DOMINION

February 12, 2018

Rev. Jason Gaskin

The words authority, dominion, and subdue are rarely viewed in a positive light. Yet in Genesis 1 we are told that God charges humanity to "fill the earth and subdue it. Take dominion... over every living creature that moves on the ground..." Can these words be seen in a positive and new light? Sin has caused us to twist and manipulate what God originally intended for good. We mostly see these words in terms of violence and abuse with harm at their core. It is Jesus who defines the value and worth of these words. And he demonstrated the original purpose God had when he charged humanity to take dominion and authority. Jesus' ministry was about life, healing, and wholeness. And that's the kind of life he wants us to lead. This is God's dominion. It always has been about life, wholeness, and healing. When God calls us to rule over the earth... God isn't saying destroy and abuse it... or to Lord your power over others... God was saying... you are tasked with making sure life happens... and that creation thrives. If our fellow brother or sister is struggling (those inside and outside our church)... we step in to support and lift up. Jesus' whole life demonstrated this. He was about lifting people up and often it was the people who were looked past in society. This was dominion. When we hear God say subdue... we can hear God calling us to take charge. God was saying to humanity that if you see a problem, an injustice, an inequity in your community... do something! People who speak up for the rights of others aren't doing it for themselves. They are doing it because God said to do it. Jesus said to his disciples, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me..." If someone is said to have authority that means they have influence and power. And God's uses his power to build creation up and to give life. And the greatest thing about it... is that God invites us in to this awesome work! The next couple of weeks we will be taking charge and dominion. We will be doing this by dreaming about where God is calling us to build up and sow life in our community.