By What Authority?

"By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?"

- Matthew 21

There came a time when the Scribes and Pharisees began to put Jesus on the spot. They would throw the Law at Him and trip Him up in some logical challenge.

Notice that when the question of authority came up, Jesus referred to John the Baptist. The simple message of water, to save us, was embraced by the sinners of the community. Now I want you to think of something . . .

Do you know somebody that maybe rarely attends Church. Maybe they hit the car. Perhaps the person has been married several times. Maybe the person has few friends. The main point, is that the person has a shaky reputation.

But if you think deep, can you imagine Jesus Christ Himself entering Dexter, maybe during Memorial Day, and walking among us. Think about who would drop everything they're doing, to follow Him.

I believe that many of those people would be the ones I described above. Some professing Christians might see Him. They may even realize that it is THE Christ. But they will not follow Him.
But you look around, and see that some of the community's most unliked, or unrespected people. are right there with Him. When He leaves town, they are right there on His heals.

I know a few people like that. One of them likes the bars. She has had many, many "boyfriends." She rarely goes to Church. Yet I told her once: "I'll bet if Jesus walked in here right now you'd be the first to fall on your knees." Now interestingly, this person acted as though I had just paid her a compliment. Interesting . . .

Those that seem the farthest away are perhaps the first to recognize real authority. And as you go through the New Testament, there are so many accounts of Christ dealing with sinners, or dealing with His authority, and water is brought in as an object lesson of His saving grace, and of His authority. And it makes sense, because water has been the main thing, since the beginning.

There's a saying: the person in a relationship that cares the least, has the most power.

In the Kingdom of God - the person that controls water has the Authority.