Authority changes Everything-08/06/12

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Matt 28:18

Authority is one of the most sought-after commodities and most abused tools of mankind. It can be the greatest power for good, and the most corrupted tool for evil---all based on how it is used. When Jesus acknowledges His God-given authority, He shows us some powerful lessons in how it is to be used.

1) Authority requires responsibility.
When God gives someone authority, it's a temporary assignment.  Authority is a responsibility to serve those you are in charge of.  So when Jesus was given authority, it immediately called for His leadership and direction to those He was in charge of. His first assignment (and only assignment) to the disciples was paramount.  Authority is not about having power or being in charge, it's about setting the direction and being the example.

2) Authority creates attention.
When someone is given authority, it immediately draws attention.  In most cases, the person with authority is sought out for solutions to every problem and petitioned for every desire.  Many under their care desire an audience with the authority for a variety of reasons - to be know, to know, to influence or to gain.  How much more with Jesus!  Our prayers to God often reflect the desire we have for attention from Him as our authority.

3) Authority demands choice.
With every position of authority comes a choice for those under them.  And with every change in leadership comes the review of that choice.  When Jesus became Lord (and not just Savior), it gave the disciples the choice of whether they were ready to follow Him.  Choosing Jesus as Savior is to our advantage, but choosing Jesus to be Lord is for His advantage.  Being our Savior took His sacrifice, but being our Lord calls for our sacrifice.  When someone becomes our authority, it calls for a choice.

For those reasons and more, God made it clear to Jesus that He was NOW the Authority over men.  When Jesus told that to the disciples, they now had the choice.  Would they follow Jesus as their Lord?  That same choice is ours.  There is no doubt Jesus is Lord --- God has established that.  The question is whether we accept Him as OUR Lord.  Doing so calls us to Obey and to Pray, coming under His authority.