by What Authority?

Jesus came into Jerusalem and changed things. He came in as a returning King, but did not go to visit Herod, or any military fortress, but rather went to the temple. It seems that he attacked those who were most on his side.

By what authority did he feel free to disrupt the worship of God in the temple? He made it harder for people to acquire sacrificial animals and money for the offering. He made it much more difficult to worship quietly with all of those lame running and jumping, and the kids crying Hallelujah in the temple. No one could concentrate, or hear their esteemed teacher teaching.

By what authority did he return the next morning to teach in the very place he disrupted the night before? And, above all, why would he pick on a poor helpless fig tree?

By what authority do we protect our worship experience and our teaching styles? Are our lives and our temple beautiful to the eyes, but completely devoid of fruit, as the tree was? Will we let Jesus disrupt us and our comfortable traditions, or will we insist on continuing on as we always have?

By what authority do we live?

Pastor Wayne