Real Men Are Under Authority

This week I'm sharing some follow-up thoughts from Sunday's sermon on what it means to be a real man and follow Jesus.  (You can watch the sermon online here.)  On Sunday we talked about how Jesus was a shepherd and a warrior, and how we, as men, are called to live out those roles as well.

One characteristic of a warrior is that he is a man under authority.  If you want to understand what the Bible says about authority, go read Romans 13:1-2 now.  As men, we must learn this vital lesson:  You can never be OVER someone until you have learned to be UNDER someone.  We have to learn to be men under authority.

As we think of being under authority, here are two questions to consider:

1. Am I falling under the authority of God?  If there any area in my life that I am refusing to submit to the authority and leadership of Jesus?  If so, confess it and correct it today!
2. Am I falling under the authority and accountability of a godly mentor?  Who do you have in your life who is speaking truth to you, asking you difficult questions, and pushing you to become more like Jesus?  Who are you accountable to?  If you currently don't have this relationship in your life, seek out someone this week who you can learn from about what it means to be a godly man, a godly husband and dad, and a man who follows hard after Jesus.

When we fail to live under authority and with accountability we are setting ourselves up for failure.  The Bible says that "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  We all need someone in our lives who is sharpening us!