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Authority: Family · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, good morning. It's nice to be back with you after being sick last week.
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I always hate to miss our fellowship, and I especially hate it when I am home doing nothing fun at all.
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I'm really glad to be here with you today.
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We don't have a primary text for today, which we normally do,
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but let me ask you to begin this morning by joining me in Psalm 115 and verse 3.
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Psalm 115 and verse 3.
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We're going to take a brief break from our study of Romans and take up a topic in series form.
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And I just have to tell you that the word series tastes bad on my tongue when spoken from the pulpit on the Lord's Day,
0:48
as we most regularly consider the text verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book.
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We think this is the normative, healthiest way to approach the Bible.
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That said, sometimes a topic requires our particular attention,
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and so we labor to take it up faithfully and observe the scope of what the Bible teaches concerning it.
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But when we do, please be extra discerning.
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We want to be really careful at this point.
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Anytime we do theology systematically, we must be careful that we don't piecemeal the Scripture to bend it to our opinion,
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but rather that we are honest with it as we pull its teaching together.
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There are so many erroneous things.
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It's a cult start by taking up the Bible and approaching topics and doing it poorly.
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So let's not do that.
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Now the topic we're going to take up is the topic of authority.
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So we want to be especially careful not to become a cult after touching such a topic.
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We're going to do so primarily because at the close of this past year,
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a number of our members suggested that we teach on congregationalism.
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We are congregationalists as a church.
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This is a conviction that we have, and in some future weeks,
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I'll explain what that word means if you don't know.
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And it's important, though, for us to know what it means, what it doesn't mean,
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and to know what is the authority that a church holds together
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and what authority a church member holds individually.
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So this is what was asked of us, and we're going to do that,
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but we're going to approach it more broadly first.
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Secondarily, the topic of authority is a good topic to take up
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because we all have an authority issue.
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As Americans, it is just ingrained into us to have a sense of rogue individualism.
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Not all bad.
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Our experiment in order of liberty certainly has a sentiment
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that leans heavy on the liberty portion of that equation, right?
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wants to shy away from the ordered portion of it,
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really, really enjoys the liberty portion of it.
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Additionally, we have all seen authority abused.
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We have observed it.
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If you've not seen abused authority, come speak to me.
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I'll point out some cases to you from this past week.
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And many of us have experienced firsthand the abuse of authority.
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So there is reason to be suspect.
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To be really cautious when somebody says they have authority
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and press that authority on us.
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Beyond all of this, at our very core,
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apart from the redemptive work of Christ,
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we are rebellious people.
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It is our nature before Christ makes us new to be rebellious.
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You can trace briefly the biblical narrative backwards
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and see a New Testament church not heeding the words of the apostles.
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You see a Jewish people rejecting the teaching of Jesus
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and crucifying him for what they believe to be blasphemy.
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We see a nation turning away again and again and again from the prophets,
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not taking care with their temple worship as they have been commanded,
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neglecting to drive out the people from the promised land,
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refusing to fight for fear,
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desecrating holy places,
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and on and on and on and on.
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The Bible is a story of rebellious people
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with a loving God who redeems them.
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And all of this finds us beginning with our first parents,
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the original rebels who doubted God's good authority
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in Genesis chapter 3.
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thought, surely God doesn't really know what's best.
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So we have an authority problem.
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But there is power and there is dominion in this world.
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We must first recognize that God has authority.
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God's authority is innate.
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That means that nobody gave it to him.
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It is his.
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He possesses it.
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And he is the final authority,
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the absolute authority.
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No one rules over him.
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God created all things with good, mighty words
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and has both the right and power to rule over his creation.
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Everything that we see and experience,
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God reigns over.
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Psalm 115 and verse 3 says,
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Our God is in the heavens.
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He does all that he pleases.
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Fully powerful to accomplish everything that he intends to accomplish.
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He has absolute and final authority.
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Another place in the text, Jeremiah chapter 32 and verse 17.
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This is from our scripture reading just a few weeks ago.
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Ah, Lord God,
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it is you who have made the heavens and the earth
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by your great power and by your outstretched arm.
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God determines what nations will exist and where they will exist.
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Acts chapter 17 and verse 26.
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He decides what king is to rule and when and where.
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Isaiah chapter 44 and verse 28.
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Sometimes to the judgment of his people.
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He decides whether the purposes of a ruler will stand or fall.
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Psalm 33 verse 10 and 11.
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He even once determined that wicked people would take the life of his dear son
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so that we sinners might live.
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Acts chapter 2 verse 23 and 24.
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God has authority over all the important events of human history
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but also over the lives of individual people.
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Just consider on this Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.
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He knits us together in our mother's wombs.
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Psalm 139 verse 13 through 16.
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Intimately involved.
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Authoritatively involved in our creation.
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He decides whether we will travel or stay home.
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James 4 verse 13 through 17.
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As we have seen in Romans chapter 8
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and will consider further when we return to our study of Romans.
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God also exercises his authority to bring forgiveness and new life.
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Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 through 10.
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I'm grateful that God is authoritative over the salvation of my soul.
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God's authority is necessarily good
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because he is good.
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Too many people in this world feel that God's authority is an oppressive authority.
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But it's not, right?
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It's designed for good.
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Psalm 119 verse 68.
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God, you are good and do good.
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So whether you recognize it or not or care to yield to it or not,
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there is an absolute and final authority in this world.
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You can bow to it now, which I urge you to do because it is good.
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Turn from your rebellion.
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Turn to the perfect righteousness of Christ.
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Place your faith in his sacrificial death on your behalf
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and find the salvation of your soul.
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Bow to God's authority now.
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Come to him on his terms.
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Or, one day, you will be judged and you will be made to bow to his authority.
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Now, recognizing that God is the absolute and final authority,
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we do well to ask, but how is it that that authority is made effectual in the world?
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How is it that it's carried out in the world in which we live?
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Have we been left groping for what God requires of us?
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No, we have not.
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He has written, by the power of the Holy Spirit, through the pens of his servants, a book.
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And this book gives us all the answers we need to the lives ordered under God's authority.
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It's sufficient for that task.
