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authority

All Authority

by TerryLema

When we say those marvelous three words, “Jesus is LORD,” we mean “Jesus is GOD.” Jesus Himself told us what that means for us.

In Jesus’ final words to His disciples, He gave them this declaration, command, and accompanying promise. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB]

The command is to “Go, therefore ….” The “therefore” refers back to the declaration that “all authority” has been given to Christ Jesus our LORD. There is no way we can make disciples or baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, without the delegated authority that resides in Christ Jesus. Because He is God, we can “Go, make disciples, and baptize.”

Then there is the promise that Jesus our LORD will be with us always, clear to the end of the age. Only God can be with all of us, with each of us, to the end of the age.

When we make it personal, and acknowledge that “Jesus is my LORD,” we are committing ourselves to obeying and submitting to His authority.

As we do that, we acknowledge that He owns us and that He has the right to tell us what to do. Amen.

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God Loves Me

by TerryLema

I was sitting in my rocker in my living room the other morning. Bob was off doing some banking and other errands. The house was quiet. I was thanking God for a good report from my bone scan. In spite of being almost 75 and spending nearly 2 years on Prednisone, my bones are “very strong” according to the scan. That is a marvelous blessing.

As I sat there thinking about what I’ll be “doing” next year after The Way, my God reminded me that He loves me for who I am, not what I do.

Who I am?  I am His child.

John 1:12: “But to all who did receive Him, [Christ Jesus] gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name.” [HCSB]

Because I believe in His name and have received the salvation He offered, Christ Jesus has given me the “right” to be God’s child. The word John used for “right” is exousia, which means power to act, or authority.

I heard that word described once in relation to the Greek word for power, dunamis. The speaker said that when a bank robber with a gun meets a police officer with a gun, both have power (dunamis), but only one has authority (exousia) to use that power. The police offer has been given the authority by right of the one he represents. His badge symbolizes that exousia.

I have been given the authority by right of the one I serve, Christ Jesus. I am a child of God, not because I claim to be, but because He says I am.

As I sat in my rocker, taking all this in, I knew that I knew that I knew I am His child. And that He loves me, not because of what I can do, but simply because I am His.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” [Romans 8:16 HCSB]

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Power Over the Spiritual World

by TerryLema

Reading Luke 8 on Tuesday morning gave me much to consider. Beginning in Verse 22, Luke tells us three amazing stories about the power and authority of our Savior and LORD, Christ Jesus.

He begins in verses 22-25 with the calming of the storm on the lake. After that when the boat reaches the other side, they arrive in the region of the Gerasenes, opposite Galilee. There they are confronted by a man possessed by demons.  Jesus commands the demons to leave the man.

The demons recognize the authority of Jesus that they must leave the man, but they beg Him not to “banish them to the abyss.” [vs 31 HCSB]

Jesus gives them permission to enter a herd of pigs. Unable to contain the “Legion” of demons, the pigs rush down a steep bank and drown. That upsets the men tending the pigs who rush off to report the incident to the town.

When the townsfolk come out to see what happened, they find Jesus and the formerly-demon-possessed man sitting and talking.  Verses 36 and 37 report the outcome and as it turns out, it is the same reaction the disciples had when Jesus calmed the storm – fear.

“Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demon-possessed man was delivered. Then all the people of the Gerasene region asked Him to leave them, because they were gripped by great fear.” [HCSB]

Fear was the response of the disciples when Jesus took authority over the storm, and fear was the response of the people in the region of the Gerasenes when Jesus took authority over demonic powers. In these two incidents we see the power and authority of our Savior, Christ Jesus, over the natural world and over the spiritual world.

No wonder we stand in wonder in the Presence of Jesus!  All authority, all power are His!

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Under Authority

by TerryLema

Do you want to see what my Jesus is like? You will find a most lovely series of events in His life in Luke 7. In each event you see His heart openly on display. Since I love looking at and learning more about my Savior, I thought it might be good to look at each event in that chapter. The first is the Centurion with the dying servant. [vs 1-10]

This must have been some Centurion! First, he had a good relationship with the Jewish elders where he was stationed. Jews and Romans didn’t mix; they hated each other. Yet these elders not only carry the Centurion’s message to Jesus, they plead with Him to help. “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” [Luke 7:4-5]

Next, when the Centurion learns Jesus is on His way to His house, he sends friends to prevent Him from coming all the way. They bring an amazing message from him. “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.” [v6-8]

That message so moved Jesus that He turns to the crowd following Him and says, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” [v9]

I have often heard the Centurion applauded for his comment that he was a man “of” authority, but I think what touched Jesus’ heart is the part of the comment that often is ignored. The Centurion knew what it was to be a man “under” authority.

As children of God we have authority, but as people of faith we understand what it means to submit to God’s authority. Jesus saw that in this Centurion, and He responded to it. What a lovely Savior we have.

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