TWISTING
GOD'S TRUTH--PART II
SERMON
TITLE: WHO HAS AUTHORITY?
SERMON
THEME: REBELLION EQUALS FREEDOM
SUBMIT TO ALL HUMAN AUTHORITY, BECAUSE OF CHRIST, BECAUSE OF YOUR CRITICS, AND BECAUSE YOU ARE FREE.
I PETER
2:13-14
13 Submit
yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the
emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or
to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to
commend those who do right.
·
AUTHORITY IS FINE AS LONG AS I AM IN AUTHORITY.
I) YOU SUBMIT TO ALL HUMAN
AUTHORITIES, BECAUSE GOD PLACED THEM
OVER YOU.
ROMANS
13:1-2
Let
everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no
authority except that which God has established. The authorities that
exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently,
whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has
instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
·
GOD WORKS THROUGH HUMAN
AUTHORITY, BECAUSE THAT IS HOW GOD EXERCISES HIS
WILL ON EARTH.
GENESIS
3:1-4
Now the serpent was more crafty than
any of the wild animals the Lord God
had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any
tree in the garden’?” 2 The
woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but
God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the
garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You
will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.
·
YOUR ATTITUDE AND RESPONSE TO
YOUR HUMAN AUTHORITY IS A REFLECTION OF YOUR ATTITUDE
AND RESPONSE TO YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
II) YOU SUBMIT TO ALL HUMAN
AUTHORITIES, BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT WHO IS
ASKING.
ROMANS
13:3-5
3 For
rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do
you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right
and you will be commended. 4 For
the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be
afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s
servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the
authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of
conscience.
·
TO SAY YES TO YOUR
HUMAN AUTHORITIES IS TO SAY YES TO GOD, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EQUAL, BUT BECAUSE ONE
WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE OTHER.
ACTS
4:18-20
18 Then
they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in
the name of Jesus. 19 But
Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to
him? You be the judges! 20 As
for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
·
WHEN GOD AND
GOVERNMENT CONFLICT, AS A FOLLOWER OF
JESUS YOU MUST CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD.
III) YOU SUBMIT TO ALL HUMAN
AUTHORITIES, BECAUSE OF YOUR CRITICS.
ROMANS
13:6-7
6 This is
also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give
their full time to governing. 7 Give
to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue,
then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
·
YOU CANNOT PICK AND CHOOSE
AS TO THE WHOSE AUTHORITY YOU STAY UNDER.
I PETER
2:15
15 For it is God’s
will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish
people.
·
GOD WANTS YOU TO MUZZLE YOUR CRITICS
WITH GOOD DEEDS.
IV) YOU SUBMIT
TO ALL HUMAN AUTHORITIES, BECAUSE YOU ARE
FREE.
1 PETER
2:16
16 Live as free
people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as
God’s slaves
·
FREEDOM IS THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU KNOW
GOD WANTS YOU TO , WHICH IS TO DO HIS WILL.
GALATIANS
5:13
13 You, my brothers and
sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge
the flesh[a]; rather,
serve one another humbly in love.
·
TO BE FREE IS TO KNOW THAT IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT, BUT ABOUT WHO.
I PETER
2:17
17 Show proper respect to
everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
CONCLUSION: JESUS HAS SET YOU FREE, SO YOU CAN CREAT A BETTER WORLD BY POINTING ALL PEOPLE TO THEIR ONLY SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.