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A Man Named Jesus
Part 4
The Man With All Power
Lesson
Text: Matthew 28:18
"And
Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven
and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and,
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Power is a
tool that when used wisely does nothing more than empower others to reach their
full potential. On the other hand power often times has been the primary
element in the phenomenon of self-destruction as well as mass destruction.
Power in the hands of men has led to suicides, homicides, layoffs, racism,
discrimination, sin and a host of other travesties.
Power is
seductive and the person desiring its privileges cannot always see its side
effects. Many people have sought to gain power and have landed that power
simply to find out it is the very reason why they lost their mind. We hear all
the time about the age-old Hollywood story of rags to riches. How the person
goes from better to worse seemingly having all they need in life to make them
happy. Power does not bring happiness. Money does not bring happiness. Material
wealth does not bring happiness.
In the following story the rich man had a type
of power through the fact that he had great possessions. He had a false and
deceptive type of power that was wrapped up in worldly things. This man was so
accustomed to wanting and having power that eternal life was just another thing
on his list that he wanted to have as a possession. Some people are so power
hungry that they want some things just to say that they have them and to
prevent others from making the same claim. But when Christ informed him that he
had to sale his possessions and give to the poor he went away grieved because
his identity was in his possessions and not actually in gaining eternal life. Matthew
16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and
lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mark 10:17
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and
kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life?
The prodigal
son had some difficulty with the power he obtained through the financial
inheritance he demanded from his father (Luke 15:11-32). Once he left the care
of his father and found himself as a sheep in a strange world of wolves the
false sense of power he had in material things soon led to degradation and
squalor.
But Jesus
Christ is a man who was able to say with all appropriateness that "all
power" had been given to him in heaven and earth. Jesus Christ never
abused His power. He never let His God-given powers go to his head. He never
acted out of greed. He never allowed himself to be reduced to self-destruction.
He never refused to give of himself. His entire life was a living sacrifice and
ministry to the world. When the soldiers came out to get Jesus Peter cut off
the ear of one of them with his sword but Jesus reattached it.
Before Jesus
uttered these words, early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene and Mary the
mother of James went down to the burial ground of Jesus, hoping to find him
there. But when they arrived the Son of God had already been resurrected and
released from His borrowed tomb. Matthew said in chapter 28 and verse 3 "His
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow..." The
angel stated to inquisitive women in verse 5-6 "...Fear not ye: for I
know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen,
as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
In fear they
ran to go tell the disciples what they had heard and witnessed but along the
way they ran into the Son of God. Can you imagine the excitement and
vindication they must have felt. Christ said (V. 9) "All hail"
and they dropped to their knees and worshipped him on the spot. Eventually
Christ revealed himself to all His men including doubting Thomas. Thomas needed
some help with his unbelief and said in John 20:25 "...Except I shall
see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of
the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." So
eight days later Thomas encounters a risen Christ and Jesus said (John 20:27) "Reach
hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust
it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” After this Thomas
responded “My Lord and My God” (V. 28)
There are
some people in the world who remain like doubting Thomas. They need a physical
sign that God is who He says He is. They want something to drop from the sky, a
loved one to be brought back to life, world violence to end, all the homeless
to be housed and all the hungry to be fed before they believe in the living
God. Thomas needed a sign and if you need a sign to reveal that God is real
today just look at His diligent children who faithfully wear the name of
Christian and look at how God has touched and blessed their life. The people of
God have spiritually observed the nail prints in the hands of Christ and have
thrust their hands into the side of Christ where he was pierced and have come
in contact with His precious blood.
After Christ
was resurrected from the dead, made his presence known, convinced His disciples
that he was alive and well he stated, "All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth." We do not worship Christ because of what He
might be able to do we worship him because of what He has done and will
continue to do because He has all the power.
In the Greek
vernacular the word power is very unique. It is translated from the word
Exousia and is related or connected to the word Exesti. The term Exousia
is rendered as executive power and means authority, superhuman, mastery,
strength and power to do anything. The term Exseti is translated
"the right" and indicates a granting of permission. In understanding
the total biblical concept of the power of Christ we see that He has the right
and might to do all things in heaven and in earth. This Christ that we serve
and has liberated us is the same Jesus who is the author and finisher of our
faith. When a person understands that this man with all power has purchased and
established a church he/she will do all they can to make sure they have been
added to His body and not just some body because not everybody has this power.
People are
not added to the body of Christ for the sake of the church they are added
because of Christ. The equation is not the church followed by Christ it is
Christ followed by the church. People want to be added to the church because of
what Christ has done and not for what the church has done and even if it ever
does seem to be the reverse it is still Christ working through the church.
