Authority
of Christ

Luke 20:17 "And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?"
Luke 20:18 "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."

Here we see God the Son
as the Chief Authority
as the Chief Corner Stone
as the Main Stone from which
all the other stones are placed

When those under authority
reject authority
reject the authority of God the Son

They will either
stumble over the authority and be broken
or
fall underneath the authority and be ground-up

Either way
Non-compliance has a bad ending

Luke 20:19 "And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them."

 Top

Authority Trap

The Chief Priests & Scribes

were so angry
that they were going
to attempt to catch Jesus
in a Trap
that has to do with Authority

Luke 20:20 "And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor."

See how they wanted to twist
the words of Christ
against Himself.

See how they wanted to put Jesus
under the authority
of the local Governor.

What authority does He recognize?

Luke 20:21 "And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:"
Luke 20:22 "Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?"
Luke 20:23 "But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?"

Jesus perceived
their trickery
their duplicity
their say one thing, but mean another.

Luke 20:24 "Show me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's."
Luke 20:25 "And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's."

Give to each authority
their due.

Give to
the boss, what is due the boss
the parent, what is due the parent
the teacher, what is due the teacher
the judge, what is due the judge
the sheriff, what is due the sheriff

Luke 20:26 "And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace."

 Top

Deniers of authority after death

Now, we come to a few folks
the Sadducees by name
who are very subtle
in their question
and their motive

Luke 20:27 "Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,"

Watch this very closely
or you will miss it all together.

These Sadducees denied the resurrection of the dead.
Now this seems harmless enough.
On the surface
they seem to be simply misinformed
have made an uninformed mistake

But this goes much deeper
They are not careless or ignorant.
They know full well what they are saying.

They deny the resurrection of the dead
because they do not want to answer
to the judge or authority
over their lives on earth.

When my wife and I
were in Missoula several weeks ago
we went to the College
to preach
just prior to the Gay Pride Week celebrations.

I talked to a clean cut
articulate young man
who was incensed at the preaching

I asked the reason why
he said, that it was all lies.

I contradicted his assertion
and told him
that the preaching was from the Word of God.

He said he didn't believe
in the Word of God.
I told him that God did not care what he believed.
That God was not going to comply with his beliefs.
That God said,

"It is appointed unto men
once to die
and after this
the judgment."

God is going to do
what He believes.

Watch,

as the Sadducees formulate a scenario
in hopes of catching Christ
in the Trap of Authority

Luke 20:28 "Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother."
Luke 20:29 "There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children."
Luke 20:30 "And the second took her to wife, and he died childless."
Luke 20:31 "And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died."
Luke 20:32 "Last of all the woman died also."
Luke 20:33 "Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife."
Luke 20:34 "And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:"
Luke 20:35 "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:"
Luke 20:36 "Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection."
Luke 20:37 "Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
Luke 20:38 "For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him."

Jesus points out
that God
is a God of the resurrected.
How can God be a God of Abraham
if Abraham no longer exists??

Not only is there a Resurrection
but God is the Authority over it
and
over all those that participate in it.

Luke 20:39 "Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said."
Luke 20:40 "And after that they durst not ask him any question at all."

 Top

The Son of David is Lord

the antagonists want to let it lie now
They have enjoyed
about all this argument
they can stand

but Jesus will not let it alone

Luke 20:41 "And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?"
Luke 20:42 "And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,"
Luke 20:43 "Till I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Luke 20:44 "David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?"

Jesus wants to know
If Christ is going to be a son of David
then why does David call Christ Lord?

Of course
The Son has authority
because He is God.

And God speaks with authority
God has authority
God has authority over the Vineyard
God has authority over the coins and even the Kings who mint the coins
God as authority over the Resurrection
God has authority over David

 Top

Misuse of Authority

Luke 20:45 "Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,"
Luke 20:46 "Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;"
Luke 20:47 "Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation."

Jesus unashamedly
and without apology
told the rest of the people
in front of the Chief Priests & Scribes
that they were hypocrites

They claimed to have authority
but misused that authority
and were hypocritical in that misuse.

Jesus said to beware of them
They want to look important as if they have authority from the Certain man that gave them the Vineyard to keep.
They want to seem as though they honor Caesar with his authority
They want to seem righteous and not believe in a resurrection to authority of God
They want to appear as if they are holy and have authority from God.

 Top

Authority does not mean blessing

Luke 21:1 "And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury."
Luke 21:2 "And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites."
Luke 21:3 "And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:"
Luke 21:4 "For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."
Luke 21:5 "And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,"
Luke 21:6 "As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
Luke 21:7 "And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?"

 Top

Appropriated Authority

Luke 21:8 "And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them."

When men begin to act like
they have the authority of God
let this be a warning
that God is coming again
to defeat these impostors to authority
and judge them for eternal punishment.

 Top

God is jealous of His authority

Nahum 1:2 "God is jealous,
and the LORD revengeth;
the LORD revengeth,
and is furious;
the LORD will take vengeance
on his adversaries,
and he reserveth wrath
for his enemies."

Who are the adversaries of God?
Those that compete for His authority.