by Herman Crawford
Our small group this month is looking at authority—and our homework assignment was to answer two questions: “who do you have authority over” and “who has authority over you.” The genesis of this is 1 Peter 2, where Peter tells us we are to “submit to every human authority.”
As I was thinking about the question “who has authority over me,” I thought about God and His authority. Talk about ultimate authority. In Genesis 1, there are about nine times in the NIV translation that reads “And God said” and things happen. He said “Let there be light” and it was so. He said “let there be” again and the heavens and waters separated. He spoke again and there was earth; again and there was night and day. This continued until finally God looked at His creation, said it was good, and rested.
Then look at “authority” in the New Testament. Matthew 7 tells us that Jesus was “teaching them as one having authority.” The New Testament speaks of Jesus having “authority” over unclean spirits, to forgive sins and in Matthew 28, He says “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” With this kind of power, how did Jesus end up nailed to the cross? He told Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane when He was arrested to put his sword away and in verse 53—“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” This, my friends, is authority!
Then He was crucified, He died, and was buried. Is this where His authority ended? Peter says not even. Acts 2:24, Peter says “God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Authority over death! We celebrate that authority at Easter. We celebrate a risen Christ who has all authority in heaven, on the earth and in the grave. All authority over all things—ALL things!
But does He have authority over your life?
Father, thank You that with Your authority to create with just Your voice, You also give us authority. That authority allows us to go against what You have deemed to be good and in our best interests. May Your Spirit watch over us and lead us in Your way, under Your authority. Amen.
