Authority and Faith

Authority faith tension

Definition: The power or right to persuade individuals or groups to obey precepts or recommendations.

Everyone has a degree of authority in and around their life

Ex. Authority over your money

Authority over time and possessions

Authority over what you do to your body BUT you don’t have authority over how it works

Authority over our children for a time

Students have authority over time and habits but don’t have authority over disciplinary actions

Wherever there is a dynamic of Authority there is a gap between the person in authority and whoever is under them.

The gap can be filled by a variety of postures towards authority

Ex. of Postures (Continuum)

Resistance and disregard

Acceptance

Obedience

Love

The posture we take is indicative of our faith in authority to lead us.

Questioning Authority

Naturally we will ask ourselves about those in positions of authority over us.

What are they asking of me?

Where are they leading me?

What is their character?

What do they stand for?

Do they have my best interest in mind?

We ask these questions and answer them consciously and subconsciously.

Scriptures encourages us to evaluate authority and sets a standard for it.

1 Timothy 6:3–5 NKJV

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

Our answers are manifested in how we fill in the Gap between us and authority.

Authority of Christ in Luke 7

Just as we are to question and evaluate earthly authority we should do so with Christ himself.

Luke ch 7 is dedicated to addressing this issue of Christs authority.

Beginning with the healing of the centurion servant…acknowledgement of His authority by the centurion.

Jesus shows his authority over disease

Raising of the widow of Nain

Authority over life and death

John the Baptists questions his authority and whether or not Jesus truly the coming Messiah and Jesus gives an account of his miracles that testify of his authority.

Lastly, authority over sin in the sinner woman at the pharisees

Uniqueness of His Authority

Frequently Christ heals out of request or pursuit…”Your faith has made you well”

This situation is unique

Jesus was not requested to come to Nain

Capernaum is 25 miles away

Per the account no one approached Him to show compassion to the widow.

v. 13 Luke 7:13 (NASB95)

13 When the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, “Do not weep.”

Luke 7:13 TNIV

When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”

It is common to refer to Christ as compassionate, but this story qualifies it a bit more.

He is the author and initiator of compassion.

In this healing he did not say...”so that you may believe”

He healed because He is the compassionate one

In His act of compassion He simultaneously demonstrated His authority over life and death.

Its this authority over life and death that leads the people to ‘fear’ but in an awe inspiring way.

Compassionate approach to life

For God to hold authority over life and death, it is comforting to know that at the same time He is the author and manifestation of compassion.

This understanding is critical when we approach the table in controversial topics like abortion, physician assisted suicide, death penalty.

The ground we stand on in those discussions are that God is the sol authority over life and death and He moves with compassion towards life.

Coming full circle....

Question for us is how do we see God’s authority.

What does He have authority over and how does He wield His authority.

We can be assured that in the same way He approached the widow with compassion, He desires to approach us compassionately as well.