Highly exalted! Name above every name!

Lord Jesus, we humble ourselves before you. For all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to you. And the Father has give you authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom he has given you. And this is eternal life for us: that we may know the Father the only true God, and you, Jesus Christ, whom he has sent.

We come to your Word today, submitting to its authority and asking for your transforming power to apply it to our hearts. Amen. (Matthew 28:18, John 17:1-3)

Scripture Reading - Mark 11:27-33 (ESV)
     And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?” 
     Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.” 
     And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.”
     And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Thank you, Precious Savior, for laying down your life for us that you may take it up again. No one took it from you. Of your own accord you lay down your life and the Father gave you authority to take it up again. Even as you anticipated your cross, you cried: Not my will, but yours, be done. May we learn obedience through our suffering just as you did. (John 10:17-18, Hebrews 5:8)

Forgive us, Father, for not submitting to the authority of your Word. Saved by the blood of Jesus, washed and empowered by the Holy Spirit for sanctification, you call your children to obey your Word. We heard you calling: Put off the old self! Now we must do away with whatever is earthly in us.

...sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another...(Colossians 3:5-10)

We repent from our sins and turn back to your authority over our lives.

Father, you have highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. At the name of Jesus every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. (Acts 4:12 , Philippians 2:9-11)

Jesus, by the authority vested in you, you call us to Go! Go to all nations to make disciples - baptizing and teaching them to observe all that you have commanded. Help us today to do your will. Thank you for the promise that you will always be with us, to the end of the age! Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)


English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.