Matthew By What Authority

 

Matthew

By What Authority

Jesus used this story to reveal who will enter the Kingdom of God

"I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him. Matthew 21:31-32

Jesus took them back to the point of John the Baptist

And his authority being from heaven

Through John the Baptist’s ministry sinners

Were being converted and entering into the Kingdom of God

 Jesus highlighted the evidence of authoritative ministry

Authoritative ministry brings sinners to repentances

So, sinners can enter the Kingdom of God 

Jesus’s purpose was

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke 19:10

John was the forerunner laying the foundation for Jesus’ Ministry

The message of John and Jesus was Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

Jesus established His authority by doing the will of the Father

And the fruit of His followers doing the will of the Father

Lord, help us realize our authority comes from You to become servants

To the least so they might be saved

 

By What Authority

 

Day 2 of the Triumphful Entry

Jesus told His disciples as they left the cursed fig tree…

 

Matthew 21:21-22

 

…if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

 

Jesus was telling His disciples their authority

comes as they ask in prayer.

 

Jesus entered the temple court

and began to teach the people.

 

Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

Matthew 21:23

 

On Day 1, Jesus declared He is King,

the Son of David, and cleansed the temple.

 

Day 2, Jesus established His Authority.

 

Jesus knew the chief priest and elders

did not know the difference between

heavenly authority and earthly authority.

 

So He asked them a question to reveal

their lack of understanding of authority.

 

The question was simple…

 

John's baptism — where did it come from?

 Was it from heaven, or from men?"

Matthew 21:25

 

They realized they cannot answer the question

because it will incriminate them.

 

So, they said…

 

 “We don’t know.”

 

The problem was not that Jesus knew

where His authority came from…

 

The problem was the Chief Priest and Elders

did not accept spiritual authority.

 

What authority they thought they had,

was challenged by their fear of people.

 

So, Jesus could not have given them the simple answer.

 

Jesus had to address their lack of understanding authority.

 

Jesus did this with a series of parables.

 

Jesus, so many times asked the question…

 

 “What do you think.”

 

Most of us know what we think

and are quick to share our thoughts when confronted.

 

But Jesus was very interested in getting

our thoughts out into the open.

 

Jesus gave them the answer,

but made them think about it.

Then he said,

"Neither will I tell you by what authority

 I am doing these things.

Matthew21:27

 

How Jesus answered the question was to get them

engaged so He told them a story of two sons.

 

The one says he will do what the father asked

and does not do it and the other son who says

he will not do what he is asked but does it.

 

Then Jesus asked…

 

"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

"The first," they answered.

Matthew 21:31

 

The one who actually did what the father asked.

 

Jesus used this story to reveal who

will enter the
Kingdom of God.

 

"I tell you the truth, the tax collectors

and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness,

 and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.

And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Matthew 21:31-32

 

Jesus took them back to the point of John the Baptist

and his authority being from heaven.

 

Through John the Baptist’s ministry

sinners were being converted

and entering into the Kingdom of God.

 

 Jesus was highlighting the evidence

of authoritative ministry.

 

Authoritative ministry brings

sinners to repentances…

 

So, sinner can enter the kingdom of God.

 

Jesus’s purpose was…

 

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

 Luke 19:10

 

John was the forerunner laying

the foundation for Jesus’ Ministry.

 

The message of John and Jesus was…

 

 Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.

 

Jesus established His authority by doing

the will of the Father and the fruit of His followers

doing the will of the Father.

 

Lord, helps us realize our authority comes from You

to become servants to the least so they might be saved.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Matthew 21:18-32

 

18 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered.

 

20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.

 

21 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

 

23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and, while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him. "By what authority are you doing these things?" they asked. "And who gave you this authority?"

 

24 Jesus replied, "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 25 John's baptism — where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or from men?"

 

They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' 26 But if we say, 'From men'-we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

 

27 So they answered Jesus, "We don't know."

 

Then he said, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

 

28 "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

 

29 "'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

 

30 "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

 

31 "Which of the two did what his father wanted?"

 

"The first," they answered.

 

Jesus said to them,

 

"I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32 For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.