A Conversation About Authority (May 24th, 2020) - Jordan Coros

Well, good morning, Redemption New Market.

Jordan Corus here from Harvest Bible Chapel in Barrie, and it is a great privilege for to be able to open up God's word with you this morning and to be with you.

Although we, of course, miss the opportunity to be together, to be able to lift high the name of Jesus and worship with one another, to be able to open up God's word in the same room together, we recognize and certainly appreciate the fact that we are united together in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, which is certainly with each and every single one of us as we open God's word this morning.

And I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be able to do this with you.

And we want you to know, church, as well, that we at Harvest Berry love and appreciate you, and we are certainly praying for you and the leadership of your church as you seek to navigate all of the uncertainties and all of the new developments that come with the coronavirus pandemic.

We are certainly in this together.

And so now let's get into God's word.

Let's do what it is that the Lord has for us to do this morning and hear from Him.

We'll be in Matthew chapter 8, verses 5 to 13 this morning, and we'll talk about the topic of authority.

Matthew 8:5–13

And we have an interesting relationship with authority in our lives, don't we?

Certainly there are some of you here this morning who are probably the more take charge kind of people.

You have no problem having authority in your relationships or workplaces or wherever you find yourself, you don't mind taking the lead, and you are okay with having to make decisions and all that comes with that.

And then I'm sure that there are people on the other side of that spectrum as well who are more the behind-the-scenes people.

You don't mind being led and allowing others to make decisions.

And wherever you find yourself on that spectrum this morning, we can often have problems in our lives arise because of authority.

And often they come down to one of two reasons.

Either A, because authority is misused to dominate and to dictate or to advance one's own personal agenda, or because it is not recognized or respected.

It's important to recognize that both of those can be significant problems.

And it's interesting because we can look back at history, at the great authoritative rulers of our world, the Alexander the Greats, for example, who ruled with an iron fist, who crushed any who would stand in their way as they ruled vast empires and controlled massive armies.

But then we can look at the people in authority in our world today, and we have no problem complaining or criticizing about them.

But critiquing every single move or decision that they make.

We have no problem complaining about them on social media, or talking about them at length with others, or obsessing over elections.

And yet, so often we fail to realize that the same pursuit of power and authority that those throughout history have undertaken and that those in our day are pursuing is the same desire and pursuit that's tearing our marriages apart.

It's the my spouse serves me mindset.

It's what's driving our kids further and further away from us.

It's what's disqualifying our witness in our families or in our workplaces as we connive and scheme to get our own way.

To always be right no matter what, even if that means being wrong in the way that we're right.

To hide our sin and not deal with it the way that God desires.

Because any instance of showing weakness would reveal that we are not in control.

It may not always be public or obvious, but we all long for authority.

We crave it.

And the results of that pursuit can be particularly devastating in our lives.

So as we come to God's word this morning, to Matthew chapter 8, verses 5 to 13, we'll meet a man who had significant authority in his life, and yet even he recognized that that authority he had didn't cut it.

Matthew 8:5–13

That there is an authority so much higher than any we can find in this life.

And so as we unpack this idea together, my hope and prayer for us is that we would realize in every aspect of my life, I am under the authority of Jesus Christ.

I hope and pray that that will cause us to think differently about our relationship with him and with others.

We come this morning to a passage that is ripe with theological and personal significance for us.

And so before we even read the passage this morning, allow me to pray for us and ask God to do what it is that He desires to do in our midst through His Word this morning.

Almighty God, we bow before you in full recognition of our need for you this morning.

God, all too many of us are all too aware of the fact that we are frail and weak, that truly we aren't in control of any aspect of our lives.

And so we ask, Lord, that as we look to your word, as we discuss this topic of authority, we pray, God, that you would teach and instruct us this morning from your word.

God, we understand that your word is living and active.

It is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, and joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and the intentions of the heart.

So, Father, would you by your word reveal to us the areas of our lives that are not in sync with you?

Would you open up our eyes to see the blind spots that we have, the areas of our lives that aren't in line with what you call us to, that we may not even know about.

Father, we ask that you would encourage us from your word this morning as we seek to continue to pursue you in every aspect of our lives, to follow your lead and to give you glory in everything that we do, which Father is the ultimate desire of all of our hearts.

