the power of God

One of the biggest problems in the world today is that people have too small a view of God. It’s nothing new, of course. The ancient Greek mythology portrayed their gods as just a little bit bigger and more powerful, perhaps, but still basically like the human race, with all the foibles associated with man. In Rome, they considered the Caesars as gods, and were instructed to worship them as such. The same is true of the Egyptians, who worshipped the Pharaohs and built massive pyramids to preserve their embalmed bodies.

Most modern religions have the same limited view of God as well. New Age reasoning, which has it’s roots in Middle Eastern Zen, believe that god is within us, and all we have to do is reach a higher state of consciousness to unleash the god inside us all. The Hindu’s believe that in reincarnation we can continue to come back to life in a more elevated position until we reach god status.

But Jesus, in rebuking the Sadducees, a religious sect of the Jews, made a statement that not only answered their foolishness, but speaks to the core of the problem of people of religion everywhere. In Matthew 22:29 He says, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Not understanding the Scriptures is a given, since most people don’t really seem to care about truth as much as what they think. But what I would really like to focus on for a moment though is not understanding the power of God.

Like the Egyptians, or the Greeks, Romans and Sadducees before us, more often than not, we think God is just like us. And Jesus says, you are mistaken. You don’t understand the power of God. We can’t comprehend a God that by the power of simply His Word, hung the Sun in space which is 109 times bigger than our Earth, and lit a fire in it that burns at 5505 degrees Celsius. Or we can’t imagine a God that can create a star called Betelgeuse, that is at least four times bigger than the Earth’s orbit. The earth travels at a forward speed of 69,000 mph and is spinning at over 1000 mph. It takes 365 days, traveling 69,000 mph to orbit our Sun. And Betelgeuse is four times bigger than that orbit. We cannot even imagine a star four times bigger than earths’ orbit, much less imagine the power that it takes to create such a thing by the word of His mouth. We cannot comprehend God. When Jesus said you don’t understand the power of God that is the greatest understatement of all time.

When I hear people say, “I can’t believe in a God that would allow this or that.” Or, I believe that God is like this….” I am reminded of what Jesus said. “You are mistaken. First of all, you don’t understand the Scriptures.” You need to learn what God says about Himself rather than forming your own version of God from your speculation. Secondly, you don’t understand the power of God. And an improper view of God leads to a wrong theology. Too low a view of God produces a shallow Christianity that is more concerned with things of this world than the things to come in the next. And the things of this world, the Bible says, cannot compare with the glory to come.

1Cr 2:9 but just as it is written, "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."