Authority

Yesterday the organizers of the Tour de France announced the 22 cycling teams that will make up the field for the 2010 Tour. 16 of those teams were included as part of a 2008 agreement with the International Cycling Union. Six other teams were invited to participate including Lance Armstorng's new Team Radio Shack. In fact there are four American based teams, equalling the number from any other country, including France! Some cycling fans are upset about the two Dutch teams that were omitted considering the fact that the Tour will start in Holland this year. Others are surprised by the inclusion of the brand new British Team Sky. The fact is that the ASO, sponsoring organization for the Tour de France, has the authority to choose which teams they want to include.

It's nice to be in a position of authority. It gives you the power to do the things you want to do. If you're in a position of authority in a business you can make decisions about the direction of the business, hiring, firing and other important issues. If you're in a postion of authority politically you can determine issues that will effect the lives of many other people.

Jesus makes an interesting statement about authority in John 10:17-18: "The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." Imagine using your position of authority to lay down your very own life. That seems like a rather strange way to use your authority, humanly speaking.

But Jesus wants us to understand that his death is not an accident. It is not the result of plotting and scheming by evil men, even though they played a role in it. It is not result of some sort of failure on Jesus' part. It was a conscious, willful determination on the part of Jesus to lay down his life as the all-availing sacrifice for sin.

But who does that? Who uses their position of authority to bring injury -- even death upon themselves? Such a thing is unthinkable, humanly speaking. People in positions of authority frequently use their power to advance themselves. At best they use their power to benefit others. But they don't use their authority to bring harm to themselves. Yet, Jesus did so. He did so for our benefit. He laid down his life willingly so that we could be forgiven.

The wonderful thing about Jesus' authority was the extent of it. Jesus not only had authority to lay down his life, but he also had authority to take it up again. Jesus' death appears to be a moment of weakness not power. But Jesus' resurrection demonstrates that his death did not represent weakness. Rather, it was an act of great strength which he willingly endured for our sake. No wonder Jesus said that the Father loves him because he laid down his life in accord with the Father's will. No wonder we love Jesus! He laid down his life for us! Thank God for this unusual use of authority.