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Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, clearly declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bible-lined website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, and that today’s message will be a blessing to you and your family.

Turn in your Bible to the book of Hebrews, the book of Hebrews and chapter 2. If you could change the person that was over you, would you really want to do so? Well, let’s think about it for a little bit. You’d be surprised how much the Bible has to say about authority. In verse 5, chapter 2 of book of Hebrews, for unto the angels hath he not put in subjection. Notice that word, subjection, the world to come whereof we speak.

But one in a certain place testified saying, What is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visited him? made it to him a little and notice this word, lower. He’s lower in rank, lower than the angels. Thou crown is him with glory and honor. And it said him over the works of Thy hand. So you hear in these verses the words like subjection and over and under words that deals with authority and various ranks of authority.

And then he makes a statement there in verse 7, thou made it to him a little lower than the angels, thou crown it him with glory and honor and just let him over the works of thy hands. God did this, always remember. Jesus Christ says, all power is giving to me, all authority is giving unto Him. So wherever authority comes from, it comes from God. And ever since man began, there has been a rebellion to authority. It started with an angel, an angel by the name of Lucifer, who rebelled against authority, who wanted to usurp authority.

Didn’t want God to rule. Satan wanted to rule. So Satan designed in his mind a scheme of rebellion to overthrow God. He led one third of the angels of heaven against God. And they all have suffered because of it. The world has suffered because of it, but Satan isn’t satisfied knowing that he tried and he failed. Now he wants you to fail. He wants you and I to do the same thing that he did. Evidently, misery loves company. And he wants you and I not to be in subjection to authority, he wants us to rebel against authority.

He wants us to rise up to challenge all authority. And kids don’t have to wait too long to start. I think some of them start in the crib. Here in the book of Hebrews, notice there in verse 8, thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, for in that he had put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him, but now you see not yet all things put under him. A lot of authority and subjection and people that are supposed to be over and those that are supposed to be under and not all things are yet put under that have been put over.

And I said, boy, you can get confused with all of that. Yes, I know. It is God who created the world and it’s God that created the family, God created the church, and God created government. God created all of this stuff. And all of it has to deal with is submitting to authority and how we hate submitting to authority. From the very time that we’re born as we’re growing up, we’re taught to obey. Mothers and fathers are constantly trying to teach the little children to obey, to do what they tell them to do, to mine them.

how difficult it is. Little children in their own minds, they probably don’t mean no harm. All they want is their own way and all they want you to do is give in and let them have their own way. What’s so bad about that? After all, who made you so right. Who gave you the authority? Who said you had the right to tell them what they can and cannot do? Now remember, I’m not the only one asking these questions. We have teachers the day that instill questions like that into the children that challenge their parents and and try to overthrow authority done in their very home, done between husbands and wives, and also in churches and even in governments.

Look now in verse 9, but in spite of all of that and everything that God has done and nothing has done exactly the way God intended yet, but God says in verse 9, but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death because angels don’t die. And if Christ was going to die, he has to be lower than the angels in order to suffer death. So he’d have to take on flesh.

Then the angels for the suffering are to have crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. So Christ came and tasted death. He died for every individual. And what it means is, is one day he’s going to take all these rebellious people, that have turned against God because of our sinful nature and is going to make us very subservient, very obedient. He’s going to make us perfect where we won’t have a sinful nature anymore.

But he had to die in order to get us to that position. Turn in your Bible to the book of Ephesians chapter 2, the book of Ephesians and chapter 2. Ephesians chapter I want you to look at verse 2. Verse 2 says, wherein in time pass you walk according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the heir, which is the devil, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. The word disobedience means to disobey.

So it means to be rebellious. The children of rebellion. We are all rebellious. We don’t like to obey. Children don’t like to obey. Wives don’t like to obey. Husbands don’t like to obey God. People in churches don’t like to obey preachers. And the members in society don’t like to obey government. We just have something that’s inside of us that makes us rebellious. And how can we have wonderful peace and unity and harmony in the world? And every one of us has got a problem with rebellion.

The Bible says every man wants to go his own way, that now work it in the children of disobedience. Children will do what they can to overthrow their parents. You don’t believe it? Tell your children what you want them to do and see if without a word they quickly and quietly obey. You just say the word and they will obey. Or do you get back talk. Do you get whining, whining, moaning and groaning? Or you just simply if they know your will, you can just simply look at them and they sweetly and kindly go ahead and obey.

Or do they challenge your authority? Do they try to change your mind? Why are they trying to change your mind. What is it within them? Is it because you made a wrong decision? Do you always make a wrong decision? Do you ever make a right decision? Do they challenge every time or just most of the time? Are they in their own mind of such maturity level that They can discern the wisdom in your decision and can weigh it and come to the conclusion you’re wrong, they’re right and they don’t have to obey you.

Because who gave you the right? And it’s amazing that sometimes kids will actually say those things. And they don’t always want to quickly obey. Now God says that we have a sinful nature, but remember, the way children can respond to parents, they also will have a tendency to respond to husband and wife relationship, and also to God or to the pastor or government. It doesn’t change. Rebellion is rebellion. And God says, rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, like believing in witches, witchcraft.

