Image from revandy.org
From Where Does It Come? Where Does It Go?
This is Monday of Holy Week. We find in Luke 20:1-8 these words that ask and speak about Jesus' authority: One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders and said to him, "Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?" He answered them, "I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" They discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, "From heaven,' he will say, "Why did you not believe him?' But if we say, "Of human origin,' all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet." So they answered that they did not know where it came from. Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
Don't you like to be questioned about why you do the things you do? Neither do I. Those questions usually come from those who don't have a clue, or those who worry too much about you. After His triumphant entry into Jerusalem and His display of anger for the Temple, Jesus is questioned by those who already hated Him: "By what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?" Obviously, they did not like what Jesus had done and they certainly did not relate to the teachings they had heard Him speak that went against the order and authority of the day. Jesus answered with a question: "Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?" Great question as their discussion proves: "If we say Heaven, He will ask why we did not believe him; but if we say of human origin, we will be stoned by the people, because they believed him to be a prophet." So the answered, "We don't know where it came from!" Jesus answered, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."
The key question for us is, What authority does Jesus have in your/my life? If we give Jesus no authority we miss out on so much. We will question what He does or says. If we surrender to Jesus and admit our need for Him, then everything becomes clear and understandable. Those who say Jesus is Lord, understand the Lord's desire for those who are His. We will understand Jesus came to restore the right relationship God desires with us. We will understand that sin and other things not of God in our lives, like those things in the Temple, need to be overthrown and cast out; then the real work of Jesus will begin in us.
Surrender, dear friend today, to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the source of love and life, and our lives are empty without Him. Meaning and purpose will be ours if we but say, "Come into my heart Lord Jesus."
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, come in today, come in to stay; come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Make clear the things of Heaven in a mind that used to be tuned only to earth. I pray in the precious and powerful name of Jesus my Lord, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
