Monday, January 30, 2012

“The Authority of Jesus” (Mark 1:21–28) 4th Sunday after Epiphany, Jan. 29th, ’12 Series B



1.                  Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word this 4th Sunday after the Epiphany comes to us from Mark 1:21-28.  In our text from Mark’s Gospel this morning we see that the LORD’s promise to Moses that He would raise up “a Prophet” like him came true in the person and work of Jesus.  But, Jesus is more than a prophet of the Scriptures. He’s the Word of God in human flesh, and He speaks “a new teaching with authority” (Mark 1:22, 27). He enters the synagogue of His Church and provides true Sabbath rest, using His authority to cast out even demons (Mark 1:21–27). By His Word of the Cross He removes the accusations of the law and of the devil, and He cleanses our consciences before God the Father.  The message from God’s Word this morning is entitled, “The Authority of Jesus,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2.                  My favorite quote from Martin Luther comes from the preface to the Large Catechism where Luther writes, “Therefore, I again beg all Christians—especially pastors and preachers—not to think of themselves as doctors too soon and imagine that they know everything… Instead, they should daily exercise themselves well in these studies and constantly use them. Furthermore, they should guard with all care and diligence against the poisonous infection of contentment and vain imagination, but steadily keep on reading, teaching, learning, pondering, and meditating on the catechism. And they should not stop until they have tested and are sure that they have taught the devil to death, and have become more learned than God Himself and all His saints.[1]
3.                  Did you notice in that last line of Luther’s that it is important that we as Christians teach the devil to death?  What do you suppose that Luther means by that quote?  I think he means that we as Christians need to be diligent in our studying and meditating on Holy Scripture and the catechism so that we may be prepared to stand against the attacks of the evil one, Satan.  For Scripture calls the Devil a prowling lion seeking that which he may devour.  This is why we support our Lutheran Elementary grade schools and High Schools.  Do you see what a wonderful gift to the church schools like Unity Lutheran in East St. Louis, St. John Red Bud, Trinity in Prairie, and Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School are?  These schools are training grounds for our children to learn, study, and meditate on the Word of God, that sword of the Spirit, to enable them to fight off the attacks of the devil.
4.                  Luther believed in the existence of Satan and his attacks on our consciences tempting us to sin.  Many theologians deny the possibility of demon possession then and now. It’s true that we today do not identify many such cases. Maybe the trouble is with us, we fail to recognize them. But we also know that Satan and his demons are wise to adapt themselves to the times. Today we find their power displayed in the human attempts to undermine Scripture and its teachings. False doctrine, cults, pagan religions, science that rejects Scripture—all these are the working of Satan. Since they attack us on all sides, we too need to turn to Christ and to the Scriptures for refuge. Jesus, the Holy One of God, points us to the Scriptures and testifies, “Your Word is truth” (John 17:17).
5.                  We see in our text from God’s Word this morning that the devil is real and very much among us in Mark 1:21–28,21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”
6.                  What Jesus’ specific message was on this Sabbath day, Mark doesn’t tell us.  But, he does tell us about the impression Jesus’ preaching made on the worshipers. They were amazed, for Jesus didn’t teach as the teachers of the law did. They always referred to the interpretations of past rabbis and were particularly skillful at breaking down God’s Word into a number of legalistic regulations.   But, Jesus always proclaimed the gospel of God. He quoted no experts but proclaimed the good news on His own authority. This was one of the first lessons the disciples had to learn that in Jesus they were face-to-face with the final authority. For us too Christ is more than just a wise teacher or a model on which to pattern our lives. He’s the one who in word and deed reveals to us the undeserved love of God for sinners incorporated in His own person. His is the final word.
7.                  It’s not at all surprising that Satan wasn’t ready to let such a message and a preacher go unchallenged. It was the devil who caused a man in that synagogue to cry out against Jesus, for it’s clear that this man wasn’t speaking for himself. He couldn’t by his own power have known what he said about Christ. However, Satan and the evil spirit that possessed this man knew who Jesus of Nazareth was and what his purpose was. They knew he was the Son of God and that he had come to destroy Satan’s hold over mankind. With his words Satan revealed himself wiser than many modern theologians. This knowledge did him no spiritual good; it only filled him with fear and trembling. He knew that he faced hell and the gospel wasn’t meant for him.
8.                  The demon was afraid of Jesus because he knew that Jesus is the holy one of God.  Nothing strikes more terror into the heart of God’s creatures, which includes you and me for we are God’s creatures too, than to be in the presence of the holy.  We will see this throughout the Gospel of Mark.  When the holiness of Jesus is revealed, the immediate response of the people is fear and dread.  You and I fear the holy because we’re sinful and unclean.  We sin against God and our neighbor in thought, word, and deed.  We take God’s name in vain, we swear, curse, and lie, we fail to worship God and serve Him only.  We fail to love our neighbor through our words and actions.  And when we’re brought into the presence of the holiness of God, as Peter was (Luke 5:8), we say, “Depart from us, for we are sinful people.”  This is why the demon screamed when Jesus came into his presence.
9.                  These words of the demon, “Have you come to destroy us?” confess a challenge to you and me, sinners that we are.  As you come to Jesus of Nazareth, the Holy One of God, Jesus says to you, “Be silent and come to Me, and I will give you rest.”  What destruction did the flood of Baptism ravage upon you as the Holy One of God came to drown your old sinful flesh and raise you to new life in Him?  What destruction does the public announcement that your sins are forgiven work upon your sins to destroy their power and silence your fears?  Freeing destruction!  And what destruction does the Lord’s Supper work upon you, where your sins are exchanged for Jesus and His righteousness, and you are left with the peaceful silence and reconciled to God almighty?  Nourishing destruction!  For in Christ, your old sinful self is crucified and you are raised to newness of life in Him, both now and for eternity.
10.              Jesus’ authoritative teaching and power over the unclean spirits created a stir among those who saw and heard Him in the early days of His ministry. Today, we see the same thing. People continue to be interested in and even amazed by Jesus’ teaching, and yet many fail to depend on Him for life and salvation. But, by the power of His authoritative Word and Spirit, you and I are brought and kept in saving faith and life.  Thanks be to God!  Amen.



[1] Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (355–356). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

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