Would you turn back to Mark 11
and let's read verse 27 down through the end of the chapter.
I've entitled this message from heaven or of men. Verse 27 and they come again
to Jerusalem. Speaking of the Lord, the day
before he had been in the temple and cast the money changers out.
And this is the next day he comes in the temple once again. And
it came again to Jerusalem and as he was walking in the temple,
there came to him the chief priests and the scribes and the elders
and saying to him, by what authority doest thou these things? Who gave thee this authority
to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto
them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me,
and I'll tell you by what authority I do these things, the baptism
of John. Was it from heaven? or of men,
answer me. And they reasoned with themselves,
saying, if we shall say from heaven, he'll say, why then did
you not believe him? And if we shall say of men, they
fear the people, for all men counted John, that he was a prophet
indeed. And they answered and said unto Jesus, we cannot tell. And Jesus answering, saith unto
them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things, from heaven or of men. Now I want to say this carefully,
but just the thought of this, this is, don't get me wrong,
I want to preach until I die, but this stuff is so scary when
I think about it, it makes me wish I wasn't preaching, maybe
you were. Asking this question and talking
about myself, this message I'm preaching, it's either from heaven
or it's of men. Now that is a scary proposition
to me. I don't want to be bringing you
a message from my own brain and my own heart. And you know, we
would be wise to ask that question regarding everything we hear.
It's one or the other, from heaven or of men. The message I bring
tonight, it's either from heaven That means the Lord's in it.
Or it's of men. Something concocted in my own
depraved brain. If it's from heaven, we better
listen. If it's of men, we better run. Now remember, this is just a
few days. This is in the last week of our Lord's life, and
this is just a couple of days before the crucifixion. He has
come into Jerusalem and received these hosannas, which are only
for the Messiah. Now, if somebody said hosanna
to me or you, we would be terribly wrong if we didn't say, you're
talking about the wrong person. But when they said hosanna to
the Lord Jesus Christ, he received that praise. He had gone into the temple and
overthrown the money changers and drove out the people who
were selling doves, said, take these things hence. You made
my father's house a house of merchandise. He went into the
temple and did these things. Now the next day, Wednesday,
two days before he would be nailed to a cross, he again comes to
the temple. He had been sleeping in Bethany
that night, I suppose, at Martha and Mary and Lazarus's house.
Verse 27, and they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking
in the temple, Matthew says he was teaching, and Luke says he
was preaching the gospel at this time. As he was walking in the
temple, there came to him the chief priests, and the scribes,
and the elders, and saying to him, By what authority doest
thou these things? Who gave thee this authority
to do these things? How could you accept praise that
is for the Messiah only? What makes you think you have
the right to come into the temple and start overthrowing the tables
and running people out? Who gave you this authority? They obviously didn't know who
they were speaking to, did they? There are three things that could
be said about these religious leaders. Number one, They were
spiritually ignorant. They didn't know who he was.
That's the worst kind of ignorance. Number two, they were spiritually
arrogant. That always goes along with spiritual
ignorance. And number three, they demonstrate
such spiritual dishonesty in their answer. They were afraid
to tell what they really believed. And so they actually told a lie.
when they said, we don't know. They had their opinion, but they
were afraid to say it because of what it would cost them. And
they actually told a lie. They demonstrated their spiritual
dishonesty. Look in verse 31. Well, verse 29. And Jesus answered and said unto
them, I'll also ask of you one question. Answer me and I'll
tell you by what authority I do these things. The Baptism of
John. Now remember when John was out
in the wilderness baptizing? You can read about it in the
first of all the Gospels, and this was before the public appearance
of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was John who announced, Behold
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. This was
before his first public appearance. He says that baptism of John,
was it from heaven or men? that you answer me." And they reasoned with themselves
saying, well, if we'll say from heaven, he'll say, why didn't
you believe him? Good question. And if we say of men, well, we'll
end up getting stoned. Everybody thinks he's a prophet.
We don't want to go against the popular approval of the people. So they answered and said unto
Jesus, we can't tell. And Jesus answering said unto
them, neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. Now, I love the Lord's reply
when he says, I'm not telling you by what authority. You know,
he has such inherent authority. He doesn't have to say anything
to them. I don't owe you an answer for anything. My authority is
such that I sure don't look to you guys in any way, in any respect. And I have no need to answer
your question with regard to my authority. I couldn't help
but think it was similar to, you could have said to them what
Paul said in Romans chapter nine, where he said, nay, but old man,
who are you to reply against God? How do you think you have
the right to reply against God? Now, this was a cleverly crafted
question, Who gave you this authority? And they thought they could get
him in trouble. I always am amazed at them trying to catch the Lord
in his words, trying to entrap him. He's omniscient. What a
fool's errand to try to entrap him in his words, but here they
are doing it. Now, let's consider what the
Bible has to say about the authority of Christ. Now, in Christ's first
message, the Sermon on the Mount, let's look at the conclusion.
