Denver Seminary

ENGAGE 13 JUST BEFORE THE ROOF WAS LIFTED, HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS TO BE THE HEAVIEST LIFT EVER TO TAKE PLACE IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE SECOND HEAVIEST IN THE WORLD; SECOND ONLY TO THE RAISING OF THE RUSSIAN SUBMARINE, KURSK, FROM THE BARENTS SEA IN 2002. Most of us can barely comprehend the power required for such an endeavor. Yet, thanks to technological advances, we can routinely observe exhibitions of power that boggle the imagination and overwhelm the senses. Stand close to a freight train as it passes. Witness the demolition of a dilapidated office building (or stadium). Within the realm of nature, consider the terrifying power of a tornado as it tosses vehicles like they were cardboard boxes. In the political arena, the signature of a key leader can alter millions of lives. We don't have to look far for breathtaking examples of power. GOD'S POWER REVEALED IN SCRIPTURE In one of the Apostle Paul's most well- known assertions (Rom. 1:16) he highlights the gospel as "the power [the dynamis—'dynamite'] of God." That would seem to trump every other source and demonstration of power. How is God's power in the gospel so much more awe-inspiring? Simply put, through the gospel God brings salvation. It may seem odd that such an invisible act can have that type of force, yet it says something about the nature of the task! Saving us actually requires more power than lifting a stadium roof or a submarine. God's power points not merely to the task but back to God; the God who alone can save us and who loves us enough to save us. Grab a good Bible concordance and look at how many times Scripture uses the word "power" in reference to God. You may be stunned. To name merely a few examples, you'll find God's power displayed in creation (Gen. 1), delivering the Israelites from slavery and through the Red Sea (Exod. 14), healing (Luke 5:17), raising the dead (1 Cor. 6:14), and ultimately defeating sin and death once and for all (Matt. 26:64, Rev. 12:10). Those biblical accounts should inspire, humble, and encourage us. We also may have our own spiritual monuments or memories that mark significant experiences of God's power in our lives: a desperate need met just in time, an uncanny instance of physical or emotional healing, the turnaround of a life plunging recklessly toward disaster, the endurance of devastating loss with grace and dignity, the restoration of a seemingly hopeless relationship. The power of God demonstrated in Scripture has personal iterations for many Christians. The God we know, love, and serve is the God of all power. No doubt about that! Furthermore, God's power both affects our lives and is available to us. However, neither of these notions is uniquely Christian. In other religions, across time and space, we find people attributing power to some supposed deity and appealing to that power for protection and sustenance. The alleged power of these gods was dispensed, so people believed, through various arrangements whereby the gods were placated or "bought off." Otherwise, the availability of this power was rather capricious. The net effect was a perpetual state of fear, uncertainty, and religious "chess playing" with the gods. The God we know, love, and serve is the God of all power. No doubt about that! Scripture reveals to us the God who alone is real and who alone possesses real power—power that is to be revered and on which we depend for everything. Thankfully, however, God's power goes hand-in-hand with the fullness of His character: His love, holiness, justice, and goodness. The power of God that can create life, alter life, and take life, is also the power that lovingly and sacrificially redeems life. That's precisely where the New Testament offers the astonishing revelation that God's power is not some remote, impersonal force that must be bought or beckoned. God's power shows up in our lives through Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:24) and the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:4-5) who are the power of God! God's power is personal, saving, and cause for joy because it is Trinitarian power! God's power enters the life of every single Christian through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our salvation. It becomes an active reality in our lives through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. But what does that look like? Credit: NASA, ESA, SSC, CXC, and STScI Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

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