We have explored the evidence of Jesus’ authority in the gospels. Now let’s examine the implications of His authority for us, who believe in Him and claim to be His disciples. Why should His authority be important to us in our daily lives?
- Our first and most important question to answer is…
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Matthew 16:15 NIV
Only when we are convinced that Jesus is Lord can we commit to absolute obedience to Him.
- Obedience to Jesus must flow from our love for Him.
Jesus can only trust us with a commission if we love Him above everything else. After Peter’s denial, he had to settle the issue…
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
John 21:15 NIV
“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.””
John 14:21 NIV
Jesus’ exaltation as Lord, giving Him supreme authority over heaven and earth, demands absolute obedience.
Jesus asked an unanswerable question…
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Luke 6:46 NIV
The implication of our confession must be a commitment to obedience to Jesus as Lord.
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 NIV
Outside of our declaration and commitment to obedience to Jesus as Lord, our claim to be His followers is hollow and empty.
- Jesus exercises His authority by His word
…over the universe…
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Hebrews 1:3 NIV
…and in our lives…
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””
John 8:31-32 NIV
- By His words, Jesus will exercise His authority to judge.
““If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.”
John 12:47-48 NIV
Now we come to a significant link between Jesus’ authority, faith, and prayer.
- Faith is intimately connected with Jesus’ authority.
For faith to be legitimate, it must have a legitimate object. Nothing will happen if we trust in something or someone who has no authority to act.
Now let’s examine an incident that perfectly illustrates the connection between faith, prayer, and authority.
“When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”
Matthew 8:5-10 NIV
The centurion understood the importance of authority, recognised Jesus’ authority, and based his faith in the authority of Jesus’ spoken word. .
These aspects of Jesus’ authority underlie the authority he delegates to His followers…
To be continued…