Matthew chapter 7, this is the people's conclusion
to this message that they heard. Never been a greater message
preached. Verse 28, it began in chapter
5, verse 1, and here's the conclusion as the people listened to what
he said. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings,
the people were astonished at his doctrine. Four, he taught
them as one having authority. Now this does not mean that he
projected authority. in his voice. I've seen preachers
do that. They try to project authority
to make it sound authoritative. You know, the Lord had no need
to do that. This is not talking about a big booming voice. The things that he said recommended
themselves as being the very Word of God. having the authority
of God behind them. I want you to think about the
Sermon on the Mount. This young, uneducated carpenter, that's
all they knew him to be. This young, uneducated, 30-year-old
carpenter comes up to them and tells them who is blessed. He
knew. Blessed are the poor. Blessed
are they that mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed
are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Blessed
are the merciful. Blessed are the pure in heart.
Blessed are the peacemakers. And then he said, blessed are
they that are persecuted for righteousness sake, for my sake.
For my sake. Now you think about a statement
like that. Blessed are they that are persecuted
for my sake. And how many times throughout
this sermon do you hear him say, you've heard it been said by
them of old time, but I say it to you. And he was quoting scripture.
He gives to himself the only one who is able to interpret
scripture. Here's what it means. This is
what I say. You've heard it said, this is what I say. Seven, eight
times. What about when he told, after
this manner, pray ye? That is amazing in itself. Here's
what you need to pray. What if I told you that? You'd
think, well, how would you know? But the Lord could say, after
this manner, pray ye. And look at the things he said
about himself with regard to judgment. Many shall say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not preached in your name?
In your name have we not cast out demons? In your name have
we not done many wonderful works? Then will I profess to them,
depart from me ye that work iniquity, I never knew you. What authority
He demonstrates his very first message. Is it any wonder they
were astonished at his doctrine because of the authority of it?
He spake as one having authority. And I love the next slam on the
scribes, not like scribes. I mean, everything they said,
it had man from men written all over it, but not the Lord Jesus
Christ. You know, he said to his disciples,
All authority is given to me in heaven and in earth. He has a complete monopoly on
authority. And that's why the very idea
of free will is so ludicrous. It's so ridiculous. If I have
a free will, that means I've trumped his authority. That means
I have authority over him, my will over his. That's ridiculous,
isn't it? Oh, the authority. of the Lord
Jesus Christ. I would have loved to hear him
say, when Pilate said, don't you know that I have power to
release you and I have power to crucify you? He said, thou
couldst have no power at all. You know, I can't help but loving
it. I love it when he says that.
And he had kept his mouth closed against all these accusations,
all these accusations. He'll speak for you, defend yourself. He says a lamb before the, opened
not his mouth. He was guilty, but he didn't
keep his mouth closed toward that. You could have no power
at all. over me, except it were given
thee from above. It was he who said to Pharaoh,
even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might
show my power, my authority on thee, and that my name might
be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will, he pardons. You see, there's no such thing,
I never will forget, I brought this up several times over the
last couple of years, I remember hearing it on the radio, a guy
said, the five most powerful men in the world. No man has any power at all. He has all power. and any power
anybody has is delegated by him to perform his will and do his
will. You know, I would have liked
to have said to Pilate, him to have said to Pilate, well, he
said what needed to be said. I shouldn't say that like I wanted,
but he's a pawn. You're a pawn in my hand, doing
my will. And that's exactly what he is.
That is the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, you think
of, the authority he demonstrates just in salvation. When that
leper came to him, and think of what he said, Lord, if you
will, you can make me clean. Me being made clean is totally,
completely in your hands. It's up to you, your sovereign
will. And he said, I will. Be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy departed. He had complete power over life
and death. The Lord killeth, the Lord maketh
alive, even with regard to his own death. He said, no man takes
my life from me. I'm not a victim. I'm not being
murdered. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it up. This commandment have I received
of my father. He had power over the demonic
world, Satan and all of his demons. They trembled at his presence,
knowing he's the Holy One of God. Why, they couldn't even
go from one geographical place to another without his permission.
