The Authority of Jesus (4 things)

• Jesus answer to the leaders…
  • In the other three Gospels we saw Jesus confront the leaders about the Sabbath…
    • But uniquely in John – we have a record of the first time Jesus healed on the Sabbath…
    • And the conversation that followed as Jesus explained His Authority…
  • Jesus was still relatively unknown at this point in His ministry…
    • The Religious leaders up till now had only been curious – and had not confronted Jesus…
    • There were even some – such as Nicodemus – who believed in Jesus…
    • That is why unlike in later encounters where Jesus simply rebukes them – ‘Hypocrites’…
    • Jesus takes the time to explain here why He has Authority to heal – even on the Sabbath…

• 1^st – The example Jesus followed… vs. 19-23
  • Jesus opened up by saying – ‘I tell you the Truth’…
    • Jesus uses this phrase three times in His explanation to the religious leaders…
    • It is Jesus way of saying that what follows is an ABSOLUTE truth!
  • ‘I tell you the Truth’- the Son can only do what He sees the Father do… vs. 19
    • The leaders were upset Jesus had told the lame man to carry his bed on the Sabbath…
      • Jesus defense is was He was only following the example the Father had given to Him…
      • That Father did not stop helping people just because it was the Sabbath…
      • Can you imagine one day a week – God answered no prayers / was not there to help…
      • You ‘call up God’ and get His ‘voice mail’ – try again tomorrow!
      • And since the Father set the example of not taking a day off – neither did the Son!
    • Children will follow the example of their Father – Ephesians 6:1…
      • Our kids are like sponges – they soak up every word we say…
      • Our kids are like mirrors – they reflect everything we do…
      • Our kids hear us talking / see what we do – and the whole time they are learning…
      • We can choose to show them the ways of the world – or give them a Godly example!
  • The Father Loves the Son… vs. 20-23
    • Jesus points out that the Father shows Jesus EVERYTHING He is doing – nothing hidden…
      • And the Father had shown Jesus even greater things than healing ‘a lame man’…
      • So Jesus would also do GREATER works – so that the people would be amazed!

• Including being able to raise people from the dead – power over death!
  • God is able to raise the dead – I Kings 17 – the widow’s son / so Jesus could as well…
  • Although to this point in Jesus ministry He had yet to raise the dead…
  • The widow’s son – Luke 7:11 / Jairus’ daughter – Matthew 9:18 – were not far off…
• Including being able to render judgment for sin…
  • God is ultimately the one who will hold all men accountable for their actions…
  • But He has given to Jesus His authority to execute the judgment of sin…
  • II Timothy 4:1 – “Christ Jesus… will someday judge the living and the dead…”
  • The reason is so that all men will respect the Son – just as they respect the Father…
  • If anyone does not respect Jesus – as a result does not respect the Father who sent Him!
• Dads want their children to grow up to be respectable men and women…
  • But many Fathers limit their children by keeping things from them…
  • When they go through trials – they put on an act – and pretend everything is ok…
  • But then their kids never get to see how the Lord provides / works in their lives…
  • It is one thing to ‘talk about God’ to our kids – only hearing about Jesus…
  • It is far more amazing to let our kids see God work in our lives – so they see Jesus…
  • So that they will grow up to be Godly men and women – respected by all…
  • We love our kids – when we show them EVERYTHING – keep nothing hidden!

• 2^nd – The reason why Jesus came… vs. 24-30 (2 reasons)
  • 1^st – The Son came to save those who believe… vs. 24-26
    • ‘I tell you the truth’ – those who believe – have passed from death into life…
      • Jesus did what no one else could– He lived a perfect sinless life…
      • Then Jesus – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin – Death – Romans 6:23
      • II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
      • And if we believe His Message – we are forgiven and will stand blameless before God…
      • God will look down on us – and not see our sinful mistakes/flaws…
      • Instead He will see the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
    • ‘I tell you the truth’ – if those who are ‘spiritually dead’ – listen to My voice…
      • They will live – the Father gives life – and He has given the Son the ability to give life!
      • Not because we earned it – it is given to us as a free gift – given through Grace!
      • Ephesians 2:8 – “By grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God.”
      • All it takes to be saved – is to simple hear the Word of God – and believe…
      • God did all the work for us – made it easy – because He wants everyone to be saved!
  • 2^nd – The Son came to Judge those who refuse to believe… vs. 27-30
    • If we only have this life to live – then there are no consequences for our actions…
      • There is no right – there is no wrong / there is no heaven – there is no hell…
      • We mind as well live it up – eat / drink / and have all the fun we can…
      • Because when it is over – there is nothing – we cease to exist…
      • Much of the world lives by this doctrine – as though there are no consequences…
    • The DAY WILL COME – when everyone will listen to the Jesus’ voice…
      • All of those who are in the grave – all who have died – both good and bad…
      • And they will all be resurrected to spend eternity in either heaven or hell…
      • Daniel 12:2 – “Those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace…”
        
