Matthew 7:28-29

We are at the end of the sermon on the mount. We are so far at the end that this last

passage is not even from the sotm. It is the action Jesus takes after He preaches. But

the focus this morning is not as much on what he did, but rather on how he was perceived.

Jesus finishes the sotm and the crowds, we find, are astonished at his teaching.

Why? Because He taught with authority. He taught with power. His teaching was from another place, it was not simply words.

It’s important that we pick this idea up of authority. Because it could be easy to finish this series and say to ourselves, those were some nice things Jesus said. Or even, those were some challenging things Jesus said. And leave it at that.

But we can’t. We are corralled into a choice.

Jesus did not speak, he proclaimed. He didn’t just give us options, He channeled a whole new way of life.

He didn’t just point the way, He declared that He is the way.

he is authoritative, then we have to decide whether or not we will come under that authority

We have to concern ourselves not just with what is said, as much as who has said it. We have to look at who has said what we have hear.

If one of my kids tells another one of my kids, go clean your room. It’s meaningless. But if one of my kids tells the same kid, mom said to clean your room. That is an entirely different conversation. If we deal with statements, it matters who says them. A statement may be true. Your room is messy, it needs to be cleaned. But truth does not always mean action. There is often not a whole lot of confusion around what is true and not. You know whats’ true. It’s just that you don’t want to act on what’s true. So if we just hear a true statement, it does not mean we will act on it or that we will do anything with it. But depending on who tells us that truth will define how we act on it. We have to look at who Christ is and why He has authority.

Anyone who heard Jesus treated His teaching differently. As one who had authority. if you were here this morning, and you’re still trying to figure out what to do with Jesus, I hope you hear that Jesus is entirely sufficient to use authority in the right way( because we will see that there’s a wrong way to use a authority).

if you’re here and you are following Christ, if you’ve trusted in him as your authoritative source, maybe you’ve heard the sermon of the amount 100 times, or you’ve read it 100 times. Or you’re tired of the six months on the series. If Christ is authoritative, when we read his word, the instrument of his voice Scriptures, then our job is to respond to them as one who has authority. To act on them, not just an agreement and nodding our heads, but in deliberate action.

This morning I want to talk about

Christ is our authority, and uses authority to care and redeem

That He is not just giving good advice about the good life, He is life itself. And that His words are not just suggestions, His thoughts about what is good.

If Christ is authoritative, then He can handle anything within His own authority. He is in charge over whatever it is He has authority over.

what does He have authority over?

Ephesians 1:20–23 ESV

that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

That is good news for us, because when things go sideways, when we get stuck, or frustrated, we often look to the one who has the most authority. And if you have trusted Christ, if you believe He is who He says He is, then He is the One to whom we defer. He is the One to whom we look to.

If you have ever had to yell “help!” then you know the need of someone in charge.

And He is the One who takes responsibility for us.

Not just on the good days but on every difficult day, Christ, the authoritative One,

takes responsibility.

let’s look today to Christ, who is the authoritative one and what that means for us

First let’s define it

What is authority? Authority answers the question, “who’s in charge?”

for someone to be in charge, they need to have the

responsibility,

the capacity,

and the resources to complete the job they are given.

The one who has the authority has been left in charge. That individual has been given the rights to be in charge and is endowed with the appropriate power to maintain that charge.

Where Does Authority Come From?

You can’t just stand up and yell, “I have authority!” If I shouted that statement in a crowded room I would get laughed at, tackled or arrested. Authority is not simply saying you are now in authority.

How do we get authority?

It can be given (I want you to take charge of this)

it can be taken (Iook at me, look at me. I am the captain now.) Captain Phillips

It can come from experience (they must know what they are doing)

it can be assumed (I guess you’re in charge)

it can be offered (I trust you)

there are many valid and invalid ways to get authority.

How does Jesus have authority?

Christ did not just yell, I’m in charge here! He was present before all things. He didn’t have to yell it.

Christ has the responsibility: He was there before anyone else showed up.

Colossians 1:15–16 ESV

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.

Jesus is sustaining all things. There is no dominion, no ruler, no authority who has any say beyond what Christ is said.

