The President, the Mayor, the City Council, and the Coroner
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
In case you don’t get outside and if you don’t watch TV or see any ads on the internet, it’s election season. Mayors, city councils, sheriffs, even coroners have their signs up whenever it’s time to get re-hired for another span of time.
In Paul’s day, it wasn’t a war of marketing but a literal war most of the time that decided the big leaders. From there it was family associations, some corruption, and flat out wealth that decided who ruled what and where. It was 1700 years before anybody would think up and successfully create a government by the people, for the people, like we take for granted so easily.
But in the midst of whatever government we are in, Paul says here that every authority and ruler was created by Jesus. It makes big headlines when some public figure says that the President was chosen by God, but it’s kind of correct in the right context. There are a lot of things God created that don’t do His will and use their freedom in Creation to cause beauty or destruction or pain. God created the oceans, but He gives the Creation freedom to react to physics as it will. God takes no pleasure in a destructive tsunami or a flood, but He certainly maintains the natural order of Creation that sometimes results in such things.
Knowing that Jesus created every ruler and authority gives us hope and confidence. Above your boss at work is a loving God that cares for you more than that boss. Above that policeman that is asking you questions is a caring, watchful savior that can forgive all of your sins.
We don’t have to have fear. Whether the authorities are good or bad, Jesus reigns over them all. He will support us or avenge us, as we rely on Him and walk with Him into eternity. He can also move and mold those in authority over us, as they submit to His will also. Just as He made us and He knows everything we need, we can trust that in making our leaders that He knows what they need too.
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