True Authority

Today’s Thought True Authority G. Ward

“When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.” Matthew 7:28-29
Knowing the end of the story (solely relative to the Bible) may enable an unnecessary castigation from us in this New Testament era concerning those in the day of Jesus who failed to see Him as we know Him. Those Old Testament recipients were amazed because this Jesus was uneducated, had no religious accolades, held no title/office and originated from a non-descript region (Galilee).
A better perspective to contemplate is our daily blatant denial in trusting Him in all matters in view of knowing Him as Savior and having the completed script (the Bible). We know Him as Final Authority, but lack a complete surrender to Him as Lord (i.e. Owner of our life). I truly recognize their having been amazed at His teaching as reverence (perhaps minimally); mine, on the other hand (shamefully so), very well might be interpreted as familiarity that leads to lethargy from time to time (i.e. cheapening grace), to which I’m repentant. It (this attitude of un-gratefulness) substantiates for me the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church found in Philippians 3:13-14, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ^I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Happy Tuesday!