, when you got baptized in the first century and you said Jesus is Lord, that put you on the hit list of the Roman Empire. You were hunted down. Your goods were confiscated. Your house was burned to the ground.

[John Weaver] You were either thrown into a dungeon, or you were just executed. It was that simple. In other words, it cost something to be a Christian in the first century. And it cost something to confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. It may be coming to that again. You see, Augustus Caesar followed Julius Caesar. What we don't understand is the emperor cult or the Caesar cult. You cannot understand the Caesar cult without understanding that Caesar claimed to be God. You cannot understand the Roman Empire without understanding that the Roman Empire claimed to be a godlike empire based upon the Caesars. Augustus Caesar, who followed Julius Caesar, had his image stamped on his coinage. You remember when they tempted Jesus, he said, show me a coin. And they gave him a coin whose image is on this coin. Caesars. Well. Augustus Caesar had his image stamped on his coin and under his image were these words Caesar Diddy Phileas, which translated is son of God, the son of the eternal Caesar. It meant that he was claiming to be God.

[John Weaver] Here is an inscription. found in Perene, which is modern-day Turkey, referring to Caesar Augustus. And here is the inscription. The birthday of Augustus has been for the whole world the beginning of the gospel concerning him. Guess what? The word gospel is euangelion in the Greek. The same as it is in the Bible. But now we're talking about the gospel of Caesar. Not the gospel of Jesus Christ. And listen to this. Here's an inscription that was on a government building dating from 6 BC. And it'll give you a better light into the Caesar worship. Here's the inscription. The most divine Caesar.

[John Weaver] That should tell you something right there. The most divine Caesar. We should consider equal to the beginning of all things.

[John Weaver] Now we're striving eternality to him. For when everything was falling into disorder and tending toward dissolution, he restored it once more and gave the whole world a new aura. Caesar, the common good fortune of all, the beginning of life and vitality. All the cities unanimously adopt the birthday of the divine Caesar as the new beginning of the year. Whereas the providence which has regulated our whole existence has brought our life to the climax of perfection in giving to us the Emperor Augustus who being sent to us and our descendants as Savior and has put an end to war and has set all things in order and whereas having become God manifest, Caesar has fulfilled all the hopes of earlier times. Wow.

[John Weaver] I hope now you're beginning to understand that the Roman Empire was built upon the godhood of the Caesars. So for Rome, the goal of any true morality and piety was the subordination of all things to the state. The religious pious man was the one who recognized at every point the life and centrality of the state. Here's a quote by Rush Dooney. Listen to what he said. The framework for the religious and familial acts of piety was Rome itself. The central and most sacred community, Rome, strictly controlled all rights of corporations, assembly, religious meetings, clubs and street gatherings, and it broke no possible rivalry to its centrality. The state alone could organize, short of conspiracy, the citizens could not. On this ground alone, the highly organized Christian church was an offense and an affront to the state and an illegal organization readily suspected of conspiracy. That's why in the Roman Empire, the Church of Jesus Christ was considered illegal. Because it was in competition with the state. It was in competition with Caesar, they interpreted and they thought.

[John Weaver] And therefore, it must be brought under subjection to Caesar. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Acts chapter 4. I want you to see something. Please keep in mind. Please keep in mind what I have been telling you about the Roman Empire. Please keep in mind that Caesar is claiming to be God. The Roman Empire. Is indeed the state, the total authority. Here in Acts chapter 4. Peter is preaching. He's being questioned.

[John Weaver] Because of the healing of a man by the high priest and his kindred. And he responds. Look in verse, well, let's start with verse 8. Then Peter filled with the Holy Ghost said unto them, you rulers of people, you rulers of the people and the elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man by what means he is made whole, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you hold.

[John Weaver] This is the stone which was set at naught of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among me and whereby we must be saved."

[John Weaver] Now, you cannot understand verse 12 Without understanding this truth. Peter is declaring war upon the Roman Empire and upon the Caesars, because in 14 B.C. there is a bright star that shone and Caesar proclaimed himself Lord and sent Throughout his empire, this statement, there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved than the name of Augustus Caesar. And Peter took that and put it here in Acts four and verse 12. And so the name under which we must be saved is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Lord. Caesar is not Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord.

[John Weaver] He was denying the emperor cult. He was denying that the state is God. He is saying Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the boss. He's the owner. He's the master. He's a sovereign. And let me tell you something. Anything less than that is leading Jesus Christ into captivity. Jesus Christ is God.

[John Weaver] Now, let me make some applications. I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this. We cannot and we must not lead or deliver our Lord Jesus Christ and his word over to the state. The civil government. Or religious institutions in order to denounce, deny or denigrate his authority and jurisdiction. He is Lord, and He is Lord alone. Let me make this exceedingly clear. Our Lord is sovereign, and He does not have a co-chair. There is no one with Him. He is sovereign. And submit the church of Jesus Christ to the state, to the civil government. It's to submit Jesus Christ to the state and civil government since He is the head. Incorporation is another idea, but that is also submitting Jesus Christ to the state because the state then becomes the head of the church instead of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] The second application is this. The war of the first century has become the war of this century. The war in the first century revolved around this question. Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar? And that is the question. That is the heart of the issue today. Look at what is happening in America. Look at what is happening in Canada. Ask yourself this question. Who is Lord Christ or Caesar? I must point out. In the first century, when you confess that Jesus Christ was Lord, you needed to prepare yourself because you will either be incarcerated, executed, or you'd end up losing everything you had for saying and standing and believing that Jesus Christ is Lord.

[John Weaver] Because the state would brook no rivals. You know, our Lord said something that's very, very true. He asked a question in Luke 6 and verse 46, and he said this. Why call ye me, Lord, Lord? I do not the things which I say unto you. Our lives. Our lips. Our actions. Will be very telling. Because they will reveal who we genuinely confess to be Lord. Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is the Sovereign. He is the head of the church and we must bow to Him and worship Him and obey Him regardless of the dictates of the state regardless of what man says, regardless of what government says, Jesus Christ rules and reigns supremely. He is God.

[John Weaver] That is why He said, all authority in heaven and earth is given unto Me. We cannot allow the sovereign God of heaven and earth to be subjected to some little finite, limited, delegated authority who wishes to play God. Jesus Christ alone is God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You, Father, that Thou hast given us Your so great salvation in Jesus Christ. Help us, Father, to honor Him, for Thou didst say, He that honors the Son honors the Father. And he that honors not the Son honors not the Father. Help us, Father, to bow before Thee and always remember and prepare our hearts and minds and lives to confess and acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ alone. In whose name we pray, Amen.

Leading Christ into Captivity

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	5321175637802
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-05-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 9
Source Timed Segments	71

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Captivity of Jesus Christ

Weaver introduces the paradox of the sovereign God being led into captivity, noting that Christ was led captive by both enemies and friends, and that captivity involves forced service.

Alright, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 22. But if you would, please go ahead and find 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 1, Colossians 1. Mark those passages. I've got a lot of ground to cover today. I'm going to be quoting a lot of Scripture in order that I can get everything in this particular message. Luke 22, we're just going to read one verse. We will come back to this verse. There will be a lot of foundation to be laid before we get to it. But Luke 22 and verse 54, the Bible in reference to Jesus Christ says,

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:54

"Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off."

The title of the message is "Leading Christ into Captivity."

Here is a subject that we never consider: the captivity of Jesus Christ. One immediately will answer and object and say, "But it's impossible to lead the sovereign, omnipotent, almighty God into captivity." Yet the truth of the matter is He was led into captivity. And He is still being led into captivity, not only by His enemies, but by His friends as well. And I'll make this clearer just shortly. But when we think of captivity, we normally recoil at the thought of captivity because we understand that for us, it's not only a loss of life, a loss of livelihood, but a loss of liberty as well. In captivity, we are made to serve. In captivity, we do that which is demanded of us, not that which we desire. When we think of captivity, one of the first thoughts that comes to our mind is the captivity of Israel in Egypt. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13, "And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor." Now, the word "serve" in Exodus 1 and verse 13 is the Hebrew word "abad."

The Meaning of Captivity and Service

He defines the Hebrew word 'abad' (to cause to serve, to compel to work) from Exodus 1:13, emphasizing that captivity means being made to serve another.

Now, I want you to listen carefully, because I'm going to give you the definition of the word. It literally means to cause to serve, to labor, to be subject, to be compelled to work for another, and to serve another by hard labor. So, I want you to remember this word "abad," and I want you to remember this definition, because I'm going to come back to that just shortly. So the truth of the matter is this: when you think about captivity, all peoples, all nations, all ethnic groups have been captive or enslaved at one time or the other. It's not just black folks that have been enslaved—white folks, red folks, every nation, every people have been enslaved and held captive at one time or the other. I also want you to note that it is God's judgment upon His people for their disobedience, oftentimes, that brings captivity and enslavement.

Captivity as God's Judgment for Disobedience

Using Deuteronomy 28:45-48, Weaver shows that God sends captivity as judgment to teach His people the difference between serving God and serving man.

If you would hold Luke 22 very quickly, but look in your Bibles through the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and look if you would beginning there with verse 45. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and notice, please, beginning there with verse 45. Look what God says: "Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and they shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever."

Now watch carefully: "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in want of all things. And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." So here's what God is saying: when God sends captivity as a judgment, we are going to learn the difference between the service of God and the service of man. In captivity, we're going to discover who is far more gracious, who is far more kind, generous, giving, and merciful—God or man. The captivity of man will make us see clearly and understand that the service of God is a blessing and not something to be chafed at at all. So, we must also, by way of introduction, understand that there are different kinds of captivity. Usually, when we think of captivity, we immediately think of physical captivity.

Various Kinds of Captivity

He describes physical, mental, emotional, economic (Proverbs 22:7), and spiritual (John 8:34; Romans 6:16) captivity, all involving slavery.

However, there is indeed a mental and emotional, an economic and spiritual captivity. For instance, Proverbs 22 and verse 7, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 22:7

"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

So the man that borrows, the man that is in debt, is a slave. The word "servant" there literally means slave, bondslave, or manservant. So borrowing money and being in debt is economic slavery, because once you borrow money, once you're in debt, you're no longer working for yourself. You're working for the other man until you pay that debt off. And so the word "slavery" is used there. Of course, we also understand that there is a captivity of sin. Our Lord said in John 8 and verse 34, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."

And the Apostle Paul said it like this in Romans 6 and verse 16:

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:16

"Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

Now, in each of those passages and many other passages, the Greek word is the word "doulos," which literally means slave, bondslave. So our Lord said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin." And Paul said, "To whomsoever ye yield your body as a servant, you are that slave." The interesting thing to me is I've heard men boast all my life concerning their sins: "Well, I can just quit any time I want to." Isn't it amazing, though, those who say that they can quit any time they want to never want to quit? I heard one man say, he said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've already quit a thousand times." Well, obviously, it was not easy. So, you know, but I'm just simply saying, you know, we always say we can stop something, but usually we can't because there is a servitude to our habits, to our sins.

Now, I don't have to dwell on the captivity of the mind. The Bible tells us very plainly that as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So basically, it's our mind that controls our lives. And if we think wickedly and wrongly, obviously we're going to act wickedly and wrongly.