And we have to remind ourselves of that because it doesn’t always feel that way. But if Christ is the authority then He is the One who showed up first, He is the One who holds it together. Christ as our authority is sufficient.

Jesus has shown up. He holds all things. He has authority right now in your distress. He has authority in your quesitons, your doubt, your anger. Christ has authority in your darkness. He has authority in your celebration.

Christ has the capacity: Authority was given to Him by the Father

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus was sent into the world, not just to speak, but to proclaim. He was sent by the father and entered into our world, given authority as one part of the Trinity to speak on the father‘s behalf. There is nothing missing from His capacity to act and move. There is nothing that escapes His view.

Authority doesn’t just answer the question who is in charge. It shows it. authority is the ability to come through. Authority is in speech and is in the act. So when we look at how Christ himself is authoritative, we see that he didn’t wait for us to act or sacrifice, but he went first.

Christ has the resources: He backs up every word with action at the cross.

Philippians 2:4–11 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus had all power and all authority. And He used it for the church. He spent all

of His authority on the church. On her redemption. Every bit of power is on display at the cross.

spent all his power at the cross, not so that he could wheeled some kind of authoritative power trip, but so that he could use his authority to free others. He could use his authority to redeem the church. He could use his authority to bring light into darkness.

We need someone in authority when things get dark. When things get sideways.

Because when things go upside down, we want someone who can do something about our situation.

I had to call a company last week to complain about a particular issue we had as a

family. So I called and got their call center. I explained the situation and the individual

at the call center asked if I wanted to talk to a supervisor.

Absolutely! I wanted to talk to a supervisor. Because only they were able to do

anything about my situation.

We don’t want people in authority to make empty promises. We don’t want people in authority to yell from a distance.

We want someone who can come close, someone who can actually act on our behalf.

The cross shows us that Christ has acted on our behalf. He has gone first and He has been where we are. But He did not only come near in the cross. He was also raised to life by the power of God to invite us into eternal life and the ultimate redemption of all things in Christ.

I’ve heard death sometimes called the final authority, because it is inescapable.

What happens when you serve a God who has beaten death itself? True authority cries out from beyond death itself.

That is what God does with authority. He redeems.

How do we apply this?

If Christ shows authority in what He says and what He has done, our response is to trust Him by what we say and what we do.

We can trust Christ over every other voice, and I should say, more than our own.

this is the application. That when he says that this is the way to the flourishing life, that he is the way to the flourishing life. That he means it. And that if we are to come under the authority of Jesus if we are to proclaim that he has saved us and that we are his then our role is to respond to that is to say yes to that, is to not resist what Christ himself has spoken.

often hear what Jesus says, and then we try and create a loophole around it. The call this morning to hear what Jesus says, and then because he is a good authority because he uses his authority to redeem and restore, we can trust that and then turn to life with him through word and action

the very One who has the plans, has the means, has the ability, has been given the capacity, has been given the power to show up in your life and restore you to life. that is His promise. And wherever you are the call the challenge this morning is to say a yes to whatever He has called us to.

We can rest assured in Him

And when we say yes, we recognize that we can rest, because we have a God who has worked and is working and will work on your behalf.

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean for Jesus to teach “with authority,” and how does that differ from other types of teaching we encounter in our lives?

• Consider how the source of authority impacts how we respond to someone’s words.

2. How does recognizing Jesus as the ultimate authority influence the way we approach challenges, doubts, or moments of distress?

• Reflect on examples in your life where turning to Christ’s authority brought clarity or peace.

3. The sermon emphasizes moving beyond agreement to action in response to Jesus’ teaching. What are practical ways we can act on the authority of Christ in our daily lives?

• Share examples or ideas for applying His teachings in tangible ways.

4. Jesus uses His authority to serve, redeem, and restore rather than to dominate. How does this challenge or reshape your understanding of leadership and power?

• Discuss how this model of authority compares to worldly examples of power.

5. What does it look like to trust Jesus’ authority in areas of life where you feel uncertain, resistant, or in need of control?

• Explore barriers to surrendering to His authority and ways to overcome them.