That this morning you would be glorified and lifted up, that we would understand you and your glorious nature in a greater way today.

And that, Father, this time would draw us closer to you than ever before.

We thank you, God, for your word.

We thank you for this time, and Lord, we thank you for the faith that unites us together in the precious name of your Son Jesus Christ.

It's in his name that we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Matthew chapter 8, verses 5 to 13, follow along with me as I read.

Matthew 8:5–13

When he, being Jesus, had entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.

And he said to him, I will come and heal him.

But the centurion replied, Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.

And I say to one, Go and he goes, and to another, come and he comes, and to my servant, do this and he does it.

When Jesus heard this, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, Truly I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And the centurion said to Jesus, and to the centurion, Jesus said, Go, let it be done for you, as you have believed.

And the servant was healed at that very moment.

See, in every aspect of my life I am under the authority of Jesus, Jesus Christ.

And Matthew's account of this particular interaction, interestingly enough, is not the only account of it that we have in Scripture.

Luke chapter 7 also details this, and it's of note to mention that in Luke's account, he adds the interesting detail that the centurion actually sent Jewish elders to Jesus to bring the request of healing for his servant.

Luke 7 · chapter mention

It wasn't actually him personally, which for whatever reason Matthew decides not to add here.

And that's important for us first because the initiation of the centurion to send Jewish elders means that the conversation is still between him and Jesus, just with a third party bringing the message.

But it's also important because the use of Jewish elders was a move of great respect by the centurion for the customs of the day, as he was a Gentile, meaning he was not of Jewish descent.

Which actually leads us to our first point this morning.

If I'm going to live under the authority of Jesus Christ in every aspect of my life, it takes humility.

It takes me understanding my place.

And notice how the centurion asks his request of Jesus in verse 6.

He starts off by saying, Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, suffering terribly.

The centurion calling Jesus Lord is essentially him saying Jesus is his commander in chief.

The centurions back at this time were the backbone of the Roman army, and they had control over about a hundred or so soldiers.

They were a direct report to the emperor, and the words and the orders that they gave were a direct reflection of the Roman Empire.

See, the centurion's authority came from the fact that he was sent out by the emperor of Rome.

So the fact that this man comes to another and calls him Lord, but not just to any other man, a Jewish man, that's significant.

And it can't be lost on us as he is acknowledging Jesus' authority right from the very first word that he uses in conversation with him.

He goes on to tell Jesus that his servant, whom he obviously cared greatly about, revealing even more of this man's character, is paralyzed and in extreme pain, to which Jesus replies, All right, no problem.

You see, the story could have just stopped right there.

The centurion got what his heart longed for in to have his servant healed and delivered from whatever had struck him, paralyzed and riddled with pain.

Jesus could have come and laid his hands on him and healed him, and that would have been an amazing miracle and evidence again of Jesus' compassion and love and care, but also of his deity and strength.

But the way the centurion responds to Jesus ratchets up the awesomeness of this story.

Look down at verse 8.

The centurion replied, Lord, notice what he calls him again.

I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.

But only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

I mean, do you see do you see the humility here?

This centurion understands who Jesus is.

He recognizes his complete and utter unworthiness to even have Jesus into his home.

He gets that Jesus isn't just a man.

He gets that Jesus has the power to heal his servant with just the power and authority of his words.

See, the centurion gets his place.

Even with the earthly authority that had been bestowed to him by the ruling power of the day, he understood that Jesus held a higher authority.

See, for us, the ultimate authority in our lives is not the government.

It's not some higher standard of morality.

It's not a higher level of education or thought or understanding.

It's not personal achievement or wealth or social status or our rights as citizens.

For the follower of Jesus, he is the ultimate authority in every aspect of our lives and what he says goes.

And any authority that we may have in this life is a gift from him.

See, the understanding of the centurion here is remarkable given the relatively small glimpse that he has into the life and ministry of Jesus.

You see, we hold in our hands the full record of Jesus' life and ministry on earth, and yet so often we can fail to realize that we are just as unworthy as this centurion was.

It's not that we give Jesus two days of the week and the other five are under the authority of someone else or ourself.

He rules in every aspect.