God Made to Serve with Our Sins

Weaver cites Isaiah 43:24, where God says Israel made Him serve with their sins, using the same word 'abad,' and explains that covenantal union means our sins involve Christ.

Now, before I go into really the part of the message I want to get to, let me take you back to the objection that I mentioned at the very beginning of this message. Someone says, "But it is impossible to lead the sovereign, omnipotent God of heaven and earth into captivity." Really? Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, and I want you to look, please, at verse 24. I want you to see what God said to His people. Look, if you would, Isaiah chapter 43, and note, if you would please, verse 24. And now He is talking to Israel, and look what He says:

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:24

"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities."

Now, interestingly, God said to His people,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:24

"Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins."

Would you like to take a guess at why I said earlier, I want you to remember the Hebrew word "abad," and that I wanted you to remember the definition?

It means to force to serve, to make to serve, to do hard labor. And that's because it is the same word that is used here in Isaiah 43 and verse 24. God said, "You forced me to serve with your sins." Now, the point I'm trying to make right here is this: we do not understand the implications of a covenantal relationship. You see, the truth of the matter is Israel was just simply basically in an external covenant with God. And yet they did not obey God. But since He was covenantally united to them, when they sinned, they made Him to serve with their sins as well. Now, let me point this out: that which is true in the Old Testament is equally true in the New Testament, and it is made even clearer.

So I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 6. 1 Corinthians, chapter 6, and let's begin reading there with verse 15. Watch this passage very carefully and keep in mind that God said, "Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins." So look at it. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 15: "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?"

The Believer's Union with Christ and Sin

From 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, he argues that since believers are Christ's body, sinning unites Christ to that sin, making Him serve with our sins.

Now, let me just stop right there. You remember that He is our head. We are His body. So He says, "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Now, here's the whole simple truth: Jesus Christ is our head. We are His body. When we sin, we unite Jesus Christ to that sin. That's why He said, "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." Very clear. Very understandable. So, since Jesus Christ is our head and we're His body, when we sin, we make Him to serve with our sins. So sin is no laughing matter. Sin is no joke. Sin, then, makes a holy, righteous, and just God to serve with our sins. And no wonder, then, we are chastened and we're judged.

Christ's Absolute Authority and Delegated Powers

Weaver establishes Christ's total authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:15-19) and explains that all other authority is delegated and limited to its God-ordained sphere (family, church, civil government).

And we never think of the implication of a covenantal relationship. Now, I'm endeavoring to lay this foundation because I want you to see another type of captivity. I want you to see a political and a governmental captivity of Jesus Christ. Now, as Christians, we believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is God. We believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You remember the word "Lord"? It's the Greek word "kurios," which means boss, owner, master, sovereign. We also confess and acknowledge the truth of Matthew 28, verse 18, where Jesus Christ said, "All power"—or "all authority"—"in heaven and in earth is given unto me." So God the Father raised Jesus Christ up from the dead. God the Father made Him Lord, and God the Father gave Him all power and all authority.

Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1. I want to just emphasize this very clearly. Galatians, Ephesians—Ephesians, chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15, and we'll read through verse 23. Watch carefully. Ephesians 1, verse 15: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."

Now pay close attention to this: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body." "The fulness of him that filleth all in all." So here's a clear passage: Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We are His body. Now if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15, and we'll read through verse 19. Colossians 1 verse 15: We're talking about Jesus Christ,

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:15-19

"who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist"

—or have their being. "And he"—that is Jesus Christ—"is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."

"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." So we must understand this truth. It's very simple. And that is that Jesus Christ is the head of His church. He has absolute jurisdiction. He has absolute and total authority. No man, no ruler, politician, government, or entity has any right to rule, run, manage, or direct the church of Jesus Christ. It is His church. He is declared in His Word in the way which He is to be worshipped, praised, and adored. He's declared in His Word how we should act in church. He is also declared in His Word how we should live outside of the church.

In other words, He is King. He is Head. He is Lord of lords and God of gods. Now, here's another truth that's very simple: Jesus Christ is not just simply head of the church. He is head of everything. Because He is God. He is absolutely sovereign. He has all power. And He has all authority. And no one, no organization, no institution can exist apart from Him. So, let me make this very clear: any authority, any power, any jurisdiction that anyone, any individual has, or any organization has, or any institution has, is delegated by Him. That means that jurisdiction, that authority, is limited. He gave that authority. Let me just say this another way: God has not abdicated His throne. God has not ceased ruling. God has not thrown aside His power, His authority, His jurisdiction, and He has not turned His church and He has not turned His world over to a handful of petty bureaucrats or billionaires to do with as they please. No, God is still on the throne and He is still in charge.

Now I want you to listen carefully. In Proverbs chapter 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified. And here's what He says in verses 15 and 16:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 8:15-16

"By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth."

In other words, it's only by Him that judges, princes, and kings rule. And when you get to Psalm 75 verses 5 through 7, it cannot be any plainer. The Word of God says there, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." God is the judge; He putteth down one, and He setteth up another.

Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Sennacherib, Haman, and a host of others learned this truth the hard way. God is the judge. God is sovereign. He puts up and He takes down as He pleases. Understand this principle: delegated power, delegated authority, delegated jurisdiction cannot usurp, overrule, override, or overthrow absolute power, authority, and jurisdiction. So God alone has unlimited authority. God alone has unlimited power. God alone has unlimited jurisdiction. All power outside of God, all authority outside of God is limited. It is delegated and it is finite.

Now, here's a principle that I've taught for years. If you've never really grasped this, please do so now, because in light of what is happening—and what will probably happen—you need to know this and you need to have it in your heart, and that is simply this: God has created only three institutions. He created the family, which is a ministry of education. He created the church, which is a ministry of grace, and He created the civil government, which is a ministry of justice. And each one of these institutions, He gave a limited sphere of authority. Each institution is to function in its proper sphere. And once it leaves that proper sphere, it does not carry its authority with it. In other words, once it steps outside of its God-ordained jurisdiction, God-appointed authority, it does not carry that authority with it. So civil government has no authority to dictate to families how they're to raise their children. Civil government has absolutely no authority to dictate to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet, what it can do, or what it cannot do, or what it can worship, or what it cannot worship.

Civil government has no authority to tell the church on how many may attend, when they can attend, and how they can attend. And it has no authority to tell the church whether it can sing or not sing, carry a Bible or not carry a Bible. All I'm simply saying is the power of the civil government is limited to that of justice according to the Word of God. Now, we're talking about sphere authority. Likewise, the church cannot look at the civil government and say, "You cannot execute that murderer." Yes, they can. For God gave the civil government the sword and said, "Use this sword." I can't say that. I can't say to the civil government, "You can't put someone to death." Yes, they can. Each sphere has its authority, but only in its own sphere. So, I might be a husband and I might be a father, but I can't go to Gary's house and tell him how to run his house and tell his wife what to do and tell his daughter what to do.

I have no authority to do that. I can't tell Steve how to control Lorraine. Wouldn't do any good anyhow, would it, Steve? But you see what I'm saying? I can't go over and say, "Well, Effie, you need to raise your children this way." No, no, no, no. I might be a husband. I might be a father, but it's only in my sphere. It's not when I leave my sphere. I might give you some counsel. I might tell you some biblical principles, but I can't tell you how to run your house. And I can't, even as a pastor, tell other pastors how to run their churches. I can't go to the church and say, "You must do this and you must not do this." No, no, no. That's not my sphere of authority. My sphere of authority is right where I am. And if I leave that sphere of authority, I do not carry that authority with me. That is very simple. That is very clear. So every institution that God ordained has limited authority, delegated authority within its proper sphere.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

He recounts Judas's betrayal (Luke 22:54; John 18:2-3) and notes that Jesus was led to the high priest's house where the Sanhedrin awaited.

And when it leaves that sphere, it leaves its authority. Now, with this in mind, when you look at Luke chapter 22 and 23, we're going to see Jesus Christ led into captivity. Our Lord in this passage was betrayed by one who had been with Him for three years. He was betrayed by Judas and He was betrayed with a token of affection, a kiss, and He was betrayed in the place where He most often resorted. And He usually resorted there for prayer. Now, how in the world did Judas know where He was? In John 18, verse 2, the Bible says this: "And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples." In other words, He knew where Jesus went. He knew His habits. He knew when He was praying, when He was not praying. He knew where He prayed. And so He knew the place. Now, I know that Judas was an enemy of Jesus Christ. I know that he pretended to be a follower. I know that he was not a real friend of Jesus Christ.

And when He came to betray our Lord, our Lord did not call him a personal friend. Without me going into it, in Matthew 26 and verse 50, when Judas came to betray our Lord, our Lord said to him, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?"—or actually, "Friend, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" And the word "friend" is the Greek word "hetairos." It's not from "phileo," I love, or "philos," our English word for family. No, no, no. It's "hetairos," which means acquaintance, someone that you know. In fact, "hetaira" in the feminine was used of the prostitutes in Bible times. They were strangers to the family, but they were acquaintances to some individuals. And so basically what our Lord did in calling Judas "hetairos," He was calling him an acquaintance, even a prostitute, because his love was not real and neither was it genuine. So Judas has come now to betray Christ into the hands of His enemies.

Now, I want you to look at verse 54. So let's say Jesus Christ has already been captured. Notice, if you would, verse 54: "Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off."

Now, here's a good question: Why was He led to the house of the high priest? And the answer is because they were there anxiously awaiting His arrest. They had sent to have our Lord arrested. Without you turning there, in John 18 in verse 3, here's what the Bible says:

Scripture Reading — John 18:2-3

"Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons."

So they had sent a band of men and officers to arrest Him. Once He was arrested, He's now taken to the house of the high priest. So here's another question: Why was He led to the house of the high priest? Now, you could properly answer that the high priest was the leading religious leader of his day, and that certainly would be correct. But here's a secondary observation: this house into which Jesus Christ was led was probably not the high priest's private abode. It was probably a much larger building.

Jesus Before the Religious Authorities

Jesus is interrogated, mocked, and condemned by the council (Luke 22:63-66; John 11:47-48), who acted to preserve their own power.

How can I say that? Well, in Matthew 26 and verse 57, listen carefully: "And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled." How many men were in the Sanhedrin? Seventy. So wherever the high priest was, probably the seventy were there, not counting the officers and the other men who went to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ. This house may have been a special place or designated place and not necessarily his private abode. So it had to be large enough to accommodate a large number of people. If you look at Luke 22, beginning of verse 63, here's what happened during the night. Look at it: "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?"

"And many other things blasphemously spake they against him." So He's taken now to the high priest. He's taken to this house, and here He is interrogated. Here He is mocked. Here He is ridiculed. Here He is blasphemed. Let me give you a quick quote by Calvin. He said on Matthew 26 and verse 57: "But they who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas. Though the Jews had been deprived of what is called a higher jurisdiction"—that is, the ability to execute someone—"there still lingered among them some vestiges of that judicial authority which the law confers on the high priest, so that while they had lost the absolute authority, they retained the power of administering moderate correction. This is the reason why Christ is brought before the high priest to be interrogated."

