Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God (Acts 19:8).

When we hear the word authority, we tend to picture presidents, military generals, CEOs, professors, pastors, theologians, experts and the like.  Since most of us are not any of those, we can think that this whole idea of having spiritual power in everyday places does not apply to us.  Who do we think we are?

But: As our pastors regularly remind us, we are image-bearers. Genesis 1 tells us that God created humans in “his image and likeness.”

“Image-bearer” is not just a description or an identity; it is also a job description, a vocation.

The human vocation, what it means to be a human being, is to “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and steward it into fruitfulness.”  In other words, humans are called to bring God’s wise and good rule and authority into all of God’s Creation.  We are to work, under God and with God, to be part of God causing his Kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Yes, absolutely: sin defaces and distorts that image.  But it does not erase that image or the calling that accompanies it.  That image and calling are redeemed in Christ by the Spirit.

That’s what took Paul to Ephesus.

Notice Paul’s “theme” as he steps into his image-bearer job description in Ephesus: he argued “persuasively about the kingdom of God.”  When Paul entered Ephesus, there were already several “kingdoms” in place and in operation.  There was the kingdom of the Roman Empire; the kingdom of the goddess Diana, along with other gods; the kingdoms of local history and culture, economic kingdoms, social kingdoms, personal kingdoms of the powerful and well-placed.

Paul’s proclamation of God’s kingdom confronted all those other kingdoms with the beauty and truth and power of the Gospel.  When Jesus is proclaimed as the world’s true King, those other “kings” don’t like it!  This is what we mean when we speak of “spiritual warfare.”  This is why Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus that “we aren’t struggling against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers” (see last week’s passage, Ephesians 6:10-18).

Who do you think you are?  Well, God sees you as a redeemed-by-Christ bearer of his image … as a member of his family and citizen of his Kingdom … as a representative and authorized agent of that Kingdom … as a carrier of his authority and power into your everyday places.

In Christ, you are actually quite awesome!  

Lord, give us the humility and the courage to learn how to be who you say we are: bearers of your image, representatives of your Kingdom, authorized agents for your purposes.