Pratical Ways To Honor Authority Series

Honoring Authority, part 3

Practical Ways of Honoring Authority

Definitions

Honoring authority is to respect and value those in authority over you because of the influence and responsibility they carry for your life.

Opening Review

Romans 13:1

„h Every person alive is under some type of authority and will be until the day they die.

„h Authority is a God-thing, not a man-made thing.

„h By honoring authority, we honor God. By dishonoring authority, we dishonor God.

„h Authority is simply about influence and responsibility.

„h Authority is meant to work to our advantage.

„h God uses authority to establish order.

„h Authority comes out of God¡¦s order, not necessarily rank or seniority.

The Purpose of Authority

Authorities in general

„h They set boundaries for our protection.

„h They set and inflict penalties for injustices done.

„h They arbitrate in the matters of indifference.

„h They give counsel when direction is needed.

Church authorities

„h They keep watch over our souls.

„h They raise us up and train us for ministry.

„h They release us into destiny.

„h They love us, encourage us and discipline us.

„h They guide us.

„h They prepare the way for those behind them.

Some Thoughts on Honoring Pastors

¡§The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.¡¨ (1 Timothy 5:17)

Illustration

Three small boys were bragging about their dads. The first boy said: "My dad writes a few short lines on paper, calls it a poem, sends away, and gets ten dollars for it." "My dad," said the second, "makes dots on paper, calls it a song, sends it away, and gets twenty-five dollars for it." "That's nothing," declared the third boy. "My father writes a sermon on a sheet of paper, gets up in the pulpit and reads it, and it takes four men to bring in the money!"

When a pastor (or any leader) becomes ineffective then the whole church (or ministry) will suffer.

Pastors have challenges to face:

„h The pressure to have an ideal family.

„h 4 out of 5 pastors nationwide feel their family are negatively impacted by the ministry and that it is an outright hazard to the health of their family.

„h Increasing stress as they try to meet the demands of growing congregations.

„h The overall ¡§fishbowl¡¨ aspect of ministry.

„h Financial crunches (nearly 70% of pastoral spouses work outside the home due to financial need.

Practical Ways to Honor Authority

1. Love them unconditionally (I Peter 4:8).

2. Submit to them cheerfully (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 2:13-17).

Submit: a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility & carrying a burden

3. Protect their families (1 Timothy 2:19).

4. Serve them gladly (Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 6:5-8; 1 Peter 4:10).

Serve them the way that you have been gifted to serve.

5. Challenge them righteously (Matthew 18:15).

a. pray over the alleged offense and get God¡¦s perspective.

b. go to them within three days privately, without speaking to anyone else first.

c. appeal to them as a father (this will ensure the proper respect).

d. listen to their counsel, if any, and then pray about it if needed.

e. if God directs then talk to your elder about the issue and proceed per his instructions.

f. be sure to stay away from personal opinions and stick to scripture.

6. Give them double honor (1 Timothy 5:17-18).

7. Honor their personal time (Mark 6:30-31).

8. Pray for them unceasingly (1 Timothy 2:1).

9. Make their vision your vision (2 Timothy 2:1-3)