Not that a final sentence would be pronounced upon Him by this tribunal. So, Jesus Christ is brought then to the house where all of these scribes and elders are. Probably the whole Sanhedrin is there. The officers that went to arrest Him are there. Everybody's there. During the night, He's interrogated. He's mocked. He's ridiculed. There's no rest, no respect given Him.

Now, look what happens next. Look, if you would, in Luke chapter 22 and verse 66. Watch:

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:66-68

"And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together"

—in other words, some did not stay all night, some did—

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:66-68

"and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe." "And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go."

So now He's led not just to the high priest's house, but now He's led into their council. Now, the council was already fixed. The council had already determined its outcome. It was here that our Lord was officially, religiously condemned as an imposter and as a blasphemer. The council was not interested in the truth. The council was not interested in Jesus Christ. The council was not even interested in the people. Well, what were they interested in? The answer is they were interested in preserving their own power and their own position. And that was it.

How can I say that? Well, hold Luke chapter 23. But look in your Bibles to John 11. And let's read verses 47 and 48. John 11, verse 47:

Scripture Reading — John 11:47-48

"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."

We won't have any power. We won't have any party. I mean, we won't be rulers anymore. Our position will be gone. Our place will be gone. We will not be needed. We've got to do something to this man. Because one of two things: either everybody's going to believe on him and leave us, and if we don't do something, the Romans will come and take it away. So we'll lose it one way or the other. So we must then take care of Jesus Christ. We must get him out of the way. So you see, the truth of the matter is this: that many denominations, churches, and seminaries condemn Jesus Christ in one way or the other. In fact, oftentimes, Jesus Christ does not fit into their doctrinal understanding.

I just read within the last two weeks of a Southern seminary that is requiring all students that attend this seminary to sign a pledge, to sign an oath stating that they will obey anything the civil government tells them to do. Really? How can that be biblical? How could you do that? Some people just simply do not understand sphere authority, nor do they understand that God only created three institutions. But here's what happened.

Jesus Delivered to Pilate and the State

The religious leaders hand Jesus over to Pilate (Luke 23:1; John 19:6-7, 10-11), seeking official Roman condemnation, illustrating how religious iniquity leans on civil government.

They led him to the high priest. He was interrogated. He was mocked and ridiculed. They took him to the council. And look what the council does next. Look in chapter 23 in verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:1

"And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate."

So, he's gone from the house of the high priest to the council and now to Pilate. The religious leaders, the religious establishment turned Jesus Christ over to the civil authorities. Religious iniquity had now only to lean on civil government to finish the wickedness which it itself had taken the lead in. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea.

Now, I want you to turn to John 19. Turn over just a few pages. John 19. And look if you would at verses 6 and 7. Jesus Christ is standing before Pilate. And look at what the chief priests say. John 19, verse 6: "When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him."

"We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Now wait a minute. Why did they not look at Pilate and say, "Thank you. We will take him and put him to death"? Well, now I believe there's many answers to that. And I'm not going to go into that right now. Of course, the prophecy was that He was to be crucified. He was to be hanged and numbered with the transgressors. But what they were saying is this: we don't have the official authority to crucify Him.

Now, it is true that under the Roman rule, they lost their power to execute officially. But that surely didn't stop them from stoning Stephen to death in Acts chapter 7. You see, here it is: what they wanted was our Lord officially condemned by the Roman rulers. They wanted them to do the dirty work. They delivered Him over to them so that they could crucify Him.

Now look if you would John 19 verses 10 and 11. Of course, our Lord stood silent before Pilate. Pilate saith unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" Jesus answered, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." Pilate said, "I've got the power." Our Lord said, "No. The only thing you've got is what you were given." Can you see this? Here is a limited, delegated, finite, authoritarian figure elevating himself over an absolutely sovereign, omnipotent God who has total authority and jurisdiction. Wow. I want you to understand something. There's a verse in the Bible that describes this very well. The wise man said, "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." In other words, everything's turned upside down. And now you have this picture of it being turned upside down as well. So the whole point of this message is this: the powers that were delegated by our Lord, the jurisdictions that were delegated by our Lord, the authority that was delegated by our Lord were all used to condemn Him. Listen.

Modern Parallels: Delivering Christ to the State

Weaver warns that today's religious leaders are delivering the church into captivity to the state through compliance with mandates, paralleling first-century Caesar worship and the confession 'Jesus is Lord.'

And in condemning Him, they're establishing themselves as the higher power. "We're over you." Wow. I want you to listen. As preachers, denominational leaders, religious charlatans today are all crying out that we must obey. We must obey. We must all be vaccinated. We must all get vaccine passports. We must do everything that comes down the pike. I just heard this this morning. I did not hear it myself. But the brother who told me said I had to listen to it twice, he said, because I could not believe it.

But a leading pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, when asked about the fetal cells in the vaccination, said he didn't see anything wrong with it because Jesus Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice. He said, I heard him say that twice. In other words, it didn't matter that the aborted fetal cells were in the vaccine to him. It was just a matter of sacrifice. They were sacrificing themselves so that we could have this vaccination. All I'm trying to point out is this: you look and think about recently, even the churches that were shut down by the civil government, not only contrary to the Constitution of the United States, but contrary to the Bible. Civil government has absolutely no authority over the church unless the church is violating the law of God. Civil government may investigate a murder inside the church building, just like it can investigate a murder outside the church building. But unless the church is violating the law of God, it has absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction over the church. Look at what is happening in Canada. If you have not been keeping up with it, you need to learn what is happening. Pastors are being arrested. Churches are closed and walled off.

In one instance, two fences have been built around the one church to stop them from meeting. The pastor and the people had to go to a secret location in order to hold church. And when one church continued, 200 officers were called out to circle the building to stop them from going in and using their church building. And I just saw last night where now the Canadian government, contrary to the Charter of Rights, are saying that they have every right to go into a church building even while a service is going on and shut it down and lock it down. All I'm trying to point out is this: it will not be long before it's here. If we don't understand the principle that I am enunciating today, in our politically correct Marxist and socialistic society, the state, the civil government is being touted as God, and our religious leaders are delivering the church of Jesus Christ bound into captivity to the state. And in doing so, they're delivering Jesus Christ into captivity because Jesus Christ is the head and we are His body. You cannot deliver the body without delivering the head. Wherever the body goes, the head goes as well.

Now, I want to remind you of some historical truth. I want you to listen very carefully. All of us know about the persecution in the Roman Empire. Many Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. But may I point out the fact that the Christians of the Roman Empire that were put to death were not put to death because they were simply Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to worship Baal, go for it. If you wanted to worship Ashtoreth, fine. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, no problem. All you had to do was once a year swear by the genius of Caesar and say, "Caesar is Lord." And the Christians refused to say "Caesar is Lord" because Jesus Christ is Lord. And consequently, they were put to death as being treasonous to the Roman Empire and to the emperor cult. Now, I don't know if you remember this or not.

But the very first baptismal formula that you find in the Bible and in history consists of three Greek words. And that formula was this: "Jesus is Lord." You see, when you got baptized in the first century and you said "Jesus is Lord," that put you on the hit list of the Roman Empire. You were hunted down. Your goods were confiscated. Your house was burned to the ground. You were either thrown into a dungeon, or you were just executed. It was that simple. In other words, it cost something to be a Christian in the first century. And it cost something to confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. It may be coming to that again. You see, Augustus Caesar followed Julius Caesar. What we don't understand is the emperor cult or the Caesar cult. You cannot understand the Caesar cult without understanding that Caesar claimed to be God. You cannot understand the Roman Empire without understanding that the Roman Empire claimed to be a godlike empire based upon the Caesars. Augustus Caesar, who followed Julius Caesar, had his image stamped on his coinage. You remember when they tempted Jesus, He said, "Show me a coin." And they gave Him a coin. "Whose image is on this coin?" Caesar's. Well, Augustus Caesar had his image stamped on his coin and under his image were these words: "Caesar Divi Filius," which translated is "son of God, the son of the divine Caesar." It meant that he was claiming to be God.

Here is an inscription found in Priene, which is modern-day Turkey, referring to Caesar Augustus. And here is the inscription: "The birthday of Augustus has been for the whole world the beginning of the gospel concerning him." Guess what? The word "gospel" is "euangelion" in the Greek. The same as it is in the Bible. But now we're talking about the gospel of Caesar, not the gospel of Jesus Christ. And listen to this. Here's an inscription that was on a government building dating from 6 BC. And it'll give you a better light into the Caesar worship. Here's the inscription: "The most divine Caesar."

That should tell you something right there. "The most divine Caesar. We should consider equal to the beginning of all things." "Now we're ascribing eternality to him. For when everything was falling into disorder and tending toward dissolution, he restored it once more and gave the whole world a new aura. Caesar, the common good fortune of all, the beginning of life and vitality. All the cities unanimously adopt the birthday of the divine Caesar as the new beginning of the year. Whereas the providence which has regulated our whole existence has brought our life to the climax of perfection in giving to us the Emperor Augustus, who being sent to us and our descendants as Savior, has put an end to war and has set all things in order; and whereas having become God manifest, Caesar has fulfilled all the hopes of earlier times." Wow.

I hope now you're beginning to understand that the Roman Empire was built upon the godhood of the Caesars. So for Rome, the goal of any true morality and piety was the subordination of all things to the state. The religious pious man was the one who recognized at every point the life and centrality of the state. Here's a quote by Rushdoony. Listen to what he said: "The framework for the religious and familial acts of piety was Rome itself. The central and most sacred community, Rome, strictly controlled all rights of corporations, assembly, religious meetings, clubs and street gatherings, and it brooked no possible rivalry to its centrality. The state alone could organize; short of conspiracy, the citizens could not. On this ground alone, the highly organized Christian church was an offense and an affront to the state and an illegal organization readily suspected of conspiracy." That's why in the Roman Empire, the Church of Jesus Christ was considered illegal. Because it was in competition with the state. It was in competition with Caesar, they interpreted and they thought.

Applications: Confessing Christ as Lord Alone

He concludes with applications: we must not submit Christ's authority to the state, and the central war remains 'Who is Lord?'—Christ or Caesar—requiring obedience to Christ regardless of cost.

Now, let me make some applications. I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this: we cannot and we must not lead or deliver our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word over to the state, the civil government, or religious institutions in order to denounce, deny, or denigrate His authority and jurisdiction. He is Lord, and He is Lord alone. Let me make this exceedingly clear: our Lord is sovereign, and He does not have a co-chair. There is no one with Him. He is sovereign. And to submit the church of Jesus Christ to the state, to the civil government, is to submit Jesus Christ to the state and civil government since He is the head. Incorporation is another idea, but that is also submitting Jesus Christ to the state because the state then becomes the head of the church instead of Jesus Christ.

