Living With Authority

 

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK

LIVING WITH AUTHORITY

Mark 1:21-28

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!" 25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"  26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching — and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

NIV

Where else would we expect to find the Lord on the Sabbath other than in the synagogue? Who else would have any authority that would exceed that of Jesus? He has authority over everything and everyone as nothing that was created that wasn’t created by him. This would then mean we should yield to his authority in our lives. Mark points out from the very beginning that Jesus even has authority over the evil spirits. There is no question the spirit world knows who Jesus is and this evil spirit proclaim Jesus was the He is the Holy One of God. Is it any wonder it questions if he came to destroy them? However, what we have to consider is the authority of Jesus. Jesus has the absolute authority over all creation which includes us. Are we living in a manner that reflects His authority in our lives? How should our lives look if we are living submitted to his authority? Maybe that is the key as God gave us the ability or the freedom to choose. Although Jesus has the ultimate authority we have to choose to live within his rule. How much of our life reflects our choice to live under His authority? Do we have the right to make decisions on our own? If so, what, if any, limits do we have on our choice to do something or not to do something? Have we taken on any rules to live by that are of our own making, rather than because of His authority? Do we use Him to be the author of those rules, when in fact he is not? Do we ignore certain aspects of his reign in our lives because of our own desires? The thing is that because of the authority of Jesus in his teaching and command over this evil spirit news traveled all around the whole region of Galilee. Now, yes, He is God and has mighty power over all things, however, what if we were truly living with all the authority He gave to us. Would news spread about us all over the area where we live and work? Do people say that we live with should authority and that what is this a new teaching? Are we teaching something new, or is what we teach the same old stuff? Because we have the Spirit of the Lord dwelling within and because He has given us His word, should we not be teaching with the authority of God and having command over the evil spirits in this world? We do have to remember to get dressed every morning in His armor and pick up that sword, which is the word of God and step out onto the battlefield and win. So then our lives would reflect Jesus being our Lord. We would live with authority.