"The Power We Have Been Given From Above"
April 06, 2009
John 19:11 - Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over Me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered Me over to you has the greater sin."
Mark 14:36 - And he said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Remove this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will."
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When I was in my orientation sessions prior to starting seminary, one of the speakers told us that the ability to manage time would not mystically be given to us when the stole was laid across our shoulders at ordination. Part of the seminary experience, he said, was to stretch us so much that we were forced to learn how to keep our time balanced. The premise behind his statement was that we, as fallen creatures, are not able to do everything we want to do. We are not even able to do everything we need to do nor everything we should do because we are sinful.
But so often it is easy to fool ourselves into thinking we have the power to accomplish things on our own. Pilate was mistaken when he asked Jesus, "Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?" (John 19:10b). The nuance of the question that Pilate is asking indicates that Pilate thought he had the power. Jesus points out to him, and reminds us, however, that the power Pilate has is from God above, not his own.
As Christians, the power we receive from above is the power of faith. It is the ability to repent to turn away from our self-reliance and instead to turn to God in trust. In Gethsemane our Lord submitted to the will of the Father. In living His life for us, surrendering to death on our behalf, and bringing us into His resurrection, we are given that trust of faith that we are in His hands and that His hands are open with forgiveness for repentant hearts.
THE PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank You that You gave Your Son into the hands of sinful men for my sake. Forgive me for trusting my own abilities and all the times I have failed to look to You as the source of my ongoing life. As we approach Easter, grant me increasing strength to turn to You in humility and repentance. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Written by Pastor Richard Schneider
Emmanuel Lutheran Church - Kettering, Ohio
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