The second application is this: the war of the first century has become the war of this century. The war in the first century revolved around this question: Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar? And that is the question. That is the heart of the issue today. Look at what is happening in America. Look at what is happening in Canada. Ask yourself this question: Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar? I must point out, in the first century, when you confessed that Jesus Christ was Lord, you needed to prepare yourself because you would either be incarcerated, executed, or you'd end up losing everything you had for saying and standing and believing that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Because the state would brook no rivals. You know, our Lord said something that's very, very true. He asked a question in Luke 6 and verse 46, and He said this: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Our lives, our lips, our actions will be very telling, because they will reveal who we genuinely confess to be Lord. Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is the Sovereign. He is the head of the church and we must bow to Him and worship Him and obey Him regardless of the dictates of the state, regardless of what man says, regardless of what government says. Jesus Christ rules and reigns supremely. He is God.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Captivity of Christ

Summary: Jesus Christ, though sovereign God, was led into captivity by both enemies and friends, and continues to be led captive when His authority is subordinated.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'He was led into captivity. And He is still being led into captivity, not only by His enemies, but by His friends as well.'

Covenantal Union and Sin

Summary: Because believers are united to Christ as His body, their sins involve Christ, making Him serve with their sins, as seen in Isaiah 43:24 and 1 Corinthians 6.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'since Jesus Christ is our head and we're His body, when we sin, we make Him to serve with our sins.'

Sphere Sovereignty and Delegated Authority

Summary: God created three institutions (family, church, civil government) with limited, delegated authority; each must operate only within its God-ordained sphere.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'each one of these institutions, He gave a limited sphere of authority... once it leaves that proper sphere, it does not carry its authority with it.'

Christ's Absolute Lordship vs. State Idolatry

Summary: Jesus Christ possesses all authority in heaven and earth; any submission of the church to the state is a denial of His headship and a form of leading Him into captivity.

Evidence: Weaver declares, 'to submit the church of Jesus Christ to the state... is to submit Jesus Christ to the state and civil government since He is the head.'

The War of the First Century Repeating Today

Summary: The conflict between Christ and Caesar over ultimate lordship is recurring, with religious leaders today delivering the church to state control.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'the war of the first century has become the war of this century... Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar?'

Key Arguments

God can be made to serve through covenantal relationship

Summary: Weaver argues from Isaiah 43:24 that Israel's sins forced God to serve, using the Hebrew word 'abad,' and applies this to New Testament believers united to Christ.

Evidence: He says, 'Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins... it is the same word that is used here in Isaiah 43 and verse 24.'

Sin unites Christ to the sinner

Summary: Using 1 Corinthians 6:15-17, he contends that since believers are one spirit with the Lord, their sins involve Christ, making Him serve with their sins.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'when we sin, we unite Jesus Christ to that sin... he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.'

All authority outside of God is delegated and limited

Summary: He asserts that Christ has all authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-22), and any other authority is delegated, finite, and cannot override God's absolute authority.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'delegated power, delegated authority, delegated jurisdiction cannot usurp, overrule, override, or overthrow absolute power, authority, and jurisdiction.'

Civil government has no authority over the church in its God-ordained sphere

Summary: He argues that civil government's jurisdiction is limited to justice; it cannot dictate to the church regarding worship, meeting, or practices unless the church violates God's law.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Civil government has absolutely no authority to dictate to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet.'

Religious leaders today are delivering Christ to the state

Summary: Weaver claims that by complying with state mandates like lockdowns and vaccines, church leaders are leading Christ into captivity, just as the Sanhedrin delivered Jesus to Pilate.

Evidence: He says, 'our religious leaders are delivering the church of Jesus Christ bound into captivity to the state... they're delivering Jesus Christ into captivity.'

The confession 'Jesus is Lord' is a direct challenge to state idolatry

Summary: He parallels the first-century baptismal confession 'Jesus is Lord' with Peter's declaration in Acts 4:12, which countered Caesar's claim to be the only savior.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'Peter took that and put it here in Acts 4 and verse 12... He was denying the emperor cult.'

Scripture References

Luke 22:54

Context: Weaver reads this verse as the text for the message, describing Jesus being led to the high priest's house.

Exodus 1:13

Context: Used to define the Hebrew word 'abad' (to serve with rigor) in the context of Israel's captivity in Egypt.

Deuteronomy 28:45-48

Context: Cited to show that God sends captivity as judgment for disobedience, making His people serve enemies.

Proverbs 22:7

Context: Used to illustrate economic captivity: the borrower is servant (slave) to the lender.

John 8:34

Context: Quoted to show that whoever commits sin is the servant (slave) of sin.

Romans 6:16

Context: Cited to reinforce that yielding to sin makes one a slave to sin.

Isaiah 43:24

Context: Key verse showing God saying Israel made Him serve with their sins, using the word 'abad.'

1 Corinthians 6:15-20

Context: Used to argue that believers' bodies are members of Christ, so sinning unites Christ to that sin.

Matthew 28:18

Context: Quoted to establish that all authority in heaven and earth is given to Christ.

Ephesians 1:15-23

Context: Read to show Christ's exaltation far above all principality and power, and His headship over the church.

Colossians 1:15-19

Context: Cited to affirm Christ as head of the body, the church, and that all things were created by Him.

Proverbs 8:15-16

Context: Used to show that by Christ kings reign and princes decree justice.

Psalm 75:5-7

Context: Quoted to demonstrate that God is the judge who puts down one and sets up another.

John 18:2-3

Context: Referenced to explain that Judas knew the place where Jesus often prayed, and came with a band of men.

Matthew 26:50

Context: Mentioned to note that Jesus called Judas 'hetairos' (acquaintance), not a true friend.

Luke 22:63-65

Context: Read to describe the mocking and smiting of Jesus during the night at the high priest's house.

Luke 22:66-68

Context: Cited to show Jesus being led into the council and questioned about being the Christ.

John 11:47-48

Context: Used to reveal the council's motive: to preserve their place and nation against Roman threat.

Luke 23:1

Context: Read to show the multitude leading Jesus to Pilate, delivering Him to civil authority.

John 19:6-7, 10-11

Context: Cited to show the chief priests demanding crucifixion and Jesus telling Pilate his power is given from above.

Historical References

Israel's captivity in Egypt

Context: Weaver references Exodus 1:13 to illustrate forced service and define 'abad.'

Roman Empire persecution of Christians

Context: He explains that Christians were executed for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord,' as they confessed only Christ as Lord.

First-century baptismal formula 'Jesus is Lord'

Context: Weaver notes that this confession put believers on the Roman Empire's hit list, leading to persecution.

Augustus Caesar and the emperor cult

Context: He describes Augustus's coinage with 'Caesar Divi Filius' (son of God) and inscriptions calling him savior and god manifest.

Inscription from Priene (modern Turkey) about Augustus

Context: Weaver quotes an inscription calling Augustus's birthday the beginning of the gospel (euangelion) for the world.

Caesar's proclamation of being the only savior (14 B.C.)

Context: He states that Caesar proclaimed 'there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved,' which Peter countered in Acts 4:12.

Rushdoony quote on Roman state control

Context: Weaver quotes Rushdoony to explain that Rome strictly controlled assemblies and viewed the organized church as an illegal rival.

Modern Canadian church closures and pastor arrests

Context: He cites recent events where Canadian authorities built fences around churches and arrested pastors for meeting.

Southern seminary requiring pledge to obey civil government

Context: Weaver mentions a Southern seminary requiring students to sign an oath to obey any civil government directive.

Jacksonville pastor's comment on fetal cells in vaccines

Context: He references a pastor who reportedly saw no issue with aborted fetal cells in vaccines, comparing it to Christ's sacrifice.

Important Quotes

Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off.

Significance: This is the key verse (Luke 22:54) that introduces the theme of Christ being led into captivity.

Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Significance: Isaiah 43:24 is central to Weaver's argument that God can be made to serve through covenantal relationship.

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

Significance: 1 Corinthians 6:15 is used to show that sin unites Christ to the sinner.

We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

Significance: John 19:7 shows the religious leaders' charge against Jesus, leading to His delivery to Pilate.

Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.

Significance: John 19:11 demonstrates that Pilate's authority was delegated and limited, not absolute.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Significance: Acts 4:12 is presented as a direct challenge to Caesar's claim, affirming Christ's exclusive lordship.

Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Significance: Luke 6:46 is used to challenge believers to genuinely obey Christ as Lord.

Discussion Questions

In what ways might believers today unknowingly lead Christ into captivity by their actions or allegiances?

Context: Weaver argues that Christ is still led into captivity by His friends when they submit His authority to other powers.

How does the concept of covenantal union with Christ change our view of personal sin?

Context: He explains that because we are Christ's body, our sins involve Him, making Him serve with our sins.

What are the practical implications of sphere sovereignty for the church's relationship with civil government today?

Context: Weaver teaches that civil government has no authority over the church in matters of worship and meeting unless the church violates God's law.

How should the church respond when civil government mandates conflict with biblical commands?

Context: He cites examples of churches being shut down and pastors arrested, and argues that obedience to Christ must come first.

In what ways do modern religious leaders parallel the Sanhedrin in delivering Christ to the state?

Context: Weaver criticizes leaders who comply with state mandates like vaccine passports, comparing them to the council that handed Jesus to Pilate.

What does it mean to confess 'Jesus is Lord' in a culture that increasingly demands allegiance to the state?

Context: He draws parallels to the first-century confession that cost believers their lives, and asks who we truly confess as Lord.

How can we discern when civil government has overstepped its God-ordained jurisdiction?

Context: Weaver explains that government's sphere is justice, and it leaves its authority when it dictates to family or church.

What lessons can we learn from the early church's resistance to Caesar worship for our own context?

Context: He describes how Christians refused to say 'Caesar is Lord' and faced persecution, emphasizing the cost of discipleship.

Applications

Do not deliver Christ's authority to the state

Summary: We must not submit the church or Christ's Word to civil government or religious institutions in a way that denies His absolute authority and jurisdiction.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'we cannot and we must not lead or deliver our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word over to the state... to denounce, deny, or denigrate His authority.'

Confess Jesus as Lord regardless of cost

Summary: Believers must be prepared to confess Christ as Lord even if it leads to loss of property, freedom, or life, as in the first century.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'when you confessed that Jesus Christ was Lord, you needed to prepare yourself because you would either be incarcerated, executed, or you'd end up losing everything.'

Obey Christ's commands, not just call Him Lord

Summary: Genuine confession of Christ's lordship is demonstrated by doing what He says, not merely verbal acknowledgment.

Evidence: He quotes Luke 6:46 and says, 'Our lives, our lips, our actions will be very telling, because they will reveal who we genuinely confess to be Lord.'

Recognize the limits of civil government authority

Summary: Understand that civil government's authority is limited to justice and does not extend to dictating church worship or family life.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'Civil government has no authority to dictate to families how they're to raise their children... or to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet.'

Resist state idolatry

Summary: Believers must reject any claim by the state to ultimate authority, recognizing that Christ alone is Lord and God.

