I want to begin today at the most basic level. This message is for everyone! If you are married it is for you! If you are single and looking…it is for you! If you single…and not looking…it is for you! If you are a teenager…it is for you! Why? Because today I am going to do more than give you relationship advice. I am going share with you the fundamental truths of how to develop healthy relationships in general…and how to have a long-lasting marriage!

So, what is delegated authority? For our purposes, it is when God gives us authority! We have no authority except what God gives us! He gives us authority for the purpose of accomplishing HIS will in our lives and the lives of those we encounter! This morning I want to share with you these 3 truths. (1) We need to understand that DELEGATED AUTHORITY IS Connected to GREAT FAITH! (2) PARENTS ARE DELEGATED AUTHORITIES (3) JESUS IS OUR MODEL OF DELEGATED AUTHORITY!

This morning we are continuing our series called AUTHORITY ISSUES! I think most of us…if not all of us…struggle with AUTHORITY ISSUES! This series is will, absolutely change your life. Why? Because many of the problems you struggle with are related to authority. How you interact with authority. How you respond to authority. How you feel about authority. And…how you think about your own authority. Your life is touched by authority of some kind every day. Speed limit signs, IRS, locked doors, schools, bosses, moms, dads, stop lights, the bible, pastors, teachers…you get the idea…right? Authority issues will affect…how you lead and…how you are being led. This morning I want to share with you the deep and meaty subject called the KING’S AUTHORITY!

It may come as a surprise to you…that the doctrine of the Incarnation, which is what we really celebrate at Christmas… was once occasioned a significant controversy in the Church. Today the Incarnation seems about as scandalous as peanut butter!  But in the fourth and fifth centuries, it was an issue that divided many Christians! Why? Because the incarnation is the understanding…the doctrine…God had come to earth to live as a human!

We may think that the Christmas story is full of perfect situations and perfect people…that we cannot related to…that is not the case! Because we are aware of our own lack of perfection! The Christmas story is filled with scandal and drama! This is especially true in the genealogy of Jesus…HIS human ancestry…is filled with scandal! Scandal after Scandal! Last week we talked about a Rahab the prostitute...she was the great, great, great, (etc.) grandmother of Jesus. This week I want to focus on the great, great, great, (etc.) grandparents of Jesus! These grandparents EXPERIENCED THE SCANDAL OF GUILT AND SHAME!