Answer My Question

“Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?’”
Mark 11:30 (NLT)

It’s the day after Jesus had cleared the Temple of sacrifice retailers and money changers. It’s also after He cursed a fig tree for not having fruit, even though it wasn’t the right time of year for there to be figs. Jesus was walking through the temple area when… the priests, teachers of the law and the Jewish elders arrived demanding to know by what or whose authority had Jesus done what He did the day before.

Now I suspect that since Jesus knew the hour was near when he would be the sacrifice that would clear the way for all people to seek and find God, to be restored to a right relationship with Him – that He was pretty much done with the Jewish leaders. In response to their demands for who said you could chase everyone out of the temple like that – Jesus sticks it to them again. Jesus tells them if you answer one question for me, then I will tell you Who gave me the authority to clean house. Jesus asks this week’s question about where did John’s authority to baptize come from God or man?

Those demanding answers from Jesus step away to discuss their answer. Clearly they know the right answer, that John’s authority had come from God. But they knew if they said that, it would make them look even worse than they already did for not heeding the words of a prophet. The other option wasn't really an option because these guys were afraid of the people who did believe John. So what do they do – they tell Jesus, we don’t know who gave John that authority. Jesus doesn’t answer their demands because He knows they know where John’s authority came from and they chose not to believe him. So why would they believe Jesus.

When it comes right down to it we have the same choice those Jewish religious leaders had. Do we believe that Jesus was carrying the full authority of His Father in all that He did including going to the cross and rising from the dead or not? Will we surrender to His Lordship or not? When we pray “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” do we mean it? How we answer these questions determines whether we will live abundantly free forever or hopelessly bound to a fallen world.

Let me know your thoughts. Know someone who might be encouraged by this – please share. I will be praying for you. Until next week – choose this day and every day who you will follow.