1. A bingdon Community Church Sunday 10 th May 2015

2. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

3. A bingdon Community Church Sunday 10 th May 2015

4.  Gen 1:1 In the beginning, God...  Ps 24:1 Earth is the Lord’s & everything in it  Mt 28:18 All authority in heaven & on earth...  1 Cor 15:24-28Everything under his feet  Eph 1:22All things under the authority of Christ  Phil 2:9-11Name above every name, every knee will bow, every tongue confess  Revelation 5The Lamb on the Throne

5.  Mat 20:25-28came to serve not to be served  Phil 2:1-8made himself nothing, became obedient  Rev 3:20he knocks, the door is not forced!  Confident trust – he IS in control!  Submission – LET him be in control! Ps 37:5, Pr 16:3, Mt 6:33...

6.  To mankind – Gen 1:27-30  To judges, prophets, priests and kings in OT  To all his disciples in NT – Mt 10:1, 28:18-20, Jn 20:21-23  Key part of being filled with the Spirit: “Submit to one another” – Eph 5:18-21 (single sentence)  Specifically: wives to husbands (5:22)  Specifically: children to parents (6:1)  Specifically: slaves/servants to masters (6:5)

7. Specific delegated authority:  In governments: Rom 13:1-6, 1 Pet 2:13  In the church: Acts 20:28, 1 Thes 5:12-13, Heb 13:17  Recognition that all authority is delegated by God  Submission – honouring those he has given authority  Humility – authorities follow Jesus’ example

8. ‘Positional’ vs ‘Spiritual’  Gift/ability: Rom 12:8, Eph 4:11  ‘Position’ of overseer / elder – 1 Tim 3, Titus 1  Other positions?  ‘Elders’ in each church – fathers of the family  Leadership is wider than that, but flows from it  Recognise need for equipping ministries as in Eph 4

9.  Not worldly in character: Mat 20:25-27  Reflects God’s heart: 1 Thes 2:4-12, 1 Pet 5:1-5  Character & example are the keys: Luke 16:10-12, Titus 1  Remember the source – stay under authority: Mat 8:9  You are always only a steward of God’s authority  It can NEVER be enforced, only received

10.  Honour – the atmosphere of the kingdom  ‘Submission’ – not a popular concept  Humility & teachability  “Disciples open the door” – the initiative is ours  ACCOUNTABILITY IS KEY  Example of Jesus & disciples, Paul  Parable of the Talents / Minas

11.  C are  A ccountability  P rovocation  Who do you make yourself accountable to?  Relationship with God  Relationships with others (marriage, family, church, work...)  Character issues  Your ‘ministry’ / ‘calling’ / ‘service’ / ‘work’  Your witness & mission

12.  Confidence in God’s authority  Dealing with an independent spirit  Challenge to honour & humility  Challenge to use authority God has given