1. God’s Authority

  1. Paul is defending his spiritual authority Vs 3a
  2. Paul is sharing that God is speaking through him.
  3. God sets up Authority
    1. 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. — Romans 13:1
    2. Jesus answered [speaking to Pilate], “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.— John 19:11
    3. By me kings reign…— Proverbs 8:15
    4. …he removes kings, and sets up kings…— Daniel 2:21
    5. Then God removed Saul and made David their king…— Acts 13:22
    6. No one … can exalt themselves. It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.— Psalms 75:6-7
    7. …the Most High has power over human kingdoms. He gives them to whomever he wishes.— Daniel 4:17
  4. Who does he put in place?
    1. Hosea 8: 4 They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.
    2. 1 Samuel 8: 5 – 9 The people reject God and want a king instead.
    3. He does not treat us as our sins deserve. Psalm 103: 10

2. Rebellion Against Authority

  1. 1 Peter 2: 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a kings as the one in authority
  2. Romans 13: 2 Whoever rebels against authority rebels against what God has instituted
  3. EXAMPLE: Acts 23: 1 – 5 Paul and the High Priest and recognizing position
  4. Examples of rebellion against authority
    1. Hezekiah 2 Kings 18: 7 Assyrian Army show us
    2. Daniel and prayer Lions Den Daniel 6
    3. Three wise men against Nebuchadnezzar Fiery Furnace Daniel 3
    4. Jeroboam against Solomon and God  19 kings and none of them served God.
  5. Obey God rather than Man Acts 4: 19, 20 Problem is we don’t know when we are obeying God or man.

3. God shows who is his authority Numbers 16

  1. The timing is soon after the rebellion of the promised land so they are not happy with Moses and Aaron
  2. They rebel against Moses which is really against God.  Numbers 16: 11
  3. God was going to destroy all the people in rebellion Vs 21
  4. God will prove his leadership Vs 28- 30
  5. Ground opens up and swallows them so God proved who was the spiritual leadership.
  6. The people grumble the next morning about what Moses did Vs 41 Result is a plague that kills 14,700 people
  7. Budding Rod to prove leadership Numbers 17

4. So Do I just Stay under bad authority?

  1. There are definitely abusive churches and leadership and to just stay under them is really harmful.
  2. Romans 13: 1ff is talking about the civil consequences of rebelling against authority.  I don’t believe that it is talking about spiritual judgement for rebelling against those over you.
  3. Apostles did reject the authority of the Sanhedrin Acts 5a; 27
  4. Jesus rejected the authority of Herod by not talking to him when questioned. Luke 23: 8, 9
  5. Paul confronted Peter openly Galatians 2: 11even though he was once a mentor of Paul’s Galatians 1: 18
  6. We are told to question prophetic words 1 Thessalonians 5; 19 – 22
  7. Paul confronted Diotrephes who loves to be leader and rejects his leadership 3 John 9 – 11
  8. God rebukes a self proclaimed leader Jezebel Revelation 2: 20
  9. Realize that there are some things we cannot change.
    1. Paul was under an evil thorn and grace carried him through it.
  10. In our actions with authority we are to
    1. Love mercy
    2. Seek justice
    3. Walk humbly with our God.
  11. Blessing of God when we get it wrong Matthew 7: 21

5. Faith and Authority

  1. Luke 17: 5 – 10
  2. Increasing our faith is directly tied to obedience of the person over us.
  3. We don’t obey out of receiving a reward, we obey out of it being the right thing to do.
  4. The teaching here is not a person, but the Torah. So we are always under obligation to see what the Bible says in a specific situation.