The Source of True Authority

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve’” (Luke 4: 5-8).

The devil tempted Jesus to worship him. His strategy is reminiscent of the way he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He twisted the Word of God then… “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?”’” (Genesis 3:1). God had told Adam “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). The devil tempted Jesus with another corruption of God’s Word when he said all the authority of the kingdoms of the world “has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will”. It’s true that temporary authority was given to the devil when Adam and Eve surrendered to his temptation… “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me” (John 14:30). But Jesus reclaimed ultimate authority through His death and resurrection… “Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). Christ’s ultimate act of worship at Calvary ended the devil’s temporary authority and completely disarmed him… “This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him” (Colossians 2:14-15). In His victory over the devil’s temptation, Christ revealed the source of true authority.

Truth seekers learn here that Jesus Christ is the source of true authority. Jesus would conquer the kingdom of this world… “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). Jesus would conquer the temporary prince of this age… “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10). Jesus will humbly surrender all this authority to His Father… “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24).

Diligent disciples discover here that true authority is released through worshipping God. God seeks true worshippers… “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23). True spiritual worship is an offering of all that we are, totally to God… “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). It is only from this posture of complete surrender in worship that we are able to receive and exercise the authority of God for His purposes… “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17).

Earnest disciples know that true authority is given to empower us to serve God. Jesus freely offers His authority to genuine disciples that are willing to serve Him… “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Jesus bestows His authority upon earnest disciples for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom through making disciples of the nations… “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18-19).

As we grow up into Christ worshipping and serving God, we experience victory and share in the advance of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ,

The Source of True Authority.