Introduction

Good morning, family! I hope you all are feeling blessed today.

You know, I was reading a few words by William Marrion Branham, and he said, "As long as you argue and fuss with one another, you're in the kindergarten. God will just keep you there, till you learn enough to get out of it. That's all. Amen." I believe that has a lot to do with today's message - respecting authority, being humble, and choosing love.

Let's begin by reading from the book of Matthew, Chapter 21:23-32:

[Read passage]

Let's pray together before we dive into this powerful passage.

Dear Heavenly Father, we are gathered here today to learn from Your Word. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to the messages You have for us today about respecting authority, being humble, and choosing love. Help us to be like the first son, who may have initially resisted, but ultimately chose to follow his father's wishes. Fill us with Your grace, and guide our understanding today. In the name of Jesus, we pray, Amen.

Alright, let's get into this.

Respect Authority

In this passage, we see the chief priests and elders questioning Jesus about His authority. They were the religious leaders of the time, the ones who were supposed to be the most knowledgeable about God's law and His will. Yet, when Jesus, the Son of God, was standing right in front of them, they failed to recognize His authority. This is a clear demonstration of their lack of respect for the ultimate authority, God Himself.

More than acknowledging someone's position or title: It's about recognizing the power and responsibility that comes with that position, and understanding that it is given by God. Romans 13:1 tells us, "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." This means that every authority, be it in the family, in the church, in the community, or in the government, is established by God. When we respect these authorities, we are, in essence, respecting God.

Doesn’t mean blind obedience: The chief priests and elders were the authorities in the religious sphere during Jesus' time, but they were not following God's will. They were more concerned about their own power and status than about serving God and His people. Jesus, on the other hand, was doing God's will, even though He was not recognized as an authority by the religious leaders. This shows us that true authority comes from doing God's will, and that's the authority we should respect.

Being willing to submit to that authority: This should be the case even when we don't understand or agree with it. The first son in the parable initially refused to obey his father's command to work in the vineyard, but later he changed his mind and went. He recognized his father's authority and submitted to it, even though he initially resisted. This is a lesson for us. There may be times when we don't understand or agree with the decisions of those in authority over us, but we are still called to respect and submit to their authority, trusting that God has placed them in that position for a reason.

Being humble: It means acknowledging that we don't have all the answers and that we need guidance and direction from those who have been given authority over us. The chief priests and elders were not humble. They thought they knew better than Jesus, and they were not willing to listen to Him or learn from Him. But Jesus, despite being the Son of God, was humble. He submitted to the authority of His Father, even to the point of death on the cross.

Not always easy: It requires humility, trust, and a willingness to submit to others. But it's a crucial part of our Christian walk. It's a way of acknowledging God's sovereignty and His control over all things. It's a way of showing our love for God and our desire to do His will.

Be Humble

Humility is a virtue that is deeply embedded in the teachings of Christianity ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO