I invite you to turn there with me.
Fourteen times in this single chapter that subject of giving is mentioned.
Ten of those times it is the Father who is giving to the Son, and four times it is the
Son giving to His own.
In those Sunday nights between now and Christmas we want to look at the good gifts of John
chapter 17.
We begin with verse 1 and the first part of verse 2 where it says,
These things Jesus spoke, and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said,
Father the hour has come, glorify thy Son, that the Son may glorify thee, even as thou
gave us to Him authority over all mankind.
You and I live in an age of crisis.
There are many different kinds of crisis.
There is political crisis in our world.
We see it on many fronts, from the Middle East to the Far East, and perhaps even in
our own nation.
There is such a thing as a military crisis, and we see examples of this kind of crisis
again in many parts of the world, from Afghanistan to Central America and South America, the
Philippines.
Economic crisis, yes, we who live in the greatest debtor nation in the world will be hearing
more about economics over the next four years, I have a hunch.
Health crisis, indeed, the world is on the brink of the greatest health crisis since
the black plague of the Middle Ages.
Crime, teenage crime in particular in our own nation is skyrocketing.
Family crises, oh yes, many.
Crisis in the world of religion, indeed, if you've been reading the paper over the last
week you know that Rome is having a very serious crisis within its ranks, particularly with
one of its professors, professor priests.
There is a crisis in the world of religion in the evangelical realm as well, which has
impacted all of us over the last couple of years.
Many different kinds of crises, and not to mention the personal crises which gripped
the lives of millions of people.
The greatest crisis though is one dealing with authority.
The crisis of authority in our world today is in fact underlying several of those crises
that we mentioned earlier.
Where does the buck finally stop?
Who has the final say in a decision or a crisis?
Who is it that can insist on his way and then have the power to pull it off to get his way?
In what or in whom does final authority rest?
The Bible gives us the answer to that.
In our text, the answer is clear.
There are many authorities and powers in the world, some real and some imaginary, but here
we learn who is the supreme authority, the one who is sovereign in the final sense.
The power to rule over all humanity is given to the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
He is Lord.
Jesus Christ has been established as the supreme authority.
Jesus said, thou gavest him, speaking of himself as the Son, even as thou gavest him authority
over all mankind.
That word authority here is the word exousia in the original language.
That word authority means power to act by virtue of the position that one holds.
There are two significant thoughts that are wed in that definition, and they always are
with this word, exousia or authority.
It is power to act by virtue of the position that one holds.
Power and position are always linked together in this word.
This authority is freedom, freedom of action, freedom to do as one wishes because no one
else is in a position to establish any limit.
William Hendrickson has said this.
The fact that Jesus has the authority probably means that nothing in the realm of what is
proper nor in the realm of what is possible could stop him from doing what he wanted to
do.
He is free in every respect to do what he intends.
When we talk about final authority, we are talking about absolute freedom without limit
to do what one wishes.
There is only one in the entire universe who has that authority, and that is Jesus Christ.
He is the supreme authority.
This is suggested by one of the names given to him, and I invite you to turn to Colossians
chapter 1 where we see this name.
The Father has given to the Son all authority.
Colossians 1.15 says, And he is the image of the invisible God.
In other words, he is the exact representation of all that God is.
That's what image means.
God is invisible, but everything that the invisible God is and all of his glorious attributes
is found in the person of Jesus Christ.
He goes on to say in verse 15, He is the firstborn of all creation.
Now there are some, particularly some cults, that say, well there you see it.
Jesus Christ is born.
He is born the first of all things in creation.
That means he is part of creation.
He is not the creator.
He is something that is created.
But they fail to understand what this word means, firstborn.
It means he is the preeminent one.
He is the one who is above all others.
He is the unique one of all creation.
And to make it clear that he is not a created being, he goes on to say in verse 16, By him,
the firstborn, who has all authority, by him all things were created, both in the heavens
and on earth.
In other words, anything that is a part of the universe was created by him, all things,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities, all things
have been created by him, or better, have been created through him.
In other words, he is the means, he is the agent by which God brought everything into
existence is through the Son.
And he says furthermore, all things are for him, or literally unto him.
So he is the origin of all things.
Everything came into existence by means of him, and ultimately everything will give account
to him, is what Paul is saying.
Firstborn, means that all of the rights that belong to the firstborn are his.
He is above all others, unique in that position.
Jesus said, Father, you have given authority over all mankind to me.
Now what does that mean?
What does that gift mean to the Son?
And how does he exercise it?
Well let me just suggest several ways quickly.
First of all, he exercises his authority over all mankind.
He exercised it by going to the cross, where he exhibited his kingship in a most unusual
way.
There he allowed himself, as the one who had all authority given to him, to be crucified.
Never was there a greater evidence of weakness, of shame, than crucifixion, being nailed to
a cross.
And yet this one who had all authority at his command allowed himself to be nailed to
that cross for you and for me, to die in our place, to pay the price for our sin.
And Pilate had written, not knowing truly what he wrote, the King of the Jews.
He is the King, the one who is over all, who has all authority.
Right here in the Gospel of John, if you'll turn back there with me to the tenth chapter,
you'll notice that Jesus mentions his authority with relation to his death.
John chapter 10, and look first at verse 11.
I am the Good Shepherd.
The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Again in verse 15.
Even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.
And then once more in verse 18.
No one has taken it, my life, away from me, but I lay it down on my own initiative.
Now notice what he says.
I have exeusia.
I have absolute freedom.
I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.
Talking about his resurrection.
This commandment I received from my Father.
In other words, God gave him a commandment to lay down his life, but that was something
Jesus fully wanted to do, and by his own authority he laid it down.
He as the head of all mankind, as the last Adam, laid down his life for the race, the
lost and sinful race of the first Adam.
He came into the human race by the miraculous birth of Bethlehem, so that he would be without
sin and then could go to the cross and offer himself, lay down his life by his own authority
for you and for me.
He exercised that authority at the cross.
Whereas the King, as the one who possessed all authority, he gave his life.
Now we see that gift exercised once more in the teaching of scripture at his second coming.
He not only exercised that authority when he laid down his life and was raised again,
but he exercised his authority yet again in the future when he comes again to the earth.
As surely as he came at Bethlehem, so he will return once more to the earth according to
what the Bible prophesies.
In Revelation chapter 19 and verse 16, it says that emblazoned across his chest on that
day will be this sign that says, this banner that says, King of kings and Lord of lords.
In other words, all authority belongs to this one who now comes to establish his kingdom
in the world.
That was prophesied as long ago as the reign of David.
In the Psalms we read about it, for example in Psalm 2, mankind is pictured in his rebellion
against God, shaking his fist at God saying, we will not have you to reign over us.
And in that same Psalm, the psalmist pictures God as it were laughing at man in his feudal
rebellion.
And then God says, I have established my king at Zion, my holy mountain.
What is God saying?
Man may rebel.
Man may shake his fist in the face of God, but ultimately God is in control.
And one day his king to whom all authority is committed will return to the earth and
rule and reign upon this earth.
We see it exercised again in the context of the Gospel of John in the fifth chapter.
I want you to turn back there with me and look at verse 25.
What does this gift of all authority mean to the son?
How is he exercised?
Well, he exercised it at the cross.
And he will exercise it when he comes again.
But now in John chapter 5 we see that he is going to exercise it even yet later at the
final judgment of all people.
John 5 25, truly, truly I say to you, says Jesus, an hour is coming, now notice those
next three words, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and
those who hear shall live.
What is this he is talking about?
He is talking about salvation.
Those who hear his voice and believe in him and who are raised from the death of sin,
this is spiritual resurrection here.
The hour is coming and now is, says Jesus.
But then in verse 26 he says, For just as the Father has life in himself, even so he
gave to the Son also to have life in himself.
What this is saying is that life inherently is God's.
As it belongs to the Father so it belongs to the Son.
Life is inherently divine.
It is God's because he is life.
You and I have derived life.
We are given life.
But God is life and Jesus says here that just as the Father so he himself has life in himself.
Then he says in verse 27, he the Father gave him the Son authority.
There is that word exousi again.
Has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of man.
Do not marvel at this for an hour is coming.
Notice the absence of those three words that were found in verse 25.
Here's something that's still in the future.
An hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear his voice and shall come
forth.
Those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life and those who committed the evil deeds
to a resurrection of judgment.
What our Lord is saying here is that because he has all authority given to himself, one
day he will exercise that in judgment.
He said does Jesus really talk about judgment?
Yes.
Yes he does.
Many times including this text.
And he says one day there is going to be a resurrection.
And as we know from our study of the Bible, while it doesn't all happen at one time, eventually
everyone who's ever lived will be resurrected.
To stand before him as the judge.
Those who are saved to eternal life and those who are lost to eternal judgment.
That's what Jesus is saying.
And he says all authority to judge is his.
It rests in no one else.
No thing else.
He, the Son, Jesus Christ, is the final judge of every man's soul.
One day each of us will stand before him and give account of ourselves.
And those who have trusted him, who have bowed the knee and received him in this life, will
be saved.
And those who have rejected him in that day will be lost.
You see what proof is there that this is really going to happen?
God has given us proof.
It is proof that is mentioned in Acts 17-31.
God has given assurance to all men that he will one day do that and that he has raised
Jesus Christ from the dead.
If there is no resurrection, then don't worry about a future judgment.
But if Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, then know that there is an appointment on
the calendar of God.
That there is a day set aside already in his divine calendar when the judgment of all will
take place.
That is what Paul says in Acts 17-31.
And so, what does this gift of all authority mean to him?
It means that one day he will judge all people.
But his authority is given to him now for another purpose as well.
Turn back with me to Matthew chapter 9.
This authority given to the Son means that now, in this day of grace and mercy and forgiveness,
he can forgive sins.
In Matthew chapter 9, it says, In getting into a boat, he crossed over and came to his
own city.
What city was that?
Where did he live?
Capernaum, on the Sea of Galilee.
And behold, they were bringing to him a paralytic lying on a bed.
When Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, Take courage, my son, your sins
are forgiven.
Now they thought that the man's immediate need was that of healing.
Jesus saw that his immediate need, his greater need, was for forgiveness, not healing.
And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This fellow blasphemes.
Now why would they say that?
Because they believed, and correctly so, that only God can forgive sins.
And yet here is this man saying, Your sins are forgiven.
Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?
For which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven?
Or to say, Rise up and walk?
For which is easier to say, Your sins are forgiven, right?
I mean, who's going to know whether the sins are forgiven or not?
But if you say, Rise up and walk, it's going to be evident pretty quick whether you have
any power behind your words.
But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has exousia, has authority on earth
to forgive sins, and then he said to the paralytic, Rise up, rise rather, take up your bed and
go home.
And he rose and went home.
And when the multitude saw this, they were filled with awe and glorified God who had
given such authority, such exousia to man.
They didn't fully understand that Jesus was more than man.
But here Jesus illustrates the fact that he has authority to forgive sins by also saying
to the man, You're healed.
And he was healed.
Jesus Christ can forgive your sins.
But to forgive sins, we have to acknowledge, for him to forgive our sins, we have to acknowledge
them.
If we try to justify and excuse them, if we try to hide them and cover them up, if we
try to rename them and make them presentable, if we try to sweep them under the rug where
maybe God won't see them, our sins remain.
But if we bring them out and acknowledge them in the presence of a holy God in humility
and shame, and receive his Son who paid the price for those sins, who died for them, then
those sins are forgiven.
They're gone and cleansed forever.
He has authority to forgive sin.
And finally, let me point out to you that he has authority to give eternal life to his
own.
That's in John 17, the last part of verse 3, and we're going to look at that next week,
so I'm not going to deal with it now.
But what does that authority that is given to him over all mankind mean?
Well, it means that he exercised that authority when he died in our place.
He laid down his life by his exusia, and he raised himself from the dead by his own authority.
It means that one day he will come again to the earth and establish his kingdom by his
authority.
It means that he will one day exercise authority in bringing final judgment to all people.
It means that right now he has authority to forgive sins of those who humble themselves,
purging their sin, repenting of their sin, and who receive him in faith.
And it means that he has authority to give eternal life to all of those who believe in
him.
Now, I want to take the last five minutes to talk about the implications of this authority
of Jesus to us who are saved.
What does this mean to us?
What is the application to us?
Well, there are some applications to us.
I remind you of John 1-12 when it says, but as many as received him, who is that?
Jesus Christ, the Word.
But as many as received him, to them he gave the what?
The exusia, the authority to become the sons of God, the children of God.
In other words, you and I are given freedom to become the children of God.
And we receive Christ.
We are set free from the bondage of the law with all of its prohibitions, its ceremonies,
its rituals.
We are set free from all of that to belong to Jesus Christ.
That's why Paul says to the Galatians, stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has
made you free.
Because our freedom in Christ needs to be governed, doesn't it?
And it is governed by principles of God's Word.
Why is that?
If we are truly free, then why are there principles to guide us in the Word?
It's because even though we are free from the law, we still have sin dwelling within
us.
And we still have flesh that will listen to that sin and will abuse and misuse our liberty.
I want you to turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 6.
As we think about the application of this, yes we are free.
And I tell you what, I think most of us have not understood that yet.
The Corinthians did understand it, but they abused it.
They understood they were free in Christ.
And then they went too far.
And their excuse in going too far, I mean by going too far, they were allowing sin in
their lives and in their church.
They were going too far, but their excuse was, well all things are lawful.
Do you see that in 1 Corinthians chapter 6 verse 10, excuse me verse 12?
All things are lawful for me.
That was a statement that the Corinthians were making to Paul.
Paul, don't you lay anything on us.
Don't you try to tell us what we ought to do and not to do.
All things are lawful for us.
Interestingly, that word lawful is the verb form of the word exousia.
They were saying, we are free.
But Paul goes on to say, alright that's true, but not all things are profitable.
All things are lawful for me.
Paul again quotes them.
He says, I will not be mastered by any.
And then just turn over a page or two to chapter 10 verse 23.
Where he says, all things are lawful, again he quotes them, but all things are not profitable.
And once more he says, all things are lawful, but not all things edify.
What is Paul doing here?
He is reinforcing the truth.
Yes, you are free because you have received him.
You are liberated to live life fully.
But remember some principles in your life that will cause your freedom not to be abused
and misused.
There are three of them and he gives us in the two verses we've read.
Is this practice that I am contemplating or I am involved in.
Is it helpful?
Is it expedient?
That's the first question I have to ask myself.
So I feel free to do this.
But Paul says, is it truly helpful?
Does it bring an advantage to me?
Is there some useful purpose in it or is it a waste?
Hey, I may be free to do it, but if it's a waste, why be involved in it?
A second principle.
All things are lawful, but will this practice enslave me?
I should not be brought into the master of any.
So if what I am contemplating being involved in is something that is going to dominate
me and control me and enslave me, though I may be free to do it, I lay it aside.
I don't want to abuse my freedom.
And then he asks, thirdly, is this practice that I am contemplating that I feel free to
be involved in, is that edifying?
Does it build me up in the things of God?
Does it build up others in the things of God?
Or is there the possibility it may put a stumbling block before someone else, even someone else
who is weaker in the faith?
You see, he is saying, yes indeed, we are free, but as many as received him to them
he gave the freedom to be the children of God.
But now he says, on the other hand, you're free, but remember these principles and apply
them in your life so that you don't abuse that freedom.
That's one implication for us in this authority that is given to Jesus Christ, this freedom
that is his and ours in him, but there's a second implication that I just want to mention
that's found in Matthew 28 and verse 18.
We've just completed a great missions festival and I know that this verse was at least referred
to once, or the context was, but I'm not sure this verse was.
And you cannot leave this verse out from the rest of it.
In verse 18, Jesus came up and spoke to them saying, all exeusia, all authority has been
given to me in heaven and on earth.
Going therefore, make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded
you and, lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.
So Jesus Christ has been given all authority.
What does that mean to me?
Well, I want to suggest to you in closing that it means that I am free to fearlessly
obey his commission.
I am free to go wherever he sends me.
It may be across the street or across the ocean.
It may be in a familiar culture or it may be in a culture that is quite strange to me.
But I am free to go and there to make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them all things
that he's commanded.
Why am I free to do that?
Because all authority resides in him.
And because he is in that place of supreme authority over all affairs in the earth, I
serve a Lord who is greater than any president, who is greater than any dictator, greater
than any government, any rule, any regulation.
I am free to serve him.
I need not fear to obey his commission.
And he says, I, the one in whom all authority resides, I am with you even to the end of
the age.
So we don't have to be afraid.
We don't have to hold back reluctantly.
We can give ourselves fully to that commission that he's given us to make disciples.
So let's be busy doing that.
All authority is his and we are in him.
And because he is with us, we can fearlessly and courageously be involved in the Master's
work in this world.
Well, we have to close.
Let's pray.
The gift of authority over all mankind was given by the Father to the Son.
Whether we want to admit it or like to believe it, one day he will exercise his authority
toward each of us.
We will stand before him in judgment.
The question is, are we prepared to do that?
Will we stand before him as one who is forgiven and saved or as one who is neglectful or rebellious
and lost?
Will you receive him and be given the liberty to become a child of God?
Men and slaves, philosophies dead end, good works amount to nothing.
The only thing that counts in the sight of God is our genuine trust in the only Savior
he has provided, Jesus Christ.
Father, thank you for giving to the Son authority over all mankind.
Help each of us to tap into the significance of that, to live in the light of it, to be
prepared for that day when we will stand personally before him and give account of our lives.
May those of us who know Christ this week understand what the authority given to Jesus
means to us in the responsibilities we have to be your ambassadors to this world.
May we stand faithfully, even if it means standing alone in those places where you have
assigned us to represent you, whether that be the school classroom or the office at work,
if it be at the gas station in our neighborhoods, may we represent you well.
In Jesus' name, amen.