Ephesians
1:17-23
Nations
build up their power through
politics, weapons, and wealth.
Strong leaders can unite their
people to promote a cause.
Mighty arsenals can overcome
enemies. Money can buy
influences and technology.
Nations feel secure when they
hold power.
As
citizens, we sometimes take
false hope in the security of
our nation. It is nearly
impossible to guard against
every attack, to control every
enemy, and to protect our
national treasures. It is
tempting to rely on the
standards of national power:
politics, weapons, and wealth.
The
letter to the Ephesians takes
another view of power. It
assumes that all power belongs
to God, not to people, and that
God has assigned authority to
Christ, “raising him from the
dead and seating him at his
right hand in the heavens.” God
put all things beneath the feet
of Christ “and gave him as head
over all things.”
Jesus
is no politician. He owns no
weapons. He possesses no
earthly wealth. His dominion
differs from that of temporal
rulers. Believers of every
nation put their trust in
Christ. They follow his
teachings. Most importantly,
they believe he is the victor
over death. Jesus has conquered
death, the enemy of every
human. With Jesus as our head,
we enjoy unparalleled freedom
and release from all our fears.
