Why do you do what you do? Why do you respect the people you do and not question others? What motivates you to do your best at your job, be a responsible husband, wife or parent, read the Bible, go to worship services on SONday, pray, etc? Are you doing these things because you believe that these actions will make you liked, respected and important? Or do you do what you do because you sincerely love God and want to serve Him with your life? What are your motives? In Matthew 21:23-32; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8 Jesus is in Jerusalem, teaching at the Temple when the chief priests and scribes (lawyers) come to challenge His authority.
What can we learn about showing respect to authority and doing the Father's will from Him? We are going to look at some people's motives and see what we can learn from them.
Respecting Authority - Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8 Jesus is in Jerusalem on the Tuesday before He is to be crucified.
While He is teaching on the Temple grounds, the chief priests and teachers of the (Mosaic) Law challenge His authority to teach and perform the miracles as He is doing.
Jesus responds by asking them a question regarding John the Baptist's baptism.
They refuse to answer His question because they know that they will be trapped.
In like manner, Jesus refuses to answer their question.
They are right in questioning Jesus because they are supposed to protect the people from false teachers.
The problem is they are so self absorbed with their controlling and believing that Jesus is a charlatan, that they don't consider that Jesus may actually be who He claims to be.
Their bias keeps them from seeing the truth about Jesus.
All through life, you will be under someone else's authority or have to give an account to someone for what you do.
Some of those people may not always be a boss or "superior.
" Some may be the customer or stockholders.
Regardless of whom, let it be sufficient to know that you will be under authority.
You will also have authority over someone as well.
It may be a child or elderly parent, a coworker or an employee under you.
Regardless, you need to respect their position.
You must also be examining yourself and your motives.
Are you seeking the truth in a situation, or merely trying to protect and control the status quo? Are you concerned about what is right, even if it is different than what you had previously thought, or are you more concerned about protecting a system and institution from change by outsiders? When your motives and actions are challenged, you have to evaluate whether this person is sincerely seeking to know where you stand or merely trying to deny you the position that you have.
Jesus answered His detractors with a question.
He put the argument back on them because they were not sincerely seeking to learn the truth about Him, but were simply looking for a way to discredit Him.
What is your motive? Doing Your Father's Will - Matthew 21:28-30 Jesus tells a parable about two sons who are told to go work in the fields by their father.
The first says he will go and do as told, but he doesn't.
The second says he won't go, but changes his mind and obeys his father.
Which one is the father going to appreciate? It doesn't matter what you say you are going to do as much as it matters about what you actually do.
Actions always speak louder than words.
God has given us all an assignment and it is our job to find our individual calling and do it to the best of our ability.
Your assignment is not the same as mine.
It is not my job to do yours, nor your job to do what I've been called to do.
Likewise, it is of no value to anyone if you say you are going to do something and you don't fulfill your obligation.
It would be far better to say, "No', when asked to do a job and later change your mind and do it rather than say you will when you have no intention of fulfilling your responsibility.
How many people say they will volunteer to do something, but never actually do the work? How many people want to have a title of leadership, but never fulfill the responsibilities of that position? What good is it to be an elder in the church if you don't assume the duties that go with the recognition? What is your motive? Getting Your Father's Approval - Matthew 21:31-32 The religious leaders acknowledge to Jesus that the son who did what his father wanted is more appreciated, even though he balked at first, than the one who said he would obey, but didn't.
Jesus warns these religious leaders that they are not obeying God, even though they claim to.
It is the sinners who repent who are more pleasing to God than them.
It doesn't matter whether you wear a title of some supposed authority.
What matters is whether you are doing the job you are assigned to do.
It doesn't matter which church you attend (although some churches don't take very lenient liberty with the Bible as God's Word.
What matters is whether you sincerely believe that Jesus is the Christ, your Lord and Savior and whether you are truly trying to follow Him.
