Amazed at Jesus

We have a love/hate relationship with the concept of authority. We love it when we have it; we hate it when we have to submit to someone else’s. We don’t like to submit to someone’s else’s authority, we’d rather call our own shots. Biblically speaking God makes it clear that growth in Christian character comes through learning to submit, like it says in Heb. 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will give an account."; and we are encouraged to mutual submission in Eph. 5:21 "submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." So this is something very important to understand, and we’ll see in the people’s response both what to avoid as well as a path forward for us.

In Matthew 7:28-29 we see the people respond to Jesus’ words. "When Jesus was finished with all these words, the people were astonished at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority and not as their scribes". They were awestruck with amazement, wonder, astonishment. Lenski says they were 'dumbfounded'. Even panicked. The Greek word is Ekplesso comes from 2 words: Ek, from, from out of; and plesso, strike, struck. It literally means to strike out, to expel by a blow, to forcefully drive out or away. What is being pushed away or expelled? Our self-sufficiency, our self-absorption, our self-determination. They were struck with panic, shock, overwhelmed to the point of focusing on what Jesus said and did, and coming to a point of decision – what would they do about it? Jesus said what they would be likened to if they heard and obeyed. The wise, who fear God.

We do not know who believed and who rejected Jesus right then and there. It doesn’t say that anybody believed, though it is entirely possible and most-likely probable.

When am I, or have I been, really amazed? Whenever I watch Kobe dunk or make some amazing shot. When I see or hear something that is out of the ordinary. When I see the breathtaking beauty of God's creation.

When have I been truly amazed at what God has done? When I saw our five children being born; blown away by the wonder of God’s creative power. When I have seen someone come to faith in Christ. When I became a believer, amazed that God would choose to save me, forgive me, give me His undeserved favor. When I have seen others come to faith in Christ. Like our eldest daughter Alexandra, at age 4 telling me to stop the car so I could pray with her as she acknowledged to God her desire to be saved. Our son Michael, when he was 6 years old, the light beginning to go on a little brighter, in McLean, Va as were all sitting on a bed together in a friend’s home and his then 9 year-old older sister was explaining to him the gospel once again.

Amazement, astonishment, being shaken from my complacency or self-centeredness to focus on the greatness and goodness of God. I want to live in the realm, in the context of, being continually amazed at who God is and what He does.