Authority – Matthew 10:1

Matthew 10: 1 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

Every once in a while we hear a news story about someone who embezzled funds from an organization. They took money or made purchases they were not authorized to make. They used their position of power to their personal advantage. And this use of their position ends up leading them to do an unlawful act.

Some people have credit cards issued by their employers so that they can make purchases on behalf of the company. They can’t make purchases without someone higher in the organization giving them the OK. And that OK keeps them safe from prosecution.

When I was in the Army, for a period of time I was that authorizing authority for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of purchases. I physically signed the authorizations making it OK for my representatives to make purchases.

But I too had someone above me who allowed me to authorized purchases in line with his intent to carry out ministry. He set the picture of the ministry he wanted, and then allowed me to make it happen. But he too had people and regulations that bound his actions and intents.

When I was growing up, I had to get permission from by parents to use the car. The car was not mine to use as I pleased. They held that authority and power. Mine was only derivative authority.  They gave me permission, then I could drive the car.

Matthew records the moment when Jesus gave His disciples authority to carry on ministry in a certain realm. They were not to go among the Gentiles, the non-Jewish residents of that area. They were to proclaim the message to of deliverance to those who should have known the Truth about Jesus’ coming and already become followers.

The disciples are given authority which reflects the character and nature of God. This authority is directly related to the results of the Fall. Evil spirits and disease are not part of the Original Plan. They are a result of the Fall. So Jesus gives authority to demonstrate that when the Kingdom Jesus is proclaiming comes, and it was coming, then the results of the Fall would be reversed.

If you remember from the previous chapters, Jesus has been driving out impure spirits and healing diseases and sickness. He has been doing the same things He now sends His disciples out to do. They are acting on Jesus’ behalf. Jesus has both the power and the authority to do these things. So Jesus shares His authority with His disciples.

Verse eight of this chapter spells out the perimeters of this authority. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” And as we continue to read this chapter, and book, we will see that the Disciples do these things, and the LORD is glorified.

What authority have you been given that you have not been fully exercising? What authority have you passed along to other people?