Entrusted "In and Under Authority"

1 Timothy 5:17-6:2

Currently there are 4 Atheistic groups taking out ads and billboards to undermine Biblical Christianity.

American Atheists have a billboard by the Lincoln Tunnel that says this…
The Catholic League answered back…but their statement was “the atheists want to get Christians to doubt their faith” I don’t think that is it.

I think that atheists in general have a problem with authority. They want to be the authority and can’t handle that there just may be something greater then their ideas and their concepts.

The main issue is that people do not want to admit Jesus has authority in their lives. If there is an authority and that authority has standards if we don’t keep those standards there is a problem.

All authority is given to Jesus. When we humble ourselves under that authority God raises us up. GOSPEL

Tonight we will look at the concept of authority. How we should respond if we are in an authority position and how we respond being under authority. .

There are many different types of Authority..
-Civil Authority-police, judges
Authority within the workplace- boss, manager
Authority with in the family-parents
Authority within the school- teachers, administration
Spiritual Authority within the church- This passage is going to address the spiritual authority issue and I believe if we have that right the other areas of life will fall into place.

Define Authority-the right to command.

Society sometimes says things like “Question Authority” , “Authority is corrupt” “we are all in Authority, what gives you the right to have authority,

“If you're going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use two feet.”Keith Richards Rolling Stones
Authority is unfair and you will loose

We defined the role of spiritual authority in the church as (1 Tim 2:8-15) – Guarding, upholding and making decisions based on Biblical truth in the local fellowship.

The Bible tells us 1 Peter 2:13-17 The Godly submit to authority &
2 Peter 2:10 tell us the ungodly despise authority.

1 Timothy 5:17-6:2 speaks about 3 issues what to expect when in authority, calling people to authority and

In Authority

Vrs 17-18 - Compensation- for the time that those in authority put in. This is why Pastors get paid

Side not of Christian business owners ethics…take care of your employees (Arthur Guinness)

Vrs 19- Give them the benefit of the doubt - “Innocent until proven guilty” many times because people bristle at authority they are “guilty until proven innocent” and that type thinking damages the reputation of those in leadership and authority roles


Vrs 20- They are held to a higher standard- Public authority bears public consequences. (Hebrews 13:17 tells us that leaders give account for the people they are in charge of)

Vrs 21- Fair - in dealings with the people they are in charge of , There is no special treatment when it comes to sin. Also leads well
Dwight D. Eisenhower Said “You do not lead by hitting people of the head…that’s assault, not leadership”


Calling people to authority positions

-Slowly- Be slow to put people in authority
Vrs 22- Be slow to put people into leadership and quick to take them out. One of the biggest problems in the church in general is that people who are not ready or qualified end up in positions of leadership that they should not be in. It is bad for them and bad for the people they are in charge of.

When the wrong people are in leadership the wrong things happen.

Vrs 23 Wine for stomach. In light of the asceticism of the false teachers Paul may be providing a qualification to the call for purity in clarifying that there would be nothing wrong with Timothy using a little wine, emphasizing here its usefulness for the sake of his health

-Investigate before
Vrs 24-25 The importance in assessing people before they are in leadership roles. The reason for this is simple. It is so much easier to say “no, now is not the time” then to let someone serve and in some cases serve well then have to ask them to step down from that position.

How do you judge if people want to be in or use authority for personal gain or power…the verse tells us to look at their life example.
Living under authority in any situation
Vrs 1 A Testimony issue

Vrs 2 -Hinders the work of Jesus. Hebrews 13:17

In a healthy situation spiritual leaders are praying for guidance on how to lead and what to do with the people entrusted to their flock. So if a leader leads you into the things of the Lord and you do not follow then what you are saying is “that is just his opinion” or “I don’t need that”

On a personal note that is why I am very careful about what I promote from the pulpit and anywhere for that matter.

The Christian should love and thrive under authority of Godly people and cannot expect to have any type of authority unless they can be under authority.

The what if question? Authority asks you to disobey God?
Acts 5:29 Peter and the Apostles are ordered to stop preaching about Jesus and they replied “we must obey God rather then men”

When those in authority are in the wrong it is our first call to follow Jesus.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer the Christian theologian and pastor spoke out against Hitler and Nazism publicly three days after Hitler rose to power and said that Germany was heading toward Idolatry.

He preached for the rights of Jews and Nazi Germany

He was a Christian who went against godless authority April 9, 1945 he was executed by hanging in the Flossenburg concentration camp.

A Christian realizes the Authority of Jesus should rule their lives.