Sufferers to go into the herd of swine, and Jesus gave them
leave. In John chapter 17, verse two,
the Lord said, thou has given him power over all flesh. Don't you love thinking about
that? Every human being alive, whether they're believers or
unbelievers, the Lord has given him power and authority over
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou
has given him. The Father gave him authority
to execute judgment. The Father gave him authority
to quicken whom he will. As the father raises the dead
and quickens them, even so the son quickens whom he will. What authority he demonstrated
to the thief when he said, I say unto you today, you'll be with
me in paradise. Oh, the authority of the Lord
Jesus Christ, the son of man, hath power, hath authority on
earth to forgive sins. Nobody else does. As to whether
or not me and you are forgiven, it's totally up to Him. He has authority to forgive you
of all your sins. I think of what He said to that
woman, taking an adultery in the very act, there was no doubt
about her guilt. And yet he could say to her,
woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned
thee? Neither do I condemn thee. Now that's authority. I think
of the publican in the temple. God be merciful to me, thee sinner. He said, I tell you, I say it
to you. This man went down to his house
justified without guilt, without sin. Now that's authority, isn't
it? If he says you're justified, you know what? You're justified. You know, when he rebuked the
wind and the sea, peace be still, they obeyed their master. And
there was a great calm. Who gave you this authority? They were speaking to him who
has this authority inherently as equal to the Father. Listen to this scripture. God,
who at sundry time and in diverse manners, spake in times past
to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken
to us by a Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds, 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. He sat down at the right hand
of the majesty on high. Now, once again, these men asking
him this question demonstrate their utter spiritual ignorance
and their utter spiritual arrogance, speaking to the Son of God like
this. Now, let's look at the way the
Lord handled this in Mark chapter 11. By what authority doest thou
these things? And who gave thee this authority
to do these things? And Jesus answered and said unto
them, I will ask of you one question, answer me, and I'll tell you
by what authority I do these things. The Baptism of John. Now, you know what that is? The Baptism of John. Look back
at Mark chapter 1. What was the Baptism of John? Verse four, John did baptize in the wilderness. Remember all the multitudes going
out to be baptized of him. John did baptize in the wilderness
and preach the baptism of repentance for or concerning the remission
of sins. Now, what's that mean? A lot of people have the idea
that when you went out to hear John the Baptist preach, what
you'd do is you'd repent of your sins, you'd confess them before
everybody, and then you would be baptized. Now, what does... Don't misunderstand me. I don't
want to sin. We ought not ever sin again.
And there's no excuse for sin under any circumstance. Amen. It's true. It's true. Does this mean what you need
to do is be sorry for your sin? Stop committing that sin. Don't
return to that sin. And then you are a candidate
for baptism. Now that's what most people view
that, this baptism of John. Is that what it is? The answer
is no. That is not what John's baptism
was. Now, John's baptism was a baptism,
a repentance concerning the remission of sins. Now here's what that
means. It doesn't mean you need to repent of your sins before
you can be baptized. As far as that goes, the term
repent of your sins is not found in the scripture. Did you know
that? It's not found in the scripture. Preachers use it all the time,
but it's not found in the scripture. What's he talking about? A complete change of mind. That's what repentance means.
Change your mind. Change your mind. A COMPLETE
CHANGE OF MIND REGARDING THE FORGIVENESS AND THE REMISSION
OF SINS. NOW HERE'S WHAT EVERYBODY NATURALLY
BELIEVES. THIS IS WHAT I WAS BORN BELIEVING.
THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE BORN BELIEVING. THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO
DO IN ORDER FOR YOUR SINS TO BE FORGIVEN. AND UNTIL YOU DO
IT, YOUR SINS WILL NOT BE FORGIVEN. YOU NEED TO REPENT. YOU NEED
TO STOP SINNING. YOU NEED TO START BELIEVING.
THERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DO BEFORE YOUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN. Fill in the blank, whatever it
is. If you have to do something before, your sins can be forgiven. And if you don't do that, and
if you don't stop doing that, fill in the blank, whatever it
might be, you won't be forgiven. Now that's what's called salvation
by works. That's all it is. Salvation by
works. You might as well tell somebody
you need to keep the 10 commandments perfectly. No difference. If there's something
that I need to do before God can do anything for me, that
is salvation by works. Now, John's baptism, his repentance
concerning the remission of sins, is he understood? And so does
everybody that's forgiven. Salvation does not end in the
forgiveness of sins. It begins. It begins with your
sins being completely forgiven, utterly and entirely forgiven. You did not do something in order
for them to be forgiven. You begin your spiritual life
with all your sins already forgiven. Now, Is that from heaven or of men? What I just said, is that from
heaven? Is that the truth of God? Or
is it some weird man-made doctrine? Which is it? Is it from heaven
or of men? Now, if it is of men, I don't
have any hope of being saved. But if it's from heaven, I'm
preaching the gospel to you. I'm bringing a message from heaven. Now, which is it? Is it from
heaven or of men? Will the scripture support this?
