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SUNDAY MORNING(February 16th) •The Intersection of Heavenly Authority and Everyday Life *     As human beings, we understand and apply authoritative instructions using our God-given common sense every day. In fact, we learn to do so from a very early age.We may not use distinctive labels or philosophical definitions to describe what we’re doing, but we comprehend and follow the fundamental principles of authority and compliance in thousands upon thousands of actions and reactions over a lifetime of interactions.  For example, a father knocks on the bedroom door of his teenage son and communicates clear instructions to him. “Take this $25 and go to Pizza Hut on Main Street.I just called in an order for a sausage pizza, an order of breadsticks, and a Diet Coke.Go straight there, and come straight back home.We’ll have the table set when you get back.”That teenager is now the recipient of very specific instructions that carry the authoritative weight of his father.These instructions, by their very nature, logically rule out millions of other variables.Can the teenage son take his father’s $25, pick up his girlfriend, and head for the movie theater? No! Why not?His father specifically told him to go to Pizza Hut and spend the money there.Even though his father did not methodically list every possible place his son should not go, the teenager naturally understands something, doesn’t he?To take that $25 and spend it anywhere other than Pizza Hut will be to disobey his father at home.His father’s specific mention of Pizza Hut on Main Street logically rules out every other pizza place, every other restaurant, every other venue, and even every other Pizza Hut other than the Pizza Hut on Main Street.The same principle applies to the sausage pizza, the order of breadsticks, and the Diet Coke.If the teenager comes home with a pepperoni pizza, an order of hot wings, and a Mountain Dew, he will have failed to follow his father’s instructions. Why? Even though the teenager went to Pizza Hut, his father specifically ordered a sausage pizza,breadsticks,and a Diet Coke.The specific nature of his communication logically rules out every other kind of pizza, every other side item, and every other beverage.“Go straight there, and come straight back home” were his father’s final specific instructions.Even if the teenager goes to Pizza Hut, to go any where beyond Pizza Hut will be to blatantly disregard his father’s instructions. Why? All other stops are logically ruled out by the specific instructions of his authoritative father.    As a human being, the teenage son has freedom of will.He has received specific instructions from his father.The way he acts from the point of instruction forward depends entirely on the level of respect he has for his father. On the other hand, suppose the same father knocks on the bedroom door of the same teenage son with similar, but more general instructions.“Your mom is in the mood for pizza. How about taking this $25 and picking one up for all of us? And while you’re at it, grab some dessert and a soft drink or two.”That teenager has received some very generic instructions that carry the authoritative weight of his father.He is still expected to go and pick up some pizza with the money provided, but the nature of his father’s instructions logically carry a certain amount of freedom to choose how those instructions will be carried out.    Pepperoni? Sausage? Supreme? Hawaiian? Cheese? Any one of these—including a number of other options—are available to the teenager, as long as he comes home with a pizza.   Ice cream? Cookies? Cake? Brownies? Candy?Any of these—including a number of other options—are available to the teenager, as long as he comes home with some type of dessert. His father has no logical right to be upset with his son if the teenager comes home with vanilla ice cream instead of Milky Way candy bars. Why not? He gave his son generic instructions

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