Paul’s Secret to Submission - Pastor Dan Cravillion

Paul’s Secret to Submission

2014-08-24

Act 25:6-12

6 After he stayed among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day he took his seat on the tribunal and ordered Paul to be brought. 7 When he had arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many and serious charges against him that they could not prove. 8 Paul argued in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offense.” 9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and there be tried on these charges before me?” 10 But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar's tribunal, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you yourself know very well. 11 If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” 12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with his council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go.”

We all have an Inborn dislike for submission to authority, it’s in all human beings.

·      We are rebels by nature & the U.S. fosters/encourages a rebellious spirit.

Paul is a wonderful example of submission to unjust, ungodly, and immoral authority.

·      His desire to submit was based on a truth that we resist today.

o   Which then produces anger, rebellion, and sometimes fear in us.

Festus knew Paul was innocent but realized protecting Paul was costly, so he thought a trial in Jerusalem would be a suitable compromise to placate Jews.  Acts 25:7-9

·      Though the trial conducted by Festus, this was tantamount to delivering Paul to Jews.

o   An old ambush plot, foiled 2 years earlier, was revived.

·      With God-given wisdom, Paul understood the situation & appealed to Caesar. Acts  25:10-12, Heb. 11:17-19

o   Nero himself did not hear the case but it was tried in highest Roman courts…USSC.

o   It is OK to humbly defend oneself against false charges.

Paul’s decision to appeal came by divine revelation (Act 23:11 vision) & reasoning (aided by the Holy Spirit) and was based on God’s past faithfulness to His promises & His sovereignty.

·      The TRUTH Paul recognized we resist:  All authority (inc. Nero, Festus, Rome) is placed in power by God. 1 Pet 2:13-18, 3:1, 7, Heb. 13:17, Rom 13:4

There are authority structures God established to maintain order, give direction, & provide protection:

   1.  Human Institutions: Gov., social organizations, schools, athletic teams

o   Parents should model submission.  Refs & coaches

   2. employer/employee relationship: employees obey/respect employers/boss.

o   Work hard, be the best employee as a witness to the Gospel.

   3.  In the Family: the first line of authority is husband > wife > children

   4. In the Church… the primary line of authority is the pastors/elders (men) but all spiritual authority in church.

Living under authority is not dependent upon agreeing with one in authority or them being godly or even right!  ….Joseph, David, Paul, Jesus

·      Obey the laws & those in authority if there is no clear conflict of scriptural teaching.  

o   By not submitting you are ultimately not rebelling against man but against God.  Rom 13:1-5

• To resist delegated authority is to resist divine authority.
• God is over all, & all authority ultimately comes from Him. 
• God is in control of who your spouse, boss, teachers, pastors, elders, government leadership is. 
• God specifically placed them over you for His good purposes.
• Your responsibility: to properly submit & let God deal with them!  Prov 21:1  

o   Respect those in authority because of their position & your respect for God, even if the person is not very respectable.

§  There is a different type of respect for “good/evil” authority.

·      Evil: respect position over the person.

• Often God is refining us before He changes the heart of person over us…..sanctification.

Submission to authority is only possible in the power of the Holy Spirit….we’re rebels at heart.

• Realize that we ultimately must have faith & trust in God being sovereign over all authority & in all things!