Different people exercise their authority in different ways. A general does it by barking out orders and enforcing strict military discipline. The traffic officer does it by blowing his whistle and by handing out citations. The tax man does it by conducting an audit and assessing penalties. But how is it that the Lord Jesus Christ exercised his authority?
Who is Jesus? And what does he want with me? We have heard the news of his virgin birth. We have witnessed his baptism as the beloved Son. We have seen his struggle with Satan and listened to his preaching of the gospel. And as we look and as we listen, we are confronted again and again with his claims.
Of all the great sermons that have ever been preached since the beginning of the world, there’s no greater sermon than the sermon that Jesus preached in his home town of Nazareth. It was a sermon for bringing people to saving faith, for giving them hope in trouble, for helping them to see the glory of the Son of God.
Jesus had come to destroy the devil, to liberate people who were enslaved to Satan by sin, and rather than waging a secret war or launching some kind of sneak attack, Jesus took the fight directly to Satan.
We are passing away and shall soon be gone. This is what it means to be a human being, and we need to face it. We are born. We live a short time during which we sin and then we die. From the very beginning, God had promised to send a Savior to a long and fallen line of sinners.
Every Last Word features the Bible teaching ministry of Dr. Philip Ryken. The mission of this ministry is to broadcast clear Bible teaching that glorifies God and helps people grow by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This weekly program helps Christians apply God's Word to everyday living.
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