A Different Kind of Authority

Welcome:

Good morning and welcome to Renewal! A church where we seek to ignite a gospel-spreading movement through multiple local congregations in the greater Philadelphia area and the world, so that individuals, communities, and cultures are renewed in Christ. If we have not met yet, my name is Pastor Ryan. I’m the new executive pastor here at Renewal. We are so happy that you’ve joined us this morning!

This Sunday, we are continuing on in a series in the Gospel of Mark. If you missed the last couple of Sundays let me catch you up a bit. The Gospel of Mark is the action/hero movie version of the four gospels. It’s like the Die Hard of Gospels. Ok, maybe that reference is a little dated. It’s the Fast and Furious franchise of the Gospels.

Events happen extremely quickly. Jesus is over here healing someone and then BOOM, he over here teaching, and BANG, he is over putting the smack down on a Pharisee. Everything happens fast and with an exclamation point in the book the Mark.

So far in our story we’ve heard about John the Baptist in the wilderness and then suddenly Jesus shows up and gets baptized in the Jordan River, and his public ministry off to the races. Jesus is tempted in the wilderness by Satan and then he is preaching about the Kingdom of and then all of sudden, he is walking along the Sea of Galilee and he sees four fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John and he calls out to them and they become his followers, his first disciples.

So, that catches us all up to our passage this morning. Will you pray with me as we seek to hear from God’s Word this morning?

(Pray)

Introduction:

Ok, so why don’t you open up your Bible with me this morning, in whatever format you have it in. And let’s walk through our passage together. Again, it is Mark 1:21-34.

In this passage we have three big scenes and a kind of postscript. All three of the scenes and the postscript are about the authority of Jesus. They are meant to show us that Jesus has a completely different kind of authority than the kind of authority we are used to seeing. Jesus authority is an earth shaking, fall reversing, death deifying, enemy crushing kind of authority - that has existed long before time even began.

So, big idea: Jesus has a different kind of authority. If you want to follow along with my three main points that get at that big idea, they are:

1) Jesus Teaches with Authority,

2) Jesus Casts out a Demon with Authority, and

3) Jesus Heals with Authority.

The three points follow along with our three main scenes this morning. Let’s look at that first scene together, Jesus teaching with authority. Let’s read again Mark 1:21-22.

Body:

1) Teaching with Authority (21-22)

Mark 1:21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

So, we begin by reading that “they” - the they being Jesus and his new disciples Peter, Andrew, James and John – go to the small but bustling town of Capernaum.

I have a pretty good sense for what Capernaum was like because my wife and I have actually been there. Could you put that first picture up on the screen?

So, this is a picture of 25 year old me, when I was still in seminary, standing outside the of the gates of Capernaum.

Let’s set the stage a bit. A few things to think about when you think about Capernaum. It’s a really a small little blue-collar fishing village, right on the Sea of Galilee. I took this next picture of a small fishing boat right off the shores of Capernaum.

Sometimes, when we picture the Sea of Galilee, we think of it as this huge lake. Like one of the great lakes in the US or something. The Sea of Galilee is more like a medium sized lake, and on most days you can see from one side of the lake to the other. You can smell the lake and the fish from the Capernaum streets.

By the time of Jesus, Capernaum was thriving enough to have it’s own Synagogue. Throw up the next picture. So, the remains of the Synagogue that Jesus entered and began teaching at in our passage are still there to this day. What you are looking at here are columns from a Synagogue that was built on top of the original Synagogue. These were built in about the 4th or 5thCentury. But’s it’s crazy. You can walk around on the foundation of this place that Jesus first taught.

Ok, last picture, I promise. Almost directly across the street from the Synagogue in Capernaum is the site of a 5th century Christian Church. Beneath the church, archeologists found the remains of a home with Christian symbols and graffiti referencing Jesus and Peter. Most archeologists reasonably assume that this was the fisherman Simon Peter’s home in Capernaum, that later became the site of a church.

Ok, you can take the picture down. So, if you remember Jesus also grew up in Northern Israel, the region was called Galilee. His hometown was Nazareth. Jesus, of Nazareth. Nazareth is about 20 miles down the road from Capernaum, further west of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was a local kid from a neighboring town.

