Ultimate Authority
Unrecognized Authority • Sermon • Submitted
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· 12 viewsThe authority of Jesus comes from himself, and it is demonstrated in his power over creation, the testimony of the Scriptures.
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Ultimate Authority - Matthew 8:1-4
Ultimate Authority - Matthew 8:1-4
If you have your Bibles, please open them to Matt 8
Let me introduce our new series that we are beginning called “Unrecognized Authority.”
Tonight, we are picking up in Matthew where we left last year when we walked through the sermon on the mount…
After Jesus finished the sermon on the mount, Matt tells us:
28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.
Authority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
If a cop turns on a siren flashes his lights you pull over, because police have authority
but if a car honks and flashes lights you don’t pull over, because they don’t have authority
Authority is the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
Now the scribes (who were the teachers of Scripture in Jesus’ day similar to what we would call a pastor) certainly had authority when they would teach. But their authority came not from themselves, but from the Scriptures that they taught from....
But when Jesus taught, his authority did not come from the Scripture, rather his authority came from himself…
In the sermon on the mount, he said things like:
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
and
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
Notice, he is quoting Scripture while he is teaching, but in clarifying the Scripture’s meaning he gives them a command that comes from his own mouth “I say to you”
And as Jesus concluded his sermon he said
and
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Notice again, Jesus is the one who determines who will and will not enter into the kingdom
and it’s Jesus Christ’s word that people either obey or disobey that becomes the means by wich one will stand of fall in the last day
This was the kind of authority that filled the sermon on the mount that caused the crowds such astonishment at his teaching.... it’s with this in mind that we pick up in our new series where we will go through the next three chapters of Matthew.
While in the sermon on the mount, we see Jesus speaking with authority,
in these next chapters, we will see Jesus demonstrate his authority in power and in deed.
but paralleled with Jesus’ demonstration of his authority, we will also see people’s denial of his authority.
And it’s for this reason that we are calling our series “Unrecognized Authority”
Hopefully you’ve found your way to Matt 8
please stand for the reading of God’s word.
1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” 3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
Ultimate Authority - Matthew 8:1-4
Ultimate Authority - Matthew 8:1-4
Anyone who has ever has a bossy sibling knows what it is like when someone without any authority tries take on authority…
If you have a sibling who tells you what to do, and you don’t respect their so-called authority… you remind them that they are not our parent…
If you know this experience, you recognize that the authority that your sibling is trying to take on is an authority that is not truly theirs…
Because we know, that our siblings do not possess the same authority of a parent…
And so if you have a bossy sibling… chances are you probably ignore them more than you listen and obey them
But what about the authority of Jesus?
Does he actually have the authority to say,
24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
Does Jesus and his word really carry with it this kind of weight and authority?
If so,
Where his authority from?
How does Jesus’ authority relate to his creation?
And what is the proof/validation of Jesus’ authority?
These questions are answered in tonight’s very text. But before we begin to answer these questions, let’s set the scene:
1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
Jesus has just finished the sermon on the mount and a great number of people are following him. Jesus seems to have found the favor of the people. And as often is the case in the minds of men, surely as Jesus grows in popularity, so too does he grow in authority… Do keep this in mind as Jesus himself will confront this very idea shortly…
While Jesus and the crowd come down from the mountain, something surprising happens…
2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
Now why would a leper coming to Jesus be surprising to find here in this crowd? - most of us who are familiar with the stories in the gospel wouldn’t find this surprising, because we know this story full and well… but this leper coming to Jesus in the crowd would have shocked everyone in the crowd!
This is because he was a leper, and lepers were despised by the Jews
Most of us aren’t familiar with the stigma that would have been associated with one who had leprosy… but for the sake of understanding the drama that is taking place here, we can start to understand the way people view lepers by comparing them to someone who tests positive for COVID-19
Think of it: If a person coughs, everyone has in the back of their mind (COVID!)
And if a person tests positive for COVID, they can’t be around anyone for a good while until they recover and then take another test that comes back negative
And furthermore, the rest of us who don’t have COVID want to stay away from those who do have it because it is contagious… and to add to not wanting to get it
if we knowingly come into contact with someone who tested positive, then we are supposed to be quarantined for weeks just in case we contracted it.
With what we know about COVID and the social stigma that is associated with it, just imagine what it would be like if someone who knowingly had COVID came in here hugging everyone, coughing all over and not wearing a mask...
This situation that I described pales in comparison to what is happening as this leper enters into the crowd that is following Jesus…
because, lepers were forced to live outside of the community and were isolated from all human touch
45 “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ 46 He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.
