You please turn to the book of Romans.
Romans chapter 13, just the first verse.
Let every soul be subject to the authorities
that are above him, for there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist
are set up by God.
2 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 8.
For, and if I should boast even somewhat
more abundantly of our authority, which the Lord
has given to us, for building up, and
not for your overthrowing.
1 Samuel chapter 15, verses
22 and 23.
And Samuel said, has Jehovah delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, as in hearkening to the
voice of Jehovah?
Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, attention than
the fat of realms.
For rebelling is as the sin of divination,
and self-will is as iniquity and idolatry.
And then finally, Philippians chapter 2.
We read from verse 5 through verse 11.
For let his mind be in you, which
was also in Christ Jesus, who, subsisting in
the form of God, did not esteem it
an object of repine, to be on an
equality with God, but emptied himself, taking abominable
form, taking his place in the likeness of
man, and having been found in figure as
a man, humble himself, becoming obedient even unto
death, and that the death of the cross.
Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and granted
him a name that which is above every
name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of heavenly and earthly and
infernal beings, and every tongue confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to God the Father's glory.
As we mentioned last night, the burden that
we have for this time is on this
matter of spiritual authority.
First of all, I would like to say
again, do not be afraid of authority.
Do not have a kind of unconscious resistance
in your mind and in your heart when
this word authority is mentioned.
I think much is because of our misunderstanding,
or not understanding what authority really is, because
if by the grace of God we see
what authority really is, it is the most
blessed thing, and I do believe that we
will welcome it instead of being afraid of
it.
At the very outset, we would like to
lay down a fundamental truth concerning authority, and
that is, there is no authority except from
God.
Even though the Apostle Paul, when he was
writing that letter to the Romans, the authorities
that he mentioned in Romans 13 are delegated
authority.
In other words, they are earthly authorities that
God has set up.
Nevertheless, it does tell us a very fundamental
truth, and that is, there is no authority
except from God.
To put it in another way, it simply
tells us that God is the only authority
in the universe.
There is no authority whatsoever except God himself
and what God has given.
Now I do believe that in a way
we all know this, but unfortunately I am
afraid that this concept does not really sink
into our heart, and I think it is
because of this.
There is so much misunderstanding about authority.
We mistake something that is commonly accepted as
authority without really knowing what authority really is.
So I do hope that this fundamental truth
will really enter into our hearts.
There is no authority but God.
God is the one and only authority.
Any professed authority that is not from God,
that is not God himself, is not real
authority, because God is the only authority in
the whole universe.
Why is it that he is the authority
of the universe?
Because he is God.
He is the creator of all things.
All things came from him, and for this
reason he has the right over all things.
You know this word authority in Greek is
exosia.
Now it comes from an impersonal verb, existi,
which means it is lawful.
It is lawful.
From the meaning of the liberty of doing
things according to one's pleasure, it has become
this word authority.
That is the authority to exercise power.
The freedom of action, free to act as
he wishes.
Now that is what authority really means.
With God, his authority is absolute and is
unlimited.
And because of this we have to give
to God absolute obedience and absolute submission.
God is the only authority in the universe.
His authority is direct, not delegated.
He is authority because of what he is.
His authority is inherent in him.
He is the authority.
Now it is true, he does delegate authority
to others.
Sometimes to angelic beings, other times to human
beings.
But even though he delegates authority to others,
he has never given up his authority.
And furthermore, what he has given is limited,
is not absolute.
In other words, he still retains in himself
the authority of the universe.
Now his authority must be obeyed.
It cannot be challenged.
And if his authority is challenged, there will
be the consequence.
This is the authority of God.
Now brothers and sisters, knowing that God is
the authority and nothing else, nobody else.
Now we like to know what is the
nature of God's authority.
I think much misunderstanding of authority is because
we do not know the nature of authority.
And that's the reason why we cannot distinguish
between true authority and false authority.
So I think it is very, very important
for us to know what is the nature
of God's authority.
We say that God is the only authority.
So we need to know what is the
nature of his authority.
First of all, we know that authority is
the extension of God himself.
In other words, authority is something that comes
out of him.