And Jesus shows up at the Synagogue and begins teaching. Mark doesn’t give any details of what Jesus taught. We don’t know if he un-scrolled a passage from law or the prophets, like he did at other points in the Gospels. The only real details that we get from Mark here is the reaction of the people who were present. They were astonishedby his teaching, because unlike the Scribes, he taught with authority.

So, who were the Scribes and why was Jesus’ teaching so different from theirs? The scribes were educated men who could read and write, and were often considered to be legal scholars of the Torah. The served many different functions in the world of the New Testament, but primarily, Jesus runs into them as their role in leading and teaching in the gatherings at the Synagogues.

We’ll see Jesus later spar with the Scribes on hot button issues of the day like:

“How to best observe the Sabbath.”

“How does a Jewish person stay holy and pure?”

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” and

“Where’s the best place to eat a Gefilte Fish around here?”

The Scribes held considerable religious sway, particularly in a small community like Capernaum. The local fishermen relied on the local scribe to teach them what to think about God and how they should live rightly according to the Law.

Scribes could be from different sects, so they could be a Sadducee or a Pharisee, but during the time of Jesus most Scribes were more aligned with the Pharisees. Scribes and teachers of the Law had a practice of referring to the teachings of other well-respected teachers and scholars in order to understand the Bible. They relied on other people’s authority, to get their own authority.

So, according the Rabbi Gamaliel, the way to understand the wondering in the wilderness is this….the way to understand the why God spoke to Moses through the burning bush is X.

It’s sorta like we pastors do sometimes in our sermons. Rabbi Keller says this or Rabbi Piper says that.

So, you can imagine the blue collar fisherman, coming to the Synagogue on the Sabbath, because what else are you going to do, coming to hear another boring lecture, smelling the lake and fish outside, but expecting to hear the scribe rattle on, and instead, that Sabbath day, they get a message from Jesus that blows them out of their seats!

“I mean, listen to this guy. He is on fire. He doesn’t just tell us what other people think we should believe about God. He is teaching on his own authority!”

You can read any Gospel account of Jesus’ teaching and the truth and authority just jumps off the page.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but through me.”

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

“For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world but forfeit his soul.”

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jesus could speak with a whole different kind of authority. He was preaching out of the core of he is. Truth and love and God incarnate. He taught from the knowledge of having always been, Jesus, the son of God, eternally begotten of the Father. His authority was very different than the kind of authority those fishermen were used to experiencing.

So, that’s the first scene. Jesus teaching with authority in the Synagogue at Capernaum. What happens next? Well, Jesus casts out a demon with authority. Look again with me at verses 23-28.

2) Casting Out a Demon with Authority (23-28)

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.” 25But 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.” 28And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

So, we don’t change settings. Jesus and his first disciples are still in the synagogue, and suddenly, in that action movie sort of way, a man possessed by an unclean spirit starts yelling out in the middle of Jesus teaching. It starts yelling at Jesus!

Notice something about this unclean spirit interrupting Jesus…it doesn’t say anything untrue.

-It says Jesus is from Nazareth. True.

-It acknowledges that Jesus has the power to destroy it. True.

-It calls Jesus “The Holy one of God.” True.

This is a something that will show up again in the book of Mark. Four different times Jesus encounters a demon or an unclean spirit in Mark, and whenever it happens they always speak true things about him. The point of this is that even demons who encounter Jesus realize that they are dealing with a different kind of power, a different kind of authority. The Holy one of God has come! Oh man, we are in trouble.

Jesus recognized this unclean Spirit and says two things. “Be silent and come out of him!” That be silent there literally means “be muzzled like beast in the field.” It’s really harsh. It’s the equivalent of “Shut up you animal.” The unclean spirit had no choice, it convulsed, cried out, and came out of the man.

It might be easy for us, when we are reading a passage like this, to get caught up in all the wrong questions.

“So, wait, can we get possessed by a demon today?”

“How does demon possession work?”

“How do we do exorcisms if we find someone with a demon in them?”

“Am I possessed by a demon? I feel like someone else made me eat that extra piece of cake last night.”

Look, I think this man really and truly was possessed by a demon, and the whole point of this story, is another way to illustrate that Jesus has a whole different kind of authority. He has power which goes beyond the kind of power we normally see. His power and authority is supernatural, eternal, forever.

