January 17, 2012 Something's Different

Something’s Different

Mark 1:21-22 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.

HAVE YOU ever been in the presence of someone who really knows what she’s talking about? She exudes authority in her knowledge. And her way of speaking assures you she has a mastery of her facts.
When Scriptures says Jesus taught as one “who had authority”, it is apparent people were confident of his knowledge. They knew he had a mastery of his topic. And, in fact, one of the terms used to address him was “Master”. The Gospel writer Luke uses this several times to record the disciples addressing Jesus.
But there’s something more, much more to Jesus’ authority than his words. Jesus made it clear he had authority, he had mastery, over disease, over the winds, over the demons and over sin. Jesus demonstrated his authority also in the way he taught the Law of Moses, turning it from a the legalistic code the Jews had made it to be into a pattern for life, the way God meant it to be.
Jesus’ authority of the Scriptures brought the reality of God’s love to his people. His authority came from the throne of heaven in the power of the Spirit, and the Spirit moved to touch the hearts of men and women who heard the Master’s words.

Pause and consider how life-giving the words of Scripture are when you turn your life to the authority of God’s Word.