Today’s Reading : Matthew 21
Why do we have do this? Where are we going? You are not the boss of me? Who put you in charge? For what purpose are we doing this project? Who do they think they are? If I was in charge things would be better. These are a few of the comments that we make or we hear on a daily basis. We hear these at home, or at the office, or with friends. We are always trying to figure out who has the authority and in what respect are they utilizing their authority in a proper way.
In Matthew chapter 21, we are diving deeper behind the scenes of what is actually happening. This is the time of Passover. Jesus is setting up the new covenant with the disciples. He is fulfilling the scriptures on many levels. We are opening the chapter with one of the most triumphant scenes in Christian history. This is when Christ is coming into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover before his crucifixion.
Matthew shows a snippet of that procession of the Hosanna processional during Palm Sunday. But Mathew also dives deeper into several images of authority throughout this chapter. I believe that Matthew is showing us the different aspects of Christ authority in all realms of our life.
The first is authority over the Scriptures. We see how Christ shows his authority of the donkey and the Colts being picked up. When the people ask what authority do you take these animals he says “the Lord needs them”.
Matthew shows us Jesus authority over nature when he approaches the fig tree. All creation was made by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit. All nature falls before and gives praises to Jesus and God in all forms. When Jesus approaches this fig tree and the mere presence of his being does not produce any fruit or any praise worthy of Christ, Jesus condemns the tree. It is an act of authority over nature. With the word that he speaks the tree literally withers from a majestic big tree into a sapling and dies. Jesus demonstrates his authority over nature by his words.
And the next piece of authority Jesus shows is his authority over worship. During this time of Passover which only happens once a year this is a very special and very holy event. The act of preparing for the Passover is one that is dictated in the laws of Moses. There cannot be any corners cut. Everything has to be exact. But the people have become complacent in their worship and they are not devoting their complete love and devotion to God. They are purchasing the things that are supposed to be procured or harvested by themselves. They have become complacent in their worship of God. They are purchasing the things that they did not take time to give into worship God in the temple. Jesus is showing his authority by cleaning the temple from the complacency. We have to acknowledge this at us that we need to clean out our complacency and I worship and give Jesus and God therefore worship.
In these examples of authority we have to recognize the authority Christ has in our lives. I asked that we acknowledge respect him from what the prophets have told us. We have to see that all nature will shows who has the authority over all. From every ounce of worship that we give to him we must remember not to become complacent because he has the full authority over us. He has all the authority and the glory and the power.
Be Blessed
Judges 18; Acts 22; Jeremiah 32; Psalms 1–2