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It has everything in it that we need.
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And it begins with a command.
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Genesis chapter 1 and verse 26.
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Then God said,
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Let us make man in our image after our likeness,
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and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
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and over the birds of the heavens,
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and over the livestock,
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and over all the earth,
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and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
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As part of the creation mandate,
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we are made as people who image God in this world.
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And we do it specifically by having dominion,
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relegated authority over the world in which we live.
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And then more specifically, we see in Genesis chapter 2 and verse 15.
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The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to keep it,
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or to cultivate it and to protect it.
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So we see commands given, right?
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Rule over this.
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Be fruitful and multiply.
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Fill the earth with my glory.
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So we as image bearers are delegated authority.
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Our authority is not absolute,
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and it is not final.
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It always has limits,
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and is always subservient to the one who delegated it.
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It's got boundaries set up for it.
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Authority gone awry,
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which there are many examples of,
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is always authority that steps out of the bounds which God places on it.
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When a person or institution takes up a responsibility not granted to them,
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or exercises an authority granted to them in a way not granted to them,
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it is at best ineffective.
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At best, it's ineffective.
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It is at worst abusive.
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As a book, I want to commend it to you,
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but I haven't read the whole thing,
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so I'm not going to commend it to you yet.
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But it has been good and helpful so far in my reading of it.
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Written by a man named Jonathan Lehman,
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many of you are probably familiar with.
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And its main title is Authority,
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but the subtitle of it I just love.
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So the subtitle is
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How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable,
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Strengthens Communities,
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and Promotes Human Flourishing.
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So delegated authority,
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properly exercised by the Scripture,
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is good for us,
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and it's good for others.
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It's not this great evil to be avoided,
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but rather a thing for us to take up,
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and to understand,
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and to exercise
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for the place in which we live.
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If our aim is to submit to God's good authority
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for the sake of protecting the vulnerable,
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strengthening our communities,
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and promoting human flourishing,
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then this topic is of great importance,
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and it really must be well understood.
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So we see in God's Word
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that God delegates His authority
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through three institutions
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and six positions.
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Three institutions
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and six positions.
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And I just want you to take a moment
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and consider
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what those three institutions
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and six positions
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might be.
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You're all Bible readers.
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I know that you are.
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God has ordained authority
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in this world.
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Do you know them?
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I hope at least a couple
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have popped into your mind.
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You experience them
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on a regular basis.
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Over the next four weeks,
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Lord willing,
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we will be considering
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the three institutions
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and the subsidiary positions
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in some detail.
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A breeze over, to be sure.
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Today we're going to talk about
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the family some,
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but we're primarily going to talk
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about the family
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as a way of introducing
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the idea to you
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of these three institutions
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and the six positions.
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So here they are.
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Are you ready?
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Three institutions
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and an accompanying tool,
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which we'll talk about in detail
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in the coming weeks,
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that comes along with
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that institution.
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The first,
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the family.
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The first is the family.
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And the accompanying tool is
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the rod.
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The rod, right?
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This would have been
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the short stick
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that a shepherd would have carried.
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He would have had a staff,
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which was for gentle correction,
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and a rod,
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which was for cracking sheep
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over the head.
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Those are the two tools
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that are being used, right?
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This is the tool
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that comes along
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with the authority
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of the family.
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Proverbs 13, 24
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is an example.
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Whoever spares the rod
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hates his son.
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And I am not telling you
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you should crack your kid
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over the head
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with a short stick.
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That's not what the Bible
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is saying either,
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at all, right?
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But corrective discipline
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is important
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for the training of children.
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Whoever spares the rod,
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here are those parents,
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hates his son.
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But he who loves him
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is diligent
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to discipline him.
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So the authority
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of the family
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comes with a tool
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we know as the rod
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for corrective discipline.
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The second institution,
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which was a people for God,
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which we now call
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the church, right?
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So the second institution
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is the church.
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This is the one
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that often people
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just grapple with.
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What is the tool
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given to the church?
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What could it possibly be?
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Well, it's the keys.
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The keys.
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We see mention of this
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in Matthew chapter 16
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and verse 19.
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There Jesus says,
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I will give you
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the keys
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of the kingdom
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of heaven.
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And whatever you bind
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on earth
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shall be bound in heaven.
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Whatever you loose
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on earth
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shall be
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loosed in heaven.
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And this is a head-scratcher
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until you read
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Matthew chapter 18.
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And we get this
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careful prescription
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for church discipline,
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for bringing about
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the correction
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of souls
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that are going wayward.
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They're unrepentant
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in their sin.
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And there's an authority
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that the church
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brings to bear
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called the keys.
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This process
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of disciplining people
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we hope and pray
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back into right relationship
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with the Lord God.
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Right?
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So we got the family
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with the rod,
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the church
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with the keys,
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and finally,
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and this one probably
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came into your mind
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fairly immediately,
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government.
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And the tool used
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by government
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is the sword.
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So Romans chapter 13,
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verse 3 and 4,
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For rulers are not
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a terror to good conduct,
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but to bad.
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Would you have no fear
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of the one who is in authority?
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Then do what is good,
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and you will receive
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his approval.
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For he is God's servant
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for your Lord in vain.
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For he is the servant of God,
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an avenger who carries out
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God's wrath
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on the wrongdoer.
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Right?
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So we have these tools
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given to these three institutions
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that have authority,
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and we're going to talk about
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many of the complications
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that come
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in a fallen world
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as these institutions
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play out their roles.
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So three institutions,
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and then six positions.
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So within the family,
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we have the authoritative role
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of husband,
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and the authoritative role
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of parent.
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In the church,
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we have the authoritative role
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of elder,
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and we argue,
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as congregationalists,
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the authoritative role
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of the congregation.
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Right?
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The church as a whole.
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The government has
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various offices
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as suit the occasion
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and the time.
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King, governors,
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judges,
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Congress,
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a president.
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Et cetera.
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And then outside
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of these three institutions,
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there's one
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extra-institutional,
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biblical position.
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The employer,
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or boss.
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We're going to pick up
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the language of master
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in the Bible.
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Maybe for our day,
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manager could be
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the best word.
