Who Gave You Authority?

Introduction

There’s something amazing about people with authority - they seem to be attractive. People in authority seem to walk taller, look better, and sound better - especially when they have that James Earl Jones kind of deep bass voice! When you have authority, you don’t have to manufacture respect - it just happens.

Authority is something we all know well. And there’s really a couple of things about authority: authority always has someone from whom it derives, someone in whom it resides, and something over which it presides. That is, there is always a source of authority, a bearer of authority, and a realm of authority.

Here’s what I mean. I know I use the marriage ceremony a lot as illustration, but it works! At the end of the wedding, the officiant will say, “By the power vested in me by the state of Alabama, I now pronounce you husband and wife!” You can see all three requirements in that one line: someone from whom the authority derives - the state of Alabama; someone in whom the authority resides - the minister or officiant; something over which the authority presides - the wedding.

The question with authority often focuses on its origin. You’ve heard people ask, “Who gave you the right to _?” What they are asking is, “Where do you get the authority to _?” How we answer the question of where our authority comes from will demonstrate the most important aspect of our lives. Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke 20. God’s Word is important - because of the authority of the God who has spoken it, written it, and who is testified within it. So stand with me as we read Luke 20:1-8.

This is the authoritative Word of God, and if you’ll let it, it will change your life.

Luke 20:1–8 ESV

1 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” 3 He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, 4 was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” 5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Pray

If you remember from last week, Jesus entered the temple on Monday of his final week and cleaned house. He overturned tables and chairs, kicked merchants out of the temple, and cursed the temple because of the wickedness of the people and their actions in the very place that didn’t live up to God’s standards. Now, it’s Tuesday morning and Jesus enters back into the temple:

Luke 20:1–2 ESV

1 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.”

The leaders of the day saw everything that happened yesterday. They knew what Christ had done, and there were not happy about it. After all, how would you feel if someone came to your office or your garage and started making a huge mess? So, they challenge Jesus: “Tell us by what authority...”

Sometimes people ask us about the authority by which we do certain things. If you’ve ever witnessed to an atheist or skeptic, you’ve seen this. They will start to make statements like “the Bible has many contradictions” or ask questions like “if God is so good, then how come there is evil in this world?” Sometimes those questions are genuine, and we need to be sensitive to the real problems, real pains, and real emotions that these questions can bear. We must in those cases respond carefully and compassionately to genuine questions. Often, however, these kinds of questions are simply smoke-screens, intended to divert us from the real issue.

That’s what’s happening here. The religious leaders knew what Jesus was doing - and why he was doing it. They knew the prophecies he was quoting. That’s why they don’t challenge the actions or his intentions. They know exactly what’s going on. Instead, they challenge the basis on which Christ is acting: “Who gave you the right…?”In effect, they are asking Christ “Who do you think you are?” Now, Christ could just tell them by what authority:

1) In Mark 2, four men bring a paralytic man to Christ. They open the roof and drop the man on his bed in front of Christ, just to get him healed. Christ makes a remarkable statement: “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2.5). When some scribes begin to question why Jesus makes this statement, he says:

Mark 2:8–11 ESV

8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

He then tells the paralytic to get up and walk, and he does! The physical miracle validates Jesus’ ability to perform the spiritual miracle - the forgiveness of this man’s sins. The man walking provides proof positive of Christ’s authority to forgive sins and to heal infirmities.

2) In Luke 4, Jesus goes to Capernaum and teaches on the Sabbath. What did they think of his teaching in the synagogue?

Luke 4:32 ESV

32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.

He then proceeded to heal a demon-possessed man! And the people’s response:

Luke 4:36 ESV

36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”

Jesus displays authority in his words, then he displays his authority over demons!

3) In John 10, Christ tells his disciples and us about another form of authority he has. Talking about his role as the Good Shepherd, Jesus tells about how he cares for his sheep and is one with the Father. Then he says:

John 10:17–18 ESV

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 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.”

Christ explicitly states that he, and only he, has the authority both to surrender his life for his people and to take it back again. Only Christ has the authority both to sacrifice himself as a ransom for many and to physically rise on Easter morning.

4) And that leads to Christ’s penultimate claim of authority:

Matthew 28:18 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Christ has all authority, so he not only has the right to cleanse the temple from the filth of con-artist coin changers and dastardly dove distributors, but he has every right to make all things right! He could rightfully put these religious leaders in their place and show them who’s boss.

Instead, he forgoes the surface issue and dives down to the real problem: their unbelief. You see, the debate over authority didn’t really matter. What mattered was that the authority by which Jesus acted was inconsequential to the religious leaders - they were not going to submit to that authority anyway. So Christ turns the table by asking them a question.

Luke 20:3 ESV

3 He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me,

Jesus is a masterful teacher. He knows that we learn far more from answering questions than from asking them. Rabbis have known this trick for years, and much religious instruction in Judaism takes the form of teachers asking questions of students. He’s also making a power-play. Christ is taking control of the conversation. Instead of defending himself or getting into a debate, he establishes (ironically) his own authority in the discussion by putting the religious leaders in the hot seat.

Notice the question he asks: by whose authority did John baptize? He’s getting at their unbelief. They didn’t believe John, and they haven’t believed him. The problem isn’t the authority of Christ, but their refusal to acknowledge his authority.

Look at the lengths to which the religious leaders will go just to avoid admitting their problem:

Luke 20:5–8 ESV

5 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

And that’s the same story for many today. Some people will argue up one way and down the other about all sorts of menial, peripheral matters, just to avoid having to recognize that they know the truth and will not submit. I’m convinced that many atheists know God exists but don’t want to admit it.

Is that the story for you? Do you know the truth? Are you willing to submit to it? It’s one thing to know what’s right, but it’s a whole other thing to follow through with it - to do what’s right. God is calling you to submit to his authority. Just like the chief priests, scribes, and elders had to make a choice, so do you. God is calling you to accept his authority over you - to submit your will to his.

Your heart is a temple, a place where God is to be worshipped and adored. But instead God is shunned and crowded out by bad habits that defile you. Those habits need to be eradicated. Those shows that fill your mind with garbage need to be discarded. That temper that explodes at your house needs to be eradicated. That pride that makes your head too big for the neck line of your shirts needs to be abolished. Submitting to God’s authority means letting him get rid of the stuff that doesn’t belong so that he can develop the holiness that will mark your life, your heart.

Transition to Invitation