Authority

Sometimes in preaching it seems that the Scripture text has as much to do with the sermon as the National Anthem has to do with a football game—it gets everything started, but you never hear from it again.

In my last article concerning the Christian & Civil Government, I wrote about seven basic principles that God’s Word teaches Christians about their responsibility to human government. Today I want to examine these principals in light of our position as citizens of the United State of America.

How are we to respond to those in authority and those who govern us? In this series, I want to take a closer look at our responsibilities as Christian’s and the role civil government plays in our lives.

For some reason, writers and preachers who should know better have said for many years (in one way or another) that a New Testament church runs pretty much as a pure democracy

When it comes to responding to authority, everyone makes a choice. There is no middle ground. You will either submit to God and the authority He has established in your life, or you will rebel.

We live in a culture that openly rejects and rebels against proper authority. The latest manifestation of this trend was the “occupy” demonstrations. Some of the protesters did not like the fact that they are expected to pay back money loaned to them for their college education, so they rebelled against taxpayers who funded the program that loaned them the money.

In 1 Peter 5:2, we read instructions that God gave to those that we call “pastors.” He said, “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof.”

I remember when people began to call me pastor for the very first time. It was a title that I had to adjust to; I wasn’t accustomed to being called anything other than my name. It didn’t, however, take me long to realize that there was a great difference between the mere title of pastor and the fulfillment of the position.

My dad finished preaching a service in a revival meeting one night and was “complimented” by a dear older lady. “Brother Ouellette, that was a good sermon,” she said. “There wasn’t no doctrine or nothin’ in it.”

Our 2010 theme for Lancaster Baptist Church is "By His Spirit." Truly, the Holy Spirit's filling is a "must have" for every spiritual leader. Without His ministry in and through our lives, we will not properly fill the leadership roles in which God has placed us. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can see Him do the impossible!