Matthew 22:15-46
How do you respond to authority over your life? In our society, the police are given the authority to enforce the law. We all know that. But sometimes we choose to act contrary to the law until we see a police vehicle. It’s amazing how everyone’s driving improves when you see a police car in your rear view mirror.
It can be similar in the classroom. We may follow the class rules and do our work while the teacher is present. But I remember times in school where the moment a teacher left, the students transformed into crazy time. Spit balls began flying – talking increased – people starting walking around because the authority figure was gone.
What about at work? When the boss or manager is around, people work. . But when the manager or boss is away, some fool around or waste time. Kids – what happens when your parents are out for the evening? Sometimes, the house rules become house optional considerations because the parents aren’t there to enforce them.
Some authorities misuse their power. When injustice occurs, it must be called to account. Some of you come from countries where most authorities functioned on corruption. It is very difficult to live under such authority. But some authority is justified. If there were no police or principals or courts or managers, we would experience chaos because of man’s rebellious spirit.
I share this because I want you to think about your experiences with authority in the past and how that impacts your view of authority today. We can project our authority attitude into our relationship with God. We could see Christ as just another human authority figure. He is absolutely unique. When it comes to His authority over us, we need to see Him in a completely different category than other authoritative figures in our lives.
