Authority

I hope everyone had a lovely 3 day weekend!  Let that rest take you into a productive and good week. - Best

PRAYER: Thank You LORD for making me who I am.  Thank You for bringing the gospel into my life.  It really is the living Word.  Helping me in ways that only You understand.  And I'm so thankful.  It is powerful.  It is the truth.  I hold tight to it.  LORD, show me the right opportunities to share Your Good News with others.  By Your Spirit, healing someone from pain, dropping supernatural understanding and enlightenment into their lives, introducing Your Son to someone or reminding someone of the good God we serve.  For I have to remember it is not only about me-it is about loving You and loving others as myself.  Sounds easy enough, but LORD we definitely need You to forgive and look past human folly and mistakes and to remember the God we serve who loves us unconditionally.  Jesus wasn't surrounded by perfect people and yet He loved them anyway-even the one He knew was going to betray Him.  Thank You, LORD, for Your great example.  I desire to follow.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

MATTHEW 21:23-27 part 2

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS QUESTIONED:

²³ Jesus entered the temple courts and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him.  "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked.  "And who gave you this authority?" ²⁴ Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question.  If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.  ²⁵ John's baptism — where did it come from?  Was it from heaven, or from men?"  They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?  ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men' — we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."  ²⁷ So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."  Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things." 

In Jesus' time, as it is also today, people looked for the outward sign of authority--education, title, position, connections.  But Jesus' authority came from who He was, not from any outward and superficial trappings.  If we are followers of Christ, God has given each one of us authority.  We can confidently speak and act on His behalf because He has authorized us.  You know this authority by reading the Word.  Do you know what your authority is?  Are you exercising your authority? 

-GOD'S AUTHORITY VS. WORLDLY AUTHORITY-