The Authority of Jesus

Please Join me in Prayer:

Father God,

Be with me as I present your word. Please open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts so that we can hear, understand and receive what you have for us. Lord allow your Word to form our minds and mold our hearts to your will. Father, be glorified in Jesus name, Amen.

At the end of 2025 a high-profile federal prisoner who was convicted of a controversial white collar crime had done everything that he could to legally appeal his sentence. The Supreme court had declined to hear his case, and the Department of Justice had formally closed the matter. The imprisoned man’s family appealed to congress however the speaker of the house let them know congress cannot overturn a criminal conviction.

So the prisoners lawyers petition the Attorney General who says that he can recommend mercy but lets them know he has not legal authority to release the prisoner.

On the morning of January 20th 2026 the president of the United States sat alone in the oval office. Not needing the permission of the senate, the approval of any judge, or a vote from the house.

The president signs a single piece of paper: a full and unconditional pardon.

At the moment that signature was applied, the authority was absolute.

Unlike a bill it cannot be overridden, there is no judicial review and it take immediate effect. The federal prisoner was released that afternoon.

At that moment, when he signed the document, the President of the United States acted with ultimate authority, because under article II section 2 of the constitution, he is the only one on earth with the legal power to grant that reprieve.

Today we will be talking about an authority that is above the authority of the President of the United States, one that is above all authorities. We will be talking about the Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Big Idea- As Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus has the authority to heal, forgive and reconcile us to God.

Take Aways

Jesus cares deeply for us.

Salvation and reconciliation comes from Jesus alone.

Jesus is Lord of All.

So our text today is coming from Mark 1:40-2:12. Here Jesus was performing miracles and preaching in the synagogues throughout the area.

Then he is encountered by a man with Leprosy.

Now leprosy was a severe disease that impacted a person in many ways. It was often described as “living death”.

Leprosy deformed the skin causing scaly skin, and spreading lesions , open sores throughout the body.

This disease also attacks the nerves in the hands and feet causing sensory loss starting with temperature and ending in loss of feeling of pain and pressure.

Once someone with Leprosy was diagnosed by a priest then they were banished from society including their home and their families.

They were forbidden from entering markets, attending temple worship, or holding a job.

By law one with Leprosy would have to wear raggedy clothing and remain ungroomed and if someone was near them they had to yell out “unclean, Unclean!” so no one accidently touched them. If anyone touched them then they too were unclean.

One who had Leprosy was outcasted by society, they were physically sick, socially dead. They were despised and marginalized.

But this man who had an “uncurable disease encountered Jesus”

Mark 1:40 NIV

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Jesus looked at this man in all of his suffering. Jesus saw that this man was in need physically, socially and spiritually.

Vs 41 says

New International Version (2011)

Jesus was filled with compassion

When Jesus looked at the Leper He did not despise him. He did not cast him away or treat Him like he was worthless.

Instead Jesus was filled with compassion. He has a deep care and affection for this man.

Instead of rejecting the man and sending him away, Jesus did something highly irregular, it says in 41b “

New International Version (2011) Chapter 1

He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Sin is much like leprosy, it is a progressive thing that deadens us and isolates us from others and from God.

Just as Leprosy destroys nerve endings and makes limbs numb to pain, sin deadens the conscience and allows us to continue in self destructive behaviors without even knowing that it is damaging.

Leprosy starts as a small hidden infection beneath the skin then it grows and spreads to the surface where it can be fully seen.

In the same way sin is a heart condition that we have from birth, We are sinners because of our hearts condition, we do not become a sinner because we sin. We are already in sin from birth.

Lepers were seen as “living death” because of their condition and the impact that the disease had on their bodies.

A life of sin, a life without Christ is a life where we are dead in our transgressions. We are physically alive but we are spiritually rotting.

Jesus came to free us from the bondage of sin.

Just as Jesus shows deep care and compassion for this man with Leprosy. He cares deeply for us.

When we were ravished with sin, slaves to sin living lives that were in direct opposition to God, Jesus came for us.

And in our filth He touches us, He heals us, and He restores us to the Father.

If you have not placed your faith in Christ, and you are not following Him. He came for you. He came to touch you and draw you to himself, and to heal you and restore you to the father.

Jesus cares deeply for us.

Without Christ we have a internal and spiritual void and we long for the things that only God can provide. We look for hope and assurance, we search for meaning and purpose, and we seek identity and belonging.

We look for these in material things, in people, in accomplishments. Or we try to escape turning to drugs or filling our lives with activity and other obsessions.

These things are found in Christ.

Just as the Leper recognizes His need for Jesus and that healing could only come through Him. We too must recognize our need for Christ in that He is the only one who can give us salvation.

