Usurpers in the Temple
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Considering the question of authority: 'Who occupies the temple of your soul? Jesus or a usurper?'
Text: Luke 20:1-8
Date: 02/16/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 183
Description:
After Jesus' spectacular Triumphal Entry, He went straight to the Temple to confront the false religion and corrupt worship that infested His Father's house. Outraged by His actions, a delegation from the Sanhedrin confronted Jesus as He was teaching in the Temple and demanded He provide the nature and source of His authority. But Jesus, knowing the intent of their heart responded with a question of His own which they could not or would not answer. As a result, Jesus refused to answer their question concerning authority-- effectively ceasing further revelation concerning Himself. We will answer the Sanhedrin's question by probing into the nature and source of all authority. And we will also discuss the brilliance of Jesus' question to them and why it placed them in an impossible dilemma. But primarily we will consider what happens to God's revelation when authority is willfully rejected. Ultimately, we will ask ourselves who occupies the "temple" of our soul-- is it Jesus or a usurper?
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 20:1-8.
A. Context
1. Following the flow of thought.
2. Noticing a subtle comparison.
B. Jesus' confrontation with the Sadducees.
1. Setting the scene, vs. 1.
a. When Jesus was teaching.
b. Teaching and preaching in the Temple.
i. The difference in "teaching" and "preaching the gospel", Luke 2:11.
ii. What was Jesus teaching? Luke 6:27,28, 9:23, 10:18, 11;20,52, 12:1, 13:5,28, 18;33, 19:10,26.
c. The antagonists.
d. A brusque encounter.
2. The question of authority, vs. 2.
a. The reason for the question, John 8:28, 12:49.
b. Defining "these things".
c. Analyzing the conflict of authority.
i. The Hebrew view of authority.
1) The structure of authority in the world, John 8:33.
2) The structure of authority in Israel.
3) The problem with Jesus and John the Baptist, Luke 3:8-9, 13:28-29.
ii. The true authority, Luke 9:20.
1) Exercising His authority in what He taught, Luke 4:32, 36.
2) Exercising His authority in what He did, Luke 4:34,35,39, 5:24, 6:5, 8:24,25,54,55, 19:9,10,45,46.
3. Jesus' response, vs. 3-4.
a. Answering a question with a question, vs. 3.
b. The "baptism" of John, vs. 4.
i. The expanded meaning of the "baptism of John", Luke 3:18.
ii. The authoritative herald, Luke 3:3,4,15,16; John 1:33.
4. The Sadducees' response, vs. 5-7.
a. The deliberation, vs. 5-6.
i. The comic scene, vs. 5a.
ii. Discussing the dilemma, vs. 5b-6.
1) Authority from heaven, vs. 5b, John 1:34, 3:28.
2) Authority from man, vs. 6.
3) The hypocrisy of the deliberation, John 8:44.
b. The ridiculous answer, vs. 7.
5. The cessation of revelation, vs. 8.
a. Avoiding further controversy.
b. Recognizing incompetence.
i. Failing to interpret prophecy.
ii. Failing to do their duty.
c. Avoiding fruitless revelation.
i. Willful human blindness.
ii. Divine judiciary blindness, Luke 19:42.
III. Application, Matt. 28:18.
A. Considering the question of revelation.
B. Considering the question of authority.
1. In the secular world.
2. In the Christian world.
IV. Conclusion
