The Authority and Power of the Absentee Jesus

”We have never seen anything like this” (Mark 2:12) people were amazed at Jesus’ power forgive sins and they praised God. This authority belongs to God alone, as the Jews of Jesus’ day already knew this, and Jesus demonstrated this same power belong to him by healing a crippled man. The miracle Jesus made, not only demonstrated his divine attributes, but his power and authority which he embodied.

Now Jesus is absentee. His atoning death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of God raise a question: is Jesus’ authority present with the same power as did during His earthly days?

The answer to this question is found in the parable of Jesus about the guests of bridegroom: ”But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast” (Mark 2:20). The disciples of Jesus didn’t fast, like the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees at Jesus’ time did, although fasting was one of the three Jewish pillars of their faith to serve God together with alms giving and prayer. Why? Jesus’ bodily presence transcended all the needs, which may have been thought of or were really at hand, to seek and find God. He forgave sins, healed the sick, delivered the demonized, and fed the hungry. Yet a day is coming, when this privilege is taken away from the disciples. Then, they fast and pray, when the bridegroom is absent. The teaching of Jesus about prayer and fasting seems to indicate that the church has a promise about his authority and power if they pray and fast.

Prayerless Christianity is an epidemic of the day and we don't experience Jesus’ power and authority in our midst so that people might become sinful and bring their various needs to God in prayer. The church needs more than to learn by heart the meaning of this Jesus’ parable – you and me need to live from prayer and fasting so that Jesus’ power and authority would be tangible in our midst. Prayerful Christianity is much more useful and powerful way of life than a life without prayer.

Suomeksi: Poissaolevan Jeesuksen valtaja voima