It’s the same as believing in the power of the devil, demonic power, because where does that come from? We do not quickly and quietly and sweetly obey, except whenever we agree. You see, you don’t need to subject to a will of someone else if you agree. It’s when you don’t agree. Now what do you do? Can you submit? And most people have trouble in the submitting category. Turn your Bible to the book of Matthew, chapter seven. Matthew and chapter seven.

Jesus Christ as He would teach, astonished the people with His wisdom. And it says they’re in verse 28, Matthew chapter seven, and it came to pass. When Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine and or for he taught them as one having, what’s the word? authority and not as the scribes. See some people speak with authority and some people don’t speak with authority. Some parents when they speak to their children speak with authority and some parents do not speak with authority.

Some children can run all over their parents and the parents live in fear of their children because they have yielded of their authority. They have relinquished the right to be parents. They have surrendered to the will of a child and allow the child to run a home. And I know where have I speak. That’s where you have to be careful. Because see if you don’t really believe you have authority to do certain things you will not exercise that authority.

You will either be ignorant of your authority or you will fear of the authority, the consequences, the challenges to your authority because you’re not willing and able to hang on to authority because somebody’s always trying to steal it from you every home. Children have a tendency to want to steal authority away from mom and dad. They may not see it that way. They don’t maybe mean to do that. It’s just that they try to talk them into doing whatever they want them to do and will always have words to say back.

The back talk. Which parents don’t like but it kind of gets acceptable. And I can’t believe that the kids are happy when they know that they and strip the parents of such authority, of such discipline, because then they will lack the discipline in their own lives. They need a mom and a dad who knows not only that they have authority, but hold on to that authority and refuse to relinquish that authority. Don’t give it up just because some child challenges your right to say or to do what you believe is right.

And yes, it’s enough to say because I’m Mom, because I’m the Father. That’s why. And you don’t need another reason. But be sure that you are right. And don’t surrender it. If you surrender power little by little, after a while you have no power, no authority. loses authority when it ceases to enforce its laws. And we have preachers that don’t enforce what the Bible teaches, or husbands also with the wives.

Take a Bible look in Matthew 21, Matthew chapter 21 and verse 23. In verse 23 Christ had said many things, done many things that caused people to wonder about Him. Who are you? Where’d you come from? So in verse 23 and when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching. and said, by what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority? Who told you you had the right to do this?

We’re described in the Pharisee. We’ve been doing it this way for 500 years. Now you show up and you challenge our authority. Who are you? So he asked him a question, verse 24, and Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I, and likewise, will tell you about what authority I do these things. He says, the baptism of John, which was it? From heaven or men? John the Baptist, it came on the scene, and he came a baptism preaching to baptism or repentance?

Was that of God or was that of John? Was it God or man? They thought about it for a little bit. They said, we can’t answer you because they knew that whichever way they went, they were trapped. If they said of men, well they feared the people because the people believed John was of God. If they say, well he’s from God then they say, well why don’t you believe him? So you know what they said? In verse 25, and they reasoned with themselves saying, if we shall say from heaven he will say unto us why did you not then believe him?

But if we shall say of men, we fear the people for all whole John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus and said, we cannot tell. And he said to them, neither tell I you by what authority I do these things. But he had the authority. He would not relinquish his authority. And they were amazed that he would challenge them like he did because he had the authority, the right to do so. Husbands, You’re the head of the home.

God gave you the right to be the head of the home. Never surrender that power. Never give up that right. Children, you won’t like your parents if they always get into you. You say you won’t respect them. You won’t love them. They may not be as strong as they ought to be, but they’re yours. You shouldn’t want to change your parents if you could. If you could rest away from them, there will. There are commands. Don’t. You’ll be less thought of if you could.

Nobody thanks very much of rebellious children because they know you’re not disciplined. They know you bring shame. Honor your mother and dad because it’s right. They have the authority to rule you. They have the authority to tell you what you can and cannot do. And if you don’t like it, tough, you don’t have to like it. They have the right. They have the authority. Just because you don’t like something they say or do, you’re to obey your parent. They have the right to rule you.

They can tell you when to get up and when to go to bed. They can tell you what to eat and what to wear, what not to wear, how to look everything about you, their parents, they’re yours. Don’t challenge them. Don’t always say, whenever you can get them to continually change and to give in to you, you not only hurt them and ruin them, you’re destroying yourself. For years to come, you’ll always have a problem with authority because you see what you can get away with when you’re young and you can talk about you’re going to try that later on in life and you’re going to come across somebody ain’t gonna give in to you, somebody gonna deck you, somebody might put you behind bars.

You can’t always get your own way. Parents have been given that authority by God. Parents should not relinquish that authority. Here in Matthew when he says, where did you get this authority from? You and I are supposed to understand that God is the one who made life and made people and gave us authority. Take your Bible and turn there to the book of Titus in chapter 2, the book of Titus in chapter 2. God says, subject yourself, that’s why he says.

