Matthew 21:23-27 KJV
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.
27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

This is the early part of the week when the Triumphal Entry had taken place, the Greeks in yesterday story had not made their request to talk to Jesus. The chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teachng. They had witness the Triumphal Entry, where Jesus enters Jerusalem like a king on an ass and her foal, also the turning over of the money tables of those that sold in the temple and may or may not of known about the murder inside the temple yet at this point, because of the turning over the money tables. They wanted to know the authority in which Jesus was able to do these things. This would not of been unusual question for someone not knowing who Jesus was. The question came because of the religious authority in the land of Israel under Roman rule. As the Priest and elders question Jesus on the authority to make himself like a king and to drive out the money changers, Jesus answered and said unto them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.The baptism of John whence was it?from heaven or of men".

Chief Priest and elders ponder this question and said if we say the baptism of John was of heaven, then he will say why did we not believe him, if we say of men, he will say we fear the people for many hold to John was a prophet. They decide to say they could not tell and Jesus said neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. There are things one might witness in our day and time and wonder if it is of God. Start with what you know. Start with the simplicity of what you know. The earliest part of Jesus ministry began with his very own baptism to represent his purification for service to God, a type of purification ritual but it would also become a sign of faith for the believers in Christ that they have decided to follow Jesus in time to come. The baptism of Jesus was the declaration from God above who he was by his voice and Holy Spirit descending like a dove on Jesus. The authority demonstrated by God that Jesus was his Son was clear to the religious leaders present at the baptism that day, but they still did not believed.

As a believer in Christ, I will admit that there been times in my own life I was like the religious leaders and elders with unbelief, not because I believe not the stories of Jesus, because I spent years from my faith and though I still had faith hidden, I was struggling with things I never seen as a child God do in the world around us, because I was child and would not of understood or had anyone to explain nor would it made sense that a child my age was seeking an answer for. When I see kids online praising God, I pray these kids are not forced but are genuine worshipping God. That it is not mimicry but true worship of God. I know they will go through their own trial of faith as they grow up and become adults. It matters not how we created the worship experience for our children, my concern is what I can not see is the faith within their heart. The evidence of meditation type of worship with eyes closed and hands raised can be aped or it can be real. You can ask a child about what they were doing and they are liable to say we worshipping God, because that a trained reaction to what they are doing. It like confessing Jesus to be Lord and Savior, and being baptized many do it with not fully understanding the full meaning of it. Yet I believe something else as well is the Holy Spirit does not prompt unbeliever to move to the front of a church for salvation without conviction of the soul. Is it hyprocrisy in my thinking. We must trust in the authority of God in the church at the baptism of not only water but the Holy Spirit. Yet things can be aped.

The religious leaders that followed John question not only the authority of Jesus, but question the miracles he did, in full ignorance and blindness of faith, because the authority of God said they would be blind and not seeing. That God was performing in their day events like no one else had seen ever before. I think Of Maui in Hawaii and some of the stories already coming through the news of survival and the survival because of prayer in the Name of Jesus. Speaking of the power of the name of Jesus. Yet there are also stories that will be told of people dying not without faith, but because the fire was to quick and over took them without warning, yet in heaven there will be those that were consumed by fire that will be testifying of the flames licking them only to seconds later find themselves resting at the pearly gates of heaven and being welcomed by Jesus and their loved ones that had gone before them that were saved as well.

The image of judgment does not belong in disasters unless it was spoken by God as a judgment. The blindness of the religious leaders came because of the blindness of faith, not the blindness to the laws of Rome, and the blindness of the purpose of the laws of God that they served. They were faced with ever seeing but blind to the meaning of the events of what was happening as Jesus spoke with the authority God gave and anointed him as he walked the earth as a man. He anointed him to not only declare who he was but to anoint him for service and ministry that began after his time of temptation.

A one time event is easy to shake off, but because things continue to happen it is shame to them that are still blind. Yet those in the Priesthood that did believe, it was because God did not close those that were open to faith in him. Yet they were ever part of the blindness of those that did not believe, and went with the authority they were under and keept their faith in Jesus often a secret. Perhaps even sharing the stories of Jesus privately with others to help to think and covert to faith not only God but his Son. In this story the Priest were not ready to admit to their own blindness because thought some knew and carried the knowledge of what they witness at the baptism and seen the miracles. The things Jesus was now doing would soon cause a riot and insurrection greater then the turn over of the money tables if they continue down this road of Jesus exalting himself before the crowd. The religious leaders knew this would change their peaceful community to one of war, and they were not ready.

When God has anointed know your place in faith. You as a child of God are anointed to carry the Gospel of Jesus. To carry the truth of events surrounding his Baptism both Spirit and by water. You are to carry the testimonies of those healed, those delivered, and those that are saved by God's grace including your own. You are to carry the Gospel message of Jesus knowing the authority of who He is where you go. That authority is given to every disciple of Jesus not just the ministers and administrators of the church by God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The religious leaders and elders were not at the point of taking up their cross to follow Jesus. They acted like demons with all the facts but not ready to commit to Jesus. One of the biggest rejections at the time of Christ came from the religious leaders of his day, but some would get saved and share the testimony of Jesus and then the story of His cross.

Authority to share comes from God not man. It our job to use the door that God has open to us to share is truth about his Son. If you are believer why are you questioning your authority to share Jesus and if you not questioning you got a lot of work ahead of you to share the Gospel as you are called to in your personal faith. Accept the call because you are a follower of Jesus and part of being a follower is to share not only his love but the message of the Gospels.

Dear Heavenly Father, we know the authority you gave your disciples in the New Testamnt to share the Gospel with the world. To all in our area and beyond. Anoint each of your people and help them to learn to share and teach about who you are. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Matthew 28:18-20 KJV
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.