I Know Who You Are
Notes
Transcript
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
I KNOW WHO YOU ARE
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN SOMEWHERE AND YOU CATCH A GLIMPSE OF SOMEONE WHO YOU THINK YOU KNOW - BUT YOU’RE NOT SURE. SO YOU LEAN IN, REPOSITION….TRY TO GET CLOSER … AND TRY TO GET A BETTER LOOK AT THEM…AND EVENTUALLY YOU GET THE ANGLE YOU NEED AND YOU’RE ABLE TO SEE THEIR FACE CLEARLY. YOU’RE ABLE TO SEE THAT EITHER YES YOU DO KNOW THEM OR NO, THAT’S NOT THE PERSON I THOUGHT IT WAS.
IN THIS SCENARIO IT’S THOSE MOMENTS BETWEEN RECOGNITION AND CLARITY THAT CAN FEEL SOMEWHAT EXCITING… YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, “IS THAT MY OLD ROOMMATE? IS THAT MY FORMER TEACHER? IS THAT A FRIEND I HAVEN’T SEEN IN YEARS….. ETC… MAYBE SOME OF THEIR FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS…..SO YOU’RE NOT SURE IF IT’S THEM OR NOT.
MAYBE THEY HAVE MORE GRAY HAIR THEN YOU REMEMBERED…..MAYBE THEY DON’T HAVE HAIR AT ALL AND THE PERSON YOU REMEMBER HAD A FULL HEAD OF HAIR……OR ON THE FLIP-SIDE….. MAYBE YOUR EYESIGHT ISN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE… WHATEVER THE CASE, IT CAN BE FUN TO RUN INTO SOMEONE YOU KNOW IN A PLACE YOU’RE NOT USED TO SEEING THEM. DO I HAVE A WITNESS THIS MORNING.
TODAY, IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, WE WITNESS A POWERFUL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS THAT LEAVES THE PEOPLE PERPLEXED AND THE DEMONS DISTURBED AS THEY RECOGNIZE THE TRUE IDENTITY OF JESUS.
OUR TEXT THIS MORNING EMPHASIZES THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST, THE IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION OF THE DEMONS, AND THE SPREAD OF JESUS’ FAME AS RELATED TO HIS TRUE IDENTITY.
AND LISTEN THIS MORNING MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS….
IT’S ONE THING TO RUN INTO AN OLD FRIEND AT THE WALMART OR FOOD LION….IT’S AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT STORY TO CROSS PATHS WITH THE SAVIOR OF MANKIND…THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.
IS THAT RIGHT….
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE EXPERIENCING AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS
THE GOSPEL OF MARK SPEAKS OF CHRIST LOWLINESS AND DESCRIBES HIM AS A SUFFERING SERVANT…BUT IN OUR TEXT THIS MORNING IT EMPHASIZES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE POWERFUL AUTHORITY OF JESUS AND THE WAY IN WHICH HE MINISTERED TO OTHERS.
YES, JESUS IS GENTLE AND LOWLY, PATIENT AND KIND, BUT HE’S ALSO A KING OF A VERY REAL KINGDOM.
HE CARRIES WITH HIM ALL THE AUTHORITY OF HEAVEN, AND THERE ARE TIMES IN THE GOSPELS WE GET THE SMALL GLIMPSE OF OUR SAVIOR’S TRUE POWER.
IN THIS FIRST CHAPTER OF MARK WE SEE THE BEGINNING OF JESUS’ MINISTRY
BAPTIZED
TEMPTED
CALLED 4 OF HIS DISCIPLES…
TRAVELLED FROM GALILEE TO CAPERNAUM…
THE SUPREMACY OF THE SAVIOR MARK 1:21-22
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
IN THESE OPENING VERSES, WE FIND JESUS IN THE SYNAGOGUE AT CAPERNAUM, TEACHING WITH AN AUTHORITY THAT CAPTIVATES THOSE PRESENT.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ….THE BIBLE DOESN’T TELL US WHAT JESUS WAS PREACHING AND TEACHING ABOUT…AT THE CHURCH THAT MORNING
AS A MATTER OF FACT….IF WE LOOK AT THE TEXT….LET ME SUGGEST THAT JESUS WASN’T EVEN ON THE PROGRAM AS THE GUEST PREACHER….
Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS CAME INTO THE CHURCH AND STARTED PREACHING…
THE PEOPLE ARE NOT MERELY IMPRESSED; THEY ARE ASTONISHED.
IT IS AN AUTHORITY UNLIKE ANYTHING THEY HAVE WITNESSED BEFORE.
THIS AUTHORITY IS ROOTED IN DIVINE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, SETTING JESUS APART AS A TEACHER WITH UNMATCHED INSIGHT INTO THE HEART OF GOD.
THE RESPONSE OF THE PEOPLE IS TELLING – THEIR AMAZEMENT REVEALS THE IMPACT OF ENCOUNTERING THE LIVING WORD OF GOD.
THIS AUTHORITY OF JESUS IN HIS TEACHING IS NOT CONFINED TO THE PAGES OF SCRIPTURE BUT CONTINUES TO ECHO THROUGHOUT THE AGES, TRANSFORMING LIVES AND SHAPING HEARTS.
