The Authority of the Lord
The Authority of the Lord
The authority of God is not separated from His will.
This authority of justice, of fair and loving providence is ultimate love, service, sacrifice and redemption.
It is not from this earth, nor from a human heritage, because it belongs to the One who fashioned the human being and breathed life into him.
It is does not come from war and conquest, but on the contrary, it comes from the king and source of peace. It refutes the useless power of demons and devils.
It comes not with fearful trumpets and uproar, nor by chants of invasion, but with a cry of peace and tranquility that smashes the weak power of demons.
Is not an authority that comes not with fearful trumpets of uproars and chants of invasion, but with a cry of peace and tranquility and calms the storms and winds, and tames the frenetic waves.
It is an authority that does not bring diseases and epidemics, but a healing power.
It is an authority that not bring death and destruction, but resurrection and eternal life.
It is an authority that has no period of time but lasts on forever and ever.
Many could not understand it, as they approached it with human and earthly views.
The men marveled, saying, “What kind of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
The Jews regarded the Messiah born in Bethlehem as the beginning of a new kingdom of David, a material and temporal kingdom.
They wanted him as authority according to their finite standards, one that smashes enemies and subjugates peoples, but they stumbled upon the power of tolerance, forgiveness, humility and service, and they reclaimed His Crucifixion.
How could they their material eyes accept an authority that heals diseases and forgives sins, that restores the lepers to the temple, that heals the paralyzed man on the Sabbath and the bleeding woman, that restores sight to the blind and rolls the tomb stone of Lazarus the after four days, when he was rotten, to reveal their deadly arrogance?
How could they accept a power that rebukes the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes for their hypocrisy, that guides the tax collectors and makes teachers and pastors out of fishermen?
An authority that declares the House of God to be a house of prayer for all nations?
This makes us stop for a moment and ponder upon the words of Matthew the Evangelist “for he taught them with authority, and not like the scribes” (Matthew 7: 29).