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Father Mike's word for today

By what authority?

We give many people authority: police, parents, politicians and pastors. We need authority to have direction in our lives. Jesus respected authority: his parents, religious leaders and his Father. Let's look at how Jesus exercised his authority.

Scripture

Matthew 21: 23-27

When he had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, "By what authority are you doing these things? ¹⁹ And who gave you this authority?"

Jesus said to them in reply, "I shall ask you one question, ²⁰ and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things.

Where was John's baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?" They discussed this among themselves and said, "If we say 'Of heavenly origin,' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'

²¹ But if we say, 'Of human origin,' we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet."

So they said to Jesus in reply, "We do not know." He himself said to them, "Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Prayer
Lord, taking on authority is difficult. Oh, there might be moments of adulation and being felt to be important, but most of the time using authority means you have to go against the opinions of others. Stand with me, Lord, in the loneliness of being a person of authority. Amen.

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