1. Please pray with me. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock, and our Redeemer. Amen. The message from God’s Word this 5th Sunday after Epiphany is taken from Mark 1:29-39 and is entitled, “Preaching That Breaks Through the Darkness,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
2. “He’s a one-trick pony,” they sometimes say about an employee or entertainer or athlete who only does one thing well. Like maybe a placekicker—he’s only even on the field for a few plays each game. But what if he always makes the game-winning field goal, maybe even to win a Super Bowl or two? Well, then they say, “Yeah, he’s a one-trick pony. But if the trick is talking, that’s a pretty good pony!” Jesus certainly wasn’t a one-trick pony. In today’s Gospel, he’s already healed all manner of diseases and cast out countless demons (Mk 1:29–34). The crowds will later say that “he has done all things well” (7:37). And finally, he’ll go to the cross for our salvation. But at this point, he knows it’s time to focus on just one thing. He says, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out” (1:38). Talking, preaching, isn’t the only thing Jesus did well. But his preaching, like Christian preaching today, actually delivers forgiveness of sins, comfort in suffering, and eternal life. For one thing, that’s pretty good!
3. Disease, demon possession, and darkness, that is the context for this reading from the beginning of Mark’s gospel. Peter’s mother-in-law was sick (v. 30), and many others suffered various diseases (v. 32, 34). A man in the synagogue was oppressed by an unclean spirit (v. 23-26) and he was not alone (v. 32, 34). The darkness which followed sundown (v. 32) wasn’t simply literal. It summarized the spiritual and physical condition of a creation corrupted by sin. This was the world into which Jesus was beginning His ministry. The direct temptation of the Devil (v. 12-13) was only the beginning.
4. But, Jesus wasn’t intimidated. Undeterred by the Devil, disease, the demons, or the darkness, He went on the offensive. With recently gathered followers by His side (v. 16-20), He taught in the synagogue with authority (v. 22, 27). With the crowds paying close attention, He exercised lordship over the physical and spiritual forces of evil. His rule was clear for everyone to see, and His fame began to spread (v. 28). Then, after a night of wrestling power from the Devil, the prince of this world, Jesus withdrew to a desolate place for conversation with the Father.
5. It was predictable for the people to still be seeking Him the next morning (v. 36-37). He was breaking the darkness, as several hymns put it. The people were increasing with hope. But, Jesus had other things in mind. He informed His disciples that He wouldn’t stick around and satisfy every appeal in town. R.T. France describes what this meant: “Here for the first time, we meet a recurrent theme of the gospel, that of the difference between Jesus’ programme and His disciples’ (and still more other people’s) expectations. It is not just that He is one step ahead of them; His whole conception of how God’s kingship is to be made effective is quite different from theirs. While they would naturally pursue the normal human policy of taking advantage of popularity and building on success on their own home ground, following Jesus will increasingly involve them in having to learn a new orientation” (The Gospel of Mark, NIGTC, 111).
6. And what is Jesus’ “programme” in Mark’s gospel? What is His conception of, “How is God’s kingship made effective?” It would happen through preaching. “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach (κηρύξω) there also, for that is why I came out” (v. 38). Here Jesus makes explicit the nature of His mission. He has come not to heal or cast out demons for a select few in a single location, but to preach, and to preach to more and more people.
7. “Preaching” in our context often connotes moralistic criticism. “Don’t preach at me!” “Practice what you preach!” But κηρύσσω, means: “Announce,” “Proclaim out loud,” or “Make known.” Jesus has come to make an announcement. And what does He announce? Mark doesn’t spell it out here, but the Centurion at the cross makes it known, as do the demons: “Surely, this man was the Son of God” (15:39; 3:11-12; see also Mark 1:1).
8. As the Son of God and Lord over creation, Jesus was demonstrating His divine authority and sovereign rule in this text. Demonstrations would continue throughout His ministry. They would culminate in the ultimate sign of His lordship on Easter morning. The announcement of His resurrection would provide life and salvation which exceeded even the temporary healings and exorcisms described in our text.
9. The world is still dark. It is still filled with disease. The Devil and the demons still tempt and oppress. Much like the people in verse 37 of our text, we have come to worship this weekend looking for Jesus. We are looking for help and healing. We look for the Lord to rule graciously over our particular struggles with darkness. But, often, Jesus seems to depart for other towns. He seems to leave us in the darkness and without deliverance. But the preaching continues! The announcement goes forth. That is how Jesus continues coming to town after town, even to our own. Through Pastors today, Jesus proclaims His victory over all the forces of darkness. Through the preaching of His Word, Jesus makes known and spreads forth the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation for you.
10. It’s easy to list the usual suspects of darkness that we are currently facing—the pandemic, social unrest, political dysfunction, and economic uncertainty. But there is other darkness that we deal with: doubts sown by the Devil, family relationships sick with selfishness, and the internal demons of fear, suspicion, or jealousy. Jesus has come to defeat these, too. He has come to forgive, restore, comfort, and encourage. And when He returns, He will break the darkness once and for all. That is the promise that He has called His Church to preach. This is how Jesus’ mission continues in our community.
11. This life is very often not pretty, not comfortable, not fun. People look for comfort. People hunt high and low for every way to cope with trouble in life, and they light upon something that they think will turn things around. An adulterous relationship, a bottle, gambling, clothing, makeovers, food, shopping sprees, travel, philosophy, endless entertainment—vanity, vanity, vanity. Looking for consolation in these things not only doesn’t help but very often makes the problem worse. It may deaden the pain temporarily, but it doesn’t console. Our Lord brings us something more.
12. “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Jesus our Savior said that. He served Simon’s mother-in-law with his life. She received it, and then she got up to serve others. What better way to understand your life? What better way to understand what takes place in this Divine Service and then what takes place out there, in that world where you will walk? Jesus serves you, here. He serves you through the Word, the preached Word that you hear. At this altar where he gives you his body and blood. He consoles you with his resurrection and sends you out to serve your fellow man. The great fever of your sin is not on you. You are forgiven. Your shame has been removed, your guilt atoned for. You are embraced by the Father, through the Son, in the Spirit. You have been made new in Christ’s blood.
13. On the holy cross, as Jesus bore the weight of man’s horrible deeds, there was none to comfort him. Sacred head, horribly wounded, with grief and shame weighed down. In that act, in that sacrifice, your eternal comfort was in view. To bless you and sustain you, Jesus died. To console you in whatever grief this world brings, the Lord of heaven and earth died. Receiving his consolation, we mount up with courage, strength, fortitude, and hope. His consolation provides momentum; we walk toward heaven, each day closer to consolation in a cup that runneth over. We shall run in this life, the race marked out for us; we shall run and not be weary. We walk toward heaven. We will not faint. Jesus our Savior is with us. Amen. Now the peace of God that passes all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.
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