Authority and the Church
I. Authority defined
A. The power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
B. A person or organization having power or control in a particular sphere (political)
C. Authority is not the same as power
Luke 9:1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and
authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
1. Power (dunamis) is force, might, or the miraculous ability to do something
1 Kings 18:45-46 45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became
black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away
and went to Jezreel. 46 Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and
he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
2. Authority (exousia) is delegated influence to have something done.
Genesis 22:9-10 9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him.
And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound
Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 10 And Abraham
stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
II. 4 Characteristics of Authority
A. The strength of your support determines the effectiveness of your authority
Exodus 5:1-2 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says
the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the
wilderness.’ ” 2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice
to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”
B. Authority always leads to a higher name
Luke 10:19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions,
and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Acts 4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power
or by what name have you done this?”
C. Authority must be transferred from one who has authority
1. Acts 19:13-15 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon
themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits,
saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there
were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. 15 And the evil
spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
2. Matthew 28:18-19a 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore
and make disciples of all the nations…
D. Authority is always purpose driven
Matthew 6:9-10 9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it
is in heaven.
III. Challenges to Authority
A. When it is not recognized by the recipient
1. Ignorance
Exodus 4: 1-2 1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not
believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not
appeared to you.’ ” 2 So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He
said, “A rod.”
2. Because of sin (shame)
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
James 5:19-20 19 Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and
someone turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the
error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.
Joshua 7
B. When it is not exercised
1 Samuel 2:12-36 12 Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know
the Lord. 13 And the priests’ custom with the people was that when any man
offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged
fleshhook in his hand while the meat was boiling. 14 Then he would thrust it into
the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; and the priest would take for himself all that
the fleshhook brought up. So they did in Shiloh to all the Israelites who came
there. 15 Also, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant would come and say
to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat for roasting to the priest, for he will not
take boiled meat from you, but raw.” 16 And if the man said to him, “They should
really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your heart desires,” he
would then answer him, “No, but you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by
force.” 17 Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for
men abhorred the offering of the Lord. 18 But Samuel ministered before
the Lord, even as a child, wearing a linen ephod. 19 Moreover his mother used to
make him a little robe, and bring it to him year by year when she came up with
her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. 20 And Eli would bless Elkanah and his
wife, and say, “The Lord give you descendants from this woman for the loan that
was given to the Lord.” Then they would go to their own home. 21 And
the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived and bore three sons and two
daughters. Meanwhile the child Samuel grew before the Lord. 22 Now Eli was very
old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the
women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 23 So he said to
them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the
people. 24 No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make
the Lord’s people transgress. 25 If one man sins against another, God will judge
him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless
they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them.
26 And the child Samuel grew in stature, and in favor both with the Lord and men.
27 Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Did I not
clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in
Pharaoh’s house? 28 Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My
priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me?
And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of
Israel made by fire? 29 Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I
have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to
make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My
people?’ 30 Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house
and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now
the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those
who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed. 31 Behold, the days are coming that I
will cut off your arm and the arm of your father’s house, so that there will not be
an old man in your house. 32 And you will see an enemy in My dwelling
place, despite all the good which God does for Israel. And there shall not be an
old man in your house forever. 33 But any of your men whom I do not cut off from
My altar shall consume your eyes and grieve your heart. And all the descendants
of your house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 Now this shall be a sign to you
that will come upon your two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they
shall die, both of them. 35 Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall
do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house,
and he shall walk before My anointed forever. 36 And it shall come to pass that
everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him for a piece of
silver and a morsel of bread, and say, “Please, put me in one of the priestly
positions, that I may eat a piece of bread.”
C. When it is abused
Hophni and Phinehas
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