Who Rules? By Force or By Faith?

What they found unnerving and somewhat intimidating as well as fascinating and intriguing was how He spoke as one who had authority.

Not only did He speak as though He was one who could command and expect the appropriate response, they marveled how He would go about exercising this as much over the elements of nature as He did in the moral issues of the day.

This contrasted with the way they were used to things being done. The rule by force was what they were used to. The threat of social alienation and being ostracised was also reinforced with a degree of physical force that could be imposed to establish their rulership credentials.

This Man was very different. He offered people the chance to turn to the rule on offer and accept it by faith. He didn’t force anyone to accept it and as He outlined conditions of living in the rule, some who at first were interested turned away. This was not the kind of way of ruling they were used to.

He appealed to people, but did not beg, force, coerce, manipulate or cajole people. He wasn’t looking for the crowd to endorse his rule. He never requested military support for a coup. He didn’t seek top financial backers to help spread the influence. He never sought to curry favour with those in a position of political power.

He operated and exuded an aura of contentment in Himself and the source of His operation was His Father. The rule of righteousness, peace and joy He extended was displayed with expressions of power – but this was power to conquer the forces of darkness. This was the power that saw the dead come to life. This was the power that saw the blind receive their sight. This was the power that saw the broken-hearted consoled. This was the power that saw those on the fringes of society embraced at the heart of the community of grace.

The contrast to the ways of the world could not be greater. The distinctions between this and what passed for the alternative rules of the day could not be any clearer. This made the choice all the more stark.

They found this unnerving. They found this intriguing. They found this fascinating. They found this intimidating. They could not deny the claims it made. They could not resist the position it left them in. The position to choose:

Who rules?

(Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash)

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden