Regime change
This week's verses are John 12:31-32:
This week's verses are part of Jesus' conversation with the disciples about the coming crucifixion and his willingness to be sacrificed for us. Here he is describing how everything was about to change, and is changing, for us as people in the world.
He says the ruler of this world will be driven out. Here he is referring to Satan. Previous to the crucifixion, Satan had been given authority over the world. That isn't authority over God himself, but authority in a sense of having a higher ranking than we did on the earth. You can see that by Satan's ridiculous offer to Jesus during his temptation to give him some of his authority. The crucifixion sets all of that straight. Jesus takes the authority that had been granted to Satan and hands it over to us instead.
It's a liberating change. We can now resist the powers of darkness on our own authority delegated to us by God. It's a restoration of the authority Adam and Eve had before the fall. The earth is under new management, or you could say the transition of power is still taking place, as not many of us are Christians and of those who are, few of us have the understanding that we are in a position of superior firepower to the powers of darkness. It's a revolution that gives power to the people!
Jesus then says that when he is lifted up from the earth, victoriously of course, he will draw all people to him. He is attractive. What he is describing is the church, which is people being drawn to Jesus and following him. When a new president takes office, or a new CEO is hired, or a new king deposes the old king, he brings his friends and associates in with him and assigns them positions. The transition sometimes takes some time.
In deposing Satan and handing his authority over to the church, Jesus has rolled our clock back to the days before Eve and Adam ate the fruit of the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden. The curse is broken and will remain broken. We are made innocent again. The relationship is reestablished. The kingdom of God is restored to its place and we are a part of it again.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
This week's verses are part of Jesus' conversation with the disciples about the coming crucifixion and his willingness to be sacrificed for us. Here he is describing how everything was about to change, and is changing, for us as people in the world.
He says the ruler of this world will be driven out. Here he is referring to Satan. Previous to the crucifixion, Satan had been given authority over the world. That isn't authority over God himself, but authority in a sense of having a higher ranking than we did on the earth. You can see that by Satan's ridiculous offer to Jesus during his temptation to give him some of his authority. The crucifixion sets all of that straight. Jesus takes the authority that had been granted to Satan and hands it over to us instead.
It's a liberating change. We can now resist the powers of darkness on our own authority delegated to us by God. It's a restoration of the authority Adam and Eve had before the fall. The earth is under new management, or you could say the transition of power is still taking place, as not many of us are Christians and of those who are, few of us have the understanding that we are in a position of superior firepower to the powers of darkness. It's a revolution that gives power to the people!
Jesus then says that when he is lifted up from the earth, victoriously of course, he will draw all people to him. He is attractive. What he is describing is the church, which is people being drawn to Jesus and following him. When a new president takes office, or a new CEO is hired, or a new king deposes the old king, he brings his friends and associates in with him and assigns them positions. The transition sometimes takes some time.
In deposing Satan and handing his authority over to the church, Jesus has rolled our clock back to the days before Eve and Adam ate the fruit of the forbidden tree in the garden of Eden. The curse is broken and will remain broken. We are made innocent again. The relationship is reestablished. The kingdom of God is restored to its place and we are a part of it again.
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