And again, the people around him in the synagogue notice that something different is going on here. They were amazed. Blown away. Not only does this guy, a carpenter’s son from Nazareth of all places, not only does he teach with authority, he backs that up by casting out a demon with authority! Even unclean spirits have no choice but to listen to him!

We also get a little note here from Mark in verse 28, that his fame spreads quickly all around Galilee after this. It’s like an early version viral video on social media. But instead of a Cat playing a keyboard, it is Jesus casting out a demon.

So, first Jesus teaches with a different kind of authority. Then Jesus casts out a demon with authority, and now we come to our third scene in the passage. Jesus heals with authority. Look again at verses 29-31 with me.

3) Healing with Authority (29-31)

Mark 1:29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

So, remember my pictures from Israel earlier. Simon Peter’s house was right near by the synagogue. So, you can imagine, this simple fisherman, gets called away from his nets, and then on Sabbath hears this man teach and is blown away, and then sees him cast out a demon and is blown away, so you can imagine him saying. “Hey Jesus, my house is just across the way. Let’s go over there and rest a bit.”

And its almost like, in all of the excitement of what was going on, Simon forgot that his mother-in-law was at his house sick with a fever. So, they walk in the door and they tell Jesus. “Sorry about all the coughing, my mother in law is really sick.”

And what does Jesus do, he grabs her by the hand and lifts her up and she is healed! And what does she do? She immediately takes on the mother in law roll and begins serving them.

So, what’s going on here? We are again meant to take away that Jesus has a different kind of authority. Even fevers and sickness have to listen to him.

Any Jewish person that listened to the Scribes in Synagogue in Jesus day should have picked up on what this really meant and how Jesus connected to their story. Way back, in Exodus 15, Moses and the people of Israel had finally been released by Pharaoh of Egypt, but only after all of the plagues had devastated Egypt.

The Israelites get cornered at the Red Sea but God miraculously parts the Sea and they cross to the other side safely. When they get to the other side Pharaoh’s army tries to cross and the waters recede and they are crushed.

Soon after that, at the end of Exodus 15 God reveals something about himself to them. He says if you will listen to me and keep my commandments, I will not let anything like what just happened to the Egyptians happen to you “For I am the Lord your healer.”

This begins a motif in the Old Testament of God being the healer of his people. This develops also into God’s righteous servant, the Messiah also being a healer.

When Matthew tells this story of Jesus healing Simon Peter’s mother in law, he connects directly to Isaiah 53. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 and many other passages in the Prophets. He is God’s suffering servant who came to have “the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.”

Jesus takes broken things and broken people and makes them whole again.

So, Jesus shows he has a whole different kind of authority in the way that he teaches, in the way he casts out a demon, and in the way he heals a sick person.

Let me just wrap this up for us this morning by mentioning the postscript to our three scenes in the passage and by giving us all 3 quick take-aways.

Conclusion:

So, in the postscript to our story is verses 32-34…..These verses tell us that the sun goes down bringing an end to the Sabbath. And we already read that word of mouth about Jesus was going viral. So, as the Sabbath ends, all the people of this small fishing village of Capernaum, grab their sick, their dying, their demon possessed and they bring them to Simon Peter’s house to be healed. And Jesus heals them.

So, then having heard all of this this morning, how now should we live? Now that we have encountered the authority of Jesus what does that mean for us here today?

1. The authority of Jesus should encourage you.

So, first, let me say this: the authority of Jesus should encourage you. If you are a Christian here this morning. If Jesus is your Lord, you should be encouraged that you follow a savior who has authority of life, sickness, angels and demons, sin, and death itself.

You should be encouraged, when you are faithless and feckless, when you are faltering and weak, that you have a God who is mighty to save.

If you came in this morning and you were discouraged over your sin. Be comforted, Jesus conquered sin. He can free me from my sin, and you from yours.

If you came to church this morning and you are tired of battling the same physical ailment. Be comforted, Jesus is Lord. He may choose to heal you today, he may not, either way, Jesus is still Lord.

If you came to church this morning and you were anxiousabout something coming up this week. A conversation you know you have to have with your boss, or big test coming up if you are in school, or major life decision you have to make. Be comforted, Jesus has your back. Take that anxiety and fear to him this morning.

