Over the last few weeks we have been looking at what Jesus endured. He went through so much just so the lost world could have life. He was arrested, beaten, mocked, and humiliated so that we would not have to. The love of Christ is great. He is willing to go beyond suffering and humiliation so that His children can have life. Something that we do not realize is that while Christ endured all that was happening, He was bound.
Read Matt. 27:1-2
The crowd was afraid of Christ. He brought a message of hope and redemption, but they were afraid. They took Jesus before Pilate. They tied Him up so that He would not retaliate. He had never hurt any of them. He had never fought anyone or done anything physical to harm anyone. Yet they bound Him. His binding was only temporary. He is bound no more!
I. Authority Received- Mt. 28:18
“All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me.”
Daniel saw a vision of what was to come and He said of the Son of Man “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion.” Dan. 7:14
Jesus may have been physically bound temporarily while on earth. They desired to hold Him back. The Scripture teaches that the binding that they performed was just that temporary. For you see, Jesus cannot be held back and He has authority over all things. He has the power over all life, spirits, and dead.
Christ was crucified- he endured mans hands for a little while. He was beaten and bruised for our transgressions. He suffered and died. He endured being bound for a time.
The day that Christ arose from the dead He defeated sin, death, and hell. All authority- all power was given to Him. No longer would Christ be bound. No longer would Christ suffer.
He received authority from the Father over all things. For you see- Christ is God. There is nothing/no one that is greater or more powerful. He has authority to bind spirits and demons. He has the power of life and death, the power of judgement. One day all will be judged. we will stand before God and give an account of our lives.
II. Authority Given- Luke 9:1
In Luke 9, Jesus was sending out the twelve disciples. When He sent the twelve, He gave them authority over demons and all sickness. He gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits. They were given the ability to heal ailments and infirmities. This power was given through the ability and power of God. They were unable to these things on their own, but able through the strength and power of the Holy God. God gave these men incredible ability, all because they were dedicated to Him. They had pledged their lives to learning more about Him and following Him where ever He would lead.
Jesus gave them great authority, but it does not stop there. For if we believe in Him, we too are given power through Christ. In Christ we have the ability to stand against the devil.
James 4:7- “Resist the devil and he must flee.”
Gal. 5:24-25- “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Eph. 6- we are given the power to stand against the devil when we put on the armor of God.
We are not hopeless! We have ability and power far greater than we realize. If we are in Christ, we have the ability to stand against devil!
That means that we are not bound to a life of misery and sorrow. We are not bound to a life that is ruled by the world and the devil. Just as Christ has been loosed, so have you.
All we have to do is confess Him as Lord.
All we have to do is turn to Him and quit living for the world.
That is just the way I am is a lie of the devil- Resist him!
Every body is doing it- you don’t have to- stand!
I just can’t help myself- you have crucified the flesh w/ its passions and desires- walk in the Spirit!
III. Authority Exercised- Rev. 20:2
“He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and satan, and bound him for a thousand years.”
At the end of the thousand years, Christ will defeat the devil. V. 10- “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Christ was bound in the flesh for a moment on earth. The devil will be bound for eternity. The day is coming when Christ will exercise the authority He has been given to the fullest extent. On that day the devil will be defeated.
Superbowl- everyone wants to be the winning team. They train and train. They learn the plays and do their best. They play their hardest. They do what they can to win.
In life there is a war for your soul. Jesus wants you to give you life abundant. The devil wants you to keep you from being with Christ. The devil does all he can so that Christ will not win. You have an opportunity to switch teams! You have the opportunity to live for the winning team!
There comes a time when Christ will defeat the devil and his team. They will be cast out to suffer for all eternity.