Not all things are in subjection now. Not all things are under their feet because not everybody submits. Everybody rebels. From the child to the husband, the wife, preacher, government. Everybody has a rebellious nature. Nobody likes to be told what to do and what not to do. Here in the book of Titus in chapter 2, look in verse 15. This is a statement to a young preacher. He says, these things speak and exhort, and you ought to underline this statement in your Bible, rebuke with what?

All authority. Who gave you the right, this book? Does the preacher have certain responsibilities? Authority given to him to say certain things, the teach, what the book teaches? And he says to rebuke with all, in other words, you got the right to do it. it because God gave it to you. Parents have a right to rule their family and the dads to rule with a rod of iron if necessary, but to rule. And not let just anything go that they want to do.

Well, I just can’t control this and I can’t do this and I can’t do that. Why not? Be a man. Be the head. Take control because if you don’t, anytime there’s a vacuum, you vacuum. There’s always somebody who’s willing to feel a vacuum to step in and take control. And many of men have surrendered the rights to rule their own home. Now I want you to see something because it’s very important. Look at verse 12, teaching us that denying ungodliness.

There are going to be things that I as a pastor will think is wrong. I don’t have to ask you if you agree with me. No more than the child has to ask the mother and dad. Well, Mom, I don’t agree with that. So I don’t have to obey that or agree with you. And therefore, I don’t have to submit. If you’re in this home, you live by these rules. If you’re in this country, you live by these laws.

And if you’re in this church or that church or that church live by its rules or whatever they may be. I don’t have a lot of rules on anything. I simply want people to live godly and honest. But look what he says here. Teachin’ us that denying on godliness and worldly lust. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. So in order to do that, somewhere along the line, the preacher must decide what is living Godly.

What is living righteously? So you try to put together from the teachings of the Word of God what you believe is right and wrong. And you don’t ask the people what they think about it. You don’t take opinion polls. You don’t ask your children. Is this right or wrong? You’re the adult. You make the decision. Let them abide by it. The kids are not supposed to run the home. Parents are supposed to run it. And the Bible says this, living godly in this present world.

And then he says in verse 14, look in verse 14, very important, who gave himself for us, that we might redeem us, he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. So we have to know what are these good works. When he told the people in the book of Acts, seek out men of a good report, fill with a Holy Spirit. There has to be something that you look at. There has to be something that you can say that’s wrong and that’s right.

You’re making decisions. Sometimes it’s a judgment call. Have you ever watched a football game or a baseball game and the umpire says, he’s out. And everybody says, he was not out. He’s blind. Kill the umpire. And try to get the umpire to override. Change your mind because we saw it differently. But he’s the umpire. And he don’t listen to everybody, does he? He makes his call. He may be right. He may be wrong, but he made his decision, and they have to live with it.

Sometimes they don’t like that. But we’re always challenging somebody else’s judgment. But you know whenever they have a replay and they want to see if they can overturn the referee’s call, you know what? They don’t ask the coaches to call, why? Do you think they might be prejudiced? You think they might look at it from their viewpoint and make it in their favor because you know, regardless of how much we love ourselves and how honest we are, we’re maybe not too trustworthy.

We’re deceitful. We lie. We’re bent. We’re prejudice. And very few people trust each other. Now, when he makes the statement here, these things in verse 15, speech, prayer, and prayer, and prayer. and exhort and rebuke with all authority and let no man despise thee because you didn’t exercise your authority. Parents let no child despise you because you did not exercise your authority because you’re the head of the home and you may not have all the answers that they want to challenge you on why can you do this and talk when you do that.

I’m your mother and I said so because I’m your father. Yeah, but the other parents let their kids, that’s enough. All the other kids and all the other parents has no control and no rule over what this family does. You rule that family, not the neighbors. And you don’t give in because all the kids do, all the kids, all the, you’re not all the kids, you’re mine. And if I don’t believe it’s right, I say no. And it’s going to be according to my will and you will obey.

Now we live in a time where that’s not very acceptable. And it takes very strong people, strong in the Lord, because you see there’s consequences to having strong leadership. You’re looked upon as being mean and unkind and undisciplined. But I believe more than anything else in this world, that’s what kids need. I believe that’s what people need in church. I believe down there in verse 2, chapter 2, and verse 10, that they may adorn the doctrine of God, our Savior, and all things.

And as you read down through here, it tells the wise about being discreet in certain things. It talks about your behavior in verse 3, and your charity and your temper. All these are judgment calls. Somebody’s making decisions. And parents have to make decisions that the children don’t always agree with. The pastor will make decision not everybody agrees with. But if you’re looking for that perfect parent, you won’t have a perfect parent. You won’t have a perfect pastor. We won’t have a perfect president.

Nobody in this world is perfect. I do not know of another preacher who loves the people any more than I love people. But I hate sin and I hate what it does. Do right. I believe it’s the will of God. This book is over me. I’m not over it. It’s over me. It’s my authority. It’s Europe. It tells all of us what to do. Let’s pray, shall we? You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr.

Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area by dialing toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page.

If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening. Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryuptampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold.

Friend, one day it will happen, the trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Caught up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon, and just keep looking up.