WE ARE CALLED TO SEEK JESUS WITH HUMBLE AND OPEN HEARTS, ALLOWING HIS AUTHORITY TO FILL EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES.
WE ARE CALLED TO SEE JESUS IN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE, AS THE KING OF A VERY REAL KINGDOM. HE IS LORD.
AND HE’S NOT JUST LORD AND LEADER OF THE CHURCH, HIS AUTHORITY TRANSLATES ACROSS ALL THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS.
AS WE SEE IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY, WHILE THE PEOPLE MARVELED AT THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS, A DIFFERENT KIND OF RECOGNITION WAS UNFOLDING, NOT FROM THOSE IN THE SYNAGOGUE BUT FROM THE SPIRITUAL REALM.
THE DIVINE ONE IS DETECTED MARK 1:23-27
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
IN THIS PORTION OF THE NARRATIVE, AN UN-NAMED MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT DISRUPTS THE JESUS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS SERMON….
WHAT UNFOLDS IS NOT JUST A DISTURBANCE BUT A PROFOUND RECOGNITION OF JESUS' DIVINE IDENTITY.
LOOK AT WHAT THE TEXT SAYS…
saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
THE DEMONS, IN THEIR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF JESUS, REVEAL A SPIRITUAL TRUTH – JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD WITH ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER ALL REALMS, INCLUDING THE DEMONIC.
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHO HE IS, THERE IS NO AMBIGUITY IN THEIR PLEA…“WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US, JESUS OF NAZARETH? HAVE YOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE—THE HOLY ONE OF GOD!”
I HAVE ALWAYS FOUND IT FASCINATING TO NOTE THAT IF YOU LOOK IN MARK’S GOSPEL AND THE OTHER GOSPELS, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FIRST ONES TO FULLY RECOGNIZE THE IDENTITY OF CHRIST IN THE HIDDENNESS OF HIS INCARNATION ARE THE DEMONS.
BEFORE THE PEOPLE RECOGNIZED HIM IN HIS FULLNESS, IT’S THE DEMON OF HELL THAT INSTANTLY RECOGNIZED HIM.
I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN LEARN FROM THIS PORTION OF TEXT….
WE SEE THIS MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH…
IN OTHER WORDS….
HE IS SOMEONE THAT IS STRUGGLING WITH SOMETHING….
IF I CAN MAKE IT REAL WITH YOU THIS MORNING…
HE IS……
A MAN STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION
A PERSON FIGHTING WITH A STRONGHOLD
A BROTHER IN NEED OF DELIVERANCE…
A SISTER THAT IS SEARCHING TO FILL A VOID IN HER LIFE
HE COULD BE SOMEONE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD…SEEKING TO BE SAVED…
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THIS MAN IS IN CHURCH….
HE KNEW THAT IT WAS IN THE CHURCH THAT HE COULD FIND DELIVERANCE…
IN OTHER WORDS, IT WAS BY HEARING THE WORD HE COULD BE TRANSFORMED….
WE DON’T KNOW WHO WILL COME THROUGH THE DOORS OF 201 WAYNE STREET IN NEED OF DELIVERANCE
SO WE MUST BE WILLING TO WELCOME AND INVITE THOSE WHO DON’T LOOK LIKE US….
WE MUST BE WILLING TO BE WARM TO ALL WHO COME INTO THE CHURCH…
JESUS’ RESPONSE BACK;
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
JESUS RESPONDS WITH A COMMAND THAT REVEALS HIS AUTHORITY OVER THE SPIRITUAL FORCES.
THERE ARE SOME READERS OF THIS TEXT WHO BELIEVE THAT THIS NARRATIVE IS ABOUT A MAN WHO HAS A MENTAL ILLNESS, AND ALTHOUGH MENTAL ILLNESS IS A REAL PROBLEM IN OUR SOCIETY, IT’S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE READER UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAN WITH AN UNCLEAN SPIRIT IS NOT SOMEONE WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS…..
THERE ARE EXAMPLES IN THE SCRIPTURE WHERE PEOPLE HAVE MEDICAL PROBLEMS…..SUCH AS BLINDNESS, AND JESUS CURES THEM SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE AGAIN…..
• GOD CAN HELP US WITH OUR MENTAL ISSUES, THROUGH MEDICATION
• JUST AS MEDICATION CAN HELP WITH OUR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, OR DIABETES, OR OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES
• JESUS KNEW THE MAN IN THE SYNAGOGUE NEEDED MORE THAN A PILL
• JESUS KNEW THE MAN NEEDED MORE THAN – PROZAC – ZOLOFT -
• JESUS KNEW THE MAN IN THE SYNAGOGUE WAS POSSESSED BY DEMONS
AS WE FACE OUR OWN SPIRITUAL BATTLES, WE CAN FIND COMFORT AND STRENGTH IN THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS TO BREAK CHAINS AND SET CAPTIVES FREE.
