Lord Over All (Part IV)

Sin & Death

Over the last three posts, we have seen Jesus prove His Authority as Lord over all by displaying His power over sickness and disease, over natural elements, and over supernatural elements. For the final entry in our series, we are going to look at Jesus’ display of authority over sin and death. While Jesus was on Earth, He declared sins forgiven and raised people from the dead before raising Himself from the dead, declaring forgiveness of all sins. The first example we have of Jesus declaring someone’s sins forgiven is to the paralyzed man on the mat who was lowered in through the roof of a house in which Jesus was teaching.

“Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.’ But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, ‘That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?’ Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, ‘Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.’ Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!’ And the man jumped up and went home!” (Matthew 9:2-7)

Jesus simultaneously displayed His Authority to forgive sins and to heal, even calling the healing proof of His Authority to forgive sins. The next example we have is Jesus displaying His power over death by raising a widow’s son from the dead. 

“A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. ‘Don’t cry!’ he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. ‘Young man,’ he said, ‘I tell you, get up.’ Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7:12-15)

There was no doubt who Jesus was at that moment; in fact, witnesses declared that God had visited His people that day. Later, Jesus was invited to have dinner at Simon’s house, a Pharisee. Simon did not give Jesus water to wash the dust from His feet, he didn’t greet Jesus with a customary kiss, and he did not give Jesus the courtesy of olive oil to anoint His head. However, an “immoral woman” had heard Jesus was there and she went and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair, she kissed His feet, and anointed Him with rare perfume. Simon questioned Jesus’ authority as a prophet, citing that if Jesus was a prophet, He would know what kind of sinner this woman was.

“‘I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.’ Then Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” (Luke 7:47-48)

Jesus consistently displayed His authority to forgive sins. Shortly after this, Jesus again displayed His power over death by raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead.

“While he was still speaking to her, a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, ‘Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.’ But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed.’” (Luke 8:49-50)

From a human understanding, the daughter was dead, but Jesus told Jairus to have faith. When He arrived at the house, people were crying over the girl’s death but Jesus assured them the girl was only sleeping.

“Then Jesus took her by the hand and said in a loud voice, ‘My child, get up!’ And at that moment her life returned, and she immediately stood up! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.” (Luke 8:54-55)

Death is only a sleep in Jesus’ presence.

The third time Jesus displayed His power over death was with his friend Lazarus. Jesus heard about Lazarus’ sickness and He declared that the sickness would not end in death. Two days passed before Jesus decided to go to Judea to see Lazarus. He and the disciples had been away because the last time they were there, the people tried to stone Him. 

“But his disciples objected. ‘Rabbi,’ they said, ‘only a few days ago the people in Judea were trying to stone you. Are you going there again?’ Jesus replied, ‘There are twelve hours of daylight every day. During the day people can walk safely. They can see because they have the light of this world. But at night there is danger of stumbling because they have no light.’ Then he said, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.’” (John 11:8-11)

By the time Jesus and the disciples got to Bethany, Lazarus had been buried in his tomb for four days. Martha and Mary both told Jesus that if He had been there, Lazarus would not have died. 

“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha answered, ‘I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ she replied, ‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’” (John 11:23-27)

Martha knew Lazarus would rise at the resurrection, but she was talking to the Resurrection in the Flesh, to the source of life itself. So they took the stone away and after praying to God, Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out,” and he walked out of his tomb. The raising of Lazarus set two things into motion: many Jews who saw the miracle believed in Jesus, while others ran to tell the Pharisees. Upon hearing this news, the Pharisees began their plot to kill Jesus, setting the stage for the last display of Jesus forgiving sins and raising life from death. Before dying on the cross, Jesus prayed for the forgiveness of the very people who were killing Him, and three days after dying on that cross, Jesus raised Himself to life again.

“They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, ‘Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.’” (Luke 24:2-7)

In raising His life from the grave and overcoming His own death, Jesus declared an end to sin and death for all who put their trust in Him. If you haven’t put your trust in God and accepted Jesus’ payment for your sins, perhaps today is the day. While He was on Earth, Jesus proved His Authority over all things and we should worship Him as Lord over all.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

—Redeemed