And when we humble ourselves before that, we will see change.

I've got three areas specifically where change occurs when we humble ourselves before Jesus.

Having a right view of who Jesus is impacts first my relationships.

See, if Jesus is the ultimate authority in my life, then I'm going to view other people the way that he did.

We are to be, as Ephesians 5.21 says, submitting to one another, here it is, out of reverence for Christ.

Really, if you're looking for a proof text for this, or if you want to study this further, if you're feeling convicted that you want to see change in your relationships, Ephesians 5.18 to 6, chapter 6, verse 9 is really the key verse for us in this.

The fact of the matter is, Jesus came and served.

So it doesn't matter.

Husband, wife, brother, sister, son or daughter, best friend or acquaintance, neighbor or coworker, follower or Jesus or not, follower of Jesus or not, it doesn't matter.

Recognizing Jesus as the ultimate authority takes humility, which means I am here to serve for the good of those around me.

Conducting myself with grace and truth in all relationships as He did.

So are there relationships in your life that are being ruled by something or someone other than Jesus?

Are the perceptions of others influencing who you are when you're around them?

Are you lowering the bar in your life when you're around certain people, or are you dominating in your relationships because you view yourself as better than others?

Secondly, having a right view of Jesus impacts my decisions, as the direction that I take in my life is directed and dictated by him.

And that comes down to the words that I choose to use in conversation, the attitude that I have when my feet hit the floor in the morning, the thoughts that I allow into my head and into my heart, and then goes all the way up to kind of the big decisions that we would make in our lives: the school that I choose to attend, the career I choose, the job I take, the house I buy, where I spend my money, who I date, what I watch.

And the list goes on and on.

But who or what is impacting or influencing your decisions?

Who is at the core of your life?

See, if we truly just surrender to Jesus and receive the forgiveness of sins, he takes over as Lord of our lives and rules on the throne of our hearts, which means that his word and his example are the benchmarks for us in every area.

Proverbs 2 and 3 are fantastic chapters that speak directly to this.

I'd encourage you to look at those, write those down in your notes.

But specifically, chapter 3, verse 6 says, In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

In how many ways?

In all of your ways.

Acknowledge Him.

Having a right view of Jesus impacts my decisions.

And then finally, it impacts my disciplines.

What I choose to commit to on a daily basis.

So you want to know how to humble yourself before Jesus?

Well, really, it's as simple as four things: read, pray, worship, and serve.

Okay, read.

Crack the book.

Understand your need for a word from the Lord every single day.

And grow in your understanding of who he is and what he calls you to and the authority that he has in your life by spending time hearing him speak to you through his word.

Secondly, pray.

Bow before him and cry out in prayer for what's going on in your life and in the lives of others.

Pray for the humility and the growth that you desire to see in your life.

Third thing is worship, personally and corporately.

Spend time praising and adoring him in song, but also in generosity and in deed.

And lastly, serve for the good of others in the church and in the community.

You see, inherent in these four things is humility.

They are humbling by nature as they are what should be outward expressions of an already inward reality.

It is inherently humbling to say that you are going to intentionally carve out time in your day to spend time in God's Word, recognizing your need for a word from Him.

Or it is inherently humbling to get on your knees before Him as you start your day, or when you're coming into a tough situation or circumstance.

Going to prayer is an act of humility.

To worship is to sacrifice your praise at the altar of God as you consider who He is and what He's done and praise Him for that.

And service, I mean, well, that's an easy one to see.

Serving others gets your mind off yourself.

Going out of our way to care for someone in need, or serving kids in kids' ministry, or leading small groups, or serving at the food bank.

All of it is inherently humbling.

So as the truth of Jesus' authority continues to penetrate deeper and deeper into our lives as we pursue Him, as we surrender our pride in these areas, the results for us are a greater understanding of our unworthiness before Him, leading to a greater humility as we live for Him.

And then see this next.

When I live under the authority of Jesus in every aspect of my life, it empowers faith.

Really, verses nine and ten of this story are the climax.

Check it out, verse nine.

For I too, the centurion says, am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.

And I say to one, go and he goes, and to another, come and he comes, and to my servant, do this and he does it.