It is natural with him.
It is the result of who he is,
what he is.
It is the expression or the manifestation of
his very character.
It is part of him.
And because of this, what is the nature
of authority?
Of God's authority?
Now we know that God is spirit.
In John chapter 4, you remember, when the
Samaritan woman had a talk with our Lord
Jesus, and our Lord gradually led her to
this matter of worship.
And explaining worship to this Samaritan woman, the
Lord said, God is spirit.
Therefore all who worship God must worship him
in spirit and in truth.
So essentially God is spirit.
Now if God is spirit, then the authority
that comes out of him must be spiritual
in nature.
So authority is spiritual in nature.
It is not something that you put on.
It is something that comes out of what
he is.
It is spiritual.
It is not positional.
It is true that God does have a
position.
We say in this song, we place you
Lord on the highest place.
In other words, he has the highest position.
That is true.
But his position is because of what he
is.
Not because of what it is made.
So in other words, his position is the
result of his spirituality.
Because he is spirit, therefore his authority is
spiritual in nature.
It is not something to be grasped at.
It is inherent in his very self.
So you remember in the Philippines it is
said of our Lord Jesus, he the son
of God, he is equal with God.
That is his position.
He is equal with God.
But that is not something to be grasped
at.
Because it is his.
You remember one day when our Lord Jesus
was on his way to Jerusalem.
It was his last trip to Jerusalem before
his crucifixion.
And as he was approaching Jerusalem, you know
in the mind of the disciples, they thought
that this was the time of the glorification
of their master.
They thought this was the time that the
Lord Jesus would go to Jerusalem to claim
his kingdom.
Now it is true.
This is the time for his glorification.
But his glorification is not assuming the throne
on earth.
On the contrary, if you read the scripture,
you will find that the glorification that he
was talking about actually was his crucifixion.
But the disciples did not understand that.
They thought the Lord was going to Jerusalem
to receive his kingdom.
So that was a very critical time for
them.
You know during the three and a half
years following the Lord Jesus, they were arguing
among themselves all the time about who is
the greater one, who is the greatest.
Again and again the Lord tried to correct
them, instruct them, but somehow it didn't sink
into their heart.
So even at the last minute, you find
that they were still thinking of the same
thing.
And this was the last opportunity.
So you remember that story how John and
James, they get hold of their mother, who
was humanly an aunt to our Lord Jesus.
And they asked their mother to come to
plead for them.
So they came to the Lord Jesus and
said, Lord, give us what we ask for.
And the Lord said, what do you want?
So you remember, the mother said, in your
kingdom, let my two sons, one sit on
your right side and one sit on your
left side.
Position.
Therefore that authority is a matter of position.
If you can get that position on the
right and on the left, then you have
all authority of the right and of the
left.
And you know how our Lord Jesus answered
them?
The Lord said, are you able to drink
the cup that I'm going to drink?
Are you able to be baptized with the
baptism that I'm going to be baptized with?
Now actually, John and James did not understand
what the Lord was talking about.
Because in their mind, their mind was full
with this matter of right and left hand.
So whatever the Lord said, not even considering
it, not even knowing what the Lord really
meant.
They wanted that position so much.
They said, yes, we will be baptized with
the baptism that you are baptized with, even
though we don't know what that baptism means.
We will drink the cup that you're going
to drink, even though we do not know
what that cup is.
But anyway, we want that position.
And the Lord said, it is not for
me to give.
It is for the Father to decide who
to give.
In other words, here the Lord said, you
must drink the cup that I'm going to
drink.
Now of course, you quickly connect this cup
with the scene of Gethsemane.
Because you remember our Lord on the night
of his betrayal, how he entered into that
garden, and he was deeply depressed.
And he asked his disciples to wait there,
and the three to pray with him.
And he went for a stone's throw, and
there he agonized in prayer.
Father, if it is possible, let this cup
be passed from me.
But not my will, thy will be done.
That is the cup he was talking about.
What is the cup?
The cup is a portion.
Even though the cup that our Lord was
talking about was a bitter cup.
But the cup represents the will of God.