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Perhaps your employer
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is far removed from you,
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but you do have a person
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that you answer to
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in your job.
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Colossians 4.1,
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Masters,
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treat your bond servants
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justly and fairly,
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knowing that you also have
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a master in heaven.
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And we're not going to
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take up that one
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in this study,
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so that's an extra one.
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It deserves some time
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and attention,
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but we're going to think
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about these different positions
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that exist within
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these three institutions
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across this time.
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Now, within these
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three institutions
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and six positions,
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there is granted
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two types of authority.
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Two types of authority.
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Number one,
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you have the authority
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of coercion,
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which is the power
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to make someone
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do something by force.
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I like Jonathan Lehman
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in his book,
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Authority,
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uses rather the term
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the authority of command.
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So, the power
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to make somebody
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do something by force.
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Simple example of this
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with the government.
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There are speed limits
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posted everywhere.
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And if you break
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the speed limit,
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it is justly deserved
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that you get pulled over
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and you get a ticket
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for that.
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Doesn't mean we always
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follow that rule,
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but we can't complain
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when we get
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the coercive authority
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applied to us
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to keep that speed limit.
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You get enough tickets,
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you will find yourself
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going slower and slower.
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We don't try to persuade
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our toddlers
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to do things all the time.
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Sometimes we make them
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do things.
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My children had to freeze
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when I told them
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to freeze.
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Why?
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Because I was concerned
20:55
for their safety.
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So, we taught them
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to do that.
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So, if we were in a parking lot
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or they were running
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towards the road,
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I could say freeze
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and they would plant
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their feet and not move.
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And they knew
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that there would be
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punishment if they didn't
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do what we asked them
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to do.
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So, this is the way
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this power comes to bear.
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And those tools
21:13
that I mentioned to you
21:14
accompany this power,
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this authority
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of command.
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The rod,
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the keys,
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and the sword.
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We also have
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the authority
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of persuasion.
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And Jonathan Lehman
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uses the term
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counsel.
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The authority
21:31
of counsel.
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The power
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to convince
21:35
someone
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to do
21:37
something.
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So,
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if you're thinking
21:41
about the church,
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we're going to talk
21:44
about this at length
21:45
next week.
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Elders
21:47
do not have
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the power
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of command.
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elders,
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myself by myself,
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I do not exercise
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the keys
21:56
by myself.
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I exercise
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the keys
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as a part
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of a congregational
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whole,
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but not by myself.
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I have never
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and will never
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because I don't think
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I'm authorized
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to do it
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by the Lord,
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kick somebody
22:11
out of the church
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and so declare
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them not a Christian.
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I don't think
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I have the power
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to do that
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by myself
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and therefore
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I won't.
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This is good,
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right?
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You personally
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offend me
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and I say,
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how dare you?
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That's offensive.
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How could you be
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a Christian
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and say such a thing?
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You're out of here.
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It's not a power
22:27
that I have.
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But I do
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have an authority
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which means
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that it should
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bear on your conscience.
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Hebrews 13,
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17 says,
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obey your leaders
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and submit
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to them
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for they're
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keeping watch
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over your soul.
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This authority
22:43
of counsel
22:44
or persuasion,
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it's what I'm doing
22:46
right now.
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I'm trying
22:47
to convince
22:47
you
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that authority
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is good
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and I want
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you to
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take it up
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and by the
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power of the
22:52
spirit,
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I hope it
22:52
works down
22:53
into your
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heart
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so that
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you will
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want to
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obey it.
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We do
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this day
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in and
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day out.
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But inevitably,
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every time I preach
23:04
a sermon,
23:04
somebody comes up
23:05
to me and says,
23:05
I don't know.
23:07
Well,
23:07
what do I do?
23:08
I don't say,
23:09
get in your car
23:09
and go home.
23:11
I say,
23:13
well,
23:13
I'd love to
23:14
convince you.
23:15
Let's go back
23:16
to the text.
23:16
Let's keep
23:17
working on it
23:17
together.
23:18
Maybe I was
23:19
wrong.
23:20
Let's look at it
23:20
and let's work
23:21
together toward
23:22
the truth
23:23
together.
23:24
So,
23:25
the authority
23:25
of command
23:26
and the authority
23:28
of counsel
23:29
are helpful
23:30
for us to get
23:31
right in our
23:32
mind.
23:32
Again,
23:33
the authority
23:33
of command
23:33
possesses the
23:34
right of
23:35
corrective
23:36
discipline.
23:38
The authority
23:39
of counsel
23:40
while the Bible
23:41
still is saying
23:42
you should listen
23:43
to this authority,
23:44
it has no
23:45
immediate
23:47
retributive
23:49
consequence
23:51
if you don't
23:52
obey it.
23:54
Okay?
23:54
So,
23:55
let's remember,
23:56
and I'm setting you
23:57
up for a lot of
23:58
this for the next
23:58
two weeks,
23:59
but let's remember
24:00
God is the
24:01
absolute and
24:02
final authority
24:03
and God
24:05
delegates authority
24:06
and authorizes
24:08
the boundaries
24:09
of that authority.
24:12
So,
24:12
we do well
24:13
to lay aside
24:14
our experiences
24:15
and our prejudices
24:16
against authority
24:17
and to lay
24:18
bare God's
24:19
word on the
24:21
matter.
24:21
Whether or not
24:22
our experience
24:23
of authority
24:23
has been
24:24
positive,
24:25
what might
24:26
a world,
24:28
a nation,
24:29
a church,
24:30
a family
24:31
look like
24:32
when ordered
24:33
properly
24:34
by God's
24:35
good
24:36
authority.
24:38
It's really
24:39
worth stopping
24:39
and considering.
24:40
If God is
24:41
the authority
24:42
and he's
24:42
good and
24:43
he's created
24:44
and delegated
24:45
authority,
24:46
which is
24:46
good,
24:47
huh,
24:48
what might
24:49
it look
24:51
like?
24:52
We'll talk
24:53
about this
24:53
at length,
24:54
but our
24:55
church,
24:56
even as
24:56
congregationalists,
24:57
we're not a
24:57
pure democracy.
