Matthew 21:23-27 23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus replied, “I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?” They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Then he said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
Doug Stevens
The Leadership Connection
Observation: I can relate to the priests and elders in this scene. I tend to be suspicious and skeptical of authority — or, should I say, someone’s claim to authority. My instinctive rebelliousness saves me from gullibility, mindless compliance and/or vulnerability to abusive authority. But my reactivity does not always serve me well.
Jesus, Your authority calls for the creation of a special category – authority from heaven. Your Father has given You “all authority” – absolute authority – and I miss that or diminish that when I’m asserting my own autonomy or caught up in my own defensiveness and self-protective habits. And then, I miss the blessing and the freedom of living under Your empowering authority. An authority vindicated by Your life, radically transformational ministry, self-sacrificing love, voluntary death, and resurrection victory.
Action: Father, my response should be to recognize the reasonableness and trustworthiness of Your unique authority – and to live in submission to You at all times. All the while testing, subordinating, and aligning any other claims to authority under Your absolute right. God, I will fear You (I will revere You and surrender to You) and I will fear no man. I will be discerning about every other appeal to authority, including religious authority, such as these priests and elders.
OBSERVATION: I daily miss opportunities to join in God’s Kingdom work because I get frozen in fear. I’m often frozen by my need for approval and my fear of rejection. I feel like God is saying to me, “All authority on heaven and earth are mine and I want to exercise that authority in and through you.”
ACTION: Today I am going to exercise Jesus’ authority by responding to the prompting I felt yesterday in my interaction with someone who is struggling.
OBSERVATION – In this story, Jesus exercised authority when he didn’t answer their question. He placed another question before them instead. I have often yielded to other’s questions or requests rather than recognizing that I do have the authority NOT to respond to the initial question/comment/request. Jesus knew their hearts, and that is what he considered when he responded.
ACTION – I will be careful today in my interactions to listen to others and hear “beyond” the spoken words to understand their heart and to base my responses on that rather than on the surface words.
I observe that Jesus reserves the right not to answer the request of those who question him with skepticism instead of faith. I must consider that sometimes that is why He does not answer my questions and if I see that is true I need to repent.
I believe we all have questions. I have been the type of person (being a nurse) that I needed to know why or how something worked. Some say we as Christians should not question, but I feel that God wants us to question; for it keeps us searching out Him for the knowledge He alone can bring us. God has all authority!!! As I enter into this Lenten season I will contemplate any questions that may cross my spirit and be more open to God’s authority rather than mine alone. Such peace!!
Observation: I see Jesus training his disciples to discern who has authority. Who are they going to follow. Who really is from Heaven.
I also see Jesus challenging his disciples to discern who will be on their team.
Who will follow them eventually and who will not.
Action: I will submit my life to multiple people who submit to Jesus authority in their life. I am looking for disciples who are willing to do the same. People who follow.
Jesus I see you exposing the religious leaders were more concerned about what the people thought than what you thought.
Father today by Your grace — I will strongly consider whether my actions will be yielded to people or to You. I will strongly consider whom I would rather be accountable to.
I hear God the Father saying that I serve under the same authority as His Son, and I have that same heavenly authority at my disposal. Today, I will use that authority to show grace to others and to serve them like Jesus did, starting with those whom I serve in my vocation.
I hear in these words spoken by Jesus. Don’t be afraid to take a stand in the name of Jesus. Jesus knew who he was an so should we. When we are sure of our faith in God and not lifting ourselves up, we can stand.
I hear Jesus saying that he has been given all authority & that he does not need to explain himself to people that already doubt him in the first place. The authority of heaven has been given to him & he has given this authority to us. The cheif preists & elders were so set in what they thought the correct way was that they were in a defensive state of mind when they asked him the question. Jesus knew this & instead allowed them to see the truth for themselves.
I have been given authority by the hand of Jesus. I need to remember that, I do not need to prove myself to anyone but you Lord. I will remember to use the authority I have been given to, release love, peace, grace, mercy, & forgivness. All the things that you are because it is only when we release your fruit inside of us that we bring heaven into earth. Help me Lord to be a person that gives out of the fullness that I have been given. I love because you first loved me. Amen.
I don’t want to minister from positional human power but jout of relational authority from my heavenly Father…