Whatever the will of God may be, whether
it is bitter or sweet, thy will be
done.
When I was in Toronto recently, I mentioned
this to our brothers and sisters there.
You know, when our Lord Jesus, who was
equal with God, he emptied himself.
He took the form of a bond slave,
even the fashion of a man.
In doing that, he laid down all the
glory, power, honor that was rightfully his.
He laid everything down as God.
Not laying down his deity, though.
He couldn't do that.
He is still God.
But he laid down everything that belonged to
God.
Power, glory, honor, majesty, worship.
He laid down all these things.
He emptied himself of all these things in
order to become a man.
In order to become a bond slave before
God.
The Lord gave up a great deal.
But, brothers and sisters, even though he did
give up all the glory and honor and
power in connection with his deity when he
came to be a man, these did not
touch his character.
He is still holy.
He is still perfect.
He is still pure.
These do not touch his very being, his
character.
But in the garden of Gethsemane, brothers and
sisters, why is it that our Lord agonized
so much over this matter of the cup?
Because in drinking that cup, it touched his
very being.
It touched his very character.
Because he who knows no sin is to
be made sin for us.
Now, brothers and sisters, that is the reason
why he shrank back as a perfect man.
But even so, the love that he had
for us, he was willing to be defiled,
contaminated, completely misunderstood, rejected by God and man,
in order, think of the love, that is
the cup he was talking about.
And he was willing to drink that cup
to the fullest.
Brothers and sisters, the Lord said, are you
able to drink the cup that I am
going to drink?
In other words, are you willing to accept
the Father's will, whatever it may be?
You know what we are.
If it is a sweet cup, we enjoy
it.
If it is a bitter cup, we want
it to be passed from us.
But the Lord said, if you really want
authority, it is not a matter of position,
it is a matter of spirituality.
What is spirituality?
Simply it means, here is a person who
is willing to accept the will of God,
whatever it may be.
Are you able to be baptized with the
baptism that I am baptized with?
Now, of course, the baptism that he refers
to is the cross.
Because at the beginning of his ministry, how
he was baptized?
By John the Baptist, in order to fulfill
all righteousness.
And that baptism is really a type of
the cross, that he was going to be
crucified.
Now, what is baptism?
Baptism simply means death.
You do not baptize a person who is
living, because you will bury him alive.
So, unless we see that we have died
in Christ Jesus, we have died to our
old man.
And therefore, we go into the water to
be baptized, to be buried out of sight.
And as we come out of the water,
it is a new creation, a new person.
That is what baptism means.
And that is what the cross means.
The cross is the place where Christ, the
cross is a place where you and I
were crucified.
The cross is a place where self is
denied, is laid down.
That is the baptism.
So the Lord said, are you able to
be baptized with the baptism that I am
to be baptized with?
In other words, are you able to deny
yourself?
Are you able to take up my cross,
your cross, and follow me?
To the very end that you be crucified,
self be completely.
Are you willing?
Are you able to do that?
It is not a matter of position.
It is a matter of denying yourself, laying
down your life.
It is a spiritual.
Maybe we are willing, but are we able
to?
So dear brothers and sisters, first of all,
we will see that authority is spiritual in
nature.
If you really desire authority, then remember, it
is not something for the asking.
And if you ask for authority, do you
know what you are asking for?
You are asking for the cup.
You are asking for the baptism.
And only those who by the grace of
God, not only are willing, but are able
to drink the cup and baptize with the
baptism, then the Father will decide where you
will be.
So this whole matter of authority, I am
afraid, is completely misunderstood.
And if we first of all can really
understand the nature of authority, then I do
believe that it will save us a lot
of trouble.
You may not dare even to ask for
authority.
But it is something to ask for, not
for yourself.
Because later on you will find that authority
is a most glorious thing.
But anyway, the first nature of authority is
spiritual, not positional.
Second, authority is of life.
In Psalm 36 verse 9 it is said,
with thee is the fountain of life.
In thy light do we see light.
God is authority.
Why?
Because he is the fountain of life.
He is life itself.
And life always carries authority.