Furthermore, lepers were often considered to be under the curse of God because of something they had done
9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them, and he departed.
10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.
And finally, a cure from leprosy was seen as being just as impossible as raising the dead
7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.”
So sum it up this way: a leper was to be
exiled and isolated from everyone else
considered under God’s curse
and recovering from leprosy was a rare thing
With all of this in mind, consider what is happening in this scene that we have just read:
1 When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
While the leper coming into this crowd would have shocked anyone who read this, there is a further dimension to this verse that is equally if not more shocking than the leper entering the crowd… and that is the words of the leper…
“Lord, if you will, you can make me clean”
Compare this to a similar request recorded in Numbers 12
In this story, Aaron and Miriam are rebelling against Moses because they wish to have greater authority than Moses… and this angers God. And so God rebukes Aaron and Miriam… and after his rebuke the Scripture says:
10 When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous. 11 And Aaron said to Moses, “Oh, my lord, do not punish us because we have done foolishly and have sinned. 12 Let her not be as one dead, whose flesh is half eaten away when he comes out of his mother’s womb.” 13 And Moses cried to the Lord, “O God, please heal her—please.”
Notice this, Aaron goes to Moses and pleads with him on behalf of Miriam…
but does Moses heal Miriam at this point? No… but instead what does he do?
He cries out to God for Miriam’s sake…
Moses while having great authority, doesn’t have the authority to heal Miriam… only God does...
So with this and other stories in the backdrop, we see that only God has the authority to heal lepers… listen again to the leper’s request:
2 And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”
Notice that the leper doesn’t say “God can make me clean” rather he says “YOU can make me clean”
The leper recognizes something about the authority of Jesus that was different from the authority of a king or the authority of Moses…
And watch and listen to how Jesus responds to the leper’s request:
3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
1. Jesus’ authority to act and to heal rests in no other authority except his own.
1. Jesus’ authority to act and to heal rests in no other authority except his own.
There are layers of astounding realities about Jesus that are being displayed in this one verse that serves us so well as we are being introduced to the authority of Jesus so let’s take them one at a time
First at the heart of this verse, Jesus demonstrated that his authority heal comes from himself…
When asked to cleanse the leper, Jesus simply says “I will”… These are two words that hold great significance…
These two words demonstrate an authority that Moses did not have
These two words, demonstrates an authority that Jesus has that no other king or ruler has ever possessed
For even great kings in the OT are unable to heal lepers
But Jesus possesses such authority that he needs not plead with God to heal the man like Moses did, but instead, as Jesus is God incarnate, he simply heals him on based on his own will and authority…
The will and authority of Jesus that is far greater than the will of any person
When Jesus says “I will” compare these two profound words when Jesus speaks compared to the simplicity of any mere person who says the same words…
This happens all the time…
Just the other day I had been asked to meet with someone and I said “I will” only to have to change plans on them because something came up....
My will to do something even if I really really want to do it, only happens so long as God allows it to happen
James gives great clarity in yours and my inability to do anything apart from the will of God
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
acknowledge this will you… even the most mundane tasks that you are able to do is limited to the will of God…
For the only way you will even wake up tomorrow morning is if the Lord wills that you wake up…
But Jesus knows no such limits such that his will is not bound by the will of another.
Furthermore, Jesus’ authority and will is far greater than that of the natural order of creation…
remember, this is a leper we are talking about… one to whom people were not supposed to be near let alone come into direct contact with… but notice how Jesus heals him:
He touches him…
Such a repulsive and contagious disease would not cause Jesus to run away from the leper lest he become unclean, but instead Jesus would have compassion and touch the leper. And upon touching him, the leper would be made clean.
And Jesus didn’t use any medicine but only his hand
Anyone who needs medical attention needs more than touch…
Bandages, fluids and IVs.... you may need a cast, or some kind of topical medicine… and furthermore, if you’re bleeding, I’m going to use gloves so I don’t get sick…
But Jesus needed none of that to make the leper clean, but instead he simply touched him
And in all this... Jesus’ touch was not necessary:
7 And he said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.
13 And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment.
So why then did Jesus touch the leper?
In Mark’s gospel this story is told and says that Jesus was moved by pity, but this doesn’t seem to be the focus for matt…
Instead Matthew uses this story to demonstrate Jesus own authority that is greater than everything even diseases
The natural order of sickness has no power over Jesus
In fact, Jesus was never at risk of sickness, disease, or any other means of death even the sword!
(but what about the cross, didn’t that kill him?)
Jesus talking about his life that he would soon lose by the cross says:
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.”
