Authority

John 5:19-29

Authority

^“As the Father has within him the gift of life, so he has granted to the Son that he too should have within him the gift of life, and has also granted him power to execute judgment, since he is the Son of Man.”  John 5:26-27 (Knox)

This is right after Jesus is chastised for working on the Sabbath.  He is telling his accusers that he is God’s son, and telling them that God has granted him the same powers, gifts and authority.  However, he also has the power to judge whether or not healing on the Sabbath is a sin.

A few years ago, RCPC had a policy of observing the Sabbath.  We were to keep to family concerns, take a load off, and observe Sundays as a true day to glorify God.  I think the pastors had to choose a different day, or the pulpit would have been quiet.

I wish I had taken that discipline more seriously.  I do spend time with my family, but often we are in different rooms of the same house, watching different TV shows, or on different internet sites.  We do share Sunday dinner, although that is often quick.

Jesus is telling the people that glorifying God is everything.  But glorifying God can be done in a variety of ways.  Surely healing the sick, or baptizing sinners would count as glorifying God.

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Father, thank you for the gift of a full life.  Send your Spirit to fill my soul when I am tired so that I may truly glorify you.

Lori Earls