got on a train somewhere in England and discovered all the other passengers in the car were patients at a mental institution being taken

on an excursion. One of the mental hospital attendants was counting the patients to be sure they were all present and accounted for,

“One, two, three, four, five…”When he came to Runcie he said,“Who are you?”“I am the Archbishop of Canterbury,”Runcie replied.

The attendant said sarcastically,“Of course you are,”and pointed straight at him and continued counting him in with the rest of

the mental patients,“…six, seven, eight…”Being recognized as a person with authority doesn’t always come easily. Because

Archbishop Runcie was out of his“element”the people on the train didn’t recognize him as a person with the authority that accompanied

his position in the Anglican Church. His claim was received as the delusion of someone mentally ill.

One Sabbath, the Gospel of Mark tells us Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. It was common to invite a visiting

rabbi to teach, so Jesus likely received a similar invitation. People were amazed at his teachings because he taught as one who had

authority, not as the teachers of the law. Where does authority come from? Often it comes from a rank or position for which an individual

is elected or promoted. Others gain authority because of personality, wealth of knowledge, or competence.

As a carpenter, Jesus had no positional authority in the community. His authority came from his ability to teach and interpret

the scripture in a way people had never experienced. Teachers of the law or the scribes wielded authority based on their position in the

religious structure of the day, an authority that was often abused or misused for their own gain or satisfaction. No wonder the scribes

did not take too kindly to the growing popularity of Jesus among those who were amazed. Furthermore, while Jesus was teaching, a

man possessed with an evil spirit disrupted him (note the possessed man was someone inside the fellowship not outside! I’m just

sayin’...). Kidding aside, Jesus cleansed him of the evil spirits, on the Sabbath, to boot. The people are further amazed by his ability to

give orders, they obey him, and ask themselves,“What’s this? A new teaching-and with authority!”News spread quickly throughout

Galilee, but in their amazement they didn’t quite get who Jesus really was. The irony of the story is the evil spirits not only recognize

his authority, but also fully understand that Jesus is more than just the rabbi and carpenter from Nazareth; He is the Holy One from

God! His authority comes from a higher power than the religious structures of the day!

Jesus was more than a wonderful rabbi, prophet, or visionary. The world’s greatest philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle,

taught for 40 plus years. Jesus taught and ministered for only 3 ½ years yet the impact of his teaching has transcended all their

years combined. Jesus was no painter yet the finest artists that ever lived; Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci received inspiration

from him. Jesus was no poet but inspired the likes of Chaucer, Dante, and Milton. He was no architect but the most amazing

cathedral edifices ever built were in His honor and for His glory. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by the life, death,

and resurrection of this humble carpenter from Nazareth yet still today the problem exists of a world that seems to fall far short of recognizing

who Jesus was and the authority of His mission that continues on earth. It would still take a Roman soldier, stationed at the

foot of the Cross who watched him die, to sum it all up for many,“Surely this man,”the centurion testified,“was the Son of

God!”(Matthew 27:54)

Later this month the season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday on February 22, 2012. Lent is often seen as a time to give up

smoking, swearing, chocolate, chewing gum, ice cream, or pastries. Although that approach might have side benefits, Lent was never

intended to be a condensed annual wellness or nutrition program. Lent—the lengthening of days—has always been intended to be a

time for us to reorient ourselves to the Light of Christ and prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord by faithfully working to remove

those things that have separated or moved us away from our relationship with God. So many worldly authorities tug at us. Even so, do

we really need a centurion or evil spirits to tell us who Jesus is? This year I encourage you to prayerfully discern and rediscover the

ways Jesus holds authority in your life as you seek to live out your discipleship. Rather than deciding what to“give up”for Lent, consider

what the Son of God is calling you to“give out”or do as part of God’s mission in this world through the use of the talents and

treasures with which you have been abundantly blessed. Don’t simply be an idle amazed admirer of Jesus, become one of those who

have been“inspired”to live their life doing great things in His holy name. By doing so, others will recognize not our authority, but the

Holy One Jesus, the Son of God who is alive in and through us!