Text Box: By the authority invested in me by the state of Illinois, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. By the authority invested in me. Isn’t it great to have authority to do things. To have the authority to spend money. To have the authority to go places other people can’t enter. Authority to decide things. Sometimes a person has authority based on a position that they hold. A judge has authority to decide cases that come before him because he’s been put in that position. A parent has authority to discipline her child because God has placed the parent in that position. But authority comes not only from position. Sometimes authority is earned by the wisdom and knowledge that someone demonstrates. To the person who has expertise in some area we give the authority to decide what is best in regards to their expertise. Just by virtue of great wisdom and knowledge, we defer to those more knowledgeable than ourselves. When the doctor says we have to put a tube down his throat, or do an angiogram, and we have to do it now, we usually defer. Whatever the doctor thinks best, we better do it. The doctor understands better than I do. The wise child will follow what his parents tell him, because they know better than the child what’s good. Sometimes a person has authority based on their power. The power of police or of an army gives them authority over those who are weaker than they. Once again, parents, being stronger than their little children, exercise authority over them. Of course that particular basis of authority of parents diminishes and fades away as children grow up and become as strong or stronger than their parents! In all these ways and more, God has authority over everything and everybody. God has authority by virtue of His position - He’s God! He has authority. God who has all wisdom and knowledge is an expert in everything. We would be wise to follow God’s advice. God also has authority based on power. He who made the heavens and the earth, who has the power over all He made, has authority. God’s authority was demonstrated by Jesus when He entered the synagogue, and taught... with authority. No “I wonder about” this or that. No hemming and hawing. Jesus spoke with authority and the people noticed. That’s not the kind of preaching they were accustomed to hearing. Then a man in an unclean spirit right there in their worship service, right in the synagogue made a big interruption. Could you imagine someone getting up in the middle of the worship service here and yelling things and making a big scene? That’s what happened when Jesus was preaching. Jesus said to the unclean spirit “be quiet. Come out of him.” The unclean spirit had no choice. Jesus has authority. Jesus, being God, has the power. The unclean spirit had to come out. Everyone was amazed at what kind of authority Jesus has that He could rebuke an evil spirit and it would obey Him! The word spread about Jesus quickly. When He hung on that cross Jesus exercised His authority against all unclean spirits, and against all the evil things that we have done. A beaten, bedraggled, worn out body that’s just about to die is usually not the way we would picture authority. But no matter how weak His voice, when Jesus said from that cross “it is finished,” He spoke with authority. Sin was conquered. He showed His power over sins, and Satan. When Jesus overcame death, when He came back to life, He showed his power over even death. He has all authority. Just a few weeks after that, Jesus says to His disciples, and to you and me, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me, therefore go and make disiciples...” All authority has been given to Jesus. And by His authority, He authorizes us to make disciples. Our authority is to speak God’s word to people. What amazing authority! Our authority is great because we have been commissioned by the greatest authority, God Himself. However, with authority also comes responsibility. We have the responsibility to use our authority. God doesn’t give us the ability to speak His Word for nothing. He wants us to use it, to talk to people, to tell the good news, to love people to Jesus. Now, with God’s authority, we speak His word and He by His own power, by His authority changes people’s lives. We also have the responsibility to use our authority carefully. As we hear in 1 Corinthians, we have knowledge, especially when it comes to idols. We know much. That’s the source of some of our authority. But then this warning - “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Knowledge puffs up. It’s easy for us to get a big head, to be puffed up, to have an over-inflated idea of ourselves. We are to speak God’s word with all the authority that God gives us, but we are to do so lovingly. God says, “speak the truth in love.” Speaking with love is the only way to exercise our authority responsibly, and effectively. If we use God’s message of love in any way other than in love, we are just a resounding gong, a clanging cymbal. The only way to speak God’s word authoritatively is to do so lovingly. Love is the very message of God’s Word, and the very nature of our dear God who sends us. He is love. God gives strong warning to that person who pretends to speak God’s word, but is rather merely trying to manipulate people for his own purposes. God says the person who presumes to speak in His name anything God didn’t tell him to say, should be put to death. (Dt. 18:20) Does that seem a little extreme? Not to God. Because speaking falsely in God’s name could lead people astray from God, from everlasting life with God. It’s a very big deal. All authority originates with God. Jesus speaks with authority, naturally. People can tell the difference. Jesus has authority over unclean spirits, and over us. He has the authority to send us to do His will. He has the authority to work through us in people’s lives. Jesus has the authority to save, He has the authority and power to protect us, He has the authority to provide us with every good thing, especially forgiveness and everlasting life. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus. Jesus gives authority to you. Use it with power, with boldness, with the authority God has given you. God give you authority because He wants you to use it. Love people to Jesus.  

Text Box: January 29, 2006 God’s Authority Mark 1:21-28, Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

 

Text Box: V Home V What We Believe V Worship Services V Early Childhood Center V A Place for you! V From our Pastor V Calendar   Text Box: Other sermons: 1/1 A new Start a New Life 1/8 Surprise! Good News 1/15 Glued to the Lord 1/22 How far are you willing to follow me? 1/29 God's Authority 2/5 A Lesson in Time Management 2/12 Jesus: Doctor, Medicine, Trainer 2/19 The Power of Thoughts/Ideas 2/26 3/5 Godliness with Contentment Is Great Gain 3/12 You’ve Been Given Much. Give. You’ll Be Given Even More! 3/19 How Foolish! 3/26 Celebrate God’s Good Gift