Changing Lives

Mark 1:21–28 NRSV

21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “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 with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus goes where nobody else goes

We see it again and again in the gospels. Sometimes its physically going to where needy people are, seeking them out and ministering to them. Sometimes, like today, it’s addressing their needs in a regular setting. The trouble came right into the synagogue and the man was not himself.

But Jesus saw how much this man was in the grip of darkness and spoke with authority into his need.

Teaching with Authority

in Jesus’ day many teachers were hesitant to speak out. Perhaps they were so worried about how Rome would respond. But powerful teaching was not common.

In our day, it’s a little different. First of all, we are not Jesus. Talking louder and deeper doesn’t make a message more authoritative it makes it more authoritarian. That’s not the same. In general I would say we have too many people teaching as if they had too much authority in our day. TV preachers with giant Bibles, loud voices and sacred opinions on everything, especially politics have filled peoples’ minds with great assurance; at least people who have not read the Bible very much. These preachers prey on the lazy listener. Scripture is quoted as a pretext but the subtext is very much the current culture wars. Like I’ve been talking about: Just enough Jesus to get you amped up to take a certain political action. Or even in the most crazy example: storm the capitol building. Obviously that was not of God.

The authority came from the person of who Jesus is. If there is authority in preaching today it is found in preaching Jesus and pointing to him and his glory.

And Jesus wasn’t trying to be a tough guy. He wasn’t a bully. He was taking care of bullies who had ruled this man’s mind and heart for far too long. He spoke healing into this man’s life with a few words.

I won’t try to duplicate his actions here today. But Jesus did say we would do greater things. I think he means for us to lean in and bring help when there is trouble. We can be bold to pray for those in need. We can call it sin, when that’s what it is. We can remind people of Jesus’ healing power and his love. He is strong to deliver. We believe in healing. We believe in ministering to people with deep needs who are open to it.

So I focus on teaching Jesus. He is my authority. I must submit to him and I must seek to glorify him to the best of my ability.

When Jesus taught it was refreshing and powerful and healing. People noticed the difference. So we pray that people will experience that difference even today.

People said Wow when they heard and saw Jesus at work. It says that his fame began to spread...

His Fame began to Spread

Now how do you suppose that happened? Did he hire the best PR firm in Jerusalem? NO. Did he use mass hypnosis? No. But it was very simple. He empowered people to change their lives. Those people and the people who saw it happen simply told their neighbors and friends and family about it.

Are you old enough to remember the Faberge shampoo commerical? I told two friends and they told two friends, and so on and so on…

Word of mouth works. So telling others does spread the fame of Jesus. Think about that. We all have a part to play, even the man who was delivered that day. The video of his testimony went viral! Well the equivalent of that in those days. Today how can we be creative in spreading the fame of Jesus?

Everyone who hears the teaching can sense the power and their need for it. So let’s be people who seek to spread the fame about Jesus. I don’t need to be famous, neither do you. I don’t know anyone who’s famous that it hasn’t made their life so much more complicated. I have to admit I don’t understand local pastors who travel to speak to people they don’t know on a regular basis. Not that nobody could be called to this, but how do you separate what is for Jesus’ fame and what is for your own brand? I don’t want those problems. Now some people are called to travel all the time and that’s different. But again with that life comes a particular challenge. You can be famous and lose it all. You can be rather unknown outside your own community and still be used to change a surprising number of lives. You can teach others who will teach others. OR keep it simple: you can tell others who will tell others.

The bottom line is this: our success isn’t measured by how famous we become. Our success is measured by how famous JESUS becomes. Amen? How famous is Jesus in your life and influence?

The people there that day were all amazed.

They were all amazed...

Because a life was changed by Jesus. Last week Jesus extended the invitation: I’ll make you fish for people. I’m sure they all had an image in their minds of what that would look like: But I would guess that none of them had this scene in mind. Yet evidently, it’s the first place Jesus takes them. He wants them to see that even troubled lives need love and attention and God stands ready to do it.

Part of the process is simple: what all of us can always do is tell people what Jesus means to us and what he has done for us and for others we know. All of us can always do that.

But when we get the chance to really influence others it gets nuanced.

1 Corinthians 8:7–13 NRSV

7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

We aren’t called to live legalistic lives that bind people up. We have freedom and liberty in Christ. We shouldn’t go around constantly having anxiety that we might fall into sin. On the other hand we are called to live holy lives. We are called to keep growing and leave old ways behind. But what if something was never a problem for you? You might think it’s ok to do something.

Sometimes it’s silly like what happens with roommates at a Christian college. On Sunday morning they each decide the other is terrible sinner. One makes their bed and the other doesn’t. The one says: it’s the Lord’s day so I’m going to honor him by making my bed: look at that slob leaving a mess even on the Lord’s day. But another says: it’s a day of rest so on this day I leave my bed unmade to remind me that today is about God not my good works that give me pride. Look at that prideful roommate of mine doing work and making his bed on Sunday.

Ok we can work around the bed making conundrum but with others the stakes are higher: drinking. smoking. swearing. These are things that a lot of people say: well maybe we shouldn’t do them to excess but a little never hurt anyone. But then we learned about alcoholism. Then we learned about second hand smoke—others can get sick from our actions.

Paul is not talking about being a vegan here. He’s talking about considering how his actions affect others. He’s not obsessive about it, but he is passionate about it. He’s willing to give things up that he thinks are fine if it would keep others from falling. I remember a student at college standing up in front of a group and saying she had never felt convicted about drinking until she read this passage. When she thought about the number of people she knew about who’s lives had been ruined by drinking it moved her. When she thought about how her influence might guide someone else who was vulnerable to alcoholism to try it, she was convicted. So that morning she said I’m deciding here today that i’m not going to drink anymore because I don’t want to lead others astray...

If we want to see change in people’s lives it may mean there needs to be some change in ours. The newly called disciples had to make arrangements to be there at the synagogue that day. They were trying to arrange their time to be available to be where others would be: at church or even online today to help others. This passage reminds us that other changes might be needed for our lives to impact others. So rather than building our brand maybe we could invest in our walk with God and growing closer to Him. Keep that sense of liberty in your walk, but also remember the law of love:

N.T. Wright said it this way:

Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians Respecting Weak Consciences (1 Corinthians 8:7–13)

But you must be careful in case this ‘right’ of yours leads you to do things which will lure the ‘weak’ brother or sister back into the old life. The language of ‘rights’ needs to be held up to the light; and the light in which we can see clearly what it should and shouldn’t mean is the light of love.

Let’s review these simple truths:

Jesus changes lives

We can spread Jesus’ fame in our area

We can consider our influence on others

We don’t need to be famous. Far better: we can make Jesus famous so he can change more lives. That’s so good. Let’s pray...