Evidence: He warns against the state being 'touted as God' and says, 'Jesus Christ alone is God.'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:02:21Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T06:23:11Z

Clean Transcript

Leading Christ into Captivity

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

Alright, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Luke chapter 22. But if you would, please go ahead and find 1 Corinthians 6, Ephesians 1, Colossians 1. Mark those passages. I've got a lot of ground to cover today. I'm going to be quoting a lot of Scripture in order that I can get everything in this particular message. Luke 22, we're just going to read one verse. We will come back to this verse. There will be a lot of foundation to be laid before we get to it. But Luke 22 and verse 54, the Bible in reference to Jesus Christ says, "Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off." The title of the message is "Leading Christ into Captivity."
#1 | 0:00 to 1:03 | cleaned
Here is a subject that we never consider: the captivity of Jesus Christ. One immediately will answer and object and say, "But it's impossible to lead the sovereign, omnipotent, almighty God into captivity." Yet the truth of the matter is He was led into captivity. And He is still being led into captivity, not only by His enemies, but by His friends as well. And I'll make this clearer just shortly. But when we think of captivity, we normally recoil at the thought of captivity because we understand that for us, it's not only a loss of life, a loss of livelihood, but a loss of liberty as well. In captivity, we are made to serve. In captivity, we do that which is demanded of us, not that which we desire. When we think of captivity, one of the first thoughts that comes to our mind is the captivity of Israel in Egypt. In fact, the Bible says in Exodus chapter 1 and verse 13, "And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor." Now, the word "serve" in Exodus 1 and verse 13 is the Hebrew word "abad."
#2 | 1:04 to 2:25 | cleaned
Now, I want you to listen carefully, because I'm going to give you the definition of the word. It literally means to cause to serve, to labor, to be subject, to be compelled to work for another, and to serve another by hard labor. So, I want you to remember this word "abad," and I want you to remember this definition, because I'm going to come back to that just shortly.
#3 | 2:25 to 2:50 | cleaned
So the truth of the matter is this: when you think about captivity, all peoples, all nations, all ethnic groups have been captive or enslaved at one time or the other. It's not just black folks that have been enslaved—white folks, red folks, every nation, every people have been enslaved and held captive at one time or the other. I also want you to note that it is God's judgment upon His people for their disobedience, oftentimes, that brings captivity and enslavement.
#4 | 2:51 to 3:26 | cleaned
If you would hold Luke 22 very quickly, but look in your Bibles through the book of Deuteronomy chapter 28. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and look if you would beginning there with verse 45. Deuteronomy chapter 28, and notice, please, beginning there with verse 45. Look what God says: "Moreover, all these curses shall come upon thee, and they shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed, because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the Lord thy God to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee. And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder and upon thy seed forever."
#5 | 3:27 to 4:12 | cleaned
Now watch carefully: "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in want of all things. And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee." So here's what God is saying: when God sends captivity as a judgment, we are going to learn the difference between the service of God and the service of man. In captivity, we're going to discover who is far more gracious, who is far more kind, generous, giving, and merciful—God or man. The captivity of man will make us see clearly and understand that the service of God is a blessing and not something to be chafed at at all. So, we must also, by way of introduction, understand that there are different kinds of captivity. Usually, when we think of captivity, we immediately think of physical captivity.
#6 | 4:12 to 5:22 | cleaned
However, there is indeed a mental and emotional, an economic and spiritual captivity. For instance, Proverbs 22 and verse 7, the Bible says, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." So the man that borrows, the man that is in debt, is a slave. The word "servant" there literally means slave, bondslave, or manservant. So borrowing money and being in debt is economic slavery, because once you borrow money, once you're in debt, you're no longer working for yourself. You're working for the other man until you pay that debt off. And so the word "slavery" is used there. Of course, we also understand that there is a captivity of sin. Our Lord said in John 8 and verse 34, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."
#7 | 5:23 to 6:27 | cleaned
And the Apostle Paul said it like this in Romans 6 and verse 16: "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"
#8 | 6:27 to 6:45 | cleaned
Now, in each of those passages and many other passages, the Greek word is the word "doulos," which literally means slave, bondslave. So our Lord said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the slave of sin." And Paul said, "To whomsoever ye yield your body as a servant, you are that slave." The interesting thing to me is I've heard men boast all my life concerning their sins: "Well, I can just quit any time I want to." Isn't it amazing, though, those who say that they can quit any time they want to never want to quit? I heard one man say, he said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've already quit a thousand times." Well, obviously, it was not easy. So, you know, but I'm just simply saying, you know, we always say we can stop something, but usually we can't because there is a servitude to our habits, to our sins.
#9 | 6:45 to 7:38 | cleaned
Now, I don't have to dwell on the captivity of the mind. The Bible tells us very plainly that as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. So basically, it's our mind that controls our lives. And if we think wickedly and wrongly, obviously we're going to act wickedly and wrongly.
#10 | 7:39 to 7:56 | cleaned
Now, before I go into really the part of the message I want to get to, let me take you back to the objection that I mentioned at the very beginning of this message. Someone says, "But it is impossible to lead the sovereign, omnipotent God of heaven and earth into captivity." Really? Well, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would please, to the book of Isaiah, chapter 43, and I want you to look, please, at verse 24. I want you to see what God said to His people. Look, if you would, Isaiah chapter 43, and note, if you would please, verse 24. And now He is talking to Israel, and look what He says: "Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities." Now, interestingly, God said to His people, "Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins." Would you like to take a guess at why I said earlier, I want you to remember the Hebrew word "abad," and that I wanted you to remember the definition?
#11 | 7:57 to 9:14 | cleaned
It means to force to serve, to make to serve, to do hard labor. And that's because it is the same word that is used here in Isaiah 43 and verse 24. God said, "You forced me to serve with your sins."
#12 | 9:14 to 9:27 | cleaned
Now, the point I'm trying to make right here is this: we do not understand the implications of a covenantal relationship. You see, the truth of the matter is Israel was just simply basically in an external covenant with God. And yet they did not obey God. But since He was covenantally united to them, when they sinned, they made Him to serve with their sins as well. Now, let me point this out: that which is true in the Old Testament is equally true in the New Testament, and it is made even clearer.
#13 | 9:27 to 10:07 | cleaned
So I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter 6. 1 Corinthians, chapter 6, and let's begin reading there with verse 15. Watch this passage very carefully and keep in mind that God said, "Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins." So look at it. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 15: "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?"
#14 | 10:07 to 10:36 | cleaned
Now, let me just stop right there. You remember that He is our head. We are His body. So He says, "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."
#15 | 10:36 to 11:30 | cleaned
Now, here's the whole simple truth: Jesus Christ is our head. We are His body. When we sin, we unite Jesus Christ to that sin. That's why He said, "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." Very clear. Very understandable. So, since Jesus Christ is our head and we're His body, when we sin, we make Him to serve with our sins. So sin is no laughing matter. Sin is no joke. Sin, then, makes a holy, righteous, and just God to serve with our sins. And no wonder, then, we are chastened and we're judged.
#16 | 11:30 to 12:11 | cleaned
And we never think of the implication of a covenantal relationship. Now, I'm endeavoring to lay this foundation because I want you to see another type of captivity. I want you to see a political and a governmental captivity of Jesus Christ. Now, as Christians, we believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is God. We believe and we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. You remember the word "Lord"? It's the Greek word "kurios," which means boss, owner, master, sovereign. We also confess and acknowledge the truth of Matthew 28, verse 18, where Jesus Christ said, "All power"—or "all authority"—"in heaven and in earth is given unto me." So God the Father raised Jesus Christ up from the dead. God the Father made Him Lord, and God the Father gave Him all power and all authority.
#17 | 12:12 to 13:16 | cleaned
Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Ephesians, chapter 1. I want to just emphasize this very clearly. Galatians, Ephesians—Ephesians, chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15, and we'll read through verse 23. Watch carefully. Ephesians 1, verse 15: "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."
#18 | 13:16 to 14:11 | cleaned
Now pay close attention to this: "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body."
#19 | 14:12 to 14:47 | cleaned
"The fulness of him that filleth all in all." So here's a clear passage: Jesus Christ is the head of the church. We are His body.
#20 | 14:48 to 14:59 | cleaned
Now if you will turn in your Bibles to the book of Colossians chapter 1. Colossians chapter 1. And let's begin reading there with verse 15, and we'll read through verse 19. Colossians 1 verse 15: We're talking about Jesus Christ, "who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist"—or have their being. "And he"—that is Jesus Christ—"is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."
#21 | 14:59 to 15:58 | cleaned
"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell." So we must understand this truth. It's very simple. And that is that Jesus Christ is the head of His church. He has absolute jurisdiction. He has absolute and total authority. No man, no ruler, politician, government, or entity has any right to rule, run, manage, or direct the church of Jesus Christ. It is His church. He is declared in His Word in the way which He is to be worshipped, praised, and adored. He's declared in His Word how we should act in church. He is also declared in His Word how we should live outside of the church.
#22 | 15:59 to 16:45 | cleaned
In other words, He is King. He is Head. He is Lord of lords and God of gods.
#23 | 16:45 to 16:51 | cleaned
Now, here's another truth that's very simple: Jesus Christ is not just simply head of the church. He is head of everything. Because He is God. He is absolutely sovereign. He has all power. And He has all authority. And no one, no organization, no institution can exist apart from Him. So, let me make this very clear: any authority, any power, any jurisdiction that anyone, any individual has, or any organization has, or any institution has, is delegated by Him. That means that jurisdiction, that authority, is limited. He gave that authority. Let me just say this another way: God has not abdicated His throne. God has not ceased ruling. God has not thrown aside His power, His authority, His jurisdiction, and He has not turned His church and He has not turned His world over to a handful of petty bureaucrats or billionaires to do with as they please. No, God is still on the throne and He is still in charge.
#24 | 16:52 to 18:12 | cleaned
Now I want you to listen carefully. In Proverbs chapter 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified. And here's what He says in verses 15 and 16: "By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth." In other words, it's only by Him that judges, princes, and kings rule. And when you get to Psalm 75 verses 5 through 7, it cannot be any plainer. The Word of God says there, "Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck. For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." God is the judge; He putteth down one, and He setteth up another.
#25 | 18:12 to 19:06 | cleaned
Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Sennacherib, Haman, and a host of others learned this truth the hard way. God is the judge. God is sovereign. He puts up and He takes down as He pleases. Understand this principle: delegated power, delegated authority, delegated jurisdiction cannot usurp, overrule, override, or overthrow absolute power, authority, and jurisdiction. So God alone has unlimited authority. God alone has unlimited power. God alone has unlimited jurisdiction. All power outside of God, all authority outside of God is limited. It is delegated and it is finite.
#26 | 19:07 to 20:02 | cleaned
Now, here's a principle that I've taught for years. If you've never really grasped this, please do so now, because in light of what is happening—and what will probably happen—you need to know this and you need to have it in your heart, and that is simply this: God has created only three institutions. He created the family, which is a ministry of education. He created the church, which is a ministry of grace, and He created the civil government, which is a ministry of justice. And each one of these institutions, He gave a limited sphere of authority. Each institution is to function in its proper sphere. And once it leaves that proper sphere, it does not carry its authority with it. In other words, once it steps outside of its God-ordained jurisdiction, God-appointed authority, it does not carry that authority with it. So civil government has no authority to dictate to families how they're to raise their children. Civil government has absolutely no authority to dictate to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet, what it can do, or what it cannot do, or what it can worship, or what it cannot worship.
#27 | 20:05 to 21:33 | cleaned
Civil government has no authority to tell the church on how many may attend, when they can attend, and how they can attend. And it has no authority to tell the church whether it can sing or not sing, carry a Bible or not carry a Bible. All I'm simply saying is the power of the civil government is limited to that of justice according to the Word of God. Now, we're talking about sphere authority. Likewise, the church cannot look at the civil government and say, "You cannot execute that murderer." Yes, they can. For God gave the civil government the sword and said, "Use this sword." I can't say that. I can't say to the civil government, "You can't put someone to death." Yes, they can. Each sphere has its authority, but only in its own sphere. So, I might be a husband and I might be a father, but I can't go to Gary's house and tell him how to run his house and tell his wife what to do and tell his daughter what to do.
#28 | 21:33 to 22:32 | cleaned
I have no authority to do that. I can't tell Steve how to control Lorraine. Wouldn't do any good anyhow, would it, Steve? But you see what I'm saying? I can't go over and say, "Well, Effie, you need to raise your children this way." No, no, no, no. I might be a husband. I might be a father, but it's only in my sphere. It's not when I leave my sphere. I might give you some counsel. I might tell you some biblical principles, but I can't tell you how to run your house. And I can't, even as a pastor, tell other pastors how to run their churches. I can't go to the church and say, "You must do this and you must not do this." No, no, no. That's not my sphere of authority. My sphere of authority is right where I am. And if I leave that sphere of authority, I do not carry that authority with me. That is very simple. That is very clear. So every institution that God ordained has limited authority, delegated authority within its proper sphere.
#29 | 22:32 to 23:32 | cleaned
And when it leaves that sphere, it leaves its authority. Now, with this in mind, when you look at Luke chapter 22 and 23, we're going to see Jesus Christ led into captivity. Our Lord in this passage was betrayed by one who had been with Him for three years. He was betrayed by Judas and He was betrayed with a token of affection, a kiss, and He was betrayed in the place where He most often resorted. And He usually resorted there for prayer. Now, how in the world did Judas know where He was? In John 18, verse 2, the Bible says this: "And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples." In other words, He knew where Jesus went. He knew His habits. He knew when He was praying, when He was not praying. He knew where He prayed. And so He knew the place. Now, I know that Judas was an enemy of Jesus Christ. I know that he pretended to be a follower. I know that he was not a real friend of Jesus Christ.
#30 | 23:33 to 24:55 | cleaned
And when He came to betray our Lord, our Lord did not call him a personal friend. Without me going into it, in Matthew 26 and verse 50, when Judas came to betray our Lord, our Lord said to him, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?"—or actually, "Friend, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" And the word "friend" is the Greek word "hetairos." It's not from "phileo," I love, or "philos," our English word for family. No, no, no. It's "hetairos," which means acquaintance, someone that you know.
#31 | 24:57 to 25:36 | cleaned
In fact, "hetaira" in the feminine was used of the prostitutes in Bible times. They were strangers to the family, but they were acquaintances to some individuals. And so basically what our Lord did in calling Judas "hetairos," He was calling him an acquaintance, even a prostitute, because his love was not real and neither was it genuine. So Judas has come now to betray Christ into the hands of His enemies.
#32 | 25:37 to 26:11 | cleaned
Now, I want you to look at verse 54. So let's say Jesus Christ has already been captured. Notice, if you would, verse 54: "Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off."
#33 | 26:11 to 26:31 | cleaned
Now, here's a good question: Why was He led to the house of the high priest? And the answer is because they were there anxiously awaiting His arrest. They had sent to have our Lord arrested. Without you turning there, in John 18 in verse 3, here's what the Bible says: "Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons." So they had sent a band of men and officers to arrest Him. Once He was arrested, He's now taken to the house of the high priest. So here's another question: Why was He led to the house of the high priest? Now, you could properly answer that the high priest was the leading religious leader of his day, and that certainly would be correct. But here's a secondary observation: this house into which Jesus Christ was led was probably not the high priest's private abode. It was probably a much larger building.