The apostle John says, that which was from
the beginning, that which we have heard, we
have seen, we have contemplated, and we have
touched, concerning the word of life, and that
life has been manifested.
We have seen and heard, and now we
report it to you.
That you may have fellowship with us, and
our fellowship is with the Father and with
the Son, that your joy may be full.
In John chapter 1 verse 4 it says,
in him was life, and the light was
the light of man.
In other words, you will find that our
God is the God of life.
He is full of life, and he is
not only full of life, but he gives
life.
Everything comes out of his life, and that
is the reason why he is the authority
over all.
Authority is not something you assume.
Authority is the result.
I do not have a good illustration.
I struggle over it, but I will use
it as an imperfect illustration.
You know, in our family, why is it
that the children must obey their parents?
One reason is because they live longer than
we do.
They have more life.
Or, we may even put it in another
way, they give us life.
Of course, God gave us life, but our
parents do give us life, and they nourish
us, and they bring us up.
So, in other words, the parents, they have
that position as parents, not because they assume
that position.
It is because they have more life, and
that is the reason why they have more
authority over the children.
Or, when you think of the Church of
God.
Now, in the Church of God, you will
find the Bible tells us of the elders.
Now, whether those elders are really older physically,
or in age, or they are older spiritually,
I think the latter probably is more right.
But, of course, you know, spiritual growth, spiritual
life, the growth of spiritual life takes time
too.
So, in other words, you will find in
the Church you have the elders.
And the elders represent in the Church the
government of God.
Now, why is it so?
It is not because some people assume their
position.
It is because, among the brothers and sisters,
they seem to have more life of Christ
in them.
They seem to have more manifestation of spiritual
life.
And because their life is at least a
step ahead of us, therefore, they represent more
of the authority of God.
So, in other words, it is not something
that anybody can assume.
It is because of the life of Christ
within them.
As a matter of fact, the more spiritual
life you have, the more authority there is.
For instance, we are all familiar with Barnabas
and Paul.
And you will find in Acts chapter 13,
how when the five prophets and teachers were
ministering unto the Lord, and the Holy Spirit
said, set me apart, Barnabas and Paul, for
the work that I am going to send
them to.
And these two men were set apart as
apostles, and they go forth.
And, of course, there was little John with
them as an attendant.
So they travel from Antioch and they go
to Cyprus.
And as you read the Bible, you find
that when they went forward, it was always
Barnabas and Paul.
In other words, even with the two apostles
and with a little John, you find that
there was an order there, a divine order
there.
And that divine order is not something that
was arranged or assumed.
Barnabas did not assume that because I knew
the Lord before you saw Him.
Therefore, I will take the lead and you
just follow me.
And I was the one who introduced you
to the saints in Jerusalem.
Everybody was afraid of you, but I believed
you and I introduced you to Peter.
So, therefore, I had to be the leader.
Or it is because I found you out
in Tarsus and brought you to Antioch, and
you were under my apprenticeship for a whole
year.
Therefore, I had to take the lead and
you just followed.
No, there was nothing arranged.
There was nothing assumed.
The Holy Spirit says, set me apart, Barnabas
and Paul.
That's all.
But somehow you find there was an order
there.
Not assumed, but of life.
But strangely you find when they travel in
Cyprus, on the way, suddenly you find the
order began to change.
The Holy Spirit in the Word of God
tells us it is Paul and his company.
Saul changes his name to Paul.
And Paul and his company.
Now, Paul means little.
The little and the company.
Now, little John wasn't happy about it, because
you know John was a relative of Barnabas.
And when he discovered that the order had
changed, he couldn't accept it.
And he left.
But thank God Barnabas knew the Lord.
Without any protest, willingly he took the second
position.
Now, so you find here, it is not
a matter of trying to get to a
position.
It is a matter of the manifestation of
life.
Somehow Paul's life, or the Christ's life in
Paul, seemed to be more manifested than Christ's
life in Barnabas.
And because of that, you find Paul took
the second position.
It is a matter of life.
Now, if we can see this, then brothers
and sisters, there should be no argument.
You cannot argue about life.
If life is there, it is there.
If it is not there, no matter how
you argue, it is not there.
