January 30, 2022                                    Text:  Luke 4:31-44

Dear Friends in Christ,

    In the mid to late 1960’s when I was navigating my toddler years some of you were burning your bras and draft cards and taking over college campuses.  People were defying authority.  The World War II generation parents expected respect and discipline and what they got were tie-dyed shirts and Woodstock.

    That questioning of authority, which was prevalent in the 1960’s has increased and continued into our present generation.  Not only are people rejecting authority but they are rejecting the authority of God’s Word.  The devil promises freedom if there is no authority but all it really leads to is insecurity and uncertainty.  

    Today as Jesus steps into the picture through our text He is proclaiming Good News.  The Good News that He is sharing is that He does have authority and that His Word has authority.  Thank the Lord this morning that He is . . .

“SPEAKING WITH AUTHORITY”

    This idea that Jesus would speak with authority astonishes the people.  They are shocked.  They have never heard anyone speak like this.  They are used to a bunch of mumbo jumbo of conflicting sources from the rabbis.

    It is no different in our time.  People are astonished and even shocked when the church through the Word of Jesus speaks with authority.  We deal with a bunch of mumbo jumbo of competing voices and conflicting words and phrases.  We are expected to be our own gatekeeper of the truth.  Bernard Bailey wrote, “When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.”  Do we want to rely on God or man?

    In Finland a trial is going on that involves a Lutheran Pastor and a female member of their government.  In the early 2000’s they wrote a book in which they said that homosexuality was a sin.  It was a book from these two Lutherans about what the Bible states and what the church should be teaching.  After many years they have been brought up on charges.  It won’t surprise you that the first day of the trial was filled with misrepresentations from the prosecutor.  Like Pilate they think they have authority but as Jesus reminded Pilate the only authority he had came from God.  Please pray for this brother and sister.  Jesus’ absolute authority is offensive to many.

    But Jesus speaking with authority is good news.  The only reason people get shocked at Jesus’ authority is because they don’t want it.  They think it is oppressive or takes away their freedom of expression.  All Pastors have had people leave their churches because they wouldn’t marry a living together couple or people took offense to some other Word of God.  If we pick and choose where the authority is then we can begin to question salvation.  Is that part of God’s Word true?

    Do you follow authority?  Many do.  Many of us pick and choose.  God’s Word and parents – yes.  Government and talking heads – no.  You probably have your own list.  The thing is we need authority.  My mom always told me you need a chief.  As a teacher she was on the bargaining committee and she said it wouldn’t work getting the teachers together if everybody was an Indian.  Someone had to have authority.  It provides security and direction and freedom.

    We see that from Jesus in our text.  Jesus had authority over a demon and had him become silent and then released him from the man.  Jesus’ healed the mother-in-law of Peter by rebuking her fever.  Diseases are healed and spirits are rebuked because they knew he was the Christ.

    This Christ Jesus spoke with great authority on the cross.  He announced “it” – the work of saving mankind – “is finished.”  Jesus’ authority over sin, death, and hell was confirmed when he rose from the dead.  He gives us freedom from guilt and death.

    Jesus speaks with authority to us.  He proclaims from our pulpits that we have eternal life.  He has authority to forgive sins and he passes that authority onto you and me.  He speaks heaven to us in Holy Communion.  His words of authority give peace and security.  Isn’t it nice to know that Jesus has authority over evil?  We can have that confidence, because of Jesus’ authority, that what we believe is certain and true.

    If children don’t have authority they grow up with insecurity and anxiety and emotional scarring.  We have so many people in our world with nothing certain they can rely on in their lives – especially how they might face death.  We don’t reject the authority of Christ in our lives because we understand the comfort and certainty that it brings.  May the Holy Spirit allow us to share that with others.

    We are blessed to have Good News preached to us and a Savior who is speaking with authority.

                Amen.