Jesus Authority Challenged - Gospel of Matthew
Notes
Transcript
His Authority Challenged
His Authority Challenged
Good morning everyone, i hope and pray you are well today, that our families are blessed today.
I think we truly are blessed… If you started naming off reasons your are blessed what would you say?
Well, what about - We are born again, all those in Christ. We are alive today, our family is well, we were able to be in His house today, we are fed, clothed etc... the list can go on and on my friends.
Also I want to also remind you to continue to be in prayer for Ukraine and those dear people. Pray for the church there and our brothers and sisters who are working and serving others...
So today lets begin with a question...
Does Jesus have the ultimate authority in your life? By that I mean, are you a follower in such a way that what you do and say is led and governed by Jesus?
This is truly the way we are to live.
We recognize that Jesus has ultimate authority in our lives.
And today we return to the Gospel of Matthew,
And with this passage we want to look at the religious leaders questioning of Jesus.
So lets look at Matthew 21:23-27
23 And when he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
I know the passage seems small to us and perhaps some might even step over it and say, well there are more important passages to study… But that is not the case here, or anywhere for the entirety of the Word of God is important.
Remember this is still the final days of Jesus earthly walk here on earth. So a lot of things are happening and He is teaching everywhere, I believe making those final preparations for the cross and the events that will transform this world and the people who will follow Jesus for all time.
Now as this particular day moves forward, the religious leaders are upset and come to Jesus with a question.
1. They Question Him....
The religious leaders, the pharisees and Scribes, the High Priest and other members of the Sanhedrin are upset with Jesus.
Please remember that it was just a day ago, or so before that Jesus entered the Temple area and started over turning the tables of the money changers, drove out those who sold the pigeons and doves…
These crooked people, they loved what benefited them and quite frankly, they were given permission to be there by those in authority there in the Temple complex.
So who is in charge.. The High Priest and the Sanhedrin of whom the High Priest is in charge of…He gave permission for these crooked people to set up there, knowing they cheated people of our money by illegal exchange practices and sold the animals at high prices and also selling animals that were possibly sick...
Regardless of how they did it, they were evil, they loved neither God the Father or their brothers and sisters, they cared only for themselves and the greed they possessed.
And after Jesus has driven them all out, the following day, most likely mad, steaming hot and they come and present this question to Jesus.. Buy what authority do you act.
They (the High Priest and the Sanhedrin) did not give Jesus permission, so who did.. That was the question on their minds.. literally what did you do and why did you do it...
What authority???
My friends, they asked by what authority.. they didn’t even know who they were talking too.... They are standing there talking to the one who created the universe, who the very Temple is for and they are missing it...
Listen to what the Scriptures say....
A. The people said Jesus taught as one having authority in Matthew 7:29,
B. The centurion soldier recognized that Jesus was one who held authority, Matthew 8:8
C. Jesus has the authority to forgive sin Matthew 9:8.
D. Jesus gave authority to His disciples over unclean spirits as He sent them out. Matthew 10:1
E. Jesus will conclude His earthly ministry before he ascends to heaven telling His disciples that all power and authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto Him. Matthew 28:18.
You see the question they asked is the question that we must pay attention to my friends..
By what authority do we live and act… are you functioning under His authority or under your own...
Are you living your life your day or His way...
There is a choice that has to be made not just once but daily, that you will live and follow Him, acting under his leadership and authority.
Now this leads us into a second question....
2. Jesus Responds with an Additional Question...
The religious leaders treat Jesus with such contempt, their sin blinded them from seeing just who Jesus is.... it is so sad my friends.
But in relation to their question, Jesus proposes a proposition to them, I will also ask a question and if you can answer me, I will answer you…
Sounds fair enough..right.
Look at the text with me and lets examine what Jesus said… Verses 24 & 25
24 Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’
So what is happening here? Well first off, Jesus recognized the trap they were placing before Him. They were hoping to accuse him of blasphemy, to entrap and arrest him…
As Such Jesus doesn’t respond directly to them, but poses this question: Where is the baptism of John come from, did it come from heaven or from man?
You see the Creator knows how to play their games… essentially, was John’s work of divine origin? Or was it of His own devices?
You see it seems that when God showed up in the lives of His people, the people seemed to loose sight of it so quickly.
You remember the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, they were old, no children, well past child bearing years and God sent them a child, John. But God also told them he was called from the womb to be His servant. John had been set apart for God by God himself.
Do you remember Luke 1:13-17
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Lets pull this apart...
