The Faith to Submit to AuthorityMatthew 8:5-13

• Was a centurion who understood the nature of Jesus’ authority from his experience as a soldier.

• Made Jesus marvel at his faith. – “I have not found such great faith, not even

in Israel!" (Matthew 8:10)– Faith determines fellowship in the

kingdom! (Matthew 8:11-12) • Was blessed according to his faith!

1. Humility enables one to respect authority; pride prevents it.– The best men have the least estimate of

themselves (Matthew 8:8; 3:11; 1 Cor. 15:9)– Pride is EXALTING oneself or lifting

oneself up; it is the opposite of putting oneself UNDER another.

2. We too are soldiers striving to please our commander! (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

• authority: – The right to expect obedience and submission

to commands or direction. • submission:

– Acknowledging ones place in a chain of command; to be ranked under another.

– Vine’s Dictionary. Subject, Subjection, Submit • “hupotasso -- primarily a military term, ‘to

rank under’ … denotes (a) ‘to put in subjection, to subject’.” 

What did Gary Stein Do Wrong?

• SAN DIEGO -- Marine Sgt. Gary Stein first started a Facebook page called Armed Forces Tea Party Patriots to encourage service members to exercise their free speech rights. Then he declared, that he wouldn't follow orders from the commander in chief, President Barack Obama.

• While Stein softened his statement to say he wouldn't follow "unlawful orders," military observers say he may have gone too far.

Was Gary Stein a Good Soldier?

• Navy officer David Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles said:

“Good order and discipline require the military maintain respect for the chain of command. That includes prohibiting speech critical of the senior officers in that chain of command – up to and including the commander in chief.”

• In April, Stein was given an “other than honorable” discharge from the U.S. Marine Corp.

The Lord has set up chains of command covering many human relationships. Human relationships work best when God’s order is respected

and maintained.• God Christ Man Woman (1 Cor. 11:3)• God Government Citizens (Romans 13:1-7) • God Elder Younger (1 Peter 5:5)• God Elders Church (Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24)• God Masters Servants (Ephesians 6:5-9)• God Parents Children (Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20)

Submitting to authority in any of these relationships requires faith in God!

• Christ has authority in all these relationships because He has ALL authority!

• Christ is at the top of every chain of command!– He is “far above all principality and power and

might and dominion, and every name that is named” (Ephesians 1:19-23)

–He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! (1 Timothy 6:15)

Faith Finds its Slot in the Chain of Command!

By faith Abraham obeyed! (Hebrews 11:8)• The Greek word translated “obeyed” is υπακουω

(hupakouo).– Strong’s Dictionary defines it: “to hear under (as

a subordinate), that is, to listen attentively; by implication to heed or conform to a command or authority: - hearken, be obedient to, obey”

• It is the same word used to command children to obey parents (Ephesians 6:1), and servants to obey masters (Ephesians 6:5)

Do you have the faith to submit to the authority of the Lord?

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” -- 1 Peter 5:6

Jesus as a Man Under Authority

Scott Abernathy

Authority Experiment

Jesus’ Respect For Authority

• Worldly theorists like to portray Jesus as a radical, who sought an upheaval of Jewish leadership and laws.

• While Jesus did seek to change the abuses of Jewish traditions and improper rule by some Jewish authorities, He was acting out of zeal for God and a desire that the Jews follow God’s true laws.

• Jesus clearly respected authority.

Jesus’ Respect For Authority

• We will notice three aspects of Jesus’ life in which He demonstrated respect for authority:– Submission to the Authority of His Earthly

Parents.– Submission to Civil Authorities.– Submission to the Authority of God.

Jesus’ Respect for His Parents’ Authority

• Luke 2:40: Even as a Child, Jesus became strong in spirit, full of wisdom and grace.

• When Jesus was age 12, He remained in Jerusalem when His parents returned home from the Passover celebration.

• When they realized He was missing, they began searching for Him. After three days of searching, they found Him in the temple, in Q & A session with teachers.

Jesus’ Respect for His Parents’ Authority

• “Son, why have you done this to us?”• “Why did you seek me? Didn’t you know

that I must be about My Father’s business?”

