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The Upload

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I pray you had a blessed week.

All my life I have resisted authority figures. I think it is because I am a child of the 60’s. You remember those days, don’t you? Or, if you are too young to remember them, you surely have read about them. The theme of the 1960’s was resistance. We resisted everything in those days. We resisted our government, our parents, and the institutions of the day. We resisted our laws and our cultural practices. We resisted the old clothing styles and hairstyles. Civil Rights activists challenged all people to stand up for the oppressed and speak out against racism, and the injustices that were perpetuated not only in our culture, but, through our authority figures.

So, I think it is only natural that I don’t like others to have authority over me. Allowing others to have authority over us is something many of us resist and this is not a new issue. In our Gospel text for this coming Sunday, Matthew 21:23-32, we hear that even in Jesus day, people resisted authority.

Jesus had bee n doing wonderful things. He had been teaching about God’s love and endless mercy. He had been healing the sick and offering good news to everyone. This was great stuff, but the people, especially the people who thought they were the authorities, that is the Pharisees, want to know by whose authority Jesus is doing what he is doing.

Jesus attempted top answer them that by asking them about John’s ministry, but they would not answer him. Jesus’ authority came from God. The same God, by the way, that they proclaim as God with their lips, but that they deny by their actions. God’s word had foretold of this very situation, and yet, the most learned of God’s word, denied God’s revelation. These followers were not misinformed, they failed to believe God’s word. Their actions literally were contrary to their words of belief.

Not much ahs changed in the past 2000 years. We still deny Jesus’ authority over our lives, don’t we? Several weeks ago, we heard Peter proclaim to Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Today, on that proclamation of faith, we gather proclaim to be Christ’s church. But, do our actions proclaim these words? Do we live our lives in such a way that everything we do points to God and the one who died for us. Do we live our lives to God’s glory, or are we living our lives to the ways of this world?

As Christians we are not only called to proclaim Jesus as our Savior with our words, we are expected to live our lives in such a way that people know who we are by our actions. In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said it best when he said, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In everything we do, our actions are to point to the one who has been granted all authority on earth and in heaven (Matthew 28:18).

Yes, we are wired to resist authority, but there is one who ought to have full authority over all our lives and that one is Jesus, the Christ. So, by whose authority do you live? May your actions tell the world the answer to this question!

Have a blessed week!

Shalom,

Pastor Dave

Tags: Weekly Word