2. The authority of Jesus should humble you.

The second take away from these passages is that the authority of Jesus should humble you.

Jesus is God. The second person of the Trinity. He is of one substance and equal with the Father. Yet, he took on human nature and was, as our confession says, both very God and very man. And as Philippians 2 says, in a great mystery, he emptied himself and took on the form of a servant, being born, flesh and blood, in the likeness of men.

All that authority and power and what did Jesus chose to do with it? He became man, walked among us, teaching and healing, and then he went to the cross. He died so that we might live.

If you are here this morning, and you are not a Christian. First, let me say, I’m so glad you are here. You are welcome here. If you are here just checking out Christianity, or maybe you left the faith long ago and something or someone has been on you to come to church, again, we are glad that you are here with us this morning.

If that is you, hear this from me now, this is why you are here this morning to hear this Gospel message. Jesus, the one with all the authority and power that we read about this morning, this Jesus died for you. He died so that there might be a great exchange.

If you put your faith in him this morning. If you believe that Jesus is Lord, who died and rose from the grave, then this great exchange happens. He takes your sin, your guilt, and what do you get in return? You get his righteousness! You get made right with God.

You become part of the family of God. You are adopted into God’s family. How is this possible? How can this kind of unfair exchange even work? The only way it works is because, Jesus, the sinless, Holy one of God, full of power and authority, was willing to take the punishment we all deserve. He was willing to take our place.

We are used to people with great authority and power in this world, taking that authority and abusing it. People so often use their authority to have power and control over another person or people. But, Jesus shows us a different kind of authority and a different way to use that authority. This great authority, he used on our behalf.

The only proper response, if you are a Christian or not a Christian here this morning, the only proper response is to bow the knee. To be humbled by this Jesus who died for you.

3. The authority of Jesus should send you.

The final take home is this: the authority of Jesus should send you. What do I mean by this? I mean, if you are a Christian, once you have bowed the knee, the next step is to move your feet to tell other people about Jesus. You ought to be the kind of Christian who engages with the world around you.

If you’ve been around church for a while, you’ve probably heard the great commission from Jesus in the book of Matthew a lot. But, what are the first two words of the great commission? “All Authority.”

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Because Jesus has ALL authority, we are sent out on his mission, with the Gospel in hearts on our lips. Jesus has authority, therefore GO.

We, who are known and loved by Jesus, should have a humble confidence when we interact with those who don’t know him, because we serve a good and powerful and authoritative savior.

Our homes ought to be like Simon Peters home, a place where lost, lonely, and broken people come to find healing. Where people come to find Jesus.

So, friends, because Jesus has a different, eternal, holy kind of authority, be encouraged by him, be humbled by him, and be sent by him.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Guided Final Prayer

It is our tradition here at Renewal to have a time of guided prayer, as we respond to what we’ve just heard. So, I’m going to invite you all, just close your eyes and quite your souls as we go to the God of the Universe in prayer.

Go to God with your anxieties, and fears, and concerns now. Ask for comfort and encouragement.

Church, go to God now and ask him for help believing that he really does have authority over your life. Go to him confessing the ways that you want to hold on to your own authority. Ask for humility.

Now, Go to God asking for wisdom this week, asking for ways in which you can love your neighbor, asking for opportunities to share your faith, asking for opportunities to listen and care for someone who needs it.

Help us, O Lord Jesus, to glorify your name wherever we go. To be people under your authority. Help us, when we are tempted to be defeated by our sin, or our sickness, or our circumstances, to remember that all authority in heaven and earth has been granted to you, King Jesus. Help us to be a sent people with your Gospel on our hearts and on our lips. Help us be people, empowered by your Spirit, to live lives of love and presence in our neighborhoods. Help us believe that you have the power and authority to take us and others out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Light. Lord Jesus, thank you for dying in our place, living the life we could not live and dying in sacrifice that we couldn’t provide for ourselves. We worship you and bless your name, the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the author and finisher of our faith, you who deserve all praise, glory and majesty forever and ever. Amen.

Song of Praise

I do urge you to run to our great God and Redeemer this morning. Jesus Christ, who has been given all power and authority, the Great Shepherd…..

Benediction

“Look up and receive this final benediction:

Leader: Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

All: Amen.

Leader: Go in peace and serve the Lord!

All: Thanks be to God!