24:59
Pure democracy
24:59
would be chaos
25:01
in the life
25:02
of a church.
25:03
This is not
25:04
the way
25:04
that God
25:04
intended
25:05
for it to
25:06
work together.
25:08
We need
25:09
to understand
25:09
these roles
25:10
and categories
25:11
so that we
25:12
can properly
25:12
function
25:13
within them.
25:15
Charles Spurgeon
25:16
once said,
25:17
this is just
25:17
a broad
25:18
quotation,
25:18
he wasn't
25:18
specifically
25:19
speaking of
25:20
authority
25:20
at the time,
25:21
this is on
25:21
the back
25:22
of the
25:22
bulletin
25:22
if you
25:22
care to
25:23
see it,
25:24
he said,
25:24
I believe
25:25
certain
25:26
doctrines
25:26
because God
25:28
says they
25:29
are true
25:29
and the only
25:30
authority
25:31
I have
25:31
for their
25:32
truth
25:32
is the
25:33
word of
25:33
God.
25:34
I receive
25:35
such and
25:36
such doctrines
25:36
not because
25:37
I can prove
25:38
them to be
25:38
compatible with
25:39
reason,
25:39
not because
25:40
my judgment
25:41
accepts them,
25:42
but because
25:42
God says
25:44
they are
25:44
true.
25:46
Now this is
25:46
one of the
25:47
best services
25:47
we can render
25:48
to God,
25:49
to submit
25:50
ourselves to
25:50
him in our
25:51
belief of
25:52
what he has
25:53
revealed and
25:54
ask him to
25:55
fix his
25:56
truths in
25:57
our hearts
25:58
and make
25:59
us obey
26:00
them.
26:01
Now,
26:04
the family
26:05
is the
26:06
first and
26:07
foremost
26:08
institutional
26:09
authority.
26:11
And what I
26:11
mean by that
26:12
is that it
26:12
was created
26:13
first and
26:14
as foremost,
26:16
it's foundational
26:17
to all of the
26:18
other systems
26:19
that we see
26:19
playing out.
26:20
As goes the
26:22
family,
26:22
so goes the
26:23
rest of
26:24
society.
26:26
You will not
26:26
have strong
26:27
churches without
26:28
strong families,
26:28
families,
26:28
you will not
26:29
have strong
26:30
countries without
26:32
strong families.
26:34
Consider that
26:36
this is why
26:37
over the last
26:38
century,
26:40
our enemy
26:41
has been
26:42
after the
26:43
family.
26:43
That is the
26:44
primary focus
26:45
of the
26:46
attacks on
26:47
our
26:48
well-being.
26:51
It was
26:51
created in the
26:52
early days of
26:53
the creation
26:53
of the world.
26:55
You can read
26:55
the account
26:56
in Genesis
26:56
chapter 2.
26:57
Adam is given
26:58
that dominion
26:59
mandate.
27:01
Go forth,
27:02
be fruitful,
27:02
multiply,
27:03
rule over all
27:04
things,
27:04
and then he
27:05
rightly declares
27:06
that Adam is
27:07
going to need a
27:07
partner to be
27:08
able to do
27:09
so.
27:10
God institutes
27:11
the family,
27:12
husband and
27:13
wife.
27:14
And if mankind
27:15
is to spread
27:15
God's image
27:16
across the globe,
27:17
then they
27:17
needed a
27:17
mechanism by
27:18
which to
27:20
do so.
27:21
The whole
27:22
thing gets
27:22
messed up before
27:23
children even
27:23
enter into the
27:24
scene,
27:24
but it was
27:25
always the
27:25
intention of
27:26
this institution,
27:27
right, that it
27:28
would be husband
27:28
and wife and
27:30
children,
27:31
because we see
27:31
this command to
27:32
multiply and to
27:34
fill the earth
27:35
with the glory of
27:36
God.
27:38
So again, we see
27:38
within this
27:39
institution of the
27:40
family, we see
27:41
two positions.
27:43
We see the
27:43
husband and we
27:44
see the
27:45
parents.
27:47
Now the
27:47
husband,
27:49
here's this
27:49
husband,
27:50
does not have
27:51
the authority
27:52
of command.
27:54
look around
27:57
in the text,
27:57
I challenge
27:58
you,
27:59
you will not
28:00
find a rod
28:01
given to the
28:02
husband.
28:04
The husband
28:05
rather has
28:06
the authority
28:07
of counsel.
28:09
people.
28:11
1 Corinthians 11
28:12
3 says this,
28:13
but I want you
28:13
to understand
28:14
that the head
28:14
of every man
28:15
is Christ,
28:16
the head of
28:16
a wife is
28:17
her husband,
28:18
and the head
28:19
of Christ
28:19
is God.
28:21
I mean,
28:21
a subservient
28:22
delegated
28:23
authority.
28:25
Ephesians chapter
28:26
5 verse 22
28:27
through 28,
28:28
wives,
28:30
submit to your
28:30
own husbands
28:31
as to the
28:33
Lord.
28:33
There's the
28:34
conscience
28:35
command,
28:35
the thing
28:36
that weighs
28:36
on you.
28:37
You'll be
28:38
judged for
28:38
one day.
28:39
Should you
28:39
be obedient
28:40
to this?
28:40
You should
28:41
be obedient
28:41
to this.
28:42
Wives,
28:43
submit to
28:43
your own
28:44
husbands
28:44
as to
28:46
the Lord.
28:47
For the
28:48
husband is
28:48
the head
28:48
of the
28:49
wife,
28:49
even as
28:50
Christ is
28:50
the head
28:51
of the
28:51
church,
28:51
his body
28:52
and is
28:52
himself
28:53
its
28:54
savior.
28:55
Now as
28:56
the
28:56
church
28:56
submits
28:56
to
28:57
Christ,
28:57
so also
28:58
wives
28:58
should
28:58
submit
28:59
in
29:00
everything
29:00
to
29:01
their
29:01
husbands.
29:03
And then
29:03
the command
29:04
goes on.
29:06
Now,
29:06
I was a
29:07
sociology
29:08
major.
