Going to Church…Again
You wake up, rub your eyes, and roll out of bed. Before your feet hit the floor, you realize you’re headed to church today. It’s what you do every weekend…whether you want to or not. You know that’s the wrong attitude. But it’s the truth.
As you pour your coffee, you think about the day ahead. You’ll get together with friends and neighbors to hear some holier-than-thou guy talk about God. He’ll talk a lot of religious dumbo jumbo, most of which is way over your head. Pie-in-the-sky-sweet-bye-and-bye kinda stuff.
Same old Sabbath
When the preacher does teach something that makes some sense, it doesn’t exactly send your heart soaring. Quite the opposite. His message is nothing more than a religious ball and chain. A loathsome list of impossible dos and don’ts.
What’s even worse, you’ve heard it all before. Last week. The week before. The month before. The year before. Same old Sabbath. Same old synagogue. Same old sermons. Same old stuff. The faces of the preachers may change but there’s one thing that doesn’t. That religious rehash they warm up and serve every weekend.
A Podunk Village in Palestine
Sound familiar? Hit too close to home? For too many of us, this is EXACTLY what going to church was (and still is!) all about. Here’s the crazy thing. This was the very same attitude people had 2,000 years ago in a podunk fishing village in Palestine. Well, at least until the day Jesus came to town.
That’s exactly the scene Mark sets in his bio of Jesus midway through his opening chapter (Mk 1:21-28). The place is Capernaum, a tiny blue-collar burg on the northwest shore of a large freshwater lake we call the Sea of Galilee. It’s Saturday, the Jewish day of worship.
People fill the streets as they head to the local synagogue. It’s not like some go to First Baptist or Saint Moses Catholic or Capernaum Community Church. The synagogue is the only game in town. It’s not just the center of worship but the center of life for the city.
A New Rabbi in Town
But Mark tips us off that this particular Sabbath is going to be different. An unfamiliar face is there. There’s a new rabbi in town by the name of Jesus. He’s accompanied by four of His brand new followers who you swear you saw working as fishermen just a couple of days ago.
Here’s how the author describes that day. “Jesus and His companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath came, He went into the synagogue and began to teach” (v21). Same old Sabbath. Same old synagogue. But this is going to be a VERY different sermon. What’s about to go down is about to change absolutely everything.
Snap out of It!
Right out of the gate, this Rabbi/Carpenter from up the road in Nazareth is like no other teacher you’ve ever heard before. “The people were amazed at His teaching” (22). Jesus totally blows your mind. Normally folks can’t wait for the sermon to end. Today they don’t want Him to stop.
John Mark uses a word (Gr. εκπλεσσω/ekplesso) that the NLT translates as “amazed.” It literally means to hit something or someone suddenly in order to get something to leave. Ever see the movie “Moonstruck”? Cher’s character slaps Nicolas Cage to get his attention. “Snap out of it!” (Well, let’s be honest. Who hasn’t wanted to do that to Nic after sitting through one of his flicks?)
Jesus blindsides the boredom right out of the sleepy crowd at the synagogue. He snaps you out of it. He catches you off guard. He astonishes. He astounds. He bewilders. There’s just something about Him that grabs you by the shoulders and forces you to pay attention.
Shock and Awe
Christ’s teaching amazes people, not just once. But over and over and over (Mt 22:23; Mk 6:2). Jaws drop when He drops the mic at the end of His most famous sermon (Mt 7:28-29). Shock and awe are His signature.
Jesus awes the crowds when He brings the heat. Forget “amen” and “hallelujah.” You hear “oohs” and “aahs" when the Lord preaches and teaches. His lessons and lectures were absolutely amazing. And they still are!!
Blowing away the Religious Fog
What a great reminder that we need to regularly blow the religious fog out of the story of Jesus. Too many stale Sunday School lessons and mundane messages have covered His dazzling life under a thick layer of church dust. Grab a new Bible translation. Read Jesus fresh. Walk with Him for the first time all over again.
Remember, He’s unlike anyone or anything the world has ever seen. He brings a Gospel no one has ever heard before. He’s bringing grace and mercy straight out of heaven. Instead of demanding a hopeless climb to an unapproachable God, He brings God all the way down to us.
Real Authority
What is Jesus’ secret sauce for His sermons? “He taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law” (v22). Did you catch that? He wasn’t some self-promoting, self-proclaimed expert blogging from his parents’ basement. He has “real authority.”
The word most Bibles translate “authority” here is εχουσια/exousia. It describes power, strength, jurisdiction, or influence. At its core, the term means doing exactly what you want when you want where you want to whom you want.
Where does Jesus get this incredible ability? Right before He heads home to heaven, He tells His followers that His Father is the source. “I have been given all authority (Gr.εχουσια/exousia) in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). It’s that kind of heavenly authority that qualifies Him as Lord.
Tasteless Leftovers
This new Rabbi is so radically original that all you and your fellow worshipers can do is compare Him to the men who have taught before in the synagogue. His impact and influence is nothing like the tasteless leftovers that have been part of the regular diet on Sabbath. His new teaching is fresh and delicious!
The regular teachers simply taught the Old Testament by quoting the opinion and interpretation of rabbis. The Message puts it this way. Jesus was “not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars” (22 The Message). Their teaching is more like a nonstop argument trying to prove who’s right rather than pointing people toward God.
The Ultimate Authority
A couple of thousand years later, this garbage still goes on. You’ve heard the arguments. They’re all over the interweb. Who’s team are you on? John Piper’s or Rick Warren’s? John MacArthur’s or Bill Hybels’? Let’s be honest. We spend WAY too much energy arguing in public about which teachers are right when it comes to stuff like predestination, speaking in tongues, evangelism, and even style of worship. Come on, people.
