Summary: The Naked Church - Chapter 17 - Where Has All the Power Gone? --snip-- Whether or not people liked Jesus or agreed with him, the thing that most impressed them was his sense of authority. Even his enemies marveled at the power that flowed from his life. And that is an amazing statement about a man who had no wealth, political clout, or wide following. Jesus drew his authority from a far deeper well. People saw it in the synagogues where he taught simple lessons: “They were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority” (Matthew 7:28,29). They saw it when he cast out evil spirits with just a word. The people wondered, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him” (Mark 1:27). They saw it when he rebuked the violent storm on the Sea of Galilee and immediately it grew calm. “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:27). Jesus had authority where it counted. It didn’t reside in his mannerisms, volume, or charisma, but in this simple fact: What he said and what he did made a difference. --snip-- The Naked Church - Chapter 17 - Where Has All the Power Gone?
