Christ's Authority
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Understand this: before we can talk about our authority as believers we must talk about Christ’s Authority because all Authority is stemmed through him. The bible is clear
John 15:5 (ESV)
5 .... for apart from me you can do nothing.
So what does it mean apart from Him you can do nothing? Literally-you can do nothing of eternal value without Christ. Your job, you may even own a business, your marriage, your children, the house you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear—mean nothing. They will fade away and be bought, sold, and fought over, but you when you die you take none of that with you.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,
20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
In my biblical opinion the only things that hold value are the things that will last for an eternity. Everything else is good for a time, but is utterly worthless and not of Christ.
So Authority is a big word-it can be very intimidating. When you teach people about authority our own rebellion rises up in a strong force. When we talk about Authority people will say that we can’t tell them what to do. We don’t have say over their lives.
Authority denotes power, privilege, rule, control, influence over others. When someone has authority it means they are in charge of other people and their choices impact everyone around them. The biggest reality of Authority is this;
Authority Denotes PERMISSION
No one, not even Jesus Christ, has Authority over your life without some sort of permission from you. This won’t always be the case though. When we are being judge the word says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord—meaning there will come a time where Jesus will take Authority instead of waiting for it to be given to Him and he will then in turn Judge everyone putting them in the places they chose.
There is also different types of Authority.
There is-Legal and governmental authority, Parental Authority, Spousal Authority, Spiritual Authority, Positional Authority, but there is also a place where all this authority comes from.
This morning I want to talk specifically about Jesus’ Authority
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
So what type of Authority did Jesus have?
1. Authority in Jesus’ Teaching
29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
This means Jesus quoted no one. You’ll see in my sermons sometimes that I directly quote people. I always directly quote scripture. and I do a lot of researching putting other people’s ideas and thoughts into my own words, structures, and opinions. Jesus didn’t
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus is the Word-He is the final Word- the Word here could be swapped with the term Authority. When it comes to Jesus’ speech there isn’t anyone more knowledgeable. He is the only go to Person for wisdom.
2. Authority over sin
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, pick up your bed and go home.”
The Authority over sin gave Him authority over healing physical ailments and over what the demonic world could do and where they could go.
3. Authority to Make Children
12 But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—
4. Authority to Make Judgments
27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
He was given the Authority to write binding laws on people’s hearts. It’s what gave Him the right to intensify the the ten commandments given by God. Who, other than God can intensify God’s laws?
5. Authority over His Own Life
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
None of us have this Authority. They back Jesus on a hill with every intent to kill Him and He said—not today and walked right through an angry mob. People constantly tried to entrap him using His words against Him and he constantly took authority and put them in their place.
Jesus had Authority to give eternal life, teach whatever he wanted without resource or precedent and bind it on the hearts of men. He determines their eternal destiny as we see with the theif on the cross-today you will be with me in all eternity. He has authority to heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons. He has Authority to forgive sin, to designate Children of God and to Judge every person according to their works and their hearts.
When talking about Authority we must separate two Greek words in the New Testament.
Dumamis- Power
For some of you I have the power to walk into your homes and take what I want. Power denotes ability to and not Authority to because if you called the police they would come and assert their Authority.
2. Exousia’-Authority
Jesus not only had the Power to execute all of these things, but he had the right and privilege.
How Did Jesus Receive that right>
Through the Father
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
God, who created everything, gave Jesus all the same Authority here on Earth.
Jesus then in turn gave us the Authority. The issue is that Even Christ’s Authority had to follow the legal rules and parameters set within the confines of the bible.