#34 | 26:33 to 27:55 | cleaned
How can I say that? Well, in Matthew 26 and verse 57, listen carefully: "And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled." How many men were in the Sanhedrin? Seventy. So wherever the high priest was, probably the seventy were there, not counting the officers and the other men who went to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ.
#35 | 27:56 to 28:32 | cleaned
This house may have been a special place or designated place and not necessarily his private abode. So it had to be large enough to accommodate a large number of people. If you look at Luke 22, beginning of verse 63, here's what happened during the night. Look at it: "And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?"
#36 | 28:33 to 29:07 | cleaned
"And many other things blasphemously spake they against him." So He's taken now to the high priest. He's taken to this house, and here He is interrogated. Here He is mocked. Here He is ridiculed. Here He is blasphemed. Let me give you a quick quote by Calvin. He said on Matthew 26 and verse 57: "But they who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas. Though the Jews had been deprived of what is called a higher jurisdiction"—that is, the ability to execute someone—"there still lingered among them some vestiges of that judicial authority which the law confers on the high priest, so that while they had lost the absolute authority, they retained the power of administering moderate correction. This is the reason why Christ is brought before the high priest to be interrogated."
#37 | 29:07 to 30:03 | cleaned
Not that a final sentence would be pronounced upon Him by this tribunal. So, Jesus Christ is brought then to the house where all of these scribes and elders are. Probably the whole Sanhedrin is there. The officers that went to arrest Him are there. Everybody's there. During the night, He's interrogated. He's mocked. He's ridiculed. There's no rest, no respect given Him.
#38 | 30:05 to 30:33 | cleaned
Now, look what happens next. Look, if you would, in Luke chapter 22 and verse 66. Watch: "And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together"—in other words, some did not stay all night, some did—"and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe."
#39 | 30:33 to 31:08 | cleaned
"And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go." So now He's led not just to the high priest's house, but now He's led into their council. Now, the council was already fixed. The council had already determined its outcome. It was here that our Lord was officially, religiously condemned as an imposter and as a blasphemer. The council was not interested in the truth. The council was not interested in Jesus Christ. The council was not even interested in the people. Well, what were they interested in? The answer is they were interested in preserving their own power and their own position. And that was it.
#40 | 31:09 to 32:02 | cleaned
How can I say that? Well, hold Luke chapter 23. But look in your Bibles to John 11. And let's read verses 47 and 48. John 11, verse 47: "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."
#41 | 32:03 to 32:40 | cleaned
We won't have any power. We won't have any party. I mean, we won't be rulers anymore. Our position will be gone. Our place will be gone. We will not be needed. We've got to do something to this man. Because one of two things: either everybody's going to believe on him and leave us, and if we don't do something, the Romans will come and take it away. So we'll lose it one way or the other. So we must then take care of Jesus Christ. We must get him out of the way. So you see, the truth of the matter is this: that many denominations, churches, and seminaries condemn Jesus Christ in one way or the other. In fact, oftentimes, Jesus Christ does not fit into their doctrinal understanding.
#42 | 32:41 to 33:34 | cleaned
I just read within the last two weeks of a Southern seminary that is requiring all students that attend this seminary to sign a pledge, to sign an oath stating that they will obey anything the civil government tells them to do. Really? How can that be biblical? How could you do that? Some people just simply do not understand sphere authority, nor do they understand that God only created three institutions. But here's what happened.
#43 | 33:37 to 34:17 | cleaned
They led him to the high priest. He was interrogated. He was mocked and ridiculed. They took him to the council. And look what the council does next. Look in chapter 23 in verse 1: "And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate." So, he's gone from the house of the high priest to the council and now to Pilate. The religious leaders, the religious establishment turned Jesus Christ over to the civil authorities. Religious iniquity had now only to lean on civil government to finish the wickedness which it itself had taken the lead in. Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea.
#44 | 34:17 to 35:09 | cleaned
Now, I want you to turn to John 19. Turn over just a few pages. John 19. And look if you would at verses 6 and 7. Jesus Christ is standing before Pilate. And look at what the chief priests say. John 19, verse 6: "When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him."
#45 | 35:09 to 35:48 | cleaned
"We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God." Now wait a minute. Why did they not look at Pilate and say, "Thank you. We will take him and put him to death"? Well, now I believe there's many answers to that. And I'm not going to go into that right now. Of course, the prophecy was that He was to be crucified.
#46 | 35:49 to 36:18 | cleaned
He was to be hanged and numbered with the transgressors. But what they were saying is this: we don't have the official authority to crucify Him.
#47 | 36:19 to 36:32 | cleaned
Now, it is true that under the Roman rule, they lost their power to execute officially. But that surely didn't stop them from stoning Stephen to death in Acts chapter 7. You see, here it is: what they wanted was our Lord officially condemned by the Roman rulers. They wanted them to do the dirty work. They delivered Him over to them so that they could crucify Him.
#48 | 36:33 to 37:12 | cleaned
Now look if you would John 19 verses 10 and 11. Of course, our Lord stood silent before Pilate. Pilate saith unto him, "Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" Jesus answered, "Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." Pilate said, "I've got the power." Our Lord said, "No. The only thing you've got is what you were given." Can you see this?
#49 | 37:12 to 37:54 | cleaned
Here is a limited, delegated, finite, authoritarian figure elevating himself over an absolutely sovereign, omnipotent God who has total authority and jurisdiction. Wow. I want you to understand something. There's a verse in the Bible that describes this very well. The wise man said, "I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth." In other words, everything's turned upside down. And now you have this picture of it being turned upside down as well. So the whole point of this message is this: the powers that were delegated by our Lord, the jurisdictions that were delegated by our Lord, the authority that was delegated by our Lord were all used to condemn Him. Listen.
#50 | 37:56 to 39:02 | cleaned
And in condemning Him, they're establishing themselves as the higher power. "We're over you." Wow. I want you to listen. As preachers, denominational leaders, religious charlatans today are all crying out that we must obey. We must obey. We must all be vaccinated. We must all get vaccine passports. We must do everything that comes down the pike. I just heard this this morning. I did not hear it myself. But the brother who told me said I had to listen to it twice, he said, because I could not believe it.
#51 | 39:02 to 39:49 | cleaned
But a leading pastor in Jacksonville, Florida, when asked about the fetal cells in the vaccination, said he didn't see anything wrong with it because Jesus Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice. He said, I heard him say that twice. In other words, it didn't matter that the aborted fetal cells were in the vaccine to him. It was just a matter of sacrifice. They were sacrificing themselves so that we could have this vaccination.
#52 | 39:49 to 40:25 | cleaned
All I'm trying to point out is this: you look and think about recently, even the churches that were shut down by the civil government, not only contrary to the Constitution of the United States, but contrary to the Bible. Civil government has absolutely no authority over the church unless the church is violating the law of God. Civil government may investigate a murder inside the church building, just like it can investigate a murder outside the church building. But unless the church is violating the law of God, it has absolutely no authority and no jurisdiction over the church. Look at what is happening in Canada. If you have not been keeping up with it, you need to learn what is happening. Pastors are being arrested. Churches are closed and walled off.
#53 | 40:26 to 41:17 | cleaned
In one instance, two fences have been built around the one church to stop them from meeting. The pastor and the people had to go to a secret location in order to hold church. And when one church continued, 200 officers were called out to circle the building to stop them from going in and using their church building. And I just saw last night where now the Canadian government, contrary to the Charter of Rights, are saying that they have every right to go into a church building even while a service is going on and shut it down and lock it down.
#54 | 41:17 to 41:58 | cleaned
All I'm trying to point out is this: it will not be long before it's here. If we don't understand the principle that I am enunciating today, in our politically correct Marxist and socialistic society, the state, the civil government is being touted as God, and our religious leaders are delivering the church of Jesus Christ bound into captivity to the state. And in doing so, they're delivering Jesus Christ into captivity because Jesus Christ is the head and we are His body. You cannot deliver the body without delivering the head. Wherever the body goes, the head goes as well.
#55 | 42:01 to 42:50 | cleaned
Now, I want to remind you of some historical truth. I want you to listen very carefully. All of us know about the persecution in the Roman Empire. Many Christians were put to death in the Roman Empire. But may I point out the fact that the Christians of the Roman Empire that were put to death were not put to death because they were simply Christians. In the Roman Empire, you could believe whatever you wanted to believe. If you wanted to believe in Aphrodite, have at it. If you wanted to worship Baal, go for it. If you wanted to worship Ashtoreth, fine. If you wanted to worship Jesus Christ, no problem. All you had to do was once a year swear by the genius of Caesar and say, "Caesar is Lord." And the Christians refused to say "Caesar is Lord" because Jesus Christ is Lord. And consequently, they were put to death as being treasonous to the Roman Empire and to the emperor cult. Now, I don't know if you remember this or not.
#56 | 42:51 to 44:03 | cleaned
But the very first baptismal formula that you find in the Bible and in history consists of three Greek words. And that formula was this: "Jesus is Lord." You see, when you got baptized in the first century and you said "Jesus is Lord," that put you on the hit list of the Roman Empire. You were hunted down. Your goods were confiscated. Your house was burned to the ground.
#57 | 44:05 to 44:39 | cleaned
You were either thrown into a dungeon, or you were just executed. It was that simple. In other words, it cost something to be a Christian in the first century. And it cost something to confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. It may be coming to that again. You see, Augustus Caesar followed Julius Caesar. What we don't understand is the emperor cult or the Caesar cult. You cannot understand the Caesar cult without understanding that Caesar claimed to be God. You cannot understand the Roman Empire without understanding that the Roman Empire claimed to be a godlike empire based upon the Caesars. Augustus Caesar, who followed Julius Caesar, had his image stamped on his coinage. You remember when they tempted Jesus, He said, "Show me a coin." And they gave Him a coin. "Whose image is on this coin?" Caesar's. Well, Augustus Caesar had his image stamped on his coin and under his image were these words: "Caesar Divi Filius," which translated is "son of God, the son of the divine Caesar." It meant that he was claiming to be God.
#58 | 44:39 to 46:08 | cleaned
Here is an inscription found in Priene, which is modern-day Turkey, referring to Caesar Augustus. And here is the inscription: "The birthday of Augustus has been for the whole world the beginning of the gospel concerning him." Guess what? The word "gospel" is "euangelion" in the Greek. The same as it is in the Bible. But now we're talking about the gospel of Caesar, not the gospel of Jesus Christ. And listen to this. Here's an inscription that was on a government building dating from 6 BC. And it'll give you a better light into the Caesar worship. Here's the inscription: "The most divine Caesar."
#59 | 46:08 to 46:57 | cleaned
That should tell you something right there. "The most divine Caesar. We should consider equal to the beginning of all things."
#60 | 46:58 to 47:05 | cleaned
"Now we're ascribing eternality to him. For when everything was falling into disorder and tending toward dissolution, he restored it once more and gave the whole world a new aura. Caesar, the common good fortune of all, the beginning of life and vitality. All the cities unanimously adopt the birthday of the divine Caesar as the new beginning of the year. Whereas the providence which has regulated our whole existence has brought our life to the climax of perfection in giving to us the Emperor Augustus, who being sent to us and our descendants as Savior, has put an end to war and has set all things in order; and whereas having become God manifest, Caesar has fulfilled all the hopes of earlier times." Wow.
#61 | 47:06 to 48:07 | cleaned
I hope now you're beginning to understand that the Roman Empire was built upon the godhood of the Caesars. So for Rome, the goal of any true morality and piety was the subordination of all things to the state. The religious pious man was the one who recognized at every point the life and centrality of the state. Here's a quote by Rushdoony. Listen to what he said: "The framework for the religious and familial acts of piety was Rome itself. The central and most sacred community, Rome, strictly controlled all rights of corporations, assembly, religious meetings, clubs and street gatherings, and it brooked no possible rivalry to its centrality. The state alone could organize; short of conspiracy, the citizens could not. On this ground alone, the highly organized Christian church was an offense and an affront to the state and an illegal organization readily suspected of conspiracy." That's why in the Roman Empire, the Church of Jesus Christ was considered illegal. Because it was in competition with the state. It was in competition with Caesar, they interpreted and they thought.
#62 | 48:09 to 49:41 | cleaned
And therefore, it must be brought under subjection to Caesar. Now, I want you to turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Acts chapter 4. I want you to see something. Please keep in mind what I have been telling you about the Roman Empire. Please keep in mind that Caesar is claiming to be God. The Roman Empire is indeed the state, the total authority. Here in Acts chapter 4, Peter is preaching. He's being questioned.
#63 | 49:41 to 50:22 | cleaned
Because of the healing of a man by the high priest and his kindred. And he responds. Look in verse—well, let's start with verse 8: "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole."
#64 | 50:24 to 51:01 | cleaned
"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
#65 | 51:03 to 51:20 | cleaned
Now, you cannot understand verse 12 without understanding this truth. Peter is declaring war upon the Roman Empire and upon the Caesars, because in 14 B.C. there is a bright star that shone and Caesar proclaimed himself Lord and sent throughout his empire this statement: "There is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved than the name of Augustus Caesar." And Peter took that and put it here in Acts 4 and verse 12. And so the name under which we must be saved is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is Lord. Caesar is not Lord. Jesus Christ is Lord.
#66 | 51:21 to 52:18 | cleaned
He was denying the emperor cult. He was denying that the state is God. He is saying Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the boss. He's the owner. He's the master. He's the sovereign. And let me tell you something: anything less than that is leading Jesus Christ into captivity. Jesus Christ is God.
#67 | 52:18 to 52:41 | cleaned
Now, let me make some applications. I want you to listen carefully. The first one is this: we cannot and we must not lead or deliver our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word over to the state, the civil government, or religious institutions in order to denounce, deny, or denigrate His authority and jurisdiction. He is Lord, and He is Lord alone. Let me make this exceedingly clear: our Lord is sovereign, and He does not have a co-chair. There is no one with Him. He is sovereign. And to submit the church of Jesus Christ to the state, to the civil government, is to submit Jesus Christ to the state and civil government since He is the head. Incorporation is another idea, but that is also submitting Jesus Christ to the state because the state then becomes the head of the church instead of Jesus Christ.
#68 | 52:43 to 53:50 | cleaned
The second application is this: the war of the first century has become the war of this century. The war in the first century revolved around this question: Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar? And that is the question. That is the heart of the issue today. Look at what is happening in America. Look at what is happening in Canada. Ask yourself this question: Who is Lord? Christ or Caesar? I must point out, in the first century, when you confessed that Jesus Christ was Lord, you needed to prepare yourself because you would either be incarcerated, executed, or you'd end up losing everything you had for saying and standing and believing that Jesus Christ is Lord.
#69 | 53:51 to 54:46 | cleaned
Because the state would brook no rivals. You know, our Lord said something that's very, very true. He asked a question in Luke 6 and verse 46, and He said this: "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Our lives, our lips, our actions will be very telling, because they will reveal who we genuinely confess to be Lord. Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone is the Sovereign. He is the head of the church and we must bow to Him and worship Him and obey Him regardless of the dictates of the state, regardless of what man says, regardless of what government says. Jesus Christ rules and reigns supremely. He is God.
#70 | 54:48 to 55:57 | cleaned
That is why He said, "All authority in heaven and in earth is given unto Me." We cannot allow the sovereign God of heaven and earth to be subjected to some little finite, limited, delegated authority who wishes to play God. Jesus Christ alone is God. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we bow to Thee. We thank You for Your Word. We thank You for Your truth. We thank You, Father, that Thou hast given us Your so great salvation in Jesus Christ. Help us, Father, to honor Him, for Thou didst say, "He that honoureth the Son honoureth the Father; and he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father." Help us, Father, to bow before Thee and always remember and prepare our hearts and minds and lives to confess and acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ alone. In whose name we pray, Amen.
#71 | 55:57 to 57:04 | cleaned

