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the supernaturalist Daniel Patz, Lead Pastor Grace Church, Sunday Worship Mark 1:21-28 October 30th, 2011
Mark 1:21-28 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.
INTRODUCTION Connection of this topic and tomorrow (Oct 31 – Halloween) There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. (Lewis, The Screwtape Letters) OBSERVATIONS and INTERPRETATIONS – What does the text say and mean? The Text: In this text we see three things happen: 1. Jesus Teaches with Authority – (21-22) 2. Jesus Exorcises a Demon from a Man (23-26) 3. Jesus Leaves Everyone in Awe (27-28)
1. Jesus Teaches with Authority 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. Jesus enters the port city of Capernaum and goes into the synagogue on the Sabbath. We read about this in Luke 4: (here we see Jesus first went to His own Nazareth) Luke 4:14-21 ESV And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. (15) And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (16) And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. (17) And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, (18) "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, (19) to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (20) And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. (21) And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Unlike the Scribes who were giving their own opinion on the interpretation of the Law, Jesus astounds the people with his teaching. Authority comes out in the words of Jesus that is clear to all. It says he taught with “authority.” This is where we get the word “author.” Maybe it could be compared to this: Imagine if I was in a room right next to the famous author John Grisham and I was to give a lecture on the meaning behind all of his books. You might nod and yawn. Then after I was done, he stood up and gave a lecture on the meaning of His Books. He would speak with a real authority. What a contrast!
2. Jesus Exorcises a Demon from a Man (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. Right in the middle of His teaching a demon-possessed man (called an unclean spirit) confronts Jesus in the synagogue. NOTE: Notice that he meets a demon in a “holy place.” It is the demon that talks to Jesus not the possessed man. He speaks in the plural and calls Jesus by his common name and His divine name. · Jesus of Nazareth · Holy One of God It is possible that what the demon was doing was seeking to exercise authority and power over Jesus by using His name…almost like a spell. The demon is no match for Jesus. Jesus rebukes the demon and demands that it leave the person. 3. Jesus Leaves Everyone in Awe (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. Everyone was impressed by His teaching but it was taken to a new level when they see Jesus speak and a man is transformed by the removing of a demon. It is said that His fame spread everywhere through the country of Galilee because of this event.
THREE IMPORTANT REALITIES 1. The supernatural is real. Note what happens here. Jesus talks to an unclean spirit – a demon. This demon is invisible to everyone until he confronts Jesus. This demon terrorizes this man. Jesus talks to the demon and the demon has no choice but to obey. We must understand that there is a world around us that is invisible but is just as real as this pulpit. There are demons and angels. Satan is not a myth that just laughed about at Halloween. That is why the fairy tales that we read to our children have more reality to them than the books about Tom and Sally selling lemonade. They are more real to the world because we live in a world where the unseen is present just unseen. We live in a world with magic. The New Testament is all about this reality. The Gospel of Mark brings us right into this reality. It causes us to face the truth about the devil and demons. Naturalism is a false belief by many unbelievers. It is this: the conviction that nothing exists apart from the natural, the material, the biological order. There is no personal God and there certainly are no angels and demons. Only matter exists, only what they call nature, hence naturalism. (Rayburn) Unfortunately, Bible-believing people are practical naturalists. We live in ways as though we don’t believe it really exists—both the power of God or the power of the evil One. Mark’s Gospel shows us the supernatural by looking at the spiritual world of demons and the Devil. We see it several times in these first few chapters in a greater way. Ephesians 6 says: Ephesians 6:11-12 ESV Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (12) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Peter wrote: 1 Peter 5:8 ESV Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
2. We alone are no match for the Devil and demons. In this story we see the demon possessed man and he is no match for the demon. This is also seen vividly in chapter 5 where a man is by a cave and is possessed. Mark 5:2-5 ESV And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. (3) He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, (4) for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. (5) Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. We don’t know a lot about demons accept this: …evil spirits exist, that they are the agents of the Devil, their prince, that they are workers of evil in the world, and that, at least at some times, they have had the power to take physical possession of a person. (Robert Rayburn) In the Gospel’s we see this very often. People are no match for the Devil or His demons. They are being controlled and they have no power in and of themselves. (See 1:23-26; 32) The great example of this reality is seen in the Garden of Eden – Man’s first disobedience. The fall. Martin Luther wrote: A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing: For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe; His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate, On earth is not his equal. Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
3. The Devil and demons are no match for Jesus. But Jesus is the great dragon-slayer. In this passage he commands and the demons have no choice but to comply: Mark 1:25-27 ESV 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." In the story of chapter 5 (the man by the cave), we read: Mark 5:6-8 ESV And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. (7) And crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me." (8) For he was saying to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!" We see in this story and through the Gospels Jesus confronting the evil spirits, the demons, and having full authority over them. In this story they declare a word that is prophetic – are you hear to destroy us? Yes He was there to destroy them – 1 John 3:8b (“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”) There is no true struggle or resistance from the demons when they are confronted by Jesus. In 7:30 Jesus is able to cast out demons from a distance. Jesus is the true warrior who will come into the Strong man’s house (Mark 3:27) and bind Him and blunder the house of the enemy. This should give us great confidence and encouragement in our facing the reality of the supernatural. The supernatural is real, it is scary and it is secure for us in Christ.
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing; Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing: Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He; Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same, And He must win the battle.
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us: The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him; His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure, One little word shall fell him.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth; The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth: Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also; The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever. Colossians 2:15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
APPLICATIONS – What does this text mean for me today and what should I do? - Wake up to the reality of the supernatural. - Understand properly our limitations and weakness. - Look trustingly to Jesus who is our protector.
Close with the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6. The Syrian army comes to the city of Dothan to kill Elisha and the servant is terrified when he sees the city surrounded by the enemy armies. Elisha asks God to open His eyes to see what is real – the power of God in the hosts of heaven surrounding the enemies.
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