Preschool
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit (Zechariah 4:6).
The Authority of Jesus
Memory Verses
Primary
Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
Junior
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6).
Background Scripture: Mark 1
Lesson Scripture: Mark 1:16-27; Isaiah 9:6-7
Introduction
“All power is given unto me.” Those were shocking, scandalous words. The identity of the Man who spoke to them was even more shocking. Eleven men were gathered on a hilltop in Galilee. They knew that Jesus was dead; they had seen Him die and had seen his pierced side. Now He stood there with them, fully alive, and told them that He held all power in heaven and in earth.
We may scoff and refuse to believe like millions around us, but millions of unbelievers have never yet succeeded in burying his words. Just like Jesus Himself, his words refuse to stay dead.
Key Verse
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18).
Lesson Scripture
Mark 1:16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.
19 And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.
20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.
25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Studying the Lesson
God in human flesh; how can it be? “It appears that the human nature of Jesus Christ was a real creation in the womb of the virgin, by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 1 This is the only way that Jesus could be human in every way but have no taint of the sin of Adam. He was also fully God, the Creator of the universe. In a way that does not fit into our human understanding, all the fullness of the Godhead was embodied in Jesus. God was still in heaven, a separate being who was at the same time part of who Jesus was and is.
Jesus was not acting on his own authority. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19). “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38).
Jesus had authority over nature. He turned water into wine, calmed the wind and storm, walked on water, healed the sick, brought the dead back to life, fed thousands of people with a few loaves and fish, and made a fig tree dry up overnight. Jewish religious leaders and Roman government officials questioned his authority, but spirits from the realm of darkness never did.
What was the purpose of this display of authority? Was it not to demonstrate that there is another far greater reality beyond this physical realm? As fully God and fully man, Jesus was always completely aware of both physical and spiritual reality. He was willing to be subject to the limitations of living in a human body in a physical world, but He kept offering tantalizing glimpses into the reality that lies beyond this physical world.
A time is coming when the things of this world that dim our spiritual vision will be taken away. Then we will see the full reality of who Jesus is. If we make Him Lord of our life today, we will have no need to fear standing before Him on that great day.
Practical Truths for Today
“Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49). The account of Jesus at the age of twelve, sitting in the Temple and speaking with the rabbis, shows us He had an awareness of his mission. His life from then until He was around thirty is hidden from us, but surely the ordinary events of living were all part of his preparation for that mission. Evidently Joseph was no longer there when Jesus began his ministry, and since Jesus was called a carpenter, we can assume that He learned Joseph’s trade and took the responsibility of providing a livelihood for his mother and siblings after Joseph died.
When Jesus approached the age of thirty, his life dramatically changed. He began to gather a group of disciples and to proclaim the message of repentance in preparation for the kingdom of God. The four disciples named in our lesson were probably long-standing acquaintances. They must have sensed a ring of authority in his call that led them to drop everything and follow Him. He is still calling all mankind to repentance and all Christians to discipleship, speaking to us with the same quiet and gentle authority.
After Elijah fled from Jezebel to a cave in Mount Horeb, he first heard loud and tumultuous noises on the mountain. He did not recognize the voice of God in any of that commotion but rather in a still, small voice. Elijah knew that voice and went to the mouth of the cave to hear what God was saying. God still speaks in that quiet, gentle voice. We can easily ignore it or allow the tumult of life to drown it out and then wonder why things do not work out as well in our Christian life as they do for others.
Do we sometimes wait for Christ to speak in a more exceptional way? Some people do have remarkable experiences, but it is by heaven’s authority that God’s grace is dispensed upon us, whether the experience is incredible or simple. It is our response, our obedience, to his command that continues to transform our life, not the experience itself. If we are willing and obedient, He will lead us step by step to the end of our life’s journey.
There are other voices competing for our attention, some loud and strident, others soft and seductive. First John 5:19 says, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one” (NIV). We will face temptation, ridicule, insincerity, artificial friendships, attempts to draw us into worldly conflicts, and outright opposition. We must learn to discern the voice of the Lord amid the confusion and submit to the authority of his will.
We are also here on a mission: to tell of the love of God, to warn of coming judgment, to comfort those who are in trouble, and to support the weak and needy. Above all things, amid our temptations, we must maintain brotherly love. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).
We are not greater than our Master; we do not have power of our own to do any good thing. Whatever good we may accomplish in this earthly life is done by the Holy Spirit working in and through us, and we deserve no credit for it. May we be willing to be led and acknowledge Christ’s authority.
Questions
- Only God has the authority to speak to the hearts of men and women and call them to repentance. What is our responsibility?
- If a lot of attention is given to a dramatic experience, can that give rise to a concept that an experience is more important than obedience?
- What are ways to become better attuned to the gentle voice of God?
- How does God show a person exactly how he appears to Him?
- What does resisting the authority of Jesus look like today?
- 1 Adam Clarke’s Commentary on Matthew 1:20
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).