Good morning. This past Wednesday evening we began a new study series for the adult class called “Kingdom Disciples” by Tony Evans. In the first lesson the point is driven home that Jesus’ intention for His disciples is to work to accomplish the Father’s will in this world as people who have been given authority.
Matthew 10 shares with us the words of Jesus as He sends out His disciples to do work in the world around them. He instructs them, He empowers them, He warns them, and He grants to them His authority as they carry out God’s work. The same continues to be true today. We are to function in this world as God’s people with the authority that is granted to us by the Lord of all, our Savior Jesus.
Jesus’ authority was amazing in its day. We read in Matthew 7:28-29 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
The Scribes and Pharisees acted as though they had authority. They ruled over the synagogues. They made and enforced laws. They punished people who they felt were not acting in keeping with their self-awarded authority.
But then the people heard Jesus. Upon hearing Him preach and teach the truth of it was immediately obvious. Jesus spoke as One who truly had authority. Jesus spoke as One who spoke on behalf of God the Father.
When we call Him Lord, we recognize His absolute authority.
When we yield our will to His, we recognize His absolute authority.
When we apply His words to our lives, and live in submission to Biblical commands, we recognize His authority.
When we fail to do any of those things, we proclaim our will is superior to His and we are rejecting His authority.
Please consider today how you may better live under the authority of Jesus Christ.
Please also consider today what it means for you, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, to live as one who has been given authority.
Demons recognized the authority of Jesus then, and they continue to fear Him today. The fears that would claim us fall away when we invoke the authority of Jesus. The temptations that would defeat us pale and lose power when we consider them against the authority of Jesus which He shared with us. Claim it, and live within it, and reveal the authority of our Lord Jesus.
Vern