By What Authority?

Luke 20:3,4

"And he answered and said unto them, I will also

 ask you one thing and answer me: The baptism

 of John, was it from heaven or of men?"

        It is no wonder they asked Jesus by what authority He did these things! To ride into Jerusalem as He did and then to take the law into His own hands and cleanse the Temple; they needed some kind of explanation. To the orthodox Jews,  Jesus' calm assumption of authority was an amazing thing. No Rabbi ever delivered a judgment or made a statement without naming his authorities. He would say, "There is a teaching that,"  Or he would say, "This was confirmed by Rabbi So and So. What they wanted was that Jesus should say bluntly and directly that he was the Messiah and the Son of God. Then they would have a ready made charge of blasphemy and could arrest him on the spot. But He would not give that answer, for his hour was not yet come.
        The reply of Jesus is sometimes described as a clever debating answer, used simply to score a point. But it is far more than that. He asked them to answer the question, "Was the authority of John the Baptist human or divine?" The point is that their answer to Jesus' question would answer their own question. Every one knew how John had regarded Jesus and how he had considered himself only the fore runner of the one who was the Messiah. If they agreed that John's authority was divine then they had to also agree that Jesus was the Messiah, because John had said so. If they denied it, the people would rise,, against them. Jesus' answer in fact asks the question, "Tell me--where do you yourself think I got my authority?" He did not need to answer their question if they answered his.
        To face the truth may confront a man with a sore and difficult situation; but to refuse to face it confronts him with a tangle out of which there is no escape. The  Pharisees refused to face the truth, and they had to withdraw frustrated and discredited with the crowd. My Friends, we as Christians have been given, authority through the blood of Jesus Christ; However remember that faith comes before the authority. With out faith you will never, see, feel, or enjoy what God has in store for you in this life, or be prepared for life after death. If you have not choose one of these eternal life's, You need to chose one now!  "Eternal Life" or "Eternal Hell"
        Amen 

"You Have The Authority to Choose"

Reading: (Luke 20:1-8)
               (Matt. 21:23-27)
               (Mark 11:27-33)

May God Bless You

And Your Family 

Minister Robert A. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry