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Lesson On Authority
Lesson On Authority
LESSON OBJECTIVES
Goals
1. To expose students to the Scriptural truth about authority
2. To help the students understand why authority should be respected
3. To give them practical insight into respecting authority
Scripture Memorization
Hebrews 13:17a
How
Why
Who
How
many of you like being told what to do or someone having authority over you?
is it that we dont like authority figures?
are some examples of authority figures with whom you have difficulty getting along?
are authority figures similar to our game of Who Is Leading Whom?
It can sometimes be hard to accept that someone has authority over you. Sometimes it feels like they are abusing
their authority, and it can be hard to take. But no one is exempt. Even the President of the United States answers
to Congress, the American people, and the Supreme Court. You have parents, teachers, coaches, and grown-ups at
church who have the authority over you.
God is the ultimate authority, and He has plenty to say about respecting authority.
Discussion Questions:
1. What do these passages say about respecting/honoring your parents?
2. Why is hard sometimes to respect them?
3. Do you think you should respect your parents if they ask you to disobey God? Should you obey them?
We can joke around about the trials of a teenager, but for some of you, its no joke. Some of us here may have
abusive parents, or maybe our parents have abandoned us. For some of you, respect may be the most difficult
feeling you can produce when concerning your parents. But that doesnt exclude you. The command to respect
your parents remains.
C. RESPECT CHURCH LEADERS
Our church leaders have authority over us as well.
Read Hebrews 13:17
Discussion Questions:
1. What kind of leaders does this passage discuss?
2. Do you respect your church leaders?
3. Why do you think it would be important to respect these people?
4. How could not respecting them be a burden to them?
5. What would be the impact if you did not submit to them?
6. What does this look like practically? What does it mean to respect your youth minister, a volunteer, or other
leaders at your church?
Respect is a hard thing to come by. People have a hard time accepting the fact that people have authority over
them. But, as you can see, the Bible is clear that respecting authority is importantits demanded of us by God as
the right thing to do.
Workbook Activity
How Much Respect?
Please answer the following questions according to where you are at right now.
How respectful do you think you are, on a scale from one to ten? (1 equals not at all respectful. 10
equals
very respectful)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Which group is the most difficult for you to respect? Government Parents Church Leaders
Is there another authority who you should respect? Who? ________________________
What would you say and how would you act if you were a completely respectful person? What would you
say,
do, etc.?
_____________________________________________________________________________
What do you need to do to be more respectful?
_____________________________________________________________________________