Sermon Tone Analysis

Kingdom Demonstrations

Mark 1:21-45 Manuscript

January 18, 2009

 

 

You’ve surely heard the expression, “Actions speak louder than words.”

It’s the idea that what we do is more powerful than what we say.

A husband can tell his wife that he loves her, but his actions toward her demonstrate the degree to which this is true.

A politician can promise all kinds of things, but we want to see whether any action is taken to back it up.

Last week we began to study the person of Jesus as revealed in the Gospel of Mark.

We’re doing this because the goal of our new church is to embody the message and mission of Jesus to every place that God sends us.

We want to be representatives of Jesus in our lives and we want to be a church that serves like an embassy of the kingdom of God to our community.

We saw in Mark 1:1 an overview of what Mark’s account is—good news (not advice) about Jesus the Messiah (the anointed one who would bring in a new reality) and who is the Son of God.

We focused last week on Jesus’ message from verse 15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

When Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand, he was saying that the new reality of life with God as king was breaking in.

The kingdom of God was a new beginning—the beginning of God’s new age.

This new age would be a time of righteousness, peace, the fullness of God’s Spirit, the end of sickness and sin, and the restoration of the broken creation.

The implication of the kingdom of God breaking in is that people everywhere are to “repent and believe in the gospel.”

We said last week that this is not just turning from specific sins (though it does include this), but also a reorientation of our whole lives around Jesus as king.

What does this look like?

Rebecca Pippert says it like this:

 

“What does it mean, then, to allow Jesus to be Lord of our lives?…

Just this: whatever controls us is our lord.

The person who seeks power is controlled by power.

The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by the people he or she wants to please.

We do not control ourselves.

We are controlled by the lord of our life.

If Jesus is our Lord, then he is the one who controls, he has the ultimate power.

There are no bargains.

We cannot manipulate him by playing ‘let’s make a deal’.

If he is Lord, the only option open to us is to do his will, to let him have control.

[Of course] Jesus remains Lord whether we accept him or not.

His lordship, his essence, is not affected by what we choose.

But our lives are drastically changed by our choice.”

Well, if Jesus has said that the kingdom of God is at hand, then we would expect to see some evidence of it.

After all, “Actions speak louder than words.”

We might challenge Jesus and say, “Oh, yeah?

All kinds of people claim to be sent from God. Prove it!”

And so, in today’s passage we turn our attention to what could be called “Kingdom Demonstrations.”

We see evidence that Jesus’ claim is actually true.

We see miraculous signs that point to the reality that Jesus actually is ushering in a new reality with God as king.

Let’s take a look at the text.

Mk 1:21-22 - And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.

And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus and his few disciples go to the synagogue in Capernaum, which was a city on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee (I’ve actually had the chance to go to Capernaum and see the remains of the synagogue there—show some pictures).

So Jesus is teaching there and notice what stands out about his teaching: “he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.”

There was something about Jesus’ teaching that was authoritative and different than the scribes.

What does this mean?

Well, the practice of the scribes when they taught was to quote from Rabbi so-and-so and to appeal to the knowledge or insight of other people when they taught.

This would be like me quoting something that Billy Graham said in order to demonstrate that there are reputable people who could agree with what I’m saying.

Even the prophets of the Old Testament would always say, “Thus says the Lord.”

But Jesus’ teaching is different—it’s authoritative.

Jesus doesn’t quote other Rabbis or say “Thus says the Lord.”

He says, “Truly, I say to you” (KJV – Verily, verily).

Twelve times in Mark’s gospel we hear this phrase.

We see the same idea in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus repeatedly says, “You have heard that it was said…but I say to you.”

At the end of this sermon, Matthew records almost the identical thing as Mark: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.”

Not only is Jesus teaching authoritative because he doesn’t quote others, but it’s also demonstrated as authoritative by the powerful works that accompanies his teaching.

The first of these powerful works is recorded next—the healing of a demon-possessed man.

Mk 1:23-28 - And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit.

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.”

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

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.”

And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

This is one of four instances of demonic healing that Mark records in this gospel, and it’s significant that this is the first story he records as evidence that the kingdom of God has broken in.

If the kingdom of God has truly broken in, we would expect it to confront the areas of spiritual darkness, and that’s exactly what happens.

Notice a few things:

 

·    Demonic powers know who Jesus is better than most people.

Notice that they know who Jesus is—“the Holy One of God”—and they know what he has come to do—“Have you come to destroy us?” It’s an ironic twist that throughout the book of Mark people will constantly be trying to discern who Jesus is, but the demons never wonder.

They know exactly who he is.

And, despite their knowledge of him, they don’t believe or love or worship Jesus.

Have you seen the show, “Are you smarter than a 5th grader?”

It’s kind of a cute show (though mostly annoying) where people are pitted against 5th grade students to answer questions that most elementary kids would know but adults have forgotten.

Well, when I was reading this passage this week I kept having the question, “Do you know Jesus better than a demon?”

That is, do you not just know that Jesus is the Holy Son of God, but do you also worship him, love him, and live for him?

Does your life demonstrate your belief in Jesus?

 

James 2 teaches us that faith without works is meaningless: “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’

Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

You believe that God is one; you do well.

Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

 

·    Jesus speaks and demons obey.

Jesus simply says, “Be quiet,” which literally means, “Be muzzled.”

It’s really the equivalent of saying “Zip it!”

or “Shut up!” Jesus quiets the demon and tells him to leave—and he does.

Now historical records show that there were instances of other people who performed exorcisms.

First century historian Josephus writes of a particular exorcist named Eleazar who used a particular root to pull out demons from people’s nostrils and who appealed to the name of Solomon for his power to do so.

But Jesus is different.

He doesn’t use a technique.

He doesn’t need props.

He doesn’t need to appeal to Solomon or anybody else.

He simply speaks the word and demons obey.

This is what the crowds notice—Jesus is proclaiming a new teaching with authority (the kingdom of God is at hand) and demonstrating it by casting out a demon with a word.

But the in-breaking of the kingdom of God is not simply about spiritual encounters—it’s also about bringing wholeness to all areas of life, big and small.

And so Mark records another example of how the kingdom of God is at hand.

Mk 1:29-31 - And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.