“The ‘elephant in the room’ is a phrase I enjoy, having at different times been either elephant or room. We can lose ourselves in situations or conversations and miss the obvious. We’re looking for someone to save us or a solution to a problem, and they’re right in front of us hiding in plain sight.”
– Bono, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story
“When Jesus had finished speaking these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”
– Matthew 7:28-29
“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.”
– Matthew 27:15-18
“The characteristic of Jesus that left the most lasting impression on His followers and caused the greatest offense to His opponents was His exousia, His sovereign freedom and magisterial authority.”
– James R. Edwards
The Freedom of Divine Authority
- Recognizing Divine Authority
- Repudiating Divine Authority
- Resisting Divine Authority
- Resting in Divine Authority
“Everything God made is designed to confront us with God’s existence and nature and, in so doing, confront our delusions of autonomy and self-sufficiency. Every morning when we get up, we bump into God and come face-to-face with His existence.”
– Paul David Tripp, Do You Believe?
“All wicked men, though they pretend to be desirous of learning, shut the gate of truth, if they feel it to be opposed to their wicked desires.”
– John Calvin
“Sin is the desire for the autonomy of man; therefore, in the last resort, it is the denial of God and self-deification; it is getting rid of the Lord God, and the proclamation of self-sovereignty.”
– Emil Brunner, Dogmatics
“Since we were not created to be autonomous, self-made people but were created to be in communion with God, when the Spirit leads us back into communion with God in Christ, we do not lose our true selves. We regain them.”
– J. Todd Billings, Union with Christ
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
– Matthew 28:18-20
Since God the Father has given all authority in heaven and on earth to Jesus, then Jesus will have the final word on everything, everywhere, for all of time and eternity.
“In the kingdom of God, the one thing that qualifies you is knowing that you don’t qualify, and the one thing that disqualifies you is thinking that you do.”
– Dane Ortlund, Surprised by Jesus