Will the scripture bear this out? What I've said, that salvation
begins with the forgiveness of sins. It doesn't end with the
forgiveness of sins. After you do this, this, and this before,
you can have your sins forgiven. begins with the full, complete
forgiveness of all your sins. Ephesians 1.3 says, blessed be
the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed
us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly blessings in Christ.
The question, is the forgiveness of sin included in those spiritual
blessings? What about 2 Timothy 1.9? He
saved us. He called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which were
given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. Is the forgiveness
of sins included in that? You can be sure it is. When the
Lord said, Father, forgive them. Did he say, well, they need to
ask first. No, everybody he prayed for was forgiven. You see, the
Lord doesn't have any unanswered prayers. If he says, Father,
forgive them, everybody he prayed for was forgiven. I've already
quoted this scripture, Hebrews 1, 3, when he by himself, I love
the by himself part, because that means I don't have anything
to do with this, nothing. When he had by himself purged,
our sins. Is forgiveness included in that?
Well, of course it is. Back to the Lord's question from
heaven or of men. Mark 11, the baptism of John, was it from
heaven or of men? Answer me. Verse 31, they reasoned
with themselves, saying, we put ourselves in a bind. We put ourselves
in a real bind. You see, if we say from heaven,
he's always going, why can't you believe him? And if we say
of men, we'll get stoned. You see, they knew nothing of
the spirit of faith that Paul quoted David in saying, I believe,
therefore have I spoken. They knew nothing of that. They're
gonna hide what they believe in order to save their own skin.
And so they answer, we can't tell. We don't know. And Jesus answering saith unto
them, neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. You see, his authority is so
absolute that he has no need to answer them. He giveth no
account of his matters. He doeth according to his will
in the armies of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth
and none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest thou? Somebody says, that doesn't seem
right. That doesn't seem fair. Oh, you're
able to judge God. Congratulations, you've been
standing in front of judgment, but you're in the wrong place,
my friend. Whatever God does is right. Whatever
God does is fair, and he doesn't do it because it's right, he
doesn't do it because it's fair, it's right because he does it.
That's the only thing that's true. Who gave him this authority?
The Father did, as his equal. And mine, your opinion, doesn't
even count. As the father raises the dead
and quickens them, even so the son quickens whom he will. The father gave it to him, and
he has it inherently as equal to the father, God the son. Well, what do we do with this? Two things. He said that all authority is
given to me. He has all authority. And you
know what that tells me? I need to go to the one who has
the authority to do something for me. He's got the authority
to do it. It won't do me any good to talk
to some preacher or talk to you. I go to him who has the power
and authority to do something for me. God be merciful to me, the sinner."
And you know what? He was merciful to him. He said,
I tell you, that man went down to his house justified rather
than the other. He's the one to go to. He's the
only one who can do anything for you. And secondly, the Lord said,
all power is given to me. in heaven and in earth, go and
teach every nation, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching to observe all things
whatsoever I've commanded you, and lo, I'm with you always,
even unto the end of the world." The point is, we come in his
name. We don't come in our own name.
I'm not preaching in my own authority. I'm preaching what He said, and
that's our message. It's not a, I love what Paul
said, he said, the gospel which was preached to me is not after
man. It's not derived from any human
source. I neither received it of man,
neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our authority, this, what I've
just said, you know, the baptism of John, was it, from heaven
or of men? I can answer that question. It's
from heaven. It's from heaven. And that is the authority that
we preach with, that we witness with. This is His word. We're
not coming in our own name. We're coming in the name of Him
who has all power and all authority. Now, in His name, everybody in
this room is commanded to believe on the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. You don't need to figure out
whether or not you're one of the elect. You don't need to figure out
whether he died for you. You don't need to figure out if you're
born again. You are commanded to believe, to rely upon the
Lord Jesus Christ as all there is to make you just before God. There's divine authority in that
command. May God enable us all to believe. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for the
authority of thy dear son. And Lord, we all take our place
with the lepers, worshiping him and falling at his feet, saying,
Lord, if you will, you can make us clean. Oh, that we might hear
those words, I will be thou cleaned. Bless this message for Christ's
sake. In his name we pray, amen. Drew, come listen, closing hymn,
please.