A. Your prayer has been heard… They had prayed for a child and at the right time God sent them a son.
B. You will have joy and gladness, many will rejoice at His birth… You think they were happy to have a son, man O’man, their hearts were full, proud. If their had been a Kodak back them, it wouldn’t be pictures in their wallet, it would be the whole photo album they would have to carry with them to show everyone.
The parent would be happy, but his ministry would bring joy to many as hearts were brought back to the place of following the Lord their God, as they confessed sin, repented of it and were baptized, they were full of Joy. Lives were being changed, made ready for the Lord.
C. He will be great before the Lord… The Lord had called him, called him to serve but also called him to a Nazarite vow, … which typically a person would commit too, but this was God’s calling that lay upon his life.
D. He would go before the Lord, and do so in the Spirit and power of Elijah. John would be the last great prophet, the last one calling for the world to make their path straight, and he ministered in the power, in the Spirit of Elijah. The greatest OT prophet, his mantel, his purpose, power, and place - it lay upon John. Wow.
John was definitely called by God, the office He served was the one God himself prepared to set the stage if you will, to get everything and everyone ready to hear the Messiah has come.
Remember that faithful day, John is ministering and baptizing people and he looks up and sees Jesus coming…These faithful words ring out....
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
This was Jesus question, for what they believed or didn't believe would set the stage for what they might receive about Him.
What about you....Do you believe John was sent by God to prepare the way and get Israel ready for the coming of the Messiah?
He was....He is And will forever be the Savior. John was just one voice who joined the chorus of voices proclaiming Jesus is the One, listen to Him.
And now my friends this brings us to the last thought for this passage...
3. Their Sad Reply...
It is always a sad thing when you hear something and you know someone is lying to you and if we think it’s sad… just wonder how God feels about it....
Jesus poses that question to them, and they kind of huddle up and think about what they should say.
Lets look at Verse 25-27 again...
25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
So discussing it, they had two thoughts between them.
A. Lets start with the later one first… Come from man...
If they answered man, that might have got them all whooped… John was a dearly loved figure who was now dead. They certainly didn’t want to upset the people who were already on a “Messiah high” if you will.
Remember the excitement of the people as Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, they cried out and sang praises as they laid their cloaks and palm branches out before Him.
And I would imagine they were excited as Jesus is modeling Holiness to them ,especially as Jesus clears out the money changers and those who sold animals in the temple complex.
If the religious leaders said that John ad his ministry was from man, the crowd might have tarred and feathered them and put them out of the city very quickly....
Now lets move to the the other choice....
B. If they answered from Heaven...
Now we know that John was sent from God, but John was not very friendly toward them and they, of course didn't believe His message..
Do you remember early on in John’s ministry, they came out to see what he was doing and why so many people were repenting and being baptized...
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
So John wasn’t overly found of them… nor they of him.
But if they had answered that John’s ministry was from heaven, then Jesus would have asked them why didn't they believe him and prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah.
But even more powerfully, if they had admitted that John’s ministry was from heaven, then they would have to acknowledge that Jesus was sent from heaven as well.
They were not ready to admit that John was sent from God publically. And certainly, they were not prepared to call Jesus the Messiah and thus confess they had done wrong for so long and lead the people wrong as well.
So what do they do...
They lied… They knew! But I believe like others before them, their hearts are hardened in their sin and so their answer is shameful.
They said … We do not know.....
Wow, The most educated men, and they lied… We do not know… They knew from where John’s ministry was from… they lied and refused to answer.
Sadly my friends, when we allow our lives to be mislead by the world and the things, opinions and desires of this world, we have truly missed it.
Now because of their dishonestly, because they refuse to be honest with Him, Jesus will not answer their question.
My friends Jesus was sent from God to die for the world, that we - all of humanity could be redeemed.
And as we hear and follow Jesus, He calls us to make some decisions about what we know...
The first is to be saved… Will you come and repent, confess your sin and be saved...
Confession is simply, Lord I know I am a sinner, I am lost and I need you… Save me.
And as His child, my friends He is calling us to believe the calling He has placed in our life...
What is your calling? If you know, don’t say I don’t know… God speaks, He tells us, and if you genuinely do not know.. then ask him. I think at times many know the calling God has placed on them but they are uncertain or doubt.
Finally, some of you might be wrestling in prayer over some situation or even a person you are burdened about- you have no control over, and your asking God for help. Don’t stop asking.. He will tell you.
This morning He has all authority, He has what you need… come to Jesus and have your need met.
Pray