Obey God’s Authority

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him: ‘Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Luke 7:6-8)
     Passage: Matthew 28:18, Romans 13:1, Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:22

       God wired us for relationships and when He designed how people would get along in the world, He designed for man to live under a structure with the principle of authority. Authority is the right to command and the power to enforce laws and exact obedience. God’s established the structures of authority so that people can live in order and not chaos. The primary way the world turns authority upside down is that the world does not recognize Jesus, God the Son, as the absolute authority in the universe. 

The centurion who asked Jesus come heal his servant understood authority and recognized Jesus as a greater authority with power no one else had. That recognition drew praise from Jesus and led to healing of his servant. In your life, always recognize the authority of Christ and His Word. Then live in the structures of authority established for government, the home and at work. The only exception of obedience is when the authority demands you do something that denies Christ or violates an explicit principle of scripture. As a soldier for Christ, obey God’s authority and live for Him each day.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)