Presented at the Woodland Bible Camp Senior Citizen’s Week
Matthew 9:6, “But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive
sins” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”
Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.”
John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His
glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Ephesians 1:22-23, “And God placed all things under his feet and appointed Him to behead
over everything for the church which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything inn every way.”
Introduction: Wayne Jackson wrote, “Authority” is a major biblical theme. The most popular Greek word for “authority” is exousia (sometimes translated as “power”). This term, with a variety of usages, is found some 102 times in the New Testament.
Authority is attributed to God the Father; it is resident in his very nature. Authority alludes toDeity’s right to command and enforce obedience. What is less recognized in some segments of universal religion, however, is the authority of Jesus Christ. The authority of the Lord Jesus may be studied from various vantage points, e.g., his eternal authority before the universe existed, his incarnate authority as God’s Son in the present order of things, and his authority as it will be after this material world has been obliterated.
From the nature of the case, this present study will have to be somewhat limited.”
Intro: We want to talk about the authority of Christ
I. Christ’s Authority as Creator— We find this first in Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. John 1 also tells of Jesus’s role in creation. John 1:1-4
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Paul likewise alludes to Jesus’ role as Creator (Col. 1:16-17. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
II. Christ the Sustainer— In addition to the Lord’s creative capacity, he is involved in
sustaining the present order of the created universe.
A. Paul contended that it is by the authority of Christ that “all things hold together”
(Col. 1:17, ESV). Further, Jesus, in connection with his creation role, is said to
“uphold all things by his powerful word” (Heb. 1:3).
B. Were it not for the sustaining authority of the Son of God, our universe would come
apart at the seams!
III. Conditions of Nature–Jesus was able to exercise supernatural authority over the forces of nature.
1. The Example of the Disciples on the Sea of Galilee. Luke 8:22-25
2. The Cursing of the Fig Tree—Matthew 11:12-13
IV. Living Creatures The authority of the Lord was evidenced by his total control of living creatures.
1. The coin in the moth of a fish to pay the tax
2. The colt at Bethpage that Jesus rode in Triumphal Entry
V. Sickness
1. The healing miracles of Jesus involved of a wide variety of ailments,
a. e.g., leprosy (Mt. 8:2ff), b. congenital blindness (Jn. 9:1ff), c. restoration of a severed ear (Lk. 22:50-51),
d. deafness and impediment of speech (Mk. 7:32ff), etc.
VI. Death
1. There were three cases during Christ’s ministry when he raised people from the dead—
2. the daughter of Jairus (Mt. 9:18-26; Mk. 5:21-43), 3. a widow’s son (Lk. 7:11-15),
4. and Lazarus of Bethany (Jn. 11:43-44).
VII. Demons
1. Demons (not “devils” KJV) were evil spirits (Mt. 12:43-45) under the control of Satan.
These were permitted to inhabit the bodies of some people during the earthly days of
Christ and his apostles.
VIII. Christ’s Authority Via Scripture
1. As Christ taught during his personal ministry, he emphatically declared that the
messages of his inspired representatives would carry the same weight as his own
declarations
2. “He who listens to you, is listening to me; and he who rejects you is rejecting me;
and he who rejects me is rejecting him who sent me” (Lk. 10:16).
3. “If you love Me, Keep My Commandments.”
Conclusion
The authority of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is a prevailing and engaging theme within
the sacred Scriptures. To ignore it has eternal and devastating consequences.
1. Every rational, sincere soul should joyfully enter Christ’s kingdom by means of the
new birth process (Jn. 3:3-5), and happily and fervently serve him as king for as long
as they live.
Larry Miles is Co-Editor of Word & Work and attends Cherry St. Church of Christ in New Albany, Indiana.