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Lesson 9: Understanding the Authority of God
I Cor 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. 2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. 3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
You know, we DESPERATLEY need to add to our stature! How? REMEMBER & KEEP what you learn.
à Some approach Bible study like a 5th grade exam. Remember just long enough to pass the test.
FOLKS: 2 + 2 = 4 is a principle for lifetime! What a shame to have to relearn over and over again?
*** WE NEED A REVELATION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST —- FOR A LIFE TIME! ****
Old saying… The issue is never the issue… The issue is control!
(Family one said – The Church has to much control in my life) Is that true?
Remember Al Gore – “no controlling legal authority” He knew it was wrong… at least ethically.
But He was saying… Since no one can enforce this… its not really a law.
This is the mindset so many have about the church… It’s not a controlling legal authority… Can’t enforce!
I Cor 11: 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.
27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, ( irreverently) shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
è Why are many sick & weakly even suffer premature death? = had no revelation of the body of Christ
ONE OF THE GREATEST LESSONS TO LEARN IS HERE! The body – The church… the authority of it all.
Christ is the head of the man — INDEED! BUT THATS NOT ALL…
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
HE IS THE HEAD OF THE BODY ! (the church)
this holds much significance
1 Cor 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be
Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
We have been studying the authority of God for sometime… But the greatest expression of it should be in the church! ( THE IRONY = OUR CULTURE HAS SUCH A TWISTED VIEW OF THE CHURCH = many think the church should have little authority. è Some of you shudder at church discipline! – dumbfounded by it.
Matt 18: 15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
IF HE NEGLECT TO HEAR THE CHURCH = let him be to thee a heathen & publican (avoid dealing with them)
This is almost funny here… heathen = (Godless gentile) Publican = tax collector
(treat like a crooked IRS agent) — they were despised!
NOW MY FRIEND – THAT IS SOME AUTHORITY IN THE BODY
1 Cor 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? 2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. (like a jury of peers) 5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
THE WHOLE THEME OF THE THESE VERSES IS THE MAJESTY OF THE CHURCH!
à empty yourself of your own agenda and let the body be your agenda = suffer loss if need be!
God has placed institutional authority in the world — but it has faults & limitations
( rulers to people – husbands to wives – parents to children – masters to servants )
Why? Because people can misuse authority & people can submit with lips service w/o a true heart
Isa 29: 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: à THAT IS NOT TRUE OBEDIENCE
IN THE CHURCH THOUGH = CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF A BODY!
People may misuse people ——— but the head will never misuse the body!
LIKEWISE: The obedience of the body is perfect to the head (unless your disabled)
THE HEAD MERELY ISSUES A CONCEPT OR THOUGHT = AND THE BODY RESPONDS & FLOWS
God is working in us to develop us into flowing with our head (Christ) just like Jesus did with Father
Gal 4: 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
**** MEDICALLY: Some movements are conscious – some automatic like breathing
The brain does not have to shout out loud to the body = BREATH! (the heart beats w/o orders)
FORCED OBEDIENCE IS NOT WHAT THE HEAD WANTS FROM THE BODY – IT WANTS A FLOW
è Some people can only obey COMMANDS — never get to the level of just flowing obedience
EX: The only submission to leadership is when confronted (lack ability to process obedience on your own)
L I S T E N :
In the Church – some authority is direct … but most is indirect (WE NEED TO DISCERN THE BODY)
NOTICE: The left and right hands do not communicate directly — The Head moves them both
à the left hand does not dictate to the right what is happening today!
All members of the body are directly close to the head. The eyes see for the whole body (hands feel etc)
Matt 6: 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
THE WHOLE BODY SEES BECAUSE THE EYES SEE! The hands must yield to the authority of the eyes
You see – we must learn to see God’s authority in all the members ot the body. Each member is limited!
THE EYES CAN ONLY SEE! HAND IS USELESS W/O THUMB! FEET USELESS W/O LEGS etc
IF THE FOOT REJECTS THE HAND = IT IS THE SAME AS REJECTING THE HEAD!
( you have a disabled body )
The hand can not feel color – it has to accept the eye. The eye cannot feel texture – must accept the hand
== we need one another – together in him ==
LORD HELP US DISCERN: We must work to keep the church from becoming fragmented.
(we need to accept each as a whole)
EX: When the ears hear — the leg has to accept it. To accept the workings of each member is understanding
The body flows as one… I heard it, I worked, I moved (not just my body part – the whole body)
NO MEMBER CAN AFFORD TO BE INDEPENDENT!
Some desire to have everything in himself – refusing the supply of the others. = this is a mistake
Eph 4: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
è So often we view authority as something OPPRESSIVE, HURTING, TROUBLING, PAINFUL
(you have not learned so in Christ)
God’s motive in teaching us authority is to bestow upon us his RICHES!
So must time is wasted learning old lessons if we can not submit to someone who has gone before us.
God wants us to partake of the riches of others wisdom and counsel!
By the time you went through so many dark days of learning to see yourself = you have led others falsly
God places men in our lives so that their wealth – can become our wealth etc. (don’t miss this procedure!)
SOMETIMES GOD GRANTS THINGS TO US DIRECTLY… BUT MOST OFTEN THROUGH OTHERS
He places within the body Brothers & Sisters in Christ who are more advanced to help us in our walk!
So their wisdom can become your wisdom = their judgment can become yours
à You can possess much wealth of others without going through the terrible lessons yourself = if your wise!
*** God has placed so much into the body of Christ — And we miss it when we do not submit to each other.
WE PLACE OURSELVES IN SPIRITUAL POVERTY BY REJECTING AUTHORITY OF OTHERS
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
THINK SOBERLY ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BODY!
Don’t think foolishly about your greatness
You and I are members that must accept other members of this body of Christ. = anything else is rebellion
When you submit to visible authority – you are in harmony with God’s order
THE CHURCH IS WHERE WE SHOULD BEGIN TO LEARN ABOUT OBEDIENCE
**** if we fail here, we will fail everywhere!
If we learn well in the church — every problem of our lives can be addressed
the place you meet authority “head on” is in the body of Christ!
IT’S THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF IT!
Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