If there is a more measure of Christ
in that brother, it is there.
And if you do not have that measure
of Christ, it is evident.
Everybody knows it.
It is something that you cannot argue.
You cannot assume.
Because it is purely a matter of life.
When people begin to argue over this matter
of authority, you know for sure, he is
outside.
Furthermore, King's authority is of life.
When a person is in life with the
Lord, there is authority.
But the moment he is not living in
the life of Christ, that authority is gone.
This is very important.
I will explain that later on.
So authority is of life.
Not something anybody can assume.
Thirdly, authority is in giving, not in gaining.
You know our whole concept of authority is
gain.
If I have authority, then I gain a
lot.
I can force people to do what I
want them to do.
I gain a lot for myself.
Authority is in giving, not in gaining.
Think of God.
Our God is the great giver.
He is so rich, He is so full.
The fullness of the Godhead is something beyond
our comprehension.
We cannot understand.
And yet you find all the time God
is giving.
Giving.
God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son.
Christ loved the church and gave Himself.
You know there is authority in giving.
The one who gives has authority over the
one who receives.
That is very natural.
The more you give, the more authority you
have.
The Lord Jesus said, I gave myself a
ransom.
Because He gave Himself as a ransom for
many, therefore the many come under His authority.
Fourthly, in connection with this, authority is in
serving.
You know that famous verse in Mark 10,
verse 45.
The Lord Jesus said, I do not come
to be served, but to serve.
And to give my life a ransom.
You know, the disciples they were arguing among
themselves who is the greater one.
So our Lord began to teach them a
lesson.
The Lord said, in this world those who
rule lord over other people.
Those who are great, they exercise authority.
But not so among you.
The Lord said, among you the great is
to be your servant.
The first is to be your bond slave.
For I do not come to be ministered
to, but to minister.
And to give my life a ransom.
Now brothers and sisters, when you think of
this matter of great, it is a matter
of first.
We all want to be great.
We all want to be first.
Now in the world, the great and the
first are those who sit high up and
they rule over other people.
Now that's the way in the world.
That's the world concept of authority.
The world concept of authority is a position.
When you get to that position, then you
can lord over everybody else.
Then you are great.
You are first.
But the Lord said, not so in your
midst.
I'm afraid, brothers and sisters, we haven't heard
the Lord.
When the Lord said, not so in your
midst, in our mind we say, it is
still so.
Now it's very revolutionary, brothers and sisters, if
you understand what the Lord is talking about.
The Lord said the whole concept of world
authority has to be thrown out of the
window.
Do not ever let any of that concept
contaminate you.
Not so, not so in your midst.
This is the world.
Now in your midst, what is authority?
What is great?
What is first?
The Lord said, the great among you is
to be servant.
Now brothers and sisters, to be great and
to be servant of the Lord.
That sounds good.
But the Lord said, to be great among
you is to be the servant of all
of you.
Now that's difficult.
Do you want to be great?
You have to be servants to all your
brothers and sisters.
Now who are your masters?
Of course the Lord is my master.
But aside from the Lord, who are your
masters?
Your brothers and sisters.
Now we think of the great is, you
become master of your brothers and sisters.
They are your servants, you give orders, you
tell them what they do, they should do.
But no, the Lord said, that is the
world concept of authority.
My concept of authority is, if you want
to be great, serve your brothers and sisters.
Serve them as if they were your masters.
Now are you willing?
More than that, the Lord said, if you
want to be first, not only great, but
first, you become a bond slave of all.
Not only a servant, now a servant still
can have his or her say.
And if you are not willing, you can
quit.
But a bond slave has no right whatsoever.
If you want to be the first among
your brothers and sisters, then you have to
be a bond slave, not only to Christ,
but to your brothers and sisters.
Now are you willing to be slaves of
your brothers and sisters?
But that's what it is.
That's where authority lies.
It is in serving.
The Lord said, I do not come to
be served, but to serve.
Now who serves most?
Our Lord Jesus.
He serves us to the extent, not only
washing our feet, but he serves us to
the extent of giving up his life a
ransom.
That is how he serves.