You see, right at the beginning of this verse, that seemingly insignificant three-word phrase that the centurion says, For I too, is the indication that he gets it.

He, knowing the position of authority that he is in, that the powers that be in Rome have gifted to him, even from his limited Christological perspective, as he would not have known fully that Jesus was and is God, he recognizes and perceives that Jesus was certainly sent by God and bestowed with his power.

You see, when the centurion spoke, Rome spoke.

But when Jesus spoke, God spoke.

Recognized the inherent power and authority that was so much greater than any that he could have that was in that.

The power that Jesus had to heal the servant by simply his words came from the fact that the power of God was within him.

And to prove his point even more, the centurion goes on to say that even if he, as one subject to authority, makes commands that are followed, then Jesus, who is subject to no one, his commands must be done.

These words again reveal the man's humility and faith in saying, if even I have the authority to have my words obeyed, then you, Jesus, whose authority is so much greater than I, what you say must be done.

See, the centurion seems to get what even those in Israel didn't understand.

This was the Messiah.

This was the one that God sent to establish his kingdom.

And in hearing what the centurion says and hearing his clear declaration of understanding and belief in who Jesus is, Jesus responds by saying just that, verse 10.

When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, Truly I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith.

So, you know, as I considered this idea of vested authority, it brought to mind the fact that, you know, we as parents have authority vested to us by God Himself and prescribed in His Word in the lives of our kids.

But of course, what do kids do growing up with that authority?

They push the boundaries, don't they?

They see how far that they can go until the authority finally kicks in.

That was certainly the case in my home, as my siblings and I like to push the boundaries, I would say, until we heard that tone in our mom's voice.

You know the one I'm talking about?

It's the one that strikes fear right into your very heart.

It's the one that carries the phrase, hey, I brought you into this world and I can take you out of it just as easy, right?

It's the tone that made you put the controller down, run upstairs and do the dishes without saying a word because you've been asked like four or five times to do it.

Yes, that example is specific, and yes, there's a reason why.

It's the tone in the voice of your parent that makes you recognize that they're the ones in charge.

You see, Jesus holds that ultimate authority in our lives.

What he plans and purposes to do will happen.

And he marveled at the faith of this man, this Gentile, who did not grow up with Jewish traditions, who did not grow up in synagogue, spending time hearing the stories of the faithfulness of God, and yet he understood better than all of those in Israel.

And you see, his faith didn't come in just understanding and believing that Jesus had the power to heal with just his words.

His faith came in the full measure of understanding the authority of Jesus over all things in this world.

Of course, we have the blessing that the centurion didn't have in having the entirety of Jesus' life and ministry before us, so we can see past this passage to Matthew 28, verse 18, where Jesus says it explicitly.

Matthew 28:18

Jesus is God the Son, part of the triune God who holds all the power and the authority of that as he donned human flesh.

He has the authority over disease and sickness as seen explicitly in this passage here, which is a fact and a point that's especially poignant for us as we consider where we are right now.

Jesus has authority over demons and he cast them out.

He has authority over the wind and the waves and calmed them with his very words.

He has the authority to raise the dead, to forgive sins, to release from bondage and slavery, to break down hard hearts and to save sinners.

And even this Gentile centurion got that, recognized the implications of it, and that empowered him to believe.

But only for three days.

Because not even that power, which all of us in our lives will succumb to, could hold him down.

See, as we pursue him and as we see the will of God play out in our lives and in the lives of others, the natural response is for our faith to deepen and grow.

As Jesus is the one in whom all things hold together, and we see his authority exercised before our very eyes on a daily basis.

In the fact that the universe, which he was the agent in creating, hasn't come completely unraveled.

His authority is seen clearly in the fact that we have life and breath and all the necessities of life on a daily basis, in that the sun rises and sets, and the planet on which we live is hung so perfectly in the solar system that we don't freeze solid or burn up by being too far away or too close to the sun.

If that wasn't enough, his authority is found perfectly in the mercy and grace and forgiveness that we experience daily in the victory that he won for us, hanging on the cross, dying in our place, and raising to new life three days later.

Oh, that we would have eyes to see the authority of Jesus on display in the creation that we live in, in the lives of those around us and in the our lives as well.

And would that well up in us a deeper faith to trust Him more?

