The Authority of Christ

In the previous lesson we studied about the grace of Jesus Christ - His love crystallized into actions. These actions have involved intense pain and sacrifice on his part, so we could have abundant life and eternal fellowship with our Creator. The immensity of this grace becomes more evident when we study the authority and power of Christ, when we see His majesty, who is the subject of our lesson today.

Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth. This authority is intrinsic to His divinity, that is, it is a characteristic of His divine person. He has also delegated by God the Father in His role as Redeemer activity.

The authority that Christ demonstrated on the ground is quite different from that which men seek. She was the essence of truth and dignity, without demagoguery, without espetacularidades, without false hype, without injustice, without acato the flattery of men. Jesus was not mystical sick, it was ridiculous impostor, fanatic was not uneducated, was not master on their own, or misleading the crowds. He is the Lord of Lords, the Master Teacher, and exercised his authority until the surrender of his life, to fulfill his mission and return in glory to the right of the Father

The wonder is we find that He has delegated this authority in conveying his message. We spoke with the authority of Christ in the preaching of its truths.



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The authority of the Post

The authority was recognized by listeners of course. Matthew 7: 28-29 tells us that the multitudes "were astonished at His doctrine: for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes."

The message was different from that were used to hearing. Clearly brought divine authority. She was:
Original.
The "masters" of the era had become "machines again." There were vain repetitions. Christ redeemed the ability to think of his listeners. His teaching in parables arranged for them the unique opportunity to meditate on what they heard, they went storing the teachings, the practice of seeing the pieces coming together, to learn spiritual truths that had been stifled by tradition.

Consistent.
His message had no contradiction, but a continuation of the teachings given by God to authors who, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God wrote the Old Testament. Jesus Christ had the consistency of this message of the Old Testament, and his own life to fulfill all the prophecies concerning the promised Messiah.

Relevant.
He spoke frankly to the sins and sinners. with sensitivity and insight, not close our eyes to the problems, but God had the solution for these. In this sense it contrasted with the teaching of the Rabbis of the time, living worrying about legislating trivial things of life, with little or no practical application. Fulfilled by the meeting without greater sense or reasoning in the Word of God. It was the old human tendency to be supplanting the traditional revelation.

Developing.
not contradict or abolished the moral law of God, but it was illuminating the true interpretation and true meaning. The Spirit of Law flowed from Jesus' words illuminated by applying the moral requirements of God to man, while setting out the salvation by grace, solely as a result of God's love for His people, and not the merits of any man . Moreover, Jesus Christ revealed as none other three fundamental tenets:

the Person of God the Father of His nature and characteristics in the context of the Trinity.

the doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven, showing the character of this eternal and spiritual, comprising all called by God in His Son Jesus.

the actual work of the Messiah in all his life of service, suffering and victory over death.



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The authority of the Person

John 13:3 tells us that "all entrusted" in the hands of Jesus Christ, He is our Lord and Master (verse 13). Therefore, he has "authority over all flesh" (John 17:2).

Indeed, Jesus Christ gave up the full expression of His glory here on earth (Philippians 2:7), but never of His authority and power.

It is the expression of the Father, and therefore power over everything and everyone (Mt 11:27), with the authority even to forgive the sins of men and to work wonders (Matthew 9:6) in His ministry.

Colossians 2:9,10 says that "in Him dwells bodily the whole fullness of deity" and "He is the head of all principality and power."

This statement tells us:
that Christ is God - it has the fullness of the Godhead.

that Christ is eternal God - for this fullness dwelleth in Him, that is, resides, lives, exists in nature and apparel. It is not something added later, but part of His eternal essence.

that Christ is eternal God incarnate - as this fullness dwells in Him bodily. Jesus Christ is God revealed in His incarnation.

He is God incarnate before, during and after the incarnation incarnation. This is the essence of His authority and basis of our security, certainty, given by the Holy Spirit, that our salvation is real and that our ultimate victory is assured, because we believe in living and true God the Father, the sovereign in heaven; in His Son Jesus, whom we were redeemed from the curse of sin.


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The authority to followers

One of the wonderful truths of God's plan, is the fact that it delegates the authority of Jesus to His followers. The issue of delegated authority is to carry the true message of the good news with boldness and power. When we transmit the truths of Christ and His gospel, we do based on that sovereign authority.

In Matthew 28:18-20, when Jesus was giving the "Great Commission" to His disciples, among whom we include ourselves, He speaks of his authority: "All authority was given to me in heaven and on earth ..." This authority is the basis for which He sends us to go and "make disciples of all nations ... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Note that we're on the authority of Christ, when we preach the things which He has ordained. We have no authority to proclaim our own thoughts, to formulate our own message, or to teach any other gospel than that of Christ Jesus. Even though we will use the name of the Lord, if our message is false, he did not recognize us.

On the other hand, if our message is faithful, God bless you and cover you with divine authority. In this sense, we are His ambassadors (I Peter 2:9) to talk about the things of God (I Peter 4:11).

Paul understood that this authority was transferred from Christ to His. For this reason he spoke so boldly and fearlessly, and his message was powerful. In Ephesians 6:20, even in prison, he declares himself an unabashed ambassador of Christ.

Throughout Church history, God has blessed the true preaching of the word, of His holy doctrines. She carries the authority of Christ. The testimony of history is present in the revivals produced by the transmission, with authority, the council of God. So it was with great men of God who in the past, had no fear and, following the example of the apostles, they decided to obey God rather than men, producing fantastic results of conversions to Christ.

The appropriation of this authority is our challenge for the days of sin and wickedness in which we live and to revitalize a church that increasingly apathetic, succumb to the tactics and the message of the world as if it had no more power from on high.
 

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I hope these brief remarks on the ark of the covenant have been somewhat enlightening for you. May God (a) bless.
By: Pastor Valni Borges - Brazil Christian Ministry of Evangelism
A hug to all brothers in Christ Jesus.