CHRIST AND POWER

CHRIST AND POWER “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt 28:18 KJV) Can we agree that Christ has power? He has the power to forgive sins (Mk. 2;:10); power over unclean spirits (Lk. 4:36); power to heal sicknesses (Mk. 3:15); power to lay down His life and power to take it up again (Jn. 10:18); power over all flesh (Jn. 17:2)); and as our text states, He has all power in heaven and in earth (Matt. 28:18). Yet, it is obvious that Christ did not display the full extent of His power while on earth. Remember, when Peter drew his sword, Jesus reminded him He could summon 12 legions of angels to His aid, but deliberately chose not to do so (Matt 26:53-54). The Scriptures are crystal clear, Jesus laid aside His equality with God and “made Himself nothing” (Phil. 2:7). When Pilate claimed that he had the power to crucify Christ, Jesus reminded him that he would have no power at all unless it was given to him from above (John 19:10-11) Please prayerfully consider this prophetic description of Christ: “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isa 53:2-3) A “tender shoot” does not portray power or inspire respect. No wonder Isaiah mused: “Who has believed our message and to whom as the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Is. 53:1). Those, however, who believe in the future realize that a tender shoot can become tree. In the same way, little babies can become men. That’s why King Herod was so disturbed by the birth of the baby Jesus (Matt. 2:3). Shepherds came and worshiped that baby (Lk. 2: 8 - 20) Wise men came from the East and worshiped that baby (Matt. 2:10)..An old man named Simeon saw that baby and realized that salvation had finally come (Lk. 2:25 - 32). Obviously, the baby Jesus would not immediately save mankind, but those who worshiped Him “believed” that someday He would. The just do not live by sight, but by faith! The book of Hebrews reminds us that the Gospel did not benefit the Hebrew people because it was not mixed with faith (Heb. 4:2). They heard the promises but didn’t “believe” what they heard. What they saw in the present didn’t convince them about the future. So, while the unbelievers died in the wilderness, the believers inherited the Promised Land. The same lesson, of course, applies to us today. What we believe has a direct bearing on what we receive! So, what do you believe about the power of Jesus? Nonchalantly observing Christmas and casually commemorating Easter doesn’t make a difference in how you live, or how you die. What you really believe about the power of Christ, however, does make a dramatic difference both here and hereafter. On August 6, 1945 the people of Hiroshima saw a plane fly overhead. It seemed so small and insignificant, however, that no planes were scrambled to intercept it. That plane, as you know, dropped one small bomb that immediately wiped out 90% of the city. It killed 80,000 people outright and thousands more later died from radiation exposure. The power of Christ, of course, is far greater than any power produced by man. Someday Christ will unleash that power and the heavens will disappear with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. What you believe about this promise, will determine how you live, how you die, and where you will spend eternity. That’s why Peter added: “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:10 - 11).