When Demons Tremble (Mk. 1:21-45)

Introduction

· Please turn to Mark 1

· Review – The Messiah King Arrives. Testified by John the Baptist, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. His victory over Sin and Satan, and that succeeded where the first Adam failed.

· At the conclusion of our time last week, Jesus made a statement. “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” It is an invitation. But it is more than that. It is a command. He doesn’t say, “Hey guys, would you like to follow me?” Or “How about if you follow me a little while?” No, it is a call to faith. A call to surrender. A call to imitation. A call to obedience.

· It’s rather a bold statement. Only someone with great authority would have the right to make such a statement. How do we know Jesus has the right?

· In this passage, we will see Jesus demonstrate His authority in three different areas, thus proving He has authority to speak into our lives as well – His authority over doctrine, over demons, and over disease.

· >>Let’s first consider Jesus’ authority over doctrine…

Authority Over Doctrine (21-22)

· Look at the text with me. (Read vv. 21-22)

· Capernaum (v. 21) – a harbor extended along a half-mile promenade and was supported by an 8-foot high seawall. Piers extended from the promenade a hundred feet into the lake. Many in the town were fishermen, but also farmers, artisans, merchants, Roman soldiers, and tax collectors. Population of up to 10,000. – Sitting at Sea Pal Restaurant in Fort Bragg, watching the boats and hearing the local fisherman, I thought, “This is Capernaum!” Just a run of the mill sea town.

· Synagogue (v. 21) – the assembly place. No mention in OT. Probably started after the return to the Promised Land following the exile in Babylon. – See photos of Capernaum synagogue. The reading of both the Law and the Prophets was a central element in the synagogue service. The scrolls of Scripture were kept in a receptacle called an ark, which was generally raised above the floor level and located on the wall facing the Temple Mount. In the center of the synagogue was an elevated platform (bîmâ) upon which stood a reading desk. Worshipers sat on wooden seats surrounding the bîmâ. The Scripture was read from a standing position but explained from a sitting position.

· Scribes (v. 22) – copyists, professors, experts in the law. Quote different Rabbis. Traditions of the elders (7:4). Recorded in Mishna. E.g. what to do in cleaning the table after dinner on the Sabbath? Moed 1 Shabbat Ch. 21. The School of Shammai says; One may remove bones and [nut] shells from the table [since the bones are edible for dogs and the shells for cattle, they are therefore not muktzah (set aside, not to be moved)]; but the School of Hillel rule; One lifts the whole table board and shakes it [since the table board is considered a vessel and is not muktzah; however, the bones or shells themselves, are indeed muktzah. … One may remove crumbs from the table [even if] less than the size of an olive and the pods of peas and lentils, because they are [useful as] food for animals [and not muktzah].

· Example of Jesus’ teaching – the Sermon on the Mount

· Crowd’s response – astonished! (v. 22) flabbergasted. Rocked their world. It had a jarring effect. This was earth-shattering stuff.

· My experience at a Bible conference years ago (CSBC). Lot of story-telling. Lot of psychology. Lot of humor. Lot of emotion. Something was lacking. Not a lot of Bible. Then one speaker (Walter Price) got up and delivered a short devotional. It was unlike anything else.

· Our authority as Christians never comes from ourselves, but from the word of God. Implications for talking with unbelievers, leading Bible study, attending Bible study.

· >>As the crowds sat and listened to Jesus, they were utterly amazed. They were stunned and likely speechless. But the service didn’t stay silent for long. Suddenly, there was a rude disruption. Read vv. 23-28.

Authority Over Demons (23-28)

· Unclean spirit (23) – polluted, contaminated; ungodly. Synonymous with demon.

· Two extremes we must avoid – denial and obsession.

· A brief history, theology of demons. Their origin. Their current activity. Their hierarchy. Their future doom.

· It is this last point that seems to strike terror in this unclean spirit.

· Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

· Lk. 8:29 cf. Mk 5:6-12 “they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.”

· “Leave me alone!”

· An accurate description of Jesus. We might even say this demon was a good theologian – i.e. he had right doctrine. He knows his theology better than a lot of Christians. Cf. even the demons believe – and tremble! (James 1).

· Truth must travel down from your head to your heart. The 18 inches from here to here is the largest distance in the universe, and will mean the difference between heaven and hell.

· Let us make sure first of all we have good doctrine, but let us then make sure we have believed that doctrine, allowed it to sink down deep, and to humble and change us.

· This demon has incredible power over this man, and yet Jesus treats him as though he is nothing but a bug to be squashed. With a single sentence, he clamps the jaws of this ferocious lion and sends him away like a screeching kitten.

· There are places of deep spiritual darkness today. Let us remember Jesus is still at work. Our responsibility: prayer, discernment, evangelism.

· >>Had this happened only once, it would be enough to convince us of the power and authority of Jesus, and that he is worthy of being followed, but the remaining verses in this chapter teach us that this happened on multiple occasions -- even multiple occasions on the same day. In the remainder of this chapter, we see Jesus’…

Authority Over Disease

· Read vv. 29-35

· “and there he prayed” (v. 35) – it has been said that “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will prioritize it for you.”

· Read vv. 36-45

· Whatever you think of our current health care system, you have to admit we live in an age of incredible medical advancement. It wasn’t that long ago that whole cities would be wiped out by measles, typhoid fever, and diphtheria. That infant mortality rates hovered around 50%. 100 years ago, 1 out of 10 children died before their first birthday. The average life span in 1900 was 47 years old. Now it’s almost 80 years old. We are blessed in our country with unprecedented standards of sanitation. Immunizations. Anesthesia. Earlier detection of disease. Hospitals. Blood transfusions. Medications. Antibiotics. Surgical procedures. My son had open heart surgery when he was only two, then was sent home the second day on children’s Tylenol!!!

· Overall, people are living longer and healthier lives. It’s both a blessing and a curse. People used to live until their 40s or 50s, now we’re living into our 80s and 90s. We are living much longer, but suffering the aches and pains and diseases of getting older as this mortal body gradually wears down. Oh how we long for our glorified bodies, which are imperishable and will never fade away!

· Despite all this health care, nothing compares to what Jesus was doing! He was putting doctors out of business. He carried no stethoscope. He required no x-ray machine or blood tests. He knew exactly what was wrong with each patient, and He had the authority to make them completely better. It took only a word, just a touch.

· These miracles are just a sampling. This is the “highlight reel.” v. 34.

· John 21:25 “Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

· Now perhaps you’re wondering why Jesus told the demon and the leper to be quiet. Didn’t He want people to know who He was? This is an interesting question, and one that we’ll have to save for another day.

Conclusion

· For now, let us reflect on the fact that Christ has absolute authority over doctrine, over demons, and over disease.

· And that same authority is at work today. Do you remember the Great Commission in Matt. 28? “Go therefore and make disciples” or we could switch the order. “Therefore Go.” The word “therefore” means the statement coming up is linked to something said previously. A good rule of interpretation is whenever you see the word “therefore,” ask the question: “What is the therefore, there for?” In the case of Matt. 28, Do you remember what Jesus says? “All authority has been given to me, therefore go and make disciples.”