29:09
I did
29:09
my
29:09
undergrad
29:09
work at
29:10
the
29:10
University
29:10
of
29:11
North
29:11
Georgia.
29:12
Many
29:13
of the
29:13
conversations
29:14
right now
29:14
that are
29:15
just
29:15
shocking
29:15
our
29:16
culture,
29:16
I can't
29:16
believe
29:17
we're
29:17
having
29:17
these
29:17
kinds
29:17
of
29:18
conversations
29:18
about
29:19
sexuality
29:19
and
29:20
gender,
29:20
we were
29:21
having
29:21
in the
29:21
classroom
29:22
two
29:22
decades
29:22
ago.
29:23
We
29:23
were
29:23
talking
29:24
about
29:24
all
29:24
of this
29:26
already.
29:27
And I
29:27
had a
29:28
sociology
29:29
of
29:29
gender
29:30
class,
29:31
and the
29:32
professor's
29:33
vendetta
29:34
in that
29:35
class was
29:36
to condemn
29:36
Christianity
29:37
and for
29:37
what it
29:38
had done
29:38
to the
29:39
relationship
29:39
between
29:40
men
29:40
and
29:41
women.
29:42
And there
29:43
were
29:43
many
29:44
females
29:44
in that
29:44
class
29:44
that
29:45
loved
29:45
everything
29:46
that he
29:46
had to
29:46
say.
29:48
There was
29:48
one in
29:49
particular,
29:49
she was
29:49
a middle
29:49
aged
29:50
woman,
29:50
she had
29:50
come
29:50
back
29:50
to
29:51
school,
29:51
and she
29:52
had a
29:52
really
29:52
good
29:53
friend
29:53
whose
29:55
husband
29:55
in the
29:56
name
29:56
of
29:56
Christianity
29:57
using
29:58
the
29:58
scripture
29:59
was
30:00
physically
30:00
abusive
30:01
to her.
30:02
Like,
30:03
put her
30:03
in the
30:03
hospital
30:03
physically
30:04
abusive
30:05
to her.
30:06
And I
30:07
listened to
30:07
her,
30:08
one class
30:09
period,
30:09
bemoan
30:10
Christianity
30:10
for this,
30:12
and she
30:12
started to
30:13
speak again
30:13
in another
30:14
class period,
30:14
and I
30:14
just shot
30:15
my hand
30:15
up.
30:16
Before I
30:16
even thought
30:17
what I
30:17
was going
30:17
to say,
30:17
shot
30:18
my hand
30:18
up,
30:19
and I
30:19
was called
30:20
on.
30:20
And I
30:20
just
30:21
turned to
30:22
her,
30:22
and I
30:22
said,
30:22
I said,
30:23
ma'am,
30:23
quite a bit
30:24
older than
30:24
me.
30:24
I said,
30:25
ma'am,
30:26
nowhere in
30:27
the Bible
30:27
is the
30:28
justification
30:28
for what
30:29
that man
30:29
is doing
30:29
to his
30:30
wife
30:30
found.
30:30
It is
30:31
not
30:31
found in
30:32
the
30:32
scripture.
30:32
He's
30:33
misusing
30:33
it if
30:34
he's
30:34
using it
30:35
as the
30:35
justification.
30:36
So your
30:37
attack against
30:37
Christianity
30:38
is not
30:38
founded.
30:38
And I'll
30:38
say that
30:39
to the
30:40
degree that
30:40
I'll
30:40
say,
30:41
as a
30:42
Christian
30:42
man,
30:43
if that
30:44
woman is
30:45
ready to
30:45
leave that
30:45
husband for
30:46
his abusive
30:46
behavior,
30:47
I'm there
30:48
to help.
30:48
Now,
30:50
I don't
30:50
bear the
30:51
power of
30:51
the sword,
30:52
so this
30:52
gets complicated,
30:53
right?
30:53
But I do
30:54
believe as a
30:55
Christian I
30:55
should be
30:55
one who
30:56
seeks
30:56
justice.
30:58
And by
30:59
God's grace,
31:00
it shut
31:00
down the
31:01
attacks against
31:01
Christianity
31:02
again and
31:03
again and
31:03
again.
31:04
Another
31:04
class that I
31:05
had,
31:05
sociology of
31:06
religion
31:07
class,
31:08
same
31:09
professor,
31:10
going hard
31:11
and read
31:12
this text,
31:13
Ephesians 5,
31:14
he read
31:15
verse 22
31:15
through 24
31:17
that wives
31:18
should submit
31:19
in everything
31:20
to their
31:21
husbands and
31:21
people are
31:22
up in arms
31:23
and they're
31:23
very upset
31:24
about Christianity
31:24
and what it's
31:25
done and how
31:26
oppressive it
31:27
is to women
31:28
and I just
31:29
quietly got my
31:30
Bible out and
31:30
I opened it
31:31
up and I
31:31
set it on
31:32
the desk and
31:33
I don't know
31:34
why,
31:35
but at one
31:36
point he
31:36
said,
31:37
okay Nathan,
31:38
what do you
31:39
think?
31:42
And I
31:43
said,
31:44
well since
31:45
you asked,
31:45
you misuse
31:48
the Bible
31:49
for your
31:50
agenda and
31:51
you ought to
31:52
read the
31:52
rest of the
31:53
text.
31:54
So I just
31:54
read it.
31:54
So here it
31:55
is,
31:55
verse 25.
31:57
Husbands,
31:58
here we are,
31:59
oh men,
32:00
oh if you're
32:00
being proud at
32:01
the moment,
32:01
wives should
32:02
submit to us
32:02
and everything.
32:04
Husbands,
32:05
love your
32:07
wives.
32:08
This is not
32:08
an emotional
32:09
thing,
32:09
this word does
32:10
not mean that.
32:11
Should we be
32:12
affectionate towards
32:12
our wives?
32:13
Yes, we
32:13
should.
32:14
Right?
32:14
Sacrificially
32:16
serve your
32:17
wives,
32:17
love your
32:18
wives,
32:18
seek their
32:19
highest good
32:20
in all
32:21
things.