Because of this reality people must know what Christ has done.
One of the
first things a person must realize is that the Jesus Christ who walked on this
earth was God in the flesh. Paul said in I Timothy 3:16 "And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the
flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles,
believed on in the world, received up into glory." This description
speaks of Christ. If that is not enough we even have scripture where God call
Jesus God: Hebrews 1:8 But
unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
In a
different context Christ even said it himself: John 8:57-58 "Then
said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen
Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am." In this statement Jesus was showing His connection to God
as well as being God for a similar statement was made by God before He
mainifested himself in the flesh: Exodus 3:14 "...God said unto
Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of
Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."
Since Christ
is filled with the Holy Spirit and has all power what has He done?
In Matthew
Chapter 5:
·
He was
looking out for the weak and not the powerful: "Blessed are the poor in
spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (V. 3)
·
He gave life
saving instructions: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old
time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the
judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without
a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his
brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou
fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." (Vs. 21-22)
·
He spoke of
the spiritual over the physical: "Ye have heard that it was said by
them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you,
That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery
with her already in his heart. (Vs. 27-28)
·
He is
telling His children to go the extra mile: "For if ye love them which
love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye
salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the
publicans so?" (46-47)
In Matthew
chapter 6:
·
He calls the
fleshly bluff: "For where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also." (21)
In Matthew
chapter 7:
·
He tells us
to enter in at the "strait" gate. (V. 13)
·
He tells us
what will happen if we fail to obey His will: "And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (V.
23)
In Matthew
chapter 8:
·
He healed a
leper. (Vs. 1-4)
·
He healed
the Centurions servant. (Vs. 5-13)
·
He healed
Peter's Mother-in-law. (Vs. 14-17)
·
He calmed a
storm. (Vs. 23-27)
·
He healed
the demon possessed at Gergesenes: (Vs. 28-34)
In Matthew
chapter 9:
·
He healed a
crippled man (Vs. 1-8)
·
He raised a
man's daughter from the dead. (Vs. 18-19 & 23-26)
·
A woman touched
Him and was made whole after having an issue of blood for 12 years. (Vs. 20-22)
·
He healed
two blind men. (Vs. 27-31)
·
He healed a
deaf and possessed man. (Vs. 32-34)
In Matthew
chapter 12:
·
He healed a
man with a withered hand on the Sabbath day. (Vs. 9-14)
·
He healed a
man deaf, blind and possessed with a demon. (V. 22)
In Matthew
chapter 14:
·
He fed 5,000
people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes. (Vs. 13-21)
·
He walked on
water and even rescued a drowning Peter. (Vs. 22-33)
·
He healed
all the diseased at Gennesaret. (Vs. 34-36).
In Matthew
chapter 15:
·
In a
mountain off the sea of Galilee he healed many who were lame, blind, deaf and
maimed. (Vs. 29-31)
·
He fed 4,000
people with 7 loaves of bread and a few small fishes. (Vs. 32-39)
In Matthew
chapter 16:
·
He promised
to build his church. (V. 16:18)
In Matthew
chapter 17:
·
He healed a
demon-possessed boy. (Vs. 14-21)
·
He predicted
His own death. (Vs. 22-23)
In Matthew
Chapter 20:
·
He predicted
his resurrection. (Vs. 17-19)
·
He healed
two blind men. (Vs. 29-30)
In Matthew
chapter 21:
·
He cleaned
out the temple of the wicked. (Vs. 12-17)
In Matthew
chapter 26:
·
Christ
prayed three times over going to the cross. (Vs. 36-46)
·
Jesus was
arrested an tried before the Sanhedrin Council. (Vs. 47-68)
In Matthew
chapter 27:
·
Jesus was
brought before Pilate and sentenced to death. (Vs. 11-26)
·
Jesus was
beat by soldiers. (Vs. 27-31)
·
Jesus was
nailed to the cross. (Vs. 32-44)
·
Jesus gave
up His life on the cross. (V. 50)
In Matthew
chapter 28
·
He was
resurrected and gave the command that all must obey to be added to the church
that he died for.
Matthew
28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
In our first
three lessons he convinced a Samaritan woman to go and tell all her friends to
come see a man named Jesus. When no one could heal the demon- possessed son,
Christ responded “Bring him to me” and He healed him. When the disciples of
Christ were scared for their lives because the sea was raging and the wind was
howling Christ was the one who awoke from His slumber and rebuked the wind and
sea saying “Peace be still.” We now see that Christ is the one with all power
in heaven and in earth.
Come see a
man named Jesus Christ and let His blood wash away your sins. Be added to the
church today through belief, repentance and baptism.
Amen