All Authority

Authority-power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.
Everybody has some type of authority. In the military, authority is represented by stripes on a sleeve or rank on the shoulder or collar. In school, authority is in titles and grade levels. In family, authority is usually in age or role. (parent, child, older sibling vs younger sibling). People spend their whole lives seeking authority. Whether it is at home when you finally gain the ability to change your parents mind or gain a voice they will listen too; at school when you finally get to the grade level where others look up to you and you can boss them around (08' don't hate!!) ; maybe in sports when you get to be a captain or in a job when you finally are somebody's boss, authority is something we all seek. Authority doesn't always come in titles though...many times true authority is earned. Authority over others works best when the people that are being ruled or managed can see the one in authority through eyes of respect. For example, in the military you have no other option but to be under the authority that ranks over you. As a young airman in the Air Force everybody outranked me. I mean anybody in the world could boss me around. In the military there are non-commission officers (ex. Sergents) and officer (ex. Lieutenants). If a Lt. told me what to do I would do it, but deep down inside I knew he had only been wearing the uniform as long as I had and really didn't know what he was talking about in most cases. But if a Master Sergent told me what to do, even though the Lt. outranked him, I would quickly obey because I knew he had been there before, that he knew what he was talking about and that the stripes he had on his shoulders proved to me that he had the years and sweat to prove his power.

Sometimes when I see God's commands I can kind of get the same attitude that I had as a young airman. It's like, "come on God... this is so easy for you to do, but for me it is impossible" or "God I guess I will do it because I have to, but just know this, I won't enjoy it" or maybe this, "you haven't been through this one God, you just don't understand". So what do we do with those feelings? How do we respond to God's authority in our life and not get all angry at Him?

Here is what the scripture says. Matthew 28:18-20 is one of the most popular Bible passages. It is known as the Great Commission. Before Jesus gives His most powerful, worldwide command to His disciples on the mission for their lives and ours, He prefaces it with an amazing statement. "All Authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth". Why is this so important? Jesus is calling His disciples to a lifetime mission and to ensure they don't ignore it, or half-heartily obey, He reminds them that #1 He is the King of Kings (there is no one above Him) #2 He had the title all along but He went a step further and earned the right through experiencing life in flesh, death and furthermore resurrection)#3 There was no other option, for the one calling them was their friend as well as their leader.

You see each of us is given this same order today from the Lord. We are to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." We do not receive this command from an officer that has no idea what it is like to be us, or from a boss that has never really worked a day in his life, nor from a teacher that has long forgotten what it is to be a student. No we receive this command from GOD, the one and only! A God who understands (Hebrews 4:15-16) a God who suffered (Matthew 27), a God who overcame (Rev. 1:17-18).

When thinking about our call to reach out into the lives of others, let's first remember who it is that gives us the command and what He did for you and I to prove His Authority.