And that is why he is great.
Why he is the first.
That is why he has authority over us.
The one who serves has authority over those
whom he serves.
That is the nature of authority.
And then, fifthly, authority is in love.
I mentioned last night that we often think
that love and authority are incompatible.
If there is love, there should be no
authority exercised.
In other words, if you really love, then
you let them do anything they like to.
Whether it's right or wrong, whether it pleases
you or not, because you love, love, love,
love, therefore, love.
Do nothing.
No discipline, no authority, nothing.
No order.
That's love.
And then on the other hand we think
of authority.
What is authority?
Now authority is force.
Forcing people to do what they do not
want to do.
Demanding.
That's authority.
Now of course, if that's the concept of
love and authority, they are incompatible.
But dear brothers and sisters, God is love.
And God is authority.
Love is nature.
Authority is his manifestation, his right.
These two things do not contradict.
These two things go together.
I will even dare to say that love
is authority.
Authority is love.
Sacrificial love.
Giving to serve the good of the others.
Now if this is authority, isn't it love?
If you really love, there must be discipline.
You cannot discipline if there is no authority.
So you find that this matter of love
and authority are really joined together.
Authority has to be exercised in love.
And love must chastise.
You remember Hebrews chapter 12?
Our Heavenly Father chastises us because he loves
us as his sons.
If he does not chastise us, then we
are bastards.
We are not sons.
Therefore, authority of love cannot be divorced.
They are together.
That is the very nature of authority.
Now brothers and sisters, do we now understand
what authority really is?
In understanding authority, we understand God?
Well, we have to move on.
I would like to stay there because I
feel it is something that has to get
across.
Now what is the purpose of authority?
Why authority?
We say that God is the creator of
the universe.
He created the world by the word of
his power.
His word not only has power, but has
authority.
You know there is a difference between authority
and power.
Authority is the right to exercise power.
And power is the ability to do things.
The word of God has not only power,
but the word of God has authority.
He says it and it is done.
He speaks a word and the thing was
done.
Because his word is full of authority and
full of power.
And not only he framed the world by
the word of his power, but you find
even this whole world subsists today by his
word.
After he created the universe, he used his
authority to bring this world into order.
So everything today as God created was put
in order under his government, under his authority.
Then there was no chaos, no disorder.
Everything will go as he desires.
Now unfortunately, his authority was challenged.
When his authority was unchallenged, the universe that
he created was in perfect order.
Not only the physical, but even the spiritual
were in perfect order.
Not only all the stars will revolve in
their orbits as God has ordained, but even
the angelic beings they will minister unto God
as they were assigned.
Everything was in perfect order.
Because his authority sustained that order.
But unfortunately one day that order, that authority
was challenged.
Lucifer, the archangel, probably the first created angel.
God put him in the highest position, aside
from God himself, an anointed cherub.
If we may use this metaphor, he is
the cherub that stands behind the throne of
God, nearest to God, full of wisdom, given
wisdom and skill, and given dominion, rule, power.
But unfortunately, he got proud.
He wanted to be equal with God.
Now who is equal with God?
The beloved son.
And that is not something to be grasped
at, because he is God.
But for Lucifer, trying to be equal with
God, he was trying to grasp something that
did not belong to him.
And because of this rebelling you will find
there was, the world was thrown into disorder.
You will find everything was in ruin, in
emptiness, purposeless.
It was covered, and God repaired the earth,
bring it back to order, and give dominion
to man, to rule over all the things
created.
But unfortunately, man again sinned, and threw this
world again into curse.
We are still living in this cursed world.
Now it is because of what had happened
in pre-historical time, and what has happened
in historical time.
That is the reason of why our concept
of authority becomes negative.
In other words, whenever we think of authority,
we think of overthrowing, overturning, punishment, judgment.
That is authority.
But brothers and sisters, in the beginning it
was not so.
What is the purpose of authority?
The apostle Paul again and again said, the
authority that God has given to me is
for building up, not for overthrowing.
Do you hear this?
Of the basic purpose, or the fundamental meaning
of authority, is to build up.
It is very positive, very beautiful, very glorious,
not for overthrowing.