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Jesus didn't just heal the man he cleansed him.

This is significant, but why?

Typically if anyone came in contact with a Leper then they were also unclean. However The fact that Jesus is able to touch the leper and not only remain clean but also to cleanse the man shows his Authority over all things and it shows that Jesus is Lord.

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This Lordship was not limited to the days that Jesus was born and walked on this earth. His Lordship has always been from the beginning and last for eternity.

John 1:1 NIV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

This is Jesus, showing His Divinity being one with The Father and the Spirit even in the beginning.

1 Colossians 1:16

Colossians 1:16 NIV

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

This is describing the ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus.

Revelation 19:16 NIV

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.

Here in the end we see that it is Jesus. He is the ultimate authority, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

This King left paradise, and came and lived among us on this earth enduring hardships and suffering because he cares for us deeply. He came to heal us, he came to free us from the bondage of sin and he came to restore us to the Father.

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Salvation comes through Christ alone.

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A few days after Jesus healed the leper and sent him off to show himself to the priest Jesus entered Capernaum, the town he was living in.

Mark 2:1b says, Mark 2:1-5

Mark 2:1–5 NIV

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

1st Century roofs in the middle east where this event took place were build very solid. They were used for people to gather on and at times to rest or nap on. So these roofs had to be able to support weight.

The roofs were built with thick wooden timbers. A layer of reeds, branches or palm leaves. Another layer of mud and clay to seal the roof and this layer of mud/clay was packed down so it was flat and water proof.

To tear through this roof was not easy. It was labor intensive and messy. In fact the ones tearing through the roof would not be the only ones impacted but debris and dirt would also have fallen on Jesus and the crowd below.

These men had so much compassion and car for their friend that they were willing to carry him to the roof and do the hard work of tearing through the roof so that he could encounter Jesus.

This is a perfect picture of what the body of Christ is like, the community of believers. Just like these men carried their friend to the roof to encounter Jesus and did the hard work laboring together for him.

We also labor together.

We carry one another's burdens, and if one suffers we are all impacted and we support one another. We go to the Father on each others behalf praying for one another. We practice real generosity and mutual support as a community of believers. When one is in need, the other who can helps.

We don’t just look like these four men inside of the church. We labor together for the lost in this same way.

As believers we labor for the lost, we have compassion and a heart for the lost and we work to remove social and physical barriers so that they can hear the good news of Jesus and experience true healing and restoration in Christ.

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What we do shows our heart.

The four men’s actions in the text shows that they believed that Jesus could heal their friend and they cared for their friend enough to get him to Jesus.

What are our actions concerning how we interact with each other and the lost?

What does this say about our hearts?

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As we move back to the text in verse 6 we see that there were religious leaders of the time that had issue with Jesus telling the man who came for healing that his sins are forgiven.

Here is what they say, Mark 2:7

Mark 2:7 NIV

“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

This response from the religious leaders shows that they did not believe or accept that Jesus is the messiah and they bring opposition against the Lord of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Then Jesus poses an impossible question that can only be answered with the explanation of who He is.

Jesus says in verse 9, Mark 2:9-11

Mark 2:9–11 NIV

Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

Jesus poses an impossible question because both Healing and divine forgiveness comes from God.

Jesus is the Son of Man. He is the Eternal King of the Kingdom of Heaven and He is able to forgive sin because He is God, fully God and Fully man.

Jesus is our sovereign Lord which means He has authority over all including us. In the life of a believer Jesus’s reign and rule permeates every part of our lives.

There is not a place in the life of a believer that should not be impacted by Christ or that can be Hidden or kept from Him.

What this means is that wherever a believer is at any time of the day or night they are reflecting the Kingdom of Heaven.

What does it mean to reflect the Kingdom of Heaven?

It means that we live this life knowing that we are citizens of heaven and we carry the culture and philosophy of heaven where we go.

What does this look like?

We carry the good news of reconciliation that there is Hope is Jesus and that through Him is salvation. We live righteously, with peace and Joy and we implement the heavenly values of Justice and Mercy in our communities.

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Jesus came so that we could be saved from the wrath of God and reconciled to the Father. Jesus came because He loves us and cares for us deeply.

Just as Jesus was willing and able to forgive and heal the leper and the paralyzed man, he forgives and restores those who place their faith in Him.

Jesus cares deeply for us.

Salvation and reconciliation comes from Jesus alone.

Jesus is Lord of All.

Please Join me in Prayer.

Father God thank you for your Word. Help us to humbly accept the Word that you planted in us, help us to not only hear it but to be formed by it and to live it out in our lives. Lord your Kingdom Come and your Will be done.

In Jesus name, Amen.