HE IS THE LORD OF ALL THINGS, ABLE TO IMPACT EVERY SITUATION.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE THAT THERE CAN’T BE A TESTIMONY WITHOUT A TEST.
THE TRUTH IS, ONCE WE’VE EXPERIENCED THE POWER OF GOD IN SUCH A PROFOUND WAY, WE CANNOT HELP BUT TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT. WE CANNOT HELP BUT POINT PEOPLE TO GOD WHEN THEY ASK, “HOW ON EARTH DID YOU MANAGE?
HOW DID YOU MAKE IT THROUGH?”
IT’S IN THIS WAY THAT THE FAME AND GLORY OF JESUS SPREADS.
THE FAME OF THE JESUS (MARK 1:28
28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
FOLLOWING THE MIRACULOUS ENCOUNTER IN THE SYNAGOGUE, NEWS ABOUT JESUS' TEACHING AND AUTHORITY SPREADS LIKE WILDFIRE THROUGHOUT THE LAND.
THIS PUBLIC EXORCISM WOULD HAVE UNDERSTANDABLY BEEN THE “TALK OF THE TOWN”...THE PEOPLE, MOVED BY THE AMAZING WORKS OF CHRIST CANNOT HELP BUT SHARE WHAT HE’S DONE.
WHAT WE MUST REALIZE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IS THAT JESUS DID NOT COME TO GAIN ANY FAME
…AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT IS WHY JESUS HAD TO SILENCE THE MAN WITH THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT AND REBUKE THE SPIRIT
ALL THE WHILE, CONTRIBUTING TO THE GROWING FAME OF THE SAVIOR, AND THE MURMURS THROUGHOUT THE LAND THAT THE MESSIAH HAD FINALLY ARRIVED.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT MUST’VE BEEN A CAPTIVATING SEASON… WHISPERS OF A SAVIOR… DEMONS BEING CAST OUT… PEOPLE GETTING SET FREE AND HEALED.
AS MUCH AS HIS POWERFUL PREACHING AND OBVIOUS AUTHORITY IMPACTED PEOPLE, IT WAS THE MIRACULOUS NATURE OF JESUS’ MINISTRY THAT REALLY FUELED THE PROVERBIAL FIRE.
EVEN THE DEMONS KNEW WHO HE WAS, AND THEY ASK HIM ABOUT HIS TIMING AND INTENTIONS.
“WHAT BUSINESS DO YOU HAVE WITH US? HAVE YOU COME TO DESTROY US?”
THEY SEEMED TO KNOW THAT SOMETHING WAS UP, AND THEIR INTERACTIONS GIVE US INCREDIBLE INSIGHT INTO THE AUTHORITY AND VERACITY OF JESUS, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
IN THIS SMALL SECTION OF SCRIPTURE JUST HOW MANY TIMES THE WORDS IMMEDIATELY, AMAZING, AND AUTHORITY ARE USED.
WE SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE BOOK OF MARK, BUT IT ALSO IS A REMINDER TO US TODAY THAT JESUS IS AMAZING.
HE IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY AND HAS ALL POWER TO DO ALL THINGS……WE SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE GOSPELS
IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE, CHAPTER 4, JESUS IS WORSHIPING AT THE SYNAGOGUE, WHEN HE IS HANDED A SCROLL FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH. HE OPENS IT, AND THEN READS THIS;
“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME,
BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME
TO PROCLAIM GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR.
HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR THE PRISONERS
AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT FOR THE BLIND,
TO SET THE OPPRESSED FREE,
TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR.”
THEN HE ROLLED UP THE SCROLL, GAVE IT BACK TO THE ATTENDANT AND SAT DOWN. THE EYES OF EVERYONE IN THE SYNAGOGUE WERE FASTENED ON HIM. HE BEGAN BY SAYING TO THEM, “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING.” - LUKE 4:18-21
TODAY, THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN OUR HEARING AS WELL.
JESUS IS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY OVER HEAVEN AND EARTH… IN MATTHEW 28 JESUS EVEN SAYS, “ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME…” HE IS OUR KING AND HE IS WORKING ON OUR BEHALF.
TODAY, LET US EMBRACE THE TRUTH THAT JESUS IS THE ONE WHO HOLDS AMAZING AUTHORITY, THE ONE WHOM EVEN THE SPIRITUAL FORCES ACKNOWLEDGE.
LET US BE LIKE THE PEOPLE IN CAPERNAUM, BE AMAZED AT JESUS AND BOLDLY PROCLAIM HIS NAME, FOR HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.
JESUS KNOWS WHO WE ARE, BUT DO WE RECOGNIZE HIM AND HIS WORK IN OUR LIVES? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE……
DO WE FOLLOW THE SIGNS BACK TO CHRIST AND TRUST HIS DIVINE APPOINTMENT AND AUTHORITY?
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU SAINTS…….BUT I KNOW WHO JESUS IS…….
--I AM GLAD THIS MORNING THAT JESUS CAN CLEAN US UP
--I AM GLAD THIS MORNING JESUS STILL HAS ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY
--I AM GLAD TODAY THAT WE ARE COVERED BY HIS MERCY AND HIS GRACE