So in other words, authority has twofold meaning.
One is positive, which is primary, original, for
building up.
And one is negative, secondary, it is overthrowing.
There can be no building up without authority.
What builds up the church?
Two things, life and authority.
And these two things are one.
If there is no authority, there can be
no building up.
Why?
Because everybody wants to have his or her
own will, own way.
Now how can you build brothers and sisters
together if that is the case?
It is like the children of Israel at
the time of the judges.
You find that in the time of the
judges, the Holy Spirit gave a comment at
the very end of chapter 21 verse 25,
commented on the whole hundreds of years of
history of the children of Israel in Canaan.
And said, there was no king in Israel,
and everyone does what looks good in his
eye.
There was no building up.
Why?
Because there was no king, no authority.
In order to build up, you need authority
to build up, to join people together.
Our Lord Jesus said, I will build my
church upon this rock, and the gates of
Hades shall not prevail against it.
Now when did he say that?
He said that after Peter confessed, you are
the Christ, the son of the living God.
As the son of the living God, he
has authority.
As the Christ, the sent one of God,
who came to accomplish that work of redemption.
And because of his obedience to the Father,
he was given authority.
He not only had authority as God, but
he was given authority as the son of
man, as Christ.
God had made him Christ and Lord.
And brothers and sisters, it is because he
has authority, therefore, he said, I will build
my church.
We think of the great commission in Matthew
28.
Go ye and disciples of the nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father, the
Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them
all the things I have enjoined you, and
I will be with you until the end
of the ages.
The great commission.
Now how can the church accomplish this great
commission?
Not only evangelizing the world, but discipling the
nations.
Now how can you disciple without discipline?
How can you discipline without authority?
Now where is the authority?
In the verse before that, the Lord said,
all authority has been given to me in
heaven and on earth.
Now the word there is not power.
That word there in the original is authority.
All authority has been given to me, the
Lord said, in heaven and on earth.
Therefore, God, it is on that authority that
we are able to disciple the nations, teach
them all the things that God has enjoined
us, prepare the kingdom for the king.
It is.
So dear brothers and sisters, authority is something
to be welcomed, because without authority there can
be no building up.
If the Lord has not authority over your
life, do you think your spiritual life will
build up?
Where two or three are gathered together unto
my name, there am I in the midst
of them.
What does it mean?
Two or three are gathered together unto my
name.
The name that is above every name.
To that name every knee shall bow.
Everything confess that Jesus is Lord.
It is that authority.
When we put ourselves under his name, that
is under his authority, then his presence is
there.
And it is his presence that builds the
church.
Nothing more glorious than when you really see
what authority is and what it does.
How foolish we are to despise authority, thinking
that it is useless.
Brothers and sisters, whether it is individual or
whether it is a culprit, there can be
no building up without authority.
It is authority that builds.
Let's welcome it.
But then of course, there is the other
side.
When authority is rejected, despised, unaccepted, then you
find it is for overthrowing.
Now even with overthrowing, it is for the
purpose of a building.
Not just overthrow.
Our God is very positive, never negative.
Even in overthrowing, it is for the purpose
of building up.
Now he cannot build.
Why?
Because there is opposition.
There is resistance.
And this resistance has to be overturned.
Has to be taken away, taken aside.
And in doing that, you find overthrowing.
So there will be judgment.
There will be.
But remember again, this is a by-product,
secondary, not primary.
If you really see authority, there is nothing
to be afraid of.
But it is something to look for, because
it builds you up.
But if there is rebellion in your heart,
then authority is a terrible thing.
Because God does not allow his authority to
be challenged.
Well, what is our response to authority?
I think if we really know what the
nature of authority is, and what authority does,
then I think it is quite natural for
us to see that our response to authority
is nothing less than obedience.
Obedience is the natural response to authority.
There is nothing that pleases God more than
listening to him.
Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Our brother is going to talk a lot
about obedience, so I am not going to
dwell in it.
Just mention it.
And that is, you find that nothing pleases
God than obedience.
And obedience is the natural response.
Unfortunately, we are willing to give God everything
and anything except obedience.