• Verse 51: He went down with them and was subject to them.

• Jesus continued to increase in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and man.

Jesus’ Respect for His Parents’ Authority

• John 2:1-11: At Cana, Galilee, Jesus attended a wedding with His family.

• When the party ran out of wine (broad term used in the Bible for both fermented wine as well as grape juice), Jesus’ mother mentions it to Him. Implication is that Mary thought Jesus had the power to alleviate the shortage.

Jesus’ Respect for His Parents’ Authority

• Jesus response to her in our English translations may sound harsh, but was not at all in the original language.

• Mary tells the servants, “whatever He tells you to do, do it.”

• Jesus proceeds to change water to wine (context indicates this was grape juice)- His first miracle. He did this at the request of His mother.

Jesus’ Respect, Concern for His Mother

• John 19:25-27. Jesus is on the cross, very near death. He sees His Mother, and the disciple with whom Jesus was very close.

• Jesus to His Mother: “Woman, behold your son!”

• Jesus to the Disciple: “Behold, your mother”. And from that time on, the disciple took care of her in his own home.

Jesus’ Respect, Concern for His Mother

• Even as He hung on the cross dying, Jesus was concerned about His Mother’s well-being.

• He obviously wanted to ensure that she was taken care of after He died. No mention of her husband Joseph. It is assumed he has already died by this point.

• Jesus clearly showed respect and concern for His parents.

Jesus’ Respect, Concern for His Mother

• Respect for Parents was a part of the Old Law. Jesus knew the scriptures. He was never guilty of sin or violating the Law.

• Consider Exodus 20:12; 21:17; Deuteronomy 21:18-21; Proverbs 30:17;

• Respect, honor for parents also a part of the New Testament Law: Ephesians 6:1.

• We should follow Jesus’ example.

Jesus’ Recognized Civil Authorities

• Matthew 22:15-22. The Pharisees plotted to entangle Jesus with a question that was of considerable debate among Jews: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?”

• He asked for a coin, noted Caesar’s likeness imprinted on it, and said “Render to Caesar, the things that are Caesars, and to God, the things that are God’s.”

Jesus’ Recognized Civil Authorities

• By correctly noting that Caesar had the right to demand a tax from the funds (or medium of exchange) of what was backed by him (or his government), Jesus recognized Caesar’s or Roman government’s authority and right to exist.

• Jesus also knew and taught that secular authorities and governments are put in place by God. John 19:10-11.

Jesus’ Recognized Civil Authorities

• We never see Jesus leading an insurrection against a government.

• Nothing in the Bible that suggests we should be involved in a government overthrow.

• Unless they cause us to violate God’s law, there is nothing in scriptures to indicate that we can ignore civil laws.

Jesus’ Submitted to the Authority of God the Father

• Jesus’ entire life was lived in submission to the authority of God His Father.

• John 5:30: “I do not seek My own will, but the will of My father.”

• John 6:38-40: Jesus came from heaven to do God’s will, not His own.

• John 12:49-50;14:10: Jesus spoke, not on His own authority, but God’s.

Jesus’ Submitted to the Authority of God the Father

• Philippians 2:5-8: To do God’s will, Jesus willingly left heaven to come to earth and live as a man (though he was still deity).

• Hebrews 10:5-7: Jesus fulfilled prophecy in doing God’s will by offering His own body as a sacrifice so that we might be sanctified.

Jesus’ Submitted to the Authority of God the Father

• Luke 22:42-44: Though Jesus’ human nature sorrowed and agonized over His impending death on the cross, Jesus’ desire to accomplish God’s will remained steadfast throughout.

• Jesus serves as our ultimate example of submitting to authority.

Final Thoughts

• The use of authority and leadership is sanctioned and ordered by God in nearly every aspect of life.

• Jesus clearly respected those who had authority over Him.

• Our series will continue to look at different aspects and situations in which we will find ourselves in position to submit to authority.

Reminders

• 9 a.m. tomorrow morning• See Gary for lodging• Thank you for being here• We are here to help• Ralph Greg prayer