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T16:02:21Z

Leading Christ into Captivity

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines the concept of Jesus Christ being led into captivity, both historically in Luke 22 and presently when believers and churches submit to civil government over Christ's headship. He argues that Christ, as sovereign Lord with all authority, cannot be legitimately subjected to limited, delegated powers. The message warns against religious leaders and institutions delivering the church—and thus Christ as its head—into bondage to the state, drawing parallels to first-century Caesar worship and urging believers to confess Jesus as Lord alone.

Introduction: The Captivity of Jesus Christ

Weaver introduces the paradox of the sovereign God being led into captivity, noting that Christ was led captive by both enemies and friends, and that captivity involves forced service.

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:54

"Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off."

The title of the message is "Leading Christ into Captivity."

The Meaning of Captivity and Service

He defines the Hebrew word 'abad' (to cause to serve, to compel to work) from Exodus 1:13, emphasizing that captivity means being made to serve another.

Captivity as God's Judgment for Disobedience

Using Deuteronomy 28:45-48, Weaver shows that God sends captivity as judgment to teach His people the difference between serving God and serving man.

Various Kinds of Captivity

He describes physical, mental, emotional, economic (Proverbs 22:7), and spiritual (John 8:34; Romans 6:16) captivity, all involving slavery.

However, there is indeed a mental and emotional, an economic and spiritual captivity. For instance, Proverbs 22 and verse 7, the Bible says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 22:7

"The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."

And the Apostle Paul said it like this in Romans 6 and verse 16:

Scripture Reading — Romans 6:16

"Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?"

God Made to Serve with Our Sins

Weaver cites Isaiah 43:24, where God says Israel made Him serve with their sins, using the same word 'abad,' and explains that covenantal union means our sins involve Christ.

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:24

"Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities."

Now, interestingly, God said to His people,

Scripture Reading — Isaiah 43:24

"Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins."

Would you like to take a guess at why I said earlier, I want you to remember the Hebrew word "abad," and that I wanted you to remember the definition?

The Believer's Union with Christ and Sin

From 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, he argues that since believers are Christ's body, sinning unites Christ to that sin, making Him serve with our sins.

Christ's Absolute Authority and Delegated Powers

Scripture Reading — Colossians 1:15-19

"who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist"

—or have their being. "And he"—that is Jesus Christ—"is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence."

Now I want you to listen carefully. In Proverbs chapter 8, Jesus Christ is wisdom personified. And here's what He says in verses 15 and 16:

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 8:15-16

"By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth."

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

He recounts Judas's betrayal (Luke 22:54; John 18:2-3) and notes that Jesus was led to the high priest's house where the Sanhedrin awaited.

Scripture Reading — John 18:2-3

"Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons."

Jesus Before the Religious Authorities

Jesus is interrogated, mocked, and condemned by the council (Luke 22:63-66; John 11:47-48), who acted to preserve their own power.

