"Hosanna", "save now, Lord" (related to the words Hosea, Joshua and Yeshua), is understandable when considered as a messianic

Sermon Series: What Jesus Did in His Last Week

By What Authority Are You

Doing These Things?

Dr. Larry Thorson
April 1, 2007

Matthew 21:23-27

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 of human origin?"

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, 'Of human origin'—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.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” That’s the question a Plano, Texas inspector asked one of my church members who was cutting away a concrete street curb to make a driveway under the power lines across the street from our church. Innocently he said “My authority, I’m in charge of Property and Grounds and we need an entrance to this parking space.” The city engineer of course made him stop immediately and reported it to his department. The next week the engineer was shocked to see the man once again cutting away another curb for a driveway entrance and again asked “By what authority are you doing these things?”

Amazingly enough David didn’t get arrested. All he needed was a permit with a signature from a city engineer to have the authority to remove the curbs and put in a driveway. Apparently he must have gotten it because I never had to go bail him out of jail and we got our driveways.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” That was the question asked of Jesus by religious leaders in the temple during his last week before his crucifixion. I find it really gutsy on Jesus part to even go back into Jerusalem and right into the temple courts to teach. Let’s not forget that it was religious leaders around that very temple who had a generous bounty out for his life. There is just no way that I would have shown my face there but then I’m not Jesus.

“By what authority are you doing these things?” “And who gave you that authority?” Those are important questions. I think of my own authority to officiate at the table of our Lord this morning and how I got it. I break the bread and pour the juice, say the words of institution and pray over the elements. I have that authority because on March 20, 1983, a group of men and women in a little farming community called Keeling, Virginia laid hands upon me and prayed, ordaining me to be a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gave me the authority to serve communion to God’s people.

Think about the things that you have authority over in your own life. Most of you have the authority to drive a car because you passed your written and driving tests, filled out your paper work, passed an eye exam and paid your fee. That gave you the authority to operate a motor vehicle on pubic streets.

There’s a difference between having authority and having power. You might have had the power to drive on public streets before you got your license but not the authority. Moreover, if you’re caught speeding too many times that authority can be revoked. The power to drive a car would still be yours if you still had the keys but not the authority.

Think about the things Jesus had authority over. Diseases. He cast disease out of the lame and the blind. Demons. He cast evil spirits out of people. Death. He raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. In fact it was that authority over death that pushed the religious leaders over the edge in their opposition to him. It’s often thought that Jesus had miraculous healing powers which he did. He had those powers because he was given authority over diseases, demons and death.

When you have authority over something you act like someone with authority. For example when you arrive at your house you don’t knock before going in. You put your key in the door or press the garage door opener and you go in. You have authority over that house and it causes you to act like you own the place.

With Jesus having authority over diseases and demons you would expect him to act like he owns the place. In John 5:6 Jesus asked a lame man “Do you want to be made well?” The sick man answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Stand up, take your mat and walk.” At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.”

Now compare that to how most of us would pray for someone in a wheelchair. “Dear God, please comfort and protect this one and if it is your will let them walk again.” Do you hear the difference? Jesus spoke like the boss. “Stand up, take your mat and walk”. My fear would be that the person would actually try to stand up, then fall over and get hurt. Yet Jesus promised us the same authority over diseases that he had when he left us to finish his mission.

“By what authority are you doing these things?" Jesus’ answer was very simple but brilliant. He could have pulled the inheritance card and said “Do you know who my daddy is?” Instead he said "I will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. John's baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin? They discussed it among themselves and said, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will ask, 'Then why didn't you believe him?' But if we say, 'Of human origin'—we are afraid of the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet."

Here’s their dilemma and ours. If they said John the Baptist was from heaven he would ask why they ignored him. Ignoring God’s prophets never made God very happy in the Old Testament days and they would have known that well. But public opinion said that John was a legitimate prophet. If they went against public opinion they feared a rebellion, losing what authority they had with the people.

I know what public opinion is in a church. I hear it all the time and I try not to cross it unless I have a clear word from the Lord to cross it. But you and I both know that as followers of Christ, our authority is not in public opinion. Our authority is in God who can even more quickly remove my authority than any congregational meeting ever could.

Here’s our dilemma. It was easy to cheer Jesus on when the crowds were waving palms at him in a celebration parade. That’s how Jesus’ last week started. It used to be easy to go to church and cheer on Jesus when everybody else in your neighborhood was going to church. That’s the way it was in the U.S. up until the 1960’s. Even as late as ten years ago when we were in Chino Hills 66% of that city was going to church on Sunday. I doubt it’s that way anymore there.

A guy I know was telling me just last week about his big booming church. I said “you must have a lot of people involved in missions in your church”. He said with over a thousand people attending worship in his church every weekend only about 10 guys, the same 10 guys are involved in doing mission work. The crowds may be filling up a few glitzy churches these days but very few are following Christ to the poor.

Last week in Tijuana, Joy Church of Chino Hills was building a house in the area we were serving and stayed where we stayed. I remember when Joy Church started by having puppet shows in the Butterfield Ranch park near the school where they were going to hold worship services. That was 1996 and it has never become a very large church. Last week all but five of their members joined them in Tijuana to build a house. They put a sign up at the school where they normally meet in Chino Hills and told the people where they were.

When we listen more to public opinion than the still small voice of God public opinion becomes our authority. As a church we know what we’re called to be in the heart of this booming valley. We’re called to be a welcoming home, a healing place for people of all generations, races, economic and spiritual backgrounds. We’re using classical music and a tutoring program to cross some incredibly difficult barriers because God has called us to this. We are bucking cultural trends against going to church, against classical music and against being multi-ethnic. It’s expensive. It’s hard. It’s often discouraging. But God has given this church the authority to go into the lives of people to heal the hurts of their past, to heal their broken bodies, to resurrect their spiritual lives to new life. We’re falling behind financially as a church and I don’t understand that because God has more than enough money. What we’re doing is succumbing to public opinion with our giving. If you’re a member of this church in preparation for Easter I want you to go home from this place and ask God why you give so little financially to what God is doing here. What public opinion are you succumbing to?

Secondly in preparation for Easter I want you to go into the highways and byways of our valley this week and compel those who may be alienated from God or his church and bring them to church next Sunday. Let’s make the biggest offering and the biggest attended day in ten years of our church. By what authority are you doing these things? God has given you the authority to go into alienated lives and offer healing; by the authority given to you by Jesus Christ to go into all the world and make disciples.