32:21
And he's
32:21
going to
32:22
explain what
32:22
that highest
32:22
good is in
32:23
just a moment.
32:24
That's what
32:24
we're supposed
32:24
to be doing.
32:25
Husbands,
32:25
we're supposed
32:26
to love
32:26
our wives
32:27
as Christ
32:29
loved the
32:31
church.
32:32
And in case
32:32
you're so
32:33
dense that
32:34
you still
32:34
don't get
32:35
it,
32:35
he says,
32:36
and gave
32:37
himself up
32:39
for her.
32:41
How did
32:42
Christ love
32:42
the church?
32:43
He died
32:44
for the
32:45
church.
32:46
That flips
32:47
the whole
32:49
thing on
32:49
its head.
32:51
Right?
32:51
You cannot
32:52
support a
32:53
feminist agenda
32:53
from this
32:54
text.
32:56
This is the
32:57
kind of
32:58
authority we
33:00
are meant to
33:01
be exercising
33:01
in our
33:02
homes.
33:03
Right?
33:03
Gave himself
33:04
up for her.
33:04
That he,
33:05
and we're
33:05
talking about
33:06
Christ and
33:06
the church,
33:07
but this is
33:07
the way we're
33:07
supposed to be
33:08
serving our
33:08
wives,
33:09
that he
33:09
might sanctify
33:10
her,
33:11
having cleansed
33:12
her by the
33:12
washing of
33:13
water with
33:14
the word,
33:15
so that he
33:15
might present
33:15
the church to
33:16
himself in
33:17
splendor without
33:17
spot or
33:18
wrinkle or
33:19
any such
33:20
thing,
33:20
that she
33:21
might be
33:21
holy and
33:22
without
33:23
blemish.
33:24
This is the
33:25
way we are
33:26
supposed to be
33:27
serving our
33:27
wives,
33:28
right?
33:28
Seeking their
33:29
highest good,
33:30
which is their
33:30
spiritual gain.
33:33
In the same
33:34
way,
33:36
again,
33:36
I think Paul
33:37
knows how
33:38
thick-headed
33:39
we can be.
33:39
In the same
33:40
way,
33:41
husbands should
33:42
love their
33:42
wives as
33:44
their own
33:44
bodies.
33:46
He who
33:46
loves his
33:46
wife loves
33:48
himself.
33:50
So we
33:51
work by the
33:52
power of the
33:52
word to
33:54
persuade our
33:55
wives.
33:55
We're giving
33:56
them counsel.
33:57
We're helping
33:57
to steer them.
33:59
We're giving
33:59
them guidance
34:01
for how they
34:02
need to live
34:03
their wives.
34:04
Now,
34:05
I meant to
34:06
ask my
34:06
wife for
34:06
permission to
34:07
share this
34:07
story,
34:07
so I hope
34:08
she won't
34:08
mind that
34:08
I'm sharing
34:09
it.
34:09
I think
34:09
she won't
34:10
mind that
34:10
I'm sharing
34:10
it.
34:10
Sam,
34:11
I am
34:11
sorry.
34:13
My wife
34:15
likes
34:15
true crime
34:16
TV,
34:17
and I
34:18
don't know
34:18
the name
34:19
of the
34:19
show,
34:19
but she
34:19
got onto
34:20
a show
34:20
that was
34:22
like bizarre
34:23
crime kind
34:24
of stuff,
34:25
and I
34:26
just was
34:26
seeing in
34:26
her kind
34:27
of this
34:27
growing
34:27
anxiety,
34:28
just fears
34:29
that I
34:29
felt were
34:30
misplaced
34:31
for her
34:31
own safety,
34:32
for the
34:32
safety of
34:33
our children.
34:34
And so I
34:35
began by
34:35
saying,
34:36
I don't
34:36
know that
34:37
that's really
34:38
serving your
34:39
soul,
34:39
watching those
34:40
shows.
34:40
I think it's
34:41
creating this
34:42
temptation in
34:43
you to
34:43
fear,
34:44
not trust
34:45
the Lord's
34:46
providence in
34:46
our lives.
34:47
And she
34:48
said,
34:48
yeah,
34:49
you might be
34:49
right,
34:49
yeah,
34:50
I'll think
34:50
about it.
34:50
I'm like,
34:51
okay,
34:51
that's
34:51
great.
34:53
Now some
34:53
time went
34:53
on,
34:54
and I
34:54
went,
34:54
hey,
34:54
are you still
34:55
watching?
34:57
Still noticing
34:57
that there's
34:58
kind of these
34:58
fears in you?
34:58
Are you still
34:58
watching?
34:59
Yeah,
35:00
I'm still
35:00
watching it.
35:02
So I just
35:02
said a little
35:03
more emphatically,
35:04
I really think
35:05
you need to
35:06
stop.
35:06
I think it's
35:06
time.
35:09
And then we
35:09
took a trip
35:10
up to Clayton,
35:11
and we were
35:11
playing on a
35:12
river.
35:12
Our kids
35:13
were toddlers
35:14
at the time,
35:15
and we were
35:16
across from a
35:17
dirt road on
35:18
a riverbank,
35:19
rocky riverbank.
35:21
We were
35:21
sitting in
35:21
chairs,
35:21
Sam and I
35:22
were,
35:22
and the boys
35:22
were playing
35:23
around us,
35:24
and an old
35:25
truck went
35:26
rolling by.
35:26
Admittedly,
35:27
it was creepy.
35:27
It was black.
35:28
The windows
35:28
were like
35:29
blacked out
35:29
on the
35:30
truck and
35:30
rolling by.
35:31
But it was
35:32
like a really
35:32
popular fishing
35:33
river.
35:34
I'm fairly
35:34
sure the guy
35:35
was just
35:35
scouting a
35:35
place to
35:36
go fishing.
35:37
But he
35:38
went rolling
35:38
by really
35:39
slow,
35:40
and Sam
35:40
said,
35:41
boys,
35:41
quick,
35:41
quick,
35:41
quick,
35:42
get behind
35:42
me,
35:42
get behind
35:42
me,
35:43
get behind
35:43
me.
