1. Grace Fellowship Church Pastor/Teacher Jim Rickard Sunday, August 7, 2011 www.GraceDoctrine.org

2. John 17 The Great High Priestly Prayer of our Lord! John 17:1-2

3. Our Lord petitions the Father for the authority to give eternal life to those that believe, applying prayer principle from, Mat 6:8, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

4. If Mat 6:8 is true why pray? Because the point of prayer is to have perfect and complete oneness with God, just as our Lord had.

5. “Authority” is EXOUSIA, “power to act, authority”, in terms of a commission, or a right.

6. God the Father gave Incarnate Christ the power to act on behalf of all mankind in the form of paying the penalty for their sins on the Cross.

7. Because of that authority “over all flesh”, He will have authority to save those who believe and He will have authority to judge those who reject Him.

8. Christ has four types of “power” noted in scripture.

9. Power - DUNAMIS - having inherent strength which is the authority to rule. Jesus Christ inherently as God is Sovereign and Omnipotent, and has the ability to rule.

10. Might - ISCHUS - having strength in reserve which is the ability to rule and judge. Jesus Christ has everything necessary and all of the ability to rule and judge.

11. Dominion - KRATOS - means force, strength, might, “manifested power.” He has all authority to rule which will be real, seen, heard, felt and perfect.

12. Authority - EXOUSIA – power, authority or the right to do a thing. He has the authority of the throne of ruler ship, and the office to officiate over the sacrifice.

13. EXOUSIA is used for our Lord in scripture in the following ways:

14. 1. During Jesus Christ’s Incarnation: a. Jesus had authority in teaching the Word of God. Mat 7:28-29; cf. John 7:46

15. Jesus spoke as one who had more authority than Moses and the prophets. Mat 5:21-48

16. Mat 7:29, “For He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.”

17. Mark 1:22; Luke 4:32, “And they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority.”

18. Luke 4:36, “And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, “What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.”

19. b. Jesus had authority to heal sickness, Mat 8:8-10, and to forgive sins, Mat 9:2f.

20. The Jews of that day believed such authority was reserved for God alone. Mat 9:3, 8; Mark 2:7

21. Mat 9:6; Mark 2:10; Luke 5:23, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

22. c. His authority enabled Him to control His own life, John 10:18, to equip and send out His disciples, Mat 28:18, to give eternal life, John 17:2, and to execute judgment, John 5:27.

23. John 5:26-27, “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”

24. John 10:18, “No one has taken it away from Me (speaking of His own life), but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

25. d. Authority has been delegated to Jesus by the Father, John 17:2, though no less complete, Mat 28:18, or authoritative, John 5:27, than the Father Himself.

26. 2. Post Resurrection: Mat 28:18; cf. 1 Cor 15:24-28

27. Mat 28:18, “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

28. 3. Post Ascension: Col 2:9-10; Rev 12:10; 16:9

29. Col 2:9-10, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.”

30. Rev 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power (DUNAMIS), and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”

31. Rev 16:9, “Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power (EXOUSIA), over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.”

32. Ultimately, “all rule, authority, power, and dominion”, Eph 1:21; cf. Col 1:16, are subject to Christ, who is our “head”, Col 2:10; cf. 1 Peter 3:22.

33. Because of this we are assured of the final victory in all struggles against the principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of this age. Eph 6:12

34. Communion

35. Grace Offering

36. Grace Fellowship Church Sunday, August 7, 2011 Tape # 11-088 Authority Designed to Glorify Great High Priestly Prayer, Part 4 John 17:1-2; 1 Peter 2:5-9 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2011