All True Beauty lessons on this blog are my unedited outlines. Feel free to ask questions regarding anything that may seem unclear, since some things are written down to jog my memory.
True Beauty, Wednesday June 22, 2011, Respecting Authority Part One
Prayer
Cards
Recap Modest Behavior
Memory Verse- Luke 9:23
Remind them to answer questions and give input
1 Timothy 4:12 – “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
In that day, age and experience was a big deal. The older you were the more respect you were given, so Paul, writing this letter to Timothy who was in his thirties, told him he would have to earn respect from older people by the way he lived.
In what ways did Paul tell Timothy to be an example?
Through his speech, behavior, love, faith, and purity.
We are even younger than Timothy and have a responsibility to set an example for other believers, other girls, even older people—we are to be an example for everyone we encounter.
What are some ways we can set examples for others?
Today we’re going to talk about a way we can be examples for others while obeying a command straight from the Lord.
Kid slaps mom video
Questions
Mini-Dictionary
Respect = to honor, to give consideration for. (Webster’s)
- Sophie’s definition = to love that person enough to obey them, even when it’s hard
Subject (1 Peter 2:13) = Military term meaning: to arrange under the commander; to put oneself in the attitude of submission.
Submit/Submissive = to give authority or power over oneself to another.
Honorable = Greek word for honorable implies the purest, highest, noblest kind of goodness. It means: lovely, winsome (sweet; innocent), gracious, noble, and excellent.
Titus 2:9-10 – “Slaves (employees, specifically slaves in the Roman Empire) are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.”
When we get married, being a wife will be our main job, our main responsibility. In marriage there are two employees, the husband and the wife, who answer to one boss- the Lord. Therefore this is a description of a wife.
However, since none of us are married we don’t submit to the authority of our husbands yet, we are commanded to submit and respect the authority of our parents until we are married. Therefore, this is a description of us as kids.
What do you think respecting our parents looks like? (note cards)
Respect definition
Easy to define, harder to carry out.
Respect fuels obedience, and obedience shows respect.
1 Peter 2:12 – “Keep your conduct (behavior) among the Gentiles honorable so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
The Greek word for honorable implies the purest, highest, noblest kind of goodness. It means: lovely, winsome (sweet; innocent), gracious, noble, and excellent.
He is simply talking about letting the gentle and quiet spirit we are trying to cultivate show on the outside through our behavior.
What’s interesting is what Peter says next.
1 Peter 2:13-14a – “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor (our president and the laws of the United States) as supreme, or to governors…”
He tells us to be honorable and then the first way he says to do that is to be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution.
Subject definition
Why are we to put ourselves in an attitude of submission? For whose sake, for what reason? For the Lord, and the honor of His authority.
(Memory Verse) 1 Peter 2:18 – “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”
He’s calling us servants again, and Peter is giving us some really important clarifications- we are to be submissive, to listen and obey, and to respect our authority even when it isn’t fair. That’s what unjust means, unfair.
Nemo video
Questions
Was Marlin right in yelling at Nemo at the beginning?
Was Nemo right in doing what he did?
Even though Marlin didn’t have the facts right and jumped to conclusions and maybe was overprotective, he was Nemo’s authority and Nemo was to honor him and what he said, not try to prove a point.
Consequences happen when we are disobedient.
What were Nemo’s consequences?
Why was Marlin yelling at Nemo in the first place?
Because he loved him; he wanted to protect him; he only wanted the best for him.
Our parents do the same thing. This is something I just learned a few years ago, and I wish I would have learned sooner- please listen and put this in your heart
The reason they put boundaries in our lives, and tell us what clothes are appropriate and which ones aren’t, what movies to watch and music to listen to, and all the other things they do, isn’t because they want to control us and don’t want us to have fun, it’s because they love us.
Your parents are on your team. They are on your side. They only want the best for you. Respect them, their authority, and their position above you.
This is not a suggestion from me—this is a command for the Word of God. Take His commands seriously, God does.
Romans 1:29-32 – “They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, investors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
What does the Bible say is punishment for disobeying parents?
Romans 13:1-2 – “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”
Why are we to obey, honor, and respect authority?
Because by obeying our authority on this earth, we are obeying God. We answer to our parents, especially our father, and he answers to the Lord for how he parents us. We are just to be obedient to the Bible by being obedient to our parents.
“You learn to observe and respect God by learning to observe and respect the lesser authorities He’s put in your life.” – Bro. Michael
What are some ways we can get ourselves into an attitude of submission?
Pray. Pray for your authority, your parents, talk to them about it- let them know you’re trying to be more respectful but that it’s hard, they will appreciate it and it will show them areas they can help you in.
Pray for yourself, that your mouth will be an instrument of love, not anger, and pray that God will help you be respectful and obedient.
Even though you can pray about these things, it still won’t solve the problem.
Do you know what the problem is?
Our hearts. We are born with black hearts corrupted by sin and until we repent from that sin our hearts will not submit to our authority. We may clean ourselves up and do the right thing every now and then, but the lasting change, the lasting respect and submission will come after salvation.
Examine yourselves, repent from your sin, turn to God, and give Him your heart.
Sophie Miller 