35:43
And I
35:43
was like,
35:43
what are
35:44
you doing
35:45
right now?
35:47
And she
35:47
said,
35:49
he might
35:49
be a
35:49
sniper.
35:55
I love
35:55
you,
35:56
Sam.
35:56
Don't hate
35:56
me for
35:56
telling this
35:57
story.
35:57
So it
36:00
was at
36:00
this point,
36:01
the very
36:01
first thing
36:02
I said
36:02
was,
36:02
it's time
36:03
to stop
36:03
watching that
36:04
show.
36:05
It's time to
36:06
stop watching
36:06
that show.
36:07
And to my
36:08
wife's
36:08
wonderful credit,
36:09
she said,
36:10
you're right.
36:11
You're right.
36:12
right.
36:12
She submitted
36:13
to my
36:14
authority of
36:15
persuasion.
36:16
It just took
36:16
a little time
36:17
for us to
36:17
get there,
36:18
but she
36:18
said,
36:18
you're right.
36:19
There's this
36:19
irrational fear
36:21
arising in
36:22
me,
36:22
and I see
36:22
that you're
36:23
working for
36:24
my good.
36:25
Thank you.
36:26
Thank you
36:27
for doing
36:27
this.
36:28
If husbands
36:29
abuse this
36:30
authority,
36:31
we take up
36:32
something that's
36:33
not ours to
36:33
take up.
36:34
We step
36:34
outside of
36:35
the bounds,
36:35
we become
36:36
abusive.
36:38
And I don't
36:38
think anybody
36:39
in this room
36:40
is physically
36:41
abusive.
36:42
If you are,
36:44
you better
36:44
look out.
36:46
But I will
36:46
also say,
36:48
men,
36:49
with our
36:49
anger,
36:50
we can
36:51
emotionally
36:51
abuse our
36:52
wives.
36:54
We can get
36:55
our way
36:55
with the
36:56
threat of
36:57
us blowing
36:57
our tops
36:58
and disrupting
36:59
the peace
37:00
in the house.
37:02
And a lot
37:03
of your
37:03
wives might
37:04
tiptoe around
37:04
you just
37:05
wondering when
37:06
they're going
37:07
to misstep.
37:08
We want to
37:08
be sure
37:09
that we
37:09
don't do
37:10
this.
37:11
We do
37:12
not have
37:13
that type
37:14
of authority
37:14
as husbands.
37:17
Aim at the
37:17
highest good
37:18
of your
37:19
wife,
37:19
the spiritual
37:20
good of
37:21
your wife,
37:21
the care
37:22
and protection
37:23
of your
37:23
family in
37:24
the way
37:24
you exercise
37:25
your
37:26
authority.
37:28
Second
37:28
position in
37:29
the home
37:29
is that of
37:30
parent.
37:30
And we'll
37:30
wrap this
37:31
up fairly
37:31
quickly here.
37:32
Now,
37:33
with parenting
37:34
there is
37:34
the authority
37:35
of command.
37:37
Please don't
37:38
give your
37:38
children
37:39
authority.
37:41
There's not
37:41
an authority
37:41
delegated to
37:42
children.
37:43
The authority
37:43
is delegated
37:43
to you
37:44
to help
37:45
them to
37:46
grow.
37:46
We want
37:47
our children
37:47
to grow
37:48
in wisdom
37:48
in the
37:49
world,
37:49
which includes
37:50
all the
37:50
little practical
37:51
things that
37:51
we need to
37:51
teach them
37:52
how to do.
37:52
They need
37:52
to know
37:53
how to make
37:53
the peanut
37:53
butter
37:53
sandwich
37:54
and to
37:54
clean up
37:55
after.
37:55
But most
37:56
importantly,
37:56
it's those
37:57
core things
37:57
they need
37:58
to know
37:58
for godliness.
38:01
Psalm 78,
38:02
verse 5-7,
38:03
He established
38:03
a testimony
38:04
in Jacob
38:05
and appointed
38:05
a law
38:06
in Israel
38:06
which He
38:07
commanded our
38:08
fathers to
38:08
teach their
38:09
children,
38:11
that the next
38:11
generation might
38:12
know them,
38:13
the children yet
38:13
unborn,
38:14
and arise
38:15
and tell them
38:15
to their
38:16
children,
38:17
so that they
38:17
should set
38:18
their hope
38:19
in God
38:19
and not forget
38:20
the works
38:20
of God,
38:21
but keep
38:22
His commandments.
38:24
We are
38:24
supposed to
38:25
teach God's
38:26
good commands
38:28
to our
38:29
children.
38:30
And this is a
38:30
lot of work.
38:31
It's a day-in
38:32
and it's a
38:32
day-out work.
38:33
And we get
38:34
help in the
38:34
doing of it,
38:35
but that
38:35
authority has
38:36
been given
38:37
to you,
38:38
parents.
38:38
This is
38:38
your job
38:40
in your
38:41
children's
38:41
lives.
38:43
Another text,
38:45
Ephesians 6,
38:46
verse 1-4,
38:47
Children,
38:48
obey your
38:49
parents in
38:50
the Lord,
38:50
for this
38:51
is right.
38:53
Honor your
38:54
father and
38:54
mother.
38:55
This is the
38:55
first commandment
38:56
with a promise,
38:57
that it may
38:58
go well with
38:58
you,
38:59
and that you
39:00
may live
39:00
long,
39:01
in the
39:02
land.
39:02
So children,
39:04
you need to
39:04
hear,
39:05
God has
39:05
given you
39:05
authority for
39:07
your good.
39:08
It doesn't
39:09
always go
39:10
perfectly.
39:10
Your parents
39:11
are not
39:11
perfect.
39:12
I tell my
39:12
children all
39:13
the time,
39:13
I am not
39:14
perfect.
39:14
I am trying,
39:16
but I'm not.
39:17
But I'm aiming
39:18
at your good.
39:18
That's what I'm
39:19
trying to accomplish
39:20
here.
39:20
I'm going to
39:21
miss it sometimes,
39:21
but I'm really
39:22
trying to do
39:23
the right thing
39:24
for you.
