Teaching With Authority

Introduction

Today I will have a slideshow of pictures going on throughout the sermon of my trip last year to Israel. The pictures today are from when we visited Capernaum. One of the pictures you will see is a modern building on top of a ruin. This is a church that was built on top of the site which is believed to be the disciple Peter’s home. It is suspended over the site and it pretty neat. The second one is a little harder to spot because it looks like two walls and its hard to tell what it is. This is a first century synagogue nearby where Peter lived. This is assumed to be the place where Jesus taught. Today’s passage is about when Jesus taught in Capernaum and the people’s response. A little more background on Capernaum and its history is that it was the base of operations for where Jesus often returned and the disciples would too. It is often thought as the base of operations for Jesus’ ministry.

Now listen to our passage today that comes from Mark 1:21-28

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.

Trouble in the text

As I wandered the town of Capernaum and saw these different places I was amazed. This is not some giant metropolis or large town like Jerusalem. It was not much bigger than a few city blocks. This town was one of many small towns on the Sea of Galilee as known in Jesus’ time or today it is known as the Sea of Tiberias. This is a small town that likely did not have many religious leaders stopping in. This was a trade town where fishing was the main occupation. There was a synagogue that they have discovered today that would have been there in Jesus’ time on earth. However, in a town like this, it is hard to say what kind of teachers were there or came through.

If you notice in the passage, when Jesus taught the people were astounded because he did not teach as the scribes did who must have been the type of person who taught here. A scribe was responsible for copying the text, reading from the text, and preserving the text. They were also responsible for interpreting the text for people. The people’s response here indicate that they did not teach with authority. What did that mean since they were supposed to be experts in the law? Perhaps because this is a small town with a rough around the edges population (fishermen), not the most qualified person was sent there. Another option is that perhaps this is someone who took up the role because it was needed but was not really an expert but someone who just read to the people and gave little application to their lives.

At any rate, the people’s response indicate that there was little authority in what was taught before Jesus came. There was little impact or miracles in their lives, given their response to the unclean spirit being cast out. My guess is that religion had little meaning and impact on their lives. It was probably something closer to an association that they belonged to and a tradition they took part in. They needed something better.

Trouble in the world

Ironically, we are facing something very similar today. We have a large number of Christians whose lives have had little change and don’t experience the miracles and impact of God over their lives. It is part of a tradition or heritage or more closer to an association than a life changing effect.

To say, we are a Christian nation used to be easy for me to say. However, I struggle with that now. It is not that the majority of people are not Christian. That is still true currently. However, my biggest worry and concern is that Christianity is not seen as a life changing, miracle making impact on people’s lives. People see less and less authority in the teachings and impact. If we say Jesus is Lord over our lives but we don’t actually do what we say, then it conveys the meaning that while we may be Christian in name, it has no authority in our lives if we are not changed by it.

If we a supposed to be a Christian nation, yet we separate our lives in the sense of what we teach others and what we practice are different, then we nullify our witness to the world. If you say you love God and neighbor yet ignore both, you convey to others that following Jesus has little to no meaning in your life. You convey that setting out to follow Jesus has little authority to actually change you or your life. We need something better than this version of Christianity.

Grace in the text

In returning back to our story, this small town needed something different than the version of Judaism they had been offered. They needed something that would be impactful to their lives. They needed something that would move them and show them that God has authority to reach them and to make a difference in their lives.

Jesus came and showed them just this very thing. The people’s response say it all. They were not falling asleep in the pews so to speak or their minds weren’t wandering when Jesus was teaching. They were focused because they saw this as something different. They saw Jesus’ as having an authority to teach powerfully and reach them. They saw Jesus able to take these passages he read and show them how following them can make a difference. Jesus showed them the ability of what real teaching looked like. The way Jesus read and interpreted the passage was something they had never seen before. This was not just following a tradition or going through a routine, this was something that could make a difference in their lives.

If it weren’t enough that he could teach from the scripture with authority, when he spoke there was authority in his words. The unclean spirit recognized him and when he told it to leave, it left. I wonder if the same thing been tried before unsuccessfully. Perhaps this same person who had an unclean spirit had come forward for help from the scribes or some other religious leader in the area and it would not listen because there was no authority in what they said.

These people saw Jesus as the one who had real authority in teaching them that scripture and following Jesus had real authority to make a positive difference in their lives.

Grace in the world

While I focused much on where we fail as Christians, it is not without hope. I have known people who truly dedicate themselves to following Christ. I have known people that when they preach, they preach with authority of knowing, and praying and studying over that passage where God has shown them what and how to preach to reach the people. I have known people that when they pray, they pray with faith that can move mountains. They pray with authority God has given them.

God can do much in our lives and in this nation. It takes us surrendering our own lives and taking up the cross. This requires us to dedicate more time to God and less time to worldly things. If Jesus spent time in the synagogues, then we need to spend time in church. If Jesus studied and prayed about passage, then we too need to study and pray about passages. If Jesus was able to forgive his enemies even while hanging on the cross, then we too can find the strength through grace to forgive our enemies. If we think this is not possible, then we choose to say Scripture, Prayer, and God have little authority in our lives.

If you want your life to have meaning and impact, then start with turning it over to God. Jesus while on this earth was completely dedicated to God’s mission. It did not matter what the cost or where it would take it, the authority of God was greater than any fear or loss. Ask God what you are holding on to and need to let go. Ask God where you are denying his authority and seek forgiveness. If you are Christian then it is time to start being one. This means reading your bible, this means praying, this means trusting God in all areas of your life. I promise you this, God’s grace is greater than any obstacle we face. God’s mercy is greater than any mistake we have made. God’s love is greater than anything in this world. Let today be the day you start trusting in the authority of God to make changes in your life.