The Authority of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ had authority over all things, and when He spoke, people were astonished. There is great power in the word; this is a continuous theme throughout the entire Bible from the beginning of time. The Lord actually spoke this world into existence.

And God said, “Let there be light, and there was light.”
–Genesis 1:3

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
–John 1:1

In today’s Gospel we hear the story of Jesus casting out a demon. The people’s amazement made them ask what kind of power Jesus had. The truth is the power is simply in His word, and when He left this world, He bestowed His authority on us. He did this so that His ministry could continue. With this authority, we are also given the responsibility to carry on and share His ministry through the authority of His word.

The first reading speaks of the end of the world. The fear of the end of the world seems to be a hot topic in today’s society. There are many who fear it is coming soon, and they will not be prepared for it. The good news is that we, as followers of Jesus Christ, do not need to fear the unknown because the word tells us that as long as we stay awake and vigilant we will be ready for the end of the world.

For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
–1 Thessalonians 5:6

Take heart knowing that whether the end of the world comes in 10 years, 5 years, a year, a month, or even tomorrow, as long as we continue to do the work Jesus asked us to do, we will be ready. We have the same authority that Jesus Christ has and we should use it to glorify Him. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as casting out a demon, just bring the word of Jesus Christ into everything you do, and let Him provide the rest of what needs to be done.