Now, look what happens next. Look, if you would, in Luke chapter 22 and verse 66. Watch:

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:66-68

"And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together"

—in other words, some did not stay all night, some did—

Scripture Reading — Luke 22:66-68

"and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe." "And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go."

How can I say that? Well, hold Luke chapter 23. But look in your Bibles to John 11. And let's read verses 47 and 48. John 11, verse 47:

Scripture Reading — John 11:47-48

"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."

Jesus Delivered to Pilate and the State

The religious leaders hand Jesus over to Pilate (Luke 23:1; John 19:6-7, 10-11), seeking official Roman condemnation, illustrating how religious iniquity leans on civil government.

They led him to the high priest. He was interrogated. He was mocked and ridiculed. They took him to the council. And look what the council does next. Look in chapter 23 in verse 1:

Scripture Reading — Luke 23:1

"And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate."

Modern Parallels: Delivering Christ to the State

Applications: Confessing Christ as Lord Alone

He concludes with applications: we must not submit Christ's authority to the state, and the central war remains 'Who is Lord?'—Christ or Caesar—requiring obedience to Christ regardless of cost.

Leading Christ into Captivity

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	5321175637802
Subject	Covenant Theology
Course	Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment
Genre	Sermon
Date	2021-05-02
Dictation Name
Book	Book 044: Covenant Theology: Obedience, Disobedience, and National Judgment — Chapter 9
Source Timed Segments	71

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Captivity of Jesus Christ: Weaver introduces the paradox of the sovereign God being led into captivity, noting that Christ was led captive by both enemies and friends, and that captivity involves forced service.
The Meaning of Captivity and Service: He defines the Hebrew word 'abad' (to cause to serve, to compel to work) from Exodus 1:13, emphasizing that captivity means being made to serve another.
Captivity as God's Judgment for Disobedience: Using Deuteronomy 28:45-48, Weaver shows that God sends captivity as judgment to teach His people the difference between serving God and serving man.
Various Kinds of Captivity: He describes physical, mental, emotional, economic (Proverbs 22:7), and spiritual (John 8:34; Romans 6:16) captivity, all involving slavery.
God Made to Serve with Our Sins: Weaver cites Isaiah 43:24, where God says Israel made Him serve with their sins, using the same word 'abad,' and explains that covenantal union means our sins involve Christ.
The Believer's Union with Christ and Sin: From 1 Corinthians 6:15-20, he argues that since believers are Christ's body, sinning unites Christ to that sin, making Him serve with our sins.
Christ's Absolute Authority and Delegated Powers: Weaver establishes Christ's total authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:15-19) and explains that all other authority is delegated and limited to its God-ordained sphere (family, church, civil government).
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus: He recounts Judas's betrayal (Luke 22:54; John 18:2-3) and notes that Jesus was led to the high priest's house where the Sanhedrin awaited.
Jesus Before the Religious Authorities: Jesus is interrogated, mocked, and condemned by the council (Luke 22:63-66; John 11:47-48), who acted to preserve their own power.
Jesus Delivered to Pilate and the State: The religious leaders hand Jesus over to Pilate (Luke 23:1; John 19:6-7, 10-11), seeking official Roman condemnation, illustrating how religious iniquity leans on civil government.
Modern Parallels: Delivering Christ to the State: Weaver warns that today's religious leaders are delivering the church into captivity to the state through compliance with mandates, paralleling first-century Caesar worship and the confession 'Jesus is Lord.'
Applications: Confessing Christ as Lord Alone: He concludes with applications: we must not submit Christ's authority to the state, and the central war remains 'Who is Lord?'—Christ or Caesar—requiring obedience to Christ regardless of cost.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God can be made to serve through covenantal relationship

Weaver argues from Isaiah 43:24 that Israel's sins forced God to serve, using the Hebrew word 'abad,' and applies this to New Testament believers united to Christ.

He says, 'Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins... it is the same word that is used here in Isaiah 43 and verse 24.'

Sin unites Christ to the sinner

Using 1 Corinthians 6:15-17, he contends that since believers are one spirit with the Lord, their sins involve Christ, making Him serve with their sins.

Weaver states, 'when we sin, we unite Jesus Christ to that sin... he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.'

All authority outside of God is delegated and limited

He asserts that Christ has all authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-22), and any other authority is delegated, finite, and cannot override God's absolute authority.

Weaver says, 'delegated power, delegated authority, delegated jurisdiction cannot usurp, overrule, override, or overthrow absolute power, authority, and jurisdiction.'

Civil government has no authority over the church in its God-ordained sphere

He argues that civil government's jurisdiction is limited to justice; it cannot dictate to the church regarding worship, meeting, or practices unless the church violates God's law.

Weaver states, 'Civil government has absolutely no authority to dictate to the church as to when, or how, or where it can meet.'

Religious leaders today are delivering Christ to the state

Weaver claims that by complying with state mandates like lockdowns and vaccines, church leaders are leading Christ into captivity, just as the Sanhedrin delivered Jesus to Pilate.

He says, 'our religious leaders are delivering the church of Jesus Christ bound into captivity to the state... they're delivering Jesus Christ into captivity.'

The confession 'Jesus is Lord' is a direct challenge to state idolatry

He parallels the first-century baptismal confession 'Jesus is Lord' with Peter's declaration in Acts 4:12, which countered Caesar's claim to be the only savior.

Weaver notes, 'Peter took that and put it here in Acts 4 and verse 12... He was denying the emperor cult.'

Scripture References

Luke 22:54: Weaver reads this verse as the text for the message, describing Jesus being led to the high priest's house.
Exodus 1:13: Used to define the Hebrew word 'abad' (to serve with rigor) in the context of Israel's captivity in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 28:45-48: Cited to show that God sends captivity as judgment for disobedience, making His people serve enemies.
Proverbs 22:7: Used to illustrate economic captivity: the borrower is servant (slave) to the lender.
John 8:34: Quoted to show that whoever commits sin is the servant (slave) of sin.
Romans 6:16: Cited to reinforce that yielding to sin makes one a slave to sin.
Isaiah 43:24: Key verse showing God saying Israel made Him serve with their sins, using the word 'abad.'
1 Corinthians 6:15-20: Used to argue that believers' bodies are members of Christ, so sinning unites Christ to that sin.
Matthew 28:18: Quoted to establish that all authority in heaven and earth is given to Christ.
Ephesians 1:15-23: Read to show Christ's exaltation far above all principality and power, and His headship over the church.
Colossians 1:15-19: Cited to affirm Christ as head of the body, the church, and that all things were created by Him.
Proverbs 8:15-16: Used to show that by Christ kings reign and princes decree justice.
Psalm 75:5-7: Quoted to demonstrate that God is the judge who puts down one and sets up another.
John 18:2-3: Referenced to explain that Judas knew the place where Jesus often prayed, and came with a band of men.
Matthew 26:50: Mentioned to note that Jesus called Judas 'hetairos' (acquaintance), not a true friend.
Luke 22:63-65: Read to describe the mocking and smiting of Jesus during the night at the high priest's house.
Luke 22:66-68: Cited to show Jesus being led into the council and questioned about being the Christ.
John 11:47-48: Used to reveal the council's motive: to preserve their place and nation against Roman threat.
Luke 23:1: Read to show the multitude leading Jesus to Pilate, delivering Him to civil authority.
John 19:6-7, 10-11: Cited to show the chief priests demanding crucifixion and Jesus telling Pilate his power is given from above.

Historical References

Israel's captivity in Egypt: Weaver references Exodus 1:13 to illustrate forced service and define 'abad.'
Roman Empire persecution of Christians: He explains that Christians were executed for refusing to say 'Caesar is Lord,' as they confessed only Christ as Lord.
First-century baptismal formula 'Jesus is Lord': Weaver notes that this confession put believers on the Roman Empire's hit list, leading to persecution.
Augustus Caesar and the emperor cult: He describes Augustus's coinage with 'Caesar Divi Filius' (son of God) and inscriptions calling him savior and god manifest.
Inscription from Priene (modern Turkey) about Augustus: Weaver quotes an inscription calling Augustus's birthday the beginning of the gospel (euangelion) for the world.
Caesar's proclamation of being the only savior (14 B.C.): He states that Caesar proclaimed 'there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved,' which Peter countered in Acts 4:12.
Rushdoony quote on Roman state control: Weaver quotes Rushdoony to explain that Rome strictly controlled assemblies and viewed the organized church as an illegal rival.
Modern Canadian church closures and pastor arrests: He cites recent events where Canadian authorities built fences around churches and arrested pastors for meeting.
Southern seminary requiring pledge to obey civil government: Weaver mentions a Southern seminary requiring students to sign an oath to obey any civil government directive.
Jacksonville pastor's comment on fetal cells in vaccines: He references a pastor who reportedly saw no issue with aborted fetal cells in vaccines, comparing it to Christ's sacrifice.

Important Quotes

Then took they Him and led Him, and brought Him unto the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off.

This is the key verse (Luke 22:54) that introduces the theme of Christ being led into captivity.

Thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

Isaiah 43:24 is central to Weaver's argument that God can be made to serve through covenantal relationship.

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.

1 Corinthians 6:15 is used to show that sin unites Christ to the sinner.

We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

John 19:7 shows the religious leaders' charge against Jesus, leading to His delivery to Pilate.

Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.

John 19:11 demonstrates that Pilate's authority was delegated and limited, not absolute.

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 4:12 is presented as a direct challenge to Caesar's claim, affirming Christ's exclusive lordship.

Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Luke 6:46 is used to challenge believers to genuinely obey Christ as Lord.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

In what ways might believers today unknowingly lead Christ into captivity by their actions or allegiances?

[Context]

Weaver argues that Christ is still led into captivity by His friends when they submit His authority to other powers.

[Question]

How does the concept of covenantal union with Christ change our view of personal sin?

[Context]

He explains that because we are Christ's body, our sins involve Him, making Him serve with our sins.

[Question]

What are the practical implications of sphere sovereignty for the church's relationship with civil government today?

[Context]

Weaver teaches that civil government has no authority over the church in matters of worship and meeting unless the church violates God's law.

[Question]

How should the church respond when civil government mandates conflict with biblical commands?

[Context]

He cites examples of churches being shut down and pastors arrested, and argues that obedience to Christ must come first.

[Question]

In what ways do modern religious leaders parallel the Sanhedrin in delivering Christ to the state?

[Context]

Weaver criticizes leaders who comply with state mandates like vaccine passports, comparing them to the council that handed Jesus to Pilate.

[Question]

What does it mean to confess 'Jesus is Lord' in a culture that increasingly demands allegiance to the state?

[Context]

He draws parallels to the first-century confession that cost believers their lives, and asks who we truly confess as Lord.

[Question]

How can we discern when civil government has overstepped its God-ordained jurisdiction?

[Context]

Weaver explains that government's sphere is justice, and it leaves its authority when it dictates to family or church.

[Question]

What lessons can we learn from the early church's resistance to Caesar worship for our own context?

[Context]

He describes how Christians refused to say 'Caesar is Lord' and faced persecution, emphasizing the cost of discipleship.

Applications

Format deepseek deepseek-v4-pro structured study JSON | Source Commentary.net transcript enrichment

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T06:23:11Z