      • Everyone will live forever – the question is where you will spend eternity…
      • Salvation is as simple as a choice – look to Jesus and spend eternity in heaven…
      • Or choose to look away – and spend eternity separated from God in hell…
    • God chose Jesus to be the Judge – because He is ‘a son of man’ (not a title here)…
      • Jesus is the perfect judge – because He knows what it means to be human…
      • Hebrews 4:15 – “He faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”
      • If the Father judged we could argue – ‘you don’t understand what it means to be human’ 
      • But like a jury of our peers – Jesus understands – and takes away that excuse!
    • Jesus will not judge by His own authority…
      • Jesus said ‘I can do nothing on my own – I only Judge what I hear from the Father.
        • Up to this point – Jesus has referred to Himself as ‘the Son’ – now He makes it personal…’
        • He wants to make it clear – his judgment is not ‘His opinion’ – it is the Father’s…
      • Since Jesus does not make His own judgments – they are always going to be right!
        • The symbol for justice is a blind woman holding a scale…
        • The idea being true justice is not swayed by options – but only weights the truth…
        • Jesus does not judge men according to His mood – His personal preferences…
        • He will judge according to the perfect standard set down by the Father in His Word…
      • No one will be able to stand before God and say ‘I did not know I was a sinner’…
        • We all have the standard – the Word – that we will one day be judged by…
        • A standard of perfection we all failed – Matthew 5:48 – we all sinned – Romans 3:23
        • So unless we have faith in Jesus – the only thing that waits us is certain judgment!
        • Hebrews 10:27 – “There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.”

• 3^rd – The proof of Jesus’ authority… vs. 31-39 (3 things)
  • 1^st – The witness of John the Baptist… vs. 31-35
    • If Jesus were alone in His claim to be the Savior / Judge – then He would be a liar…
      • According to the Law – a truth had to be established by 2 or more – Deuteronomy 17:6
      • Anyone could go around ‘claiming’ they were the ‘messiah’ – but where is the proof…
    • The Father sent John the Baptist – to testify Jesus was the Savior / Judge…
      • John understood and told everyone exactly who Jesus was and why He came…
      • Jesus was the ‘Lamb of God’ – who came to take away the sin of the world – John 1:29
      • The leaders even sent investigators to find out about John’s message…
    • John was a burning – shining light – willing to show Jesus to anyone would see!
      • And for a while – the leaders were excited about what he had to say – but it did not last…
      • Who would not like the message of salvation – the free gift of eternity with God…
      • But the message is about repentance – that leads to salvation…
      • It is not enough to not want to go to hell – we must choose to live for Jesus today…
      • Most are not willing to give up the ‘pleasures’ of this life – in order to inherit eternal life!
    • Yet Jesus was not content to only accept the endorsement of a man…
  • 2^nd – The witness of Jesus’ works… vs. 36
    • The Father had given Jesus Miracles to perform – that showed He was the Savior / Judge…
      • Turning water into wine in Cana / the healing of a lame man at Bethesda…
      • The feeding of the 5000 / opening the eyes of the blind / raising of the dead!
      • There was no shortage of miracles given to validate the authority of Jesus!
      • But Jesus knew even miracles were not enough…
        
    • Jesus used signs and wonders to prove his authority – but ‘miracles’ can be counterfeited…
      • Satan can – and will – imitate God – so he looks like the real thing…
      • II Corinthians 11:14 – “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.”
      • Why do the Mormons have meet in pretty ‘churches’ on Sunday morning for ‘worship’…

• Satan can come in pretty packages – sin / false teachings – can look really good…
• But you can always spot a false sign – because they will contradict the Word…
• 3^rd – The witness of the Father… vs. 37-39
  • The leaders had never seen the Father – no man has even seen God – Exodus 33:11
    • But they did have the Word of the Father – the Bible – but they refused to listen…
    • They studied their Bibles – thinking their ‘religion’ had the power to save them…
    • But the Bible is – ALL ABOUT JESUS – it is meant to point us to Him!
  • Empty religion does not have the power to save us from judgment…
    • Just because you carry around a big Bible – does not mean you are safe…
    • Just because you can quote a 1000 verses – does not mean you are forgiven…
    • It is only a relationship with Jesus that brings salvation…
    • The Bible is meant to introduce us to – let us get to know – our God who loves us!
      
• 4^th – The rejection of Jesus… vs. 40-47
  • The Leaders refused to come to Jesus – so they might live… vs. 40-44
    • Jesus knew them – and so knew they did not Love God…
      • Jesus came from the Father – and they still rejected Him…
      • If they had loved God – they would also have loved Jesus who came from God…
      • But they had so much love for the praises of men – they cared nothing for God!
• John 12:43 – “They loved [agape] the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

Just how sinful we were – and how much we desperately need Jesus!

Ultimately the only reason someone reject the free gift of salvation…

Is because there is something else that they Love more than God in their life…

It could be a love the acceptance of people/ family – unwilling to stand up for Jesus…

Or it could be the love of drugs/alcohol – the love of pleasure – living for the moment…

Or it could even be the love of money – desiring the things of this world…

In the end they rejected Jesus – and instead would receive another…

Jesus is referring to the ‘anti-christ’ – deceived they would follow a false messiah…

Daniel 9:24-27 – the man of sin who will make peace in Israel…

He will build the 3^rd Temple – and be received and the promised Messiah…

When we reject Jesus – we open ourselves up to being deceived…

Trusting in someone / something that has not power – to save us

Jesus would not be the one who judged the leaders – it would be Moses… vs. 45-47

The one who they trusted to save them – the ‘Law-giver’ – would in fact condemn them…

This all began with the leaders accusing Jesus of breaking Moses’ Law…

Yet it was in fact Moses Law – that stood in judgment of them…

Because the Law of Moses had only one purpose – to point people to Jesus Christ…

An since they did not believe the message of Moses – they could not believe in Jesus!

The Law has only one purpose – show us our need for Jesus…

The Law can only tell us what is right – is has not power to make us right…

God never intended His Law to make us good – no more than a mirror makes you pretty…

The purpose of the Law was to show the perfect standard of God – so we would see…