Who has authority?

Mark's gospel makes an interesting comment regarding authority. The people were amazed at his (Jesus) teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Mark 1:22. What makes this statement so interesting is the comparative nature of the sentence. Jesus taught with authority NOT like the teachers of the law. The teachers of the law should have had authority, after all they were the one's designated to speak for God. However, it was Jesus who spoke with authority NOT the teachers of the law. 

I wonder if the same thing could be said for us as believers; have we allowed our message to be watered down and powerless that we no longer speak with authority? Have we clung to meaningless rituals and traditions that no longer have value and thus we no longer have a voice in the conversation? 

Think about it, Jesus arrives on the scene speaks one time and immediately people identify him as one of authority NOT like the teachers of the law. What was it about Jesus that gave him the ability to speak with authority? What made his speech and his actions so distinctive that when one looked at other religious leaders they paled in comparison to him? I think John's gospel gives us the answer, John 1:14 reads The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  

Jesus was full of grace and truth! If we are going to speak with authority in this culture, if we are going to have a voice at the table it is because we are full of grace and truth. We should speak the truth in a loving manner. In fact, the most loving thing one can do is speak the truth. It would not be loving if you knew there was impending danger just around the corner and you had the ability to warn people of the danger and did not do it. That would not be love, that would be cruel. We have an obligation to speak truth into people's lives. Truth is not what they always want to hear, but truth is necessary and loving! However, it is not enough to speak truth, we must also be people full of grace. Grace offers forgiveness, grace accepts the sinner, grace offers a hand out of the mire. People who are gracious will be heard by those who need it so desperately! 

So when the question comes us who has the authority to speak on an issue it is not the smartest, not the one with the quickest wit, not the one with the best presentation, not the loudest, not the most clever, but one who is like Jesus, full of grace and truth.