Make it so, Lord, we pray.

Do you know the authority of Jesus?

Do you understand the implications of his power and authority in your life?

Do you recognize that he is the one who has the authority to move us to go when he says so?

Or to come to him when he invites us in, or to do what he asks us to do, as we recognize that he is the one in whom faith is found and in whom faith is grown.

You see, if the centurion, with even his limited understanding and perspective of all of this, recognized and believed, then truly we have no excuse.

Do you understand the authority of Jesus?

Is that moving you to deeper faith in him?

Up until now, for them, Gentiles were pagans, completely unable to enter into the family of God.

But what Jesus claimed next was even more controversial for them and was absolutely remarkable for any Gentiles listening in.

You see, when I live under the authority of Jesus in every aspect of my life, see this finally.

It brings hope.

Submitting to Jesus' authority isn't some curse for us in our lives.

It's not some burden as we so often view submitting authority to be.

Verse 11.

I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says.

The reference he makes to those coming from east and west are the Gentiles, non-Jews, who Jesus is saying will have a seat available to them at the banquet of the Messiah, the marriage supper of the Lamb, as detailed in Revelation 19, in the kingdom of heaven.

And Jesus pulls no punches here, right down to the reference that he makes to the patriarchs of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the forefathers of the nation, including Gentiles into the family of God, was completely wrong and absolutely preposterous to the Jews of that day.

See, the centurion's faith and Jesus' commendation of it was indication that now salvation was available through Jesus Christ to any who call on his name.

To any who recognize that Christ alone has ultimate authority and the means by which salvation and forgiveness can be received.

It's a promise filled with unbelievable hope where at one time there was none.

For the Jews, most believed that Gentiles were unable to be saved.

They were not savable.

But as we have often declared and discussed, no one is too far from the reach of God.

Salvation through Jesus Christ is available to all, regardless of where you're coming from.

Now, if that wasn't enough, we come to verse 12 where Jesus goes right after them.

Check it out.

While the sons of the kingdom, he says, will be thrown into the outer darkness.

In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That phrase, sons of the kingdom, was a phrase referring to the Jews who expected a seat in the kingdom by right, not by Messiah.

Those who thought that because they were born Jews, eternal life was automatic to them.

But for them, Jesus says, there's nothing but outer darkness.

Cast far away from the light and the hope and the joy of the banquet hall of God to a place of darkness and despair, to a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

This place that Jesus speaks of is hell.

The place that all those who do not call on his name will spend eternity.

William Hendrickson describes that place in this way.

The tears of which Jesus speaks here are those of inconsolable, never-ending wretchedness, and utter, everlasting hopelessness.

The accompanying grinding and gnashing of teeth denotes excruciating pain and frenzied anger.

This grinding of teeth, too, will never come to an end or cease.

You see, hell is not some made-up place to just scare people into being good.

Hell is real.

And the people who do not turn to Jesus will go there.

See, inherent in our understanding of salvation is recognizing what Jesus Christ has saved us to, which of course is forgiveness and eternal salvation, but it's also what he saved us from, and we don't talk about that latter enough.

Hell is a place that you don't want to be.

And in Jesus Christ, we have the promised hope that we will not experience that place of unimaginable, utterly devastating, completely crippling evil.

See, Jesus himself has the authority to unlock the gates of heaven or the gates of hell, and how you respond to him and his authority dictates which path you take.

And let's make no mistake, hell is what we all deserved.

Because of our sins which separate us from him, we were guilty.

The sentence for all of us was death.

And every day that we spent here living in our sinfulness, unrepentant, without forgiveness or salvation, was another day that the gavel came closer to hitting the bench and securing our eternal destiny.

But to those who turn to Jesus, he bursts through the doors of the courtroom, rushes up to us and takes the orange jumpsuit for himself.

He unlocks the shackles on our hands and feet and takes them on himself.

And he takes the sentence and the punishment that we deserved as we walk free of the room into this world as sons and daughters of his adopted into his family with the promise of hope.

The promise of abundant life now and eternal life to come.

There are some of you here I recognize that are still there.

You still have the orange jumpsuit on, your handcuffs are still securely around your wrists.

You're there awaiting your sentence.

