MATTHEW 28:16-20
a. The Lord’s authority includes the power to rule and reign...
• to receive the worship and subjection of all men who willingly surrender to His dominion.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bo-
dies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And
be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Ro.12:1-
2).
“For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor.6:20).
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart
man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salva-
tion” (Ro.10:9-10).
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev.5:12).

• to bow the knee of all men and to receive their acknowledgement of His Lordship.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above
every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and
things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Ph.2:9-11).

b. The Lord’s authority includes the power to govern and direct...
• the affairs of men without violating man’s freedom.

“So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and
sat on the right hand of God” (Mk.16:19).
“Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God”
(Lk.22:69).
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of
God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Ro.13:1).
“Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him” (1 Pt.3:22).

• the affairs of nature and the world without violating the laws of nature.

“But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds
and sea obey him!” (Mt.8:27).
“And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things
to the church” (Eph.1:22).

c. The Lord’s authority includes the power to forgive sins, to judge, receive and reject men, and to save and
deliver men through life and death. (See outline and notes—Ro.8:28-39.)

“But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
(then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house”
(Mt.9:6).
“And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.
And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh
blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” (Lk.5:20-21).
“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son”
(Jn.5:22).
“And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of
man” (Jn.5:27).

3. Jesus’ power assures the believer of deliverance. Note when Jesus “came and spake” of His power: immediately
upon the heels of some doubting and immediately before charging His disciples to go into a hostile world. He proclaimed His
power in order to erase doubt and to strengthen His disciples in going forth. His power was the disciples’ assurance of victo-
ry.

Now, in dealing with the supreme power and authority of Jesus Christ, there are two points that must always be remem-
bered.
1. The Lord’s supreme reign is not yet fully seen. God has not yet revealed His Son’s supremacy in an absolute sense.
However, there is a striking reason for God’s delaying the visible enthronement of His Son. God wants His Son to still be
seen as the Savior of the world. He wants more and more persons to be saved before He ends the world and begins the sove-
reign reign of His Son upon earth.

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