Under Whose Authority

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations" (Exodus 3:13-15).

The 2025 World Series was one for the ages. If you watched it, like I did, you saw what some are calling the greatest World Series ever in the history of baseball. Really? Greatest ever? Under whose authority or knowledge of the game do you come to make such a declaration. Experts like ESPN's Tim Kirkjian declared it as such in writing and on Tony Kornheiser's podcast. He spoke of what made it the "greatest he's seen in over 40 years of covering the game."

"Under whose authority" is a way we like to find out just who is making such statements. From politics, to sports, to music, and to any other aspect of life that an assertion is questioned, we usually start with, "Where do you get this from?" (A way of asking for the expert who gave you this idea or the authority from which this came.)

Moses knows Israel will ask this when he goes to them to declare that God has sent him as the instrument of their deliverance from bondage from Egypt. He knows that "my instructions came from a burning bush who sent me" will be viewed with skepticism, maybe even ridicule. He has ruled over Israel on behalf of Pharaoh and now is going to go lead them on behalf of "Yahweh" (the translation of "I AM" comes from Yahweh which as we learned in our study of the Ten Commandments is not to be misused). God goes a step further by producing a lineage they will understand, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. This will assert authority for Moses.

Today, we seek to know God and learn more about him through his Word. His Word is his authority and teaches us all we need to know about Yahweh, or Adonai which is used in place of Yahweh in order to not misuse it. Christ asserts in the Great Commission that as we are sent by him, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). God, I AM, sent his Son, who was, is and is to come, to dwell among us, die and be raised again, all to redeem us. Under his authority do we teach and baptize for the purpose of giving eternal life.

Under whose authority do we come to the world? Christ's, the living Word of God, God's Son, who was with him in the beginning, has sent us to deliver a message of hope.

Pray with me: Gracious God, Be with me and use me as your instrument to share your Word with those in my community, my neighbors. Help me by sending me your Spirit to guide my thoughts, words and actions as I seek opportunities to share your Word. Discipline me to act when that opportunity is there. In your Son's name, Amen.