Trail Life Troop
NC-613
Devotional – Authority
Opening
- Today we learned about citizenship and communities now let’s see what the Bible says about citizenship.
- (Read, or someone read the Teaching verse. FYI: The memory verse is further down)
Romans 13:1 Every person is to be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established...
Devotional
Big picture Obeying Authority
- Q: What town do you live in?
- Q: Do you know that every town, no matter how big or small, has people who are elected by their fellow citizens to run that town’s government for us? We call them “elected officials.” The Bible calls them “governing authorities.”
- Every year, our country elects people to govern us. They are mayors, sheriffs, judges and all sorts of jobs that are needed to make our town, our state, and our nation run smoothly.
- Without government, there would be total chaos. Because no one would know who is in charge to make the rules everyone needs to follow. Every country needs leaders to run the government.
- Those elected leaders are the “governing authorities” the teaching verse Romans 13:1 is talking about.
- The Bible says “authorities” are anyone God has put over you to govern you.
- The first point of the teaching verse is that YOU must obey your governing authorities.
- The second point of the teaching verse is EVERYONE must obey their governing authorities. Your parents must obey governing authorities, even the President must obey other governing authorities. We all must obey.
- Q: Who is the ultimate governing authority? God is.
- The third point the teaching verse is God ESTABLISHED (made) every government that every existed in history. God is behind every government leader who ever was.
- Every king, every queen, every ruler, every President, and even every mayor got their job because God allowed it. God created every government for His purposes.
- The final point is we must obey all government leaders BECAUSE God put those leaders over us.
Memory Verse #2
Ask if anybody knows it yet and can say it? Read it together 2X Consider having a memory verse pamphlet for kids take home.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Topical Questions
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Even though we are citizens of heaven, we must honor and respect everyone. As 1 Peter 2:17 says, “Show proper respect to everyone: Love your brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the authorities.” Authorities means honoring government. What is one way that you might honor government authorities?
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The Bible says our citizenship priorities are to: heaven first, the church second, the world third, and government last. But we are to show proper respect to everyone. Proper means what is right and holy. How might you might heaven your top priority?
Closing Prayer
Dear Father God, we thank You for allowing us to be citizens of this great nation. We pray Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Help us to honor and obey our governing authorities, even when we don’t like what our government does or who they are, because we know that You, God, created all governments and allowed them to rule over us. So, we must obey. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen!
