Thursday, October 25, 2012

Jesus – One Having Authority



Matthew 7:24-29 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall. ”When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

Pastor JJ exhorted and challenged us in His Sunday sermon series on “Amazed – Encounters with Jesus”. The most important question in the world is: “What will you do with Jesus, the One having authority?” Does He in your life? Have we integrated the eternal with the temporal, the spiritual with the physical, and our faith in the Lord with our daily living? Does the Lord of lords bring passion to your faith, with an excitement that is real and alive? Where is your house built?    


Matthew 28:18 Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

There are those who would say that Jesus is a nice story about a good man, but nothing more. That Christianity is a belief that truly affects the lives of sincere Believers, but just a wishful fantasy for fools and a crutch for the weak. Those blind to Jesus’ love, mission, life and grace are spiritually blind and cannot see the Truth (Luke 6:39, John 3:3, 1 Corinthians 2:14). The Sermon on the Mount by Lord Jesus is a set of standards to be lived out by the children of God, the citizens of the kingdom of God. What truly is a “good” person, in light of Isaiah 64:6 and  Mark 10:18? What is the “good” life? No man’s ideas. Moral relativism proclaims: “I don’t need a foundation because the only thing that matters is what is right to me” (Glory be to me). Man’s religion states that any foundation will do. All roads to go the same place, so just choose one” (My will be done).

John 1:4-14In Him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

What does the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ really mean? What does that truth require of us and our life? Jesus did not only come to show us the way to salvation and heaven; Jesus is the way to salvation and heaven. Do we say: “This I believe in?” We dedicate and devote our life to God, and commit to live for Christ, our Lord and Savior; not to live like the world, but like the kingdom. Living the Word of God as life unfolds, day to day and moment to moment for the One who has authority and meets our needs, according to His purposes. Is our will and way aligned with the Lord’s will and way? What do you thirst for? Where is your house (called “life and faith”) built. Is it constructed on the shifting sands of godless beliefs or centered on the solid bedrock foundation of Jesus Christ and His kingdom way and truth? There is where we find the “good” life, with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). Be amazed.

John 3:31-36 “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”

In Christ, Brian

2 comments:

child of God said...

Hi Brian,
This is pretty powerful. I have nothing to say but amen!

Blessings,
<><

Brian Ray Todd said...

Child of God' In Christianiy there is a cliche that goes: We need to keep the "Main Thing", the "main thing". Pastor Jason's Sermon on the authority of Christ is only challenging when something else is the "main thing" in our lives ... when our mind, will and emtions are not aligned with the Lord's and we miss "the Mark" set by God in either ignorance or willful dis-bedience. Jesus asks the question in Luke 6:46: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? It's an oxymoron to say "No, Lord" to His teachings and commands. The challenge for the child of God lies in battling the flesh, the god-rejecting world and the Temptor's lies. This message was a call to reflect and pay attention to the "Main Thing".
Trust and obey the Lord. Thank you Child of God for writing.