Luke 20:1-8 - By What Authority?
1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him2 and spoke to Him, saying, “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?”
3 But He answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me:
4 “The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?”
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why then[fn] did you not believe him?’
6 “But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
Main Topics/Questions
Please consider the following topics/questions as you listen to the sermon:1. What is one of the most important characteristics about each of us? Why?
2. Which authorities are fallible? By what authority does Jesus Christ do all the things that He does?
3. What is significant about the day as it marks the second day of Jesus Christ teaching publically in the temple of Jerusalem.
4. What is the most important teaching Jesus had to share as well as the most important teaching that we could ever share?
5. With what questions do the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders confront Jesus at the end of Luke 20 verse 1? Why does it matter?
6. How does that relate to some current political messages?
7. Why is it important to know what kind of authority Jesus has when we are challenged when sharing the gospel?
8. Where does Christ’s authority come from?
9. What pressures are being applied to Christians today? What can we learn from Jesus in his response to those trying to trap him and get him into trouble?
10. Instead of being weighed down by this pressure to either cave in or remain silent, what should we do?
11. What are some current trends in government making decisions without God and what does the falling birthrate have to do with them?
12. What were the concerns of the Jewish leaders when Jesus asked the question about John the Baptist?
13. Why would saying John’s baptism and ministry were from heaven be problematic?
14. What was their response and why did that give the answer to where Jesus got his authority?
Conclusion:
Jesus has the authority to clear the temple of corruption and He has the authority to share the gospel by telling people to repent of their sins and trust in Him in order to receive salvation from sin, death, and hell because He is the Son of God. And Hebrews 1:1-4 speaks of the absolute authority of the Son of God when it says,
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
So who is your final authority? Who has the final say when it comes what you think, what you say, and what you do? Everybody has a final authority, but only one has the power to comfort you on your deathbed. And that’s Jesus Christ the one who conquered death itself. So if you have not yet begun to trust in Jesus today is the day. As 2 Corinthians 6:2 says, “In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
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Do you feel an emptiness in your life? Are you seeking answers but don't know where to look? Have you ever wondered if you are good enough? Please read the summary of the gospel message, "Four Things You Need to Know About God"
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