Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. In our republic, governmental
authority is supposedly based on our Constitution, a document
which was written to limit the powers of the very government
which it establishes. Yet even this Constitution is
limited in its authority because it can only stand according to
the consent of those governed and can be amended by them. So
in reality, the authority resides in the people, a simple privilege
which the vast majority seem to have abrogated and which those
in places of power are reluctant to promote. The Lord Jesus Christ
made a startling declaration to his disciples when he said,
All power, that is, authority, is given unto me in heaven and
in earth. Then he directed them to go forth teaching in his name.
Heaven and earth itself could perish before that command which
he gave should fail to be carried out in the jot and tittle which
he demanded and designed. By this declaration of the Lord,
He made it clear to His disciples who He is. Up until this point,
He had always spoken of His authority as being that of His Father.
He said that He came to do His Father's will, yet now He is
declaring unto them that they must go forth according to His
will and in His authority. Now we are certain that no changes
took place in His position of deity or power, but rather in
His revelation of Himself to those whom He loved. He was on
the verge of leaving them and ascending back to that place
from whence he came in order to prepare for them a more permanent
dwelling place, lest they should think that his kingdom was of
a carnal nature or that its seat of power would be on any particular
piece of real estate. He told them that he was the
very source and basis of all authority and that his kingdom
was being established in the declaration of his truth and
the calling of his children from the four corners of the earth.
Thus the kingdom of God is manifested in the world as he is pleased
to reveal himself through the power of the Holy Ghost in the
preaching of the gospel. Men sometimes confuse strength
with power. This was the error of the Pharisees
who plotted the death of Christ. They had the strength in their
hands to take him captive and deliver him up to be crucified.
Yet they had no authority to do anything, but merely acted
according to the dictates of him who ordained their wicked
actions to fulfill his glorious purpose. Him being delivered
by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have
taken him by wicked hands, have crucified and slain. Nothing
happens by chance in this world, as he who has all power ordains
all things that come to pass, as he builds his kingdom and
establishes his church in this world. The calling of the sheep,
as well as the feeding of them, is directed by his mighty hand.
Every blessing and every trial which enters the life of those
whom He has ordained unto eternal life is directed by Him, to bring
them to conformity with Christ. The authority of Jesus Christ
is demonstrated by His death on Calvary's cross. This was
a grand display of His purpose to cancel sin, yet to men it
appeared to be the very antithesis of power. He was here mocked
by the multitude, and the expectations of even His staunchest followers
were quashed. Little did they know His power,
blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, nailing it to His cross. The authority of Jesus Christ
is demonstrated by His resurrection from the dead, and declared to
be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness
by the resurrection from the dead. This was an event which
transpired in the plain view of men, yet to only a few was
it fully revealed. It is here at an empty tomb that
the doubts of His disciples are quelled. The authority of Jesus
Christ is demonstrated by His ascension to the right hand,
that is, the seat of power, of the Father, from whence He shall
return to receive that which is His and destroy the wicked.
And to you who are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven, with His mighty angels, in flaming
fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,
and from the glory of His power. The authority of Jesus Christ
is demonstrated by His giving gifts to men. For the preaching
of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God. The authority of
Jesus Christ is demonstrated by the calling of His people
from darkness to light. For the promise is unto you and
to your children, and to all that are far off, even as many
as the Lord our God shall call. Moreover, whom He did predestinate,
them He also called, and whom He called, them He also justified,
and whom He justified, them He also glorified. If you would like a free transcript
of this broadcast, email us at forthepoor at windstream.net.