You're enjoying what you believe to be a life of freedom and fullness, doing things your way when really you're only one day away from paying the price that you can never fully pay.

Spending eternity in hell.

Maybe you've convinced yourself, like so many, that there is no hell, that God doesn't judge, and at the end everyone's just gonna be okay.

Well, that's not what the book says.

That's not what Jesus says.

In Jesus Christ, there is hope for eternity.

But not just for eternity.

There's hope for now.

Hope for joy, for peace, fulfillment, and freedom.

And how you respond to Jesus today can change where you spend eternity.

I would ask of you this morning, I would implore you this morning to think carefully and to weigh the cost.

Is a life lived for self and temporary enjoyment worth sacrificing an eternity of everlasting joy?

The stakes are high.

And who you bow the knee to here on earth matters.

But for those who come to Jesus, it doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter what you've done, doesn't matter your nationality, your background, all are welcome at the table of God in his kingdom through the gospel of hope made available to us through Jesus Christ, through submitting to his authority in all matters of life, confessing your sin which separates you from him and deserves a punishment of eternal death through welcoming him as Lord of your life and the ultimate authority in all things.

It's almost added in as an afterthought.

After all, Jesus has declared in verses 10, 11, and 12, but it's absolutely incredible nonetheless.

After declaring all that he has just said, Jesus turns to the centurion, verse 13, and says, Go.

Let it be done for you as you have believed.

And the servant was healed at that very moment.

This one verse is a beautiful picture that comes to us of the authority of Jesus Christ.

The promise that comes with submitting to him is healing, blessing, and joy of his strength.

And really, one can only imagine the joy and celebration that resulted in the household of the centurion at the healing of his beloved servant.

You see, it's human nature to chaf against the idea of submitting to someone other than ourselves.

Sure, some might be better at it than others, but at the end of the day, whether they believe in him or not, all are under the authority of Jesus Christ.

All people are under the authority of the one to whom they must give account.

All are under the authority of the one who one day will come bursting through the clouds, riding on a white horse.

An awesomely amazing and terrifyingly unbelievable picture of the strength and power and authority of Jesus Christ comes to us in John's account of that day in Revelation 19.

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.

The one sitting on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.

His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.

He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is the Word of God.

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.

He will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To those who know and love him, these are verses of great hope.

To those who don't, words that should strike fear at the evident might and power and authority of the Son.

The offer of life and hope in Jesus Christ is extended to all, but it does have an expiry date.

Whether your time comes where you are called to depart from this life and stand before the judgment seat of God, or whether that picture happens right before your very eyes, how you respond to Jesus' authority matters.

For the follower of Christ, then the commands are clear.

Submit humbly.

Follow passionately.

Grow.

In faith as you watch him work, as you grow in your understanding of his authority, and cling to the hope of eternity that comes from him.

So do you see that Jesus is the ultimate authority in every aspect of your life?

Will you submit to him?

Will you find the joy and blessing that comes from submitting in everything to Jesus' authority?

Let me pray for us.

God, our Father, the words that we have heard from you this morning are ones that are challenging to us.

God, we confess our stubbornness and our desire for control that often leads us further away from you to rely on our own pride.

But God, I pray that you would help us to understand that we are in desperate need of you every single day, that we have no claim at all to self-sufficiency in anything.

And in doing so, Father, would you help us to recognize that you are the ultimate authority in all things?

That your Son Jesus Christ, as he came to this earth and taught through both word and action, and gave for us the example of righteousness here on earth.

May his example, may his words be the ultimate authority in all things for our lives.

And Father, would we recognizing that, pursue him passionately, submitting humbly to his leadership and authority, and recognizing our need for strength from you in all of it.

So we ask, Father, we plead with you to grant us grace and mercy as we go through this.

Grant us the strength that comes from you, empowered in our lives through your spirit, to be able to understand the implications of this in our daily lives and commit to it.

Father, may this pursuit, the humble submission, the passionate, empowered faith, and lives filled with hope, be the conduits of grace and forgiveness and salvation to the lives of those in the world of darkness around us.

God, we thank you for this time.

We thank you for your might and your power.

We pray all of this for the glory and fame of your name, and through the name of your Son Jesus Christ.

Amen.