One of the most common questions
that was asked in the course of conversation after Hurricane
Irma hit this area was, is your power back on or do you have
power? As a society, we have become
so completely dependent on electricity that we are nearly brought to
a standstill when something disrupts that source of power. There are
two Greek words which are primarily translated as power in the New
Testament. The one which we would most closely
associate with electricity or the force, strength, and ability
which it represents would be dunamis. This word is where we
get our English word dynamo and also dynamite. The Greek word
which is used when the Lord said, all power is given unto me in
heaven and earth is not dunamis, however, but rather exousia. Whereas dunamis regards power
from a standpoint of strength, exousia regards power as that
of a supreme magistrate or that which arises from absolute authority. Sadly, a majority of those who
profess to be the followers of Christ are convinced that the
success or failure of the gospel depends upon the endeavors of
men, either to believe it or to preach it to the world. All
manner of human exertion is encouraged to bring power to this message,
and thereby to work alongside the Lord in order to bring about
results which will not materialize apart from these efforts. Collecting
money for these endeavors has become the single most important
activity among many of those who claim to be Christ's followers.
Now, we are certain that the Lord Jesus Christ does indeed
have power, dunamis, to perform whatever He purposes to bring
to pass, since He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He who
made the worlds does not lack in this sort of power. Yet when
the Lord declared His power here in Matthew 28, 18, He is speaking
of the fact that all authority has been manifested in Him in
His office as the Redeemer King of His chosen people. The drawing
of the sons of God to Himself is not due to the efforts or
ability of those who are sent to proclaim the acceptable year
of the Lord in the earth. All such preachers are merely
mouthpieces through which the Lord is pleased to magnify the
glory of His grace to the ears of those whom the Lord is pleased
to give understanding and receptive hearts. His word cannot return
unto Him void, because all of this is done according to Him
who has all authority in heaven, earth, and hell. The Lord gave
the centurion whose servant He healed an understanding of His
supreme authority. This was quite in contrast to
those Jews who despised his authority, since his teaching was with power,
which astonished the multitudes and angered those whose hearts
the Lord hardened. This is a demonstration of his
power to hide things from the wise and prudent and reveal them
unto babes. Who can bring a railing accusation
or reply against him who has all power in heaven and earth? The Jews were intent on accusing
him of violations of the Sabbath, while the Lord would demonstrate
that he who made man could forgive his sins as easily as heal him
from palsy. His authority is that which moves
the hearts of God's people to fear him, for they realize that
their destiny rests solely in his hands. The Lord said unto
them, Fear him which, after he hath killed, hath power, that
is, authority, to cast into hell. Yea, I say unto you, fear him. Pilate assumed, like most men,
that he possessed power, since he felt sure that the strength
and might of the Roman Empire was absolute. Yet he was brought
face to face with one who does indeed possess all authority,
and who told him, Thou couldst have no power at all against
me, except it were given thee from above. Pilate found out
that he didn't even have power to set Christ free, though he
wanted to. For he who had power to lay his
life down caused the Roman Empire to rise in prominence in order
to set the stage for that redemptive work which he had determined
to perform in the behalf of his own elect bride before the foundation
of the world. Nothing can possibly occur in
the heavens or the earth that could in any wise overturn or
cancel this redemptive work of Christ. He laid down his life,
not in weakness, but in power, because he is a man in authority
and has accomplished the salvation of his chosen people.