We are willing to give him sacrifice, lots
of them.
Fat or rams.
But we do not want to listen to
him, nor to obey him.
But look at our Lord Jesus.
What an obedient son.
As God, he knew no obedience.
Because you cannot connect obedience with God.
He is God.
He obeys nobody.
We try to make him obey us, but
you cannot do that.
He is God.
But he learned obedience when he was on
earth, as a man, the son of man.
He learned obedience through the things which he
suffered.
He suffered.
Obedience is a hard lesson, even with our
Lord when he was on earth, because he
has a perfect soul.
In other words, there was no sin in
him.
There was no rebellion in him.
But he was a man.
He has his will.
A perfect will.
Sinless will.
And yet, even he had to learn obedience
through the things which he suffered.
How he denied himself.
So our Lord is our perfect example.
Not only an example, but, as Hebrews says,
not only he learned obedience through the things
which he suffered, but because he has learned
the lesson, he has become our eternal, the
original of our eternal salvation.
In other words, he is not only the
example of obedience, he also gives us the
life of obedience.
But anyway, I would like to mention this.
To God, because he is the perfect authority,
therefore to him we render absolute obedience and
absolute submission.
Now, obedience is an act.
Submission is an attitude.
So to God, we need to give him
absolute attitude of submission.
No quarreling with him.
We need to give him absolute obedience.
No rebellion against him.
But of course, with man, when God put
man over us to represent his authority, then
to them, we should give absolute submission.
As long as we are under, but not
absolute.
Because to obey God, rather than obey man.
That is what it should be.
So brothers and sisters, again I say, if
any person who misrepresents God's authority, and it
so happens that God put you under his
authority, then you can render absolute submission, but
you do not need to give absolute obedience.
You have to obey God.
Maybe we will talk about this more later
on.
But anyway, the way to authority is through
obedience.
Our Lord Jesus, because how he emptied himself
and become obedient even to death, and the
death of the cross, God has highly exalted
him, and given him a name that is
above every name.
So in other words, the way to authority
is through obedience.
Finally, what are the indispensable signs
of those who know authority?
If you have read the spirit of authority
by our dear brother Watchman Lee, you find
he mentioned a few things.
Brothers and sisters, authority is something that we
need to recognize.
We need to know.
Not knowing authority is a great defect in
our spiritual life.
Not only a defect, an obstacle, a hindrance.
So we need to know authority, recognize authority,
and there are five indispensable signs.
Number one, wherever you go, try
to find authority to submit.
You know, if we go anywhere, and all
we are looking for is who will submit
to me, we do not know what authority
is.
But if you really know what authority is,
wherever you go, when you are with your
brothers and sisters, you are looking for authority
that is God's authority that you can submit.
Because it is the most pleasant thing.
Now that is a sure sign that you
know authority.
Number two, if you really know authority, you
will be tender and soft.
People do not know authority are hard people.
Number three, people who know authority never want
to be authority.
You never want to be authority.
How much more blessed to submit to authority
than to be authority.
Because the responsibility is too great.
We will mention that later.
So you never want to be in authority.
That shows you know what authority is.
Number four, if you really know what authority
is, you won't talk too much.
Somehow authority shuts your mouth up.
It is very true.
You know, if you really know what authority
is, lots of murmuring stops, lots of talking
stops.
It is very true.
And finally, number five, if you really know
what authority is, then all you desire
is to love and to serve and to
give.
So may the Lord help us.
Shall we pray?
Dear Heavenly Father, we do feel that we
are standing on holy ground because Thou art
the authority of the universe and we are
under Thy authority.
Lord, we do pray that by Thy grace
we may be a people who know Thy
authority, not only to submit and to obey,
but even by Thy mercy to represent Thy
authority.
Lord, we do acknowledge that we are disqualified,
neither in obedience nor in authority.
Only Thy grace, Thy mercy can make us
so.
So we just again humble ourselves before Thee.
We want to tremble at Thy word and
let Thy word really touch our hearts that
we may repent and return to Thy original
thought of authority.
Make it a reality among Thy people.
We ask in Thy precious name.