Jesusu Exercised (All) Authority

What Did Jesus Do?

...he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
The man who had died came out...
John 11.43-44

Except at his trial, the ministry of Jesus was all about his exercise of authority. This is not surprising when we recall that all authority has been given to him (Matthew 28.18). Yet, when it came down to sparing himself the agony of the cross, Christ refused to use his authority to call upon the Father to send down legions of angels to deliver him (see Matthew 26.53).

But the Lord never hesitated to exercise his authority for the sake of others. Jesus used his authority to order demons and unclean spirits to come out of their hosts and stop afflicting them (see Mark 1.26). Indeed, Christ's very teaching was so brimming with authority it astounded people (Mark 1.27-28). But Jesus had authority over more than thi8ngs of the spirit.

The Lord's authority extended to dread skin diseases (see Matthew 8.1-3), paralysis (Matthew 8.5-13), fevers (Matthew 8.14-15), blindness (Matthew 9.27-30), and all manner of illness and infirmity (Matthew 8.16), so that the words of the prophet Isaiah were fulfilled (see Isaiah 53.4). Even so, the authority of Jesus was not limited to the physical and spiritual maladies suffered by people.

The raging elements were obedient to Jesus (see Mark 4.35-39). All nature bows to the commands of the Lord. A fig tree so foolish as to bear no figs when the Lord was hungry had no choice but to submit to his authority when Jesus declared that no one would ever again eat fruit from the tree (Mark 11. 12-14, 20-21). If necessary, Jesus had authority even to make stones cry out (Luke 19.40).

And, when the chief priests, scribes, and elders sought to challenge the authority of the Lord, his wisdom left them confounded and speechless (Mark 11.27-33). In truth, the authority of Jesus knew no bounds. Even death it self was subject to the Lord's authority. When death had the temerity to snatch Lazarus, the good friend of the Lord, people never expected to see Lazarus again before the last day (see John 11.24). But even death had to concede that it had no power to resist the authority of Jesus; so when Jesus ordered him to come out, out Lazarus came.

Unless we fail to understand the concept of “all,” we too must acknowledge that Jesus meant exactly what he said to his disciples when he addressed them just prior to ascending back into heaven. And, therefore, in Christ's authority, we have no choice but to go into all the world to make disciples, baptizing in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching all to acknowledge and obey his every word (Matthew 28.18-20).

So it is that, in the name, and under the authority of Jesus, his Church simply cannot fail in its mission. All that the Lord has purposed for his Church will, sooner or later, be accomplished by his saints who exercise his authority.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4