I have authority issues

Yes, sir!

“You have authority issues.” This was my daughter’s comment to me, made in jest, when I resisted some hospital visitation rules during Bev's stay there. When someone exercises authority ‘just because they can,’ without reason or respect, I resist. I am thankful for those men and women who work hard to keep order in our society, but when they exercise power in arbitrary ways, or worse, in a way that allows them to take advantage of those lacking influence I’ll admit to having ‘authority issues.’

I regularly examine my life to see if 
I am submitted to the one Authority Who governs my life in a way that is always ultimately for the best. His Name? Jesus Christ!  Many presentations of Jesus are about His love, His care for us, His sacrifice to save us- and all those are true. He is also, we must remember, Lord and King.  During the week that preceded His going to the Cross, He had an encounter with some men who despised Him.  He told them a pointed story about what happens to those who resist Him. 

“A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away. “

‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’ “But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. “What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked. “I’ll tell you-he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.” “How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested." (Luke 20:9-16, NLT)

Prophets came repeatedly to the people of God to call them to faithful service. They were rejected, some even killed. Then God sent His Son. Even He was rejected. That rejection did not go without consequence. God judged!

 

If we refuse the Lord’s invitation, if we reject Christ’s authority, we invite the discipline of the Almighty God to fall on us. When we love Him and show it with obedience, we live in fellowship with Him! “If you love me, you will obey what I command. ... Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (John 14:15,21, NIV)   

Jesus said that there will be many who stand before Him protesting their judgment, claiming that they did many things in His Name, but they will not enjoy His favor because they did not submit to His authority. "On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you."  (Matthew 7:22-23 NLT)  

• Are you submitted to Christ Jesus as your Lord? Does that submission show in actions that match your words?

 Here is the word from the Word. May we enter into the blessings of the promise.“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 

But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” 

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority-quite unlike their teachers of religious law." (Matthew 7:24-29, NLT)

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Rejoice, The Lord Is King

Rejoice, the Lord is King!

Your Lord and King adore!

Rejoice, give thanks, and sing

And triumph ever more.

Lift up your heart,

Lift up your voice,

Rejoice, again, I say rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns;

The God of truth and love.

When He had purged our stains

He took His seat above.

Lift up your heart,

Lift up your voice,

Rejoice, again, I say rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail.

He rules o'er earth and heav'n.

The keys of death and hell

Are to our Jesus giv'n.

Lift up your heart,

Lift up your voice,

Rejoice, again, I say rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope.

Our Lord and judge shall come

And take His servants up to

Their eternal home!

Lift up your heart,

Lift up your voice,

Rejoice, again, I say rejoice!

Charles Wesley

 Public Domain