39:25
If you will
39:25
listen to me
39:26
and follow the
39:28
things that I'm
39:28
teaching you to
39:29
do,
39:30
there's a
39:30
promise in
39:31
the Bible
39:31
for you
39:31
that it
39:32
will go
39:33
well with
39:34
you.
39:36
And then we
39:36
see verse 4,
39:37
fathers,
39:38
which also
39:38
could be
39:39
translated
39:39
parents,
39:41
do not
39:42
provoke your
39:42
children to
39:43
anger,
39:44
but bring
39:44
them up in
39:45
the discipline
39:46
and instruction
39:47
of the Lord.
39:49
So we see
39:49
even here
39:50
there's a
39:50
parameter put
39:52
on the
39:53
authority of
39:53
command that
39:54
we have
39:55
as parents.
39:56
once again,
39:58
while we
39:59
may bring
40:00
the rod to
40:01
bear in our
40:02
children's
40:02
lives,
40:03
we ought
40:04
not overdo
40:05
such a
40:05
thing,
40:06
because we
40:08
could provoke
40:08
our children
40:09
to anger.
40:10
And we've,
40:11
in another
40:11
time,
40:12
talked about
40:12
this text
40:13
and talked
40:13
about what
40:13
that means
40:14
is they
40:14
have a
40:14
general
40:15
brooding
40:16
intent
40:17
towards their
40:18
parents.
40:18
They want
40:19
to cast
40:20
off your
40:21
authority
40:21
because it's
40:22
not good
40:22
from their
40:23
estimation
40:23
in any
40:24
measure
40:25
at all.
40:26
They're just
40:26
looking for
40:27
ways to
40:27
reject your
40:28
leadership
40:28
in their
40:29
life.
40:30
We want
40:30
to bring
40:31
along our
40:31
kids.
40:32
We want
40:32
to do it
40:33
in a way
40:33
that shows
40:34
them how
40:34
they ought
40:34
to follow
40:35
the Lord
40:35
and we
40:35
want to
40:36
do it
40:36
in a way
40:36
that is
40:37
consistent
40:37
with the
40:38
way the
40:38
Lord
40:39
brings
40:39
discipline
40:40
to us.
40:41
Lots
40:42
of instructive
40:42
discipline.
40:44
The
40:44
occasional
40:45
corrective
40:45
discipline,
40:47
we want
40:47
to be doing
40:47
this work
40:48
carefully
40:49
and
40:49
clearly
40:50
as we
40:51
exercise
40:51
this
40:52
authority
40:52
of
40:53
command.
40:54
I think
40:55
it's
40:55
just a
40:56
practical
40:56
wisdom.
40:57
This
40:57
authority
40:57
of
40:58
command
40:58
seems
40:59
to
40:59
give
40:59
way
40:59
as
41:00
children
41:00
grow
41:01
to a
41:02
more
41:02
authority
41:03
of
41:04
counsel.
41:04
There's
41:04
a point
41:05
at which
41:06
you may
41:06
not want
41:07
to bend
41:07
your
41:07
child
41:08
over
41:08
your
41:08
knee
41:08
any
41:09
longer.
41:10
It might
41:10
be better
41:11
to sit
41:11
down
41:11
and reason
41:12
with
41:12
them.
41:14
You also
41:15
might threaten
41:15
to kick
41:15
them out
41:15
of your
41:16
house.
41:17
That's
41:17
some
41:18
retribution
41:18
for them
41:19
as well.
41:19
But we
41:20
want to
41:21
see ourselves
41:21
coming
41:21
alongside
41:22
our
41:22
children
41:23
as they
41:23
get older
41:24
and helping
41:24
them to
41:25
walk
41:25
wisely
41:26
through
41:27
life.
41:28
All of
41:29
this
41:29
meant
41:30
for good.
41:32
I commend
41:33
you
41:33
families in
41:34
this church.
41:35
I see all
41:36
the hard
41:36
work that
41:37
you're doing.
41:37
I think
41:38
it's a
41:38
blessing.
41:39
It's a
41:39
real work
41:40
of grace.
41:40
I love
41:41
standing
41:42
back and
41:42
watching you
41:43
work with
41:44
your
41:44
children.
41:44
I'm
41:45
excited
41:45
for the
41:45
generation
41:46
to come
41:46
and the
41:46
generation
41:47
that will
41:47
follow
41:48
that.
41:49
I'm
41:49
so
41:49
happy
41:49
for the
41:50
way
41:50
the
41:50
Lord
41:50
is
41:50
working
41:51
here
41:51
in the
41:53
families
41:53
of our
41:54
church.
41:56
So
41:56
Lord
41:56
willing,
41:57
we'll
41:57
take up
41:57
this
41:57
framework
41:58
next
41:58
week.
41:59
We're
42:00
going to
42:00
talk
42:00
about
42:00
the
42:00
church
42:00
and
42:01
the
42:01
role
42:01
of
42:01
elders
42:01
specifically.
42:02
We're
42:03
going to
42:03
install
42:03
our
42:03
new
42:03
elders.
42:04
We've
42:04
got four
42:04
new
42:04
elders
42:05
that we
42:05
haven't
42:05
done
42:05
an
42:05
installation
42:06
for.
42:06
It's
42:06
been
42:07
way
42:07
too
42:07
long.
42:08
So
42:08
we're
42:09
going to
42:09
do
42:09
that
42:09
as part
42:09
of our
42:10
gathering
42:10
together
42:11
next week.
42:12
The week
42:12
after that
42:13
we'll
42:13
talk about
42:13
the
42:14
church
42:14
and
42:15
the
42:15
congregation
42:15
and
42:16
what
42:16
kind
42:16
of
42:16
authority
42:17
the
42:17
congregation
42:18
bears
42:19
and then
42:19
we'll
42:19
finish
42:19
it
42:19
up.
42:20
I
42:20
know
42:20
you're
42:20
all
42:20
going
42:21
to
42:21
look
42:21
forward
42:21
to
42:21
it
42:21
with
42:22
the
42:22
government.
42:23
So
42:23
let
42:25
me
42:25
just
42:25
pray
42:26
closing
42:26
for
42:26
us.