We see here that Jesus authority comes from himself, because the Father has given him such authority… and even sickness does not defy Jesus’ authority
and this is no more clearly demonstrated than in the duration of time that is required for Jesus word and will to become effective
3 And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
No recovery from any disease or sickness happens immediately even with the most advanced medicine…
In fact… nothing happens immediately. Even if I want popcorn… my desire for a simple snack does not happen immediately…
I need to first get the popcorn
and pop the popcorn
and only then can I then eat the popcorn…
But when Jesus heals the leper, he is healed… immediately
All creation is under the authority of Jesus
such that sickness does not infect him, but instead at his touch it disappears immediately simply because it is his will.
Let’s keep reading…
4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
Such a strange statement that is being made here…
especially when we compare this to what Jesus does at the end of chapter 9 and into 10 as he himself continues to proclaim the good news of the kingdom that he was bringing as well as send his disciples out to do the same…
So, why would Jesus not want the man to say anything about what Jesus has done with regard to healing him
2. Jesus’ authority is not validated by man’s approval.
2. Jesus’ authority is not validated by man’s approval.
Remember, there is a great crowd following Jesus already. And we often think that the growing popularity of a person often means their authority grows as well such that they are even made kings by mere men… but this is not the case for Jesus.
Jesus does not need people’s following and approval in order to validate his authority…
And we will see this as we continue through these chapters of Matthew as Jesus authority will be constantly misunderstood… and even denied...
For there will be people will be more concerned with the healings than Jesus as the healer
People are more interested in a political leader that’ll free them from Roman rule than they are with a God that will free them from sin and death
And furthermore, upon seeing these miracles, there will be many who see these works not as a proof of of Jesus’ authority, but instead they will see Jesus’ healings as being blasphemy and opposition against God himself… and in doing so they will not recognize the glorious reality that Jesus is God
Consider this: Our faith in Jesus, and our coming together to worship him does not make Jesus Lord…
although it is right and fitting that we like the leper bow down at the feet of Jesus as he alone is Lord,
and he alone is able to make us clean… and he alone is able to satisfy us… and to give us joy… and to give us life
it is also important that also recognize that one’s lack of faith or lack of worship does not cease to make Jesus Lord....
23 By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
Paul picks up on this very verse… and says Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord…
This is a word that will not return to God void… it will happen
Whether that is here in this life that we confess him as Lord, or on the last day when we are judged.... we will bow down to Jesus as Lord, for he alone is worthy, and he alone has the authority over us and all of creation!
Hear this… one’s faith and submission to Jesus, or one’s disbelief and disobedience to Jesus neither gives nor denies the authority of Jesus… for his authority is derived from himself… For Jesus is the ultimate source of authority
This is completely unlike any other kind or ruler in this world…
If a crew of a ship has a mutiny and overthrows the caption, then the captain no longer has authority over the crew…
But when men rebel against Jesus…
Like Adam and Eve rebelled against God in the garden
or like Aaron and Miriam did in the wilderness…
Jesus does not lose any ounce of authority, for Jesus authority is not derived from man, rather his authority comes from himself…
Man’s opinion of who Jesus is does not change who Jesus is…
But simply because Jesus does not need man’s testimony in order to have authority… does not mean that there is no testimony or proof of his authority
4 And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
Why does Jesus tell him to this?
well, the law itself gave instruction for the Levites in assessing whether a person is clean from leprosy…
It’s found in Lev 14…
And what Jesus is doing is providing a further proof to show that he has the authority to make one clean. And the proof of Jesus’ authority does not come primarily from the words of a cleansed leper, no more than it comes from a forgiven pastor… but the proof of Jesus’ authority comes directly from the Scripture.
3. While Jesus needs no human testimony in order to validate his authority, the authority of the Scriptures points to Jesus’ ultimate authority.
3. While Jesus needs no human testimony in order to validate his authority, the authority of the Scriptures points to Jesus’ ultimate authority.
Do you want to know who Jesus is…
Then search the Scriptures
for there you will find every page pointing to him
Do you want more proof of Jesus’ authority…
then search the Scriptures
for in his word you will hear the voice of the one to whom all creation obeys
Do you want to be made clean…
Then come to Jesus Christ much like the leper…
For he is able to forgive every sin
and he does not despise those who seek him… for it is his gracious will to make us clean… and he alone has the authority to do so.
Let’s pray.
What do we learn about Jesus from his cleansing of the leper?
How should recognizing Jesus' ultimate authority change the way we live?
Does man's opinion of Jesus change who Jesus is?
How can we know that Jesus actually has ultimate authority?
