The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 4:32,
"They were amazed at his [Jesus'] teaching, because his message had authority."
If anything, Luke lays the groundwork in the first part of his gospel establishing the authority of Jesus Christ. That authority begins with the angel Gabriel bringing a message from God about the child the virgin Mary will give birth to. Mary was told by Gabriel, "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:31-33. Gabriel also visited a priest named Zechariah, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news." Luke 1:19. The news Zechariah heard was his wife was going to also bear a child in her old age who would be a great prophet that would prepare the way for the Son of God. As great a prophet as John the Baptist was, he said of Jesus, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Luke 3:16-17. It doesn't get more authoritative than that.
In the introduction of Jesus' public ministry in his gospel Luke establishes Jesus' authority in a variety of ways. At Jesus' baptism by John, a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." Luke 3:22. His authority was established by the holy Scriptures (Isaiah 61:1-2), Luke 4:18-21. Jesus demonstrated his authority over demons and the spiritual world, Luke 4:31-37. His authority over infirmity, sickness and disease is documented in Luke 4:38-41; 5:12-15; and 5:17-26 where he also proved his authority to forgive sins. Jesus demonstrated his authority over the law - the Scriptures in Luke 6:1-11. Here he says, in speaking of himself, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." Jesus also demonstrated his authority against the religious leaders of the day, Luke 6:1-11.
In Luke's gospel we are introduced to someone who could hardly be thought of in terms of merely a great religious philosopher, a moral teacher or a prophet to bring sinners to repentance. Certainly he was all these things, but far beyond them, he is presented to us as God's one and only Son. When the Son of God came to planet earth, his credentials and authority were clearly presented.
The question we are faced with is how we each will respond to the One whose authority has been established. We all have that choice to make as none of us will be forced or manipulated into it. It must be an affirmative exercise of our own free will. Will we embrace him in faith? Regardless what choice we make in this life, there will come a day when the authority of Jesus Christ will be recognized by all people everywhere, including those who wish to remain in the darkness of spiritual blindness. "Therefore God exalted him [Christ Jesus] to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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