Recognize Christ’s Authority: All Authority

Scripture Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

Key Verse: Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

After you ask Jesus into your life, what exactly have you received?  The Bible tells us that we have received the One with “all” authority.  A very inadequate illustration of this would be if the President of the United States came to your front door.  If you were to open up your home to him and receive him into your home, you would have a powerful authority with you.

In a much greater way, when we receive Jesus, we receive the One who has been given all the authority in both heaven and earth.  We have a hard time wrapping our minds around such power.  Our Father in heaven gave Jesus this authority after Jesus obediently accomplished His purpose on earth.  He defeated death, hell and the grave, which resulted in having all—not partial—authority.

Jesus had authority before the cross.  People who listened to Him teach noted that he “taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of law” (Mark 1:22).  However, it was not until all earthly enemies, such as death, were defeated that He had all authority.  As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death is your victory?  Where, O death is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).

Father, I want to receive Jesus and all His authority into my life.  Help me grow in my understanding of what that means to me.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.