Session taught Sunday morning 02/28/2010 by Dr. Bob Smith who is from Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries, Lafayette, Indiana.
Victorious Living Under Imperfect Authority.
I Contemporary view of authority.
A. Various sources of human authority.
B. Situations in which it is difficult to submit.
C. Many reasons are given for not submitting to authority that fails.
D. Some of the wrong reactions when people think the authority has failed.
E. The _______________ of sin guarantees that all human authority will fail in one way or another.
F. If you don’t think you would respond this way with _______________ authority, meet Habakkuk.
1. His _______________ of the problem - Habakkuk 1:1-4.
2. Habakkuk’s evaluation of God in this, “You are _______________ ” - 1:1-4.
3. God’s _______________ – 1:5.
4. God has planned an _______________ response to this evil – 1:6-9.
5. Habakkuk: “That is a _______________ solution” - 1:13.
6. God’s final answer and goal: He will be _______________ - 2:2-20.
II. God's view of submission to authority.
A. The Bible lists many authorities to which submission is _______________ .
1. Children obey parents - Eph. 6:1-3.
2. Wives submit to husbands - Eph. 5:22; 1 Pet. 3:1.
3. Church members submit to pastors - Heb. 13:17; 1 Cor. 16:15,16.
4. Employees to employers - Eph. 6:5; Col. 3:22; 1 Pet. 2:18. -Especially Christian employers - 1 Tim. 6:1,2.
5. Everybody submit to government - Rom. 13:1-5; 1 Pet. 2:13,14.
6. All believers submit to each other - Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 5:5.
7. All believers are to submit to God - James 4:7; Rom. 6:13.
B. The biblical teaching about _______________ .
1. The word is defined as _______________ placing yourself under the authority of the leadership over you.
2. Submission is a _______________ , an act of the will.
3. Submission is _______________ by God.
4. Submission to His Father was the natural way of life for _______________ – John 6:38; 8:29.
5. Submission is the way of life for all _______________ .
6. Submission is required even to authority that _______________ .
a. The husband in 1 Pet. 3:1 is unsaved and does not _______________ God's Word but submission is still required.
b. Submission is required even if the authority is harsh or _______________ in 1 Pet.2:18.
c. Rom. 13:1,2 were written when _______________ was Emperor.
d. In Rom. 13:1,2 resisting God's authority is dangerous because it is actually resisting _______________ .
7. No human authority was given _______________ of God’s authority.
III. Biblical teaching of the _______________ leadership.
A. His ministry.
1. Keep _______________ over your souls - Heb. 13:7,17; Acts 20:31
2. Equip an army for _______________ - Eph. 4:11-16.
B. His motivation.
1. A _______________ from God.
2. A joyful, not _______________ responsibility.
C. His mourning.
1. He is sad because you are _______________ yourself.
2. He is sad because you are not ___________ as God desires.
IV. God's plan for your victory under leadership that fails.
A. Change the way you _______________ when leadership fails.
1. God is in _______________ - Pr. 21:1.
2. God is using it for your _______________ - Rom. 8:28.29, Gen. 50:20.
3. The _______________ will not be too big or too much - 1 Cor. 10:13.
4. _______________ God for everything, including the leadership He has placed over you - Eph. 5:20.
5. Place your trust in _______________ , not the authority - Habakkuk 3:17-19.
6. _______________ on God's grace to help - 2 Cor. 9:8.
7. Questions to ask yourself when _______________ think the authority is wrong.
a. What biblical standard are you using to _______________ the authority is wrong?
b. Is the authority really _______________ or are you being asked to do something you don’t like or don’t want to do?
c. Since we all accept that no authority is _______________ , why are some of his actions more distressing than others?
B. Change the way you _______________ when leadership fails.
1. _______________ as Christ did - 1 Pet. 2:19-23.
2. Concentrate on _____________ responsibility - 1 Pet. 4:8; Mt. 7:3-5; Rom. 2:1; 14:12.
3. Get involved in _______________ Christ like qualities - Rom. 8:28.29
4. Be an _______________ of a godly response - John 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:21.
5. Honor and respect those in authority because of their _______________ - 1 Pet. 2:17; 1 Tim. 6:1,2.
6. _______________ for those in authority over you - 1 Tim. 2:1,2:
7. Return _______________ for evil - Rom. 12:21.
a. The natural tendency for us is to return _______________ for evil.
b. "But that _______________ the bad done to me."
c. “It isn't _______________ to do that."
d. This requires _______________ ahead.
An important addendum to this study is the Biblical view of the pastor’s leadership – Hebrews 13:17: Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
A. His ministry.
1. He is to keep watch over your souls.
a. His ministry is to help his congregation grow and become more like Christ. His concern is for your spiritual growth. This is not just a job to him. It is not simply the way he earns a living. It is like Paul's concern in Acts 20:31. - Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
b. The word for warn can also be translated to admonish. There are 3 elements in these words. First of all is the presence of a problem in the life of the one warned. This standard by which the problem is evaluated is the Word of God. Secondly it is verbally dealing with that problem in the person’s life using God’s Word. Thirdly, the goal of this admonition is for the glory of God and benefit of the person. This is the source of the word “nouthetic.”
c. Therefore the pastor is to biblically admonish. He can't sit idly by while one of his flock plunges headlong into sin. Jesus calls that kind of person a hireling who is unconcerned for the sheep (John 10:12,13).
2. The pastor also is to equip an army for warfare - Eph. 4:11-16.
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
This is not the pastor doing all the work. It is the people, especially deacons, doing the work that would keep him from the ministry of watching for souls, praying and ministering the Word. The deacons are to free him so he can concentrate his time on equipping an army for spiritual warfare.
B. His motivation..
1. First of all, it is his responsibility. He must do these things. He must preach so people will grow. He must minister individually so people will grow. He is accountable to God for his ministry.
2. This verse teaches that it is a joyful, not grievous responsibility. It is not drudgery or a
burdensome duty. You must desire that your pastor lead with joy. But how you respond to that leadership many times determines his joy. His joy is in seeing a healthy and increasing church.
3 John 4: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
C. His mourning. What happens if you fail to follow his leadership? Our usual thought is that he won't be very happy. It is interesting how the writer of Hebrews describes what will happen if you don't follow your pastor’s leadership as you should. It is not his life that is made miserable.
1. His joy is decreased because you are hurting yourself. You may diminish his joy because of his concern for you and what you are doing to yourself. You are hurting yourself more than him. It is unprofitable for you. It is not to your advantage. You might ask, "How is that unprofitable for me?" How am I hurting myself?" You are failing to learn and grow in ways God has planned for you. That is unprofitable and damaging to you.
2. His joy is decreased because you are not growing as God desires. This is what the pastor is doing when he is to "Keep watch over your soul." Remember 3 John 4.
Download Sermon - right click; choose "Save Target As..."
To listen to sermon left click play icon on player