Week 8: Isaiah 4-9

Love Authority

At the beginning of his sermon, David tells a story of Dean Smith, his college basketball coach. David professes that Coach Smith's players would do whatever he asked, obeying his requests due to their respect for him. Who have you held such a respect for that you would follow their requests, respecting their authority over you?

To whose authority have you had a difficult time submitting?

God ordered authority. the necessity of authority serves as proof of our sinful nature.

Authority structures exist in the home (Ephesians 5:19-33). Husbands how are you demonstrating submission to Christ? Wives, how are you demonstrating submission to your husbands? Children, how are you demonstrating submission to you parents?

Many of us don't think of submitting to the church. Truth be told, when we encounter something in the church we do not like, we become like dissatisfied customers and either complain to management or take our business elsewhere. This is not a biblical picture of the church. What does it look like to submit to spiritual authority at the church?

Where does submitting to church authority become difficult?

How do you feel about our current government? (respect, apathy, ambivalence, hostility, etc)?

Read Romans 13:1-2. What does this do to your view of our government?

Read Isaiah 9:6-7. The promise foreshadows Jesus, the one upon whose shoulders all government rests. What does it feel like to know he will rule for all eternity?

Big Idea: God ordered authority. Our feelings for God should direct our submission to his authority structures.