Are you fulfilling the responsibilities of the title you hold or are you just enjoying the prestige and recognition that comes with that position? Are you being the kind of person you claim to be or just claiming to be the person you want others to believe you to be? The person who is actually doing the job is far more valuable than one who is assigned to do it who is not working.
They will soon find themselves on the outside.
What is your motive? God bless you and have a great week!
What can we learn about showing respect to authority and doing the Father's will from Him? We are going to look at some people's motives and see what we can learn from them.
Respecting Authority - Matthew 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:1-8 Jesus is in Jerusalem on the Tuesday before He is to be crucified.
While He is teaching on the Temple grounds, the chief priests and teachers of the (Mosaic) Law challenge His authority to teach and perform the miracles as He is doing.
Jesus responds by asking them a question regarding John the Baptist's baptism.
They refuse to answer His question because they know that they will be trapped.
In like manner, Jesus refuses to answer their question.
They are right in questioning Jesus because they are supposed to protect the people from false teachers.
The problem is they are so self absorbed with their controlling and believing that Jesus is a charlatan, that they don't consider that Jesus may actually be who He claims to be.
Their bias keeps them from seeing the truth about Jesus.
All through life, you will be under someone else's authority or have to give an account to someone for what you do.
Some of those people may not always be a boss or "superior.
" Some may be the customer or stockholders.
Regardless of whom, let it be sufficient to know that you will be under authority.
You will also have authority over someone as well.
It may be a child or elderly parent, a coworker or an employee under you.
Regardless, you need to respect their position.
You must also be examining yourself and your motives.
Are you seeking the truth in a situation, or merely trying to protect and control the status quo? Are you concerned about what is right, even if it is different than what you had previously thought, or are you more concerned about protecting a system and institution from change by outsiders? When your motives and actions are challenged, you have to evaluate whether this person is sincerely seeking to know where you stand or merely trying to deny you the position that you have.
Jesus answered His detractors with a question.
He put the argument back on them because they were not sincerely seeking to learn the truth about Him, but were simply looking for a way to discredit Him.
What is your motive? Doing Your Father's Will - Matthew 21:28-30 Jesus tells a parable about two sons who are told to go work in the fields by their father.
The first says he will go and do as told, but he doesn't.
The second says he won't go, but changes his mind and obeys his father.
Which one is the father going to appreciate? It doesn't matter what you say you are going to do as much as it matters about what you actually do.
Actions always speak louder than words.
God has given us all an assignment and it is our job to find our individual calling and do it to the best of our ability.
Your assignment is not the same as mine.
It is not my job to do yours, nor your job to do what I've been called to do.
Likewise, it is of no value to anyone if you say you are going to do something and you don't fulfill your obligation.
It would be far better to say, "No', when asked to do a job and later change your mind and do it rather than say you will when you have no intention of fulfilling your responsibility.
How many people say they will volunteer to do something, but never actually do the work? How many people want to have a title of leadership, but never fulfill the responsibilities of that position? What good is it to be an elder in the church if you don't assume the duties that go with the recognition? What is your motive? Getting Your Father's Approval - Matthew 21:31-32 The religious leaders acknowledge to Jesus that the son who did what his father wanted is more appreciated, even though he balked at first, than the one who said he would obey, but didn't.
Jesus warns these religious leaders that they are not obeying God, even though they claim to.
It is the sinners who repent who are more pleasing to God than them.
It doesn't matter whether you wear a title of some supposed authority.
What matters is whether you are doing the job you are assigned to do.
It doesn't matter which church you attend (although some churches don't take very lenient liberty with the Bible as God's Word.
What matters is whether you sincerely believe that Jesus is the Christ, your Lord and Savior and whether you are truly trying to follow Him.
Are you fulfilling the responsibilities of the title you hold or are you just enjoying the prestige and recognition that comes with that position? Are you being the kind of person you claim to be or just claiming to be the person you want others to believe you to be? The person who is actually doing the job is far more valuable than one who is assigned to do it who is not working.
They will soon find themselves on the outside.
What is your motive? God bless you and have a great week!
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