We still play the same silly games as the Capernaum rabbis. We LOVE to quote folks like Chuck Swindoll, Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley, and C.S. Lewis. Don’t get me wrong. These are heavyweight teachers when it comes to Scripture. I love them all. But why not read about Jesus straight from Jesus? Why not get God’s Word directly from God’s Word?
But Jesus doesn’t quote other rabbis and their opinions. He didn’t need to. As the Son of God, He’s the Go-To Guy on what Scripture says and what it means. Forget the Bible Answer Man. Christ doesn’t need to Google or Youversion. He IS the Ultimate Authority.
When Worship Goes off the Rails
If Saturday at the synagogue wasn’t crazy enough already, we’re about to turn it up a notch or two. “Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ‘Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’” (v23-24).
Here in the middle of Jesus’ message, a guy shouts back at the new Rabbi. Whoa. Sure, there have been a few times I felt like the pastor has gone from preaching to meddling in his message, but I’ve never stood up and shouted at him to stop! This worship service in Capernaum has officially gone off the rails! I mean, WAY off the rails!!
The Weird Guy in Town
On the other hand, you’re not really all that surprised at the dude challenging the guest Speaker. He’s the weird guy in town. Yeah, THAT guy. The guy who mumbles to himself a lot. He makes you uncomfortable. Shoot, he makes EVERYBODY uncomfortable! Conversations with him are bizarre and messy. You head the other way when you see him coming.
Mark explains just why the man is so bizarre. He’s “possessed by an evil spirit” (23). We’re not exactly sure how or when it happened, but a demon has made itself at home in the man and is calling the shots. And now the filthy spirit is calling out Christ.
Satan and His Evil Army
Throughout the Bible, these nasty spirits cause people all sorts of serious problems, including both physical and mental illness (Mt 12:22; Mk 9:17-25; Lk 8:27-28; 9:39; Acts 8:7). This does NOT mean the devil’s demonic crew is behind all of them. But we need to be aware of the potential spiritual aspect of any sort of sickness.
A couple of important ideas. On one hand, blaming the enemy and his unholy horde for every little thing that happens in life gives him way too much credit. This leads to a victim mentality. I’m not saying Satan hasn’t set his sites on me, but my biggest problem is the knucklehead I see in the mirror each morning.
The other problem is ignoring our enemy completely. Jesus makes it clear the devil does is demonic best to “steal, kill, and destroy” (Jn 10:10). The prince of darkness is real. To ignore that satanic snake and his evil army is a MASSIVE mistake! We have a defeated enemy but he’s still a dangerous enemy.
Jesus’ Heavenly Identity
Clearly the demon controlling this guy knows there’s a new sheriff in town. “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” (v24). The evil spirit tips us off that Christ isn’t simply going one-on-one. In order to help the man, He must deal with a minimum of one demon. It’s not unusual for them to torture folks in massive teams (Mk 5:9, 15; Lk 8:30).
In essence, this particular satanic spirit tells Jesus to stop jacking with him and his human host and mind His own business. The demon not only calls the Rabbi/Carpenter by His earthly name, “Jesus of Nazareth” (24), but also clearly understands His heavenly identity. “I know who you are—the Holy One of God” (v24). This is one of those times Christ’s kid brother James writes about when he says even demons believe in God but “tremble in terror” (James 2:17).
Evil Gets Antsy
It’s interesting that the demon inside the dude couldn’t simply sit there quietly with the Son of God in the room. That’s because wherever Jesus shows up, evil gets antsy. You see it all throughout the four bios of Christ. There’s nothing like the Light of the World to expose sin and filth (Eph 5:13). Like cockroaches on the run when the light comes on.
Do you start to squirm when Jesus is around? Do you think He should get His holy nose out of your personal business? Do you get more than a little anxious when you think the Lord might know all about those nasty little “habits” you do behind closed doors?
Guess what. He already knows. Our Savior is fully aware of our deepest, darkest secrets. As a matter of fact, Jesus knows more about that junk that we do (Ps 44:21: Jer 23:24). And He came to free us from it and replace it with a “rich and satisfying life” we can only know through Him (Jn 10:10). Tell Him and trust Him. Get it off your chest and get Him into your life. What are you waiting for?
A Screamin’ Demon
If this Sabbath at Capernaum synagogue wasn’t already crazy enough, wait until you see what happens next! “But Jesus reprimanded him. ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man,’ He ordered. At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him” (v25-26).
In the words of Ron Burgundy, “Well, that escalated quickly!” No sooner does the demon challenge Jesus than the visiting Rabbi tells him to stuff a sock in it and get the heck out of Dodge…or at least get out of the poor guy he had possessed.
The evil spirit certainly doesn’t go without a fight. When Christ gives him the order and sends him packing, the demon screams and gives the guy one last nasty shake. This is like an ump tossing a player out of game. Before the player leaves, he throws a juvenile tantrum, involving bats, balls, hats, and the Gatorade cooler. He pitches a fit, but he’s still leaving.
Jaw-Dropping Authority
If you think folks were impressed by Jesus’ sermon, having a front row seat for an exorcism takes this Sabbath to a whole new level. “Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened, ‘What sort of new teaching is this?’ they asked excitedly. ‘It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey His orders!’” (v27).
Just in case you had any doubts about whether this new Teacher and His message could move the needle, they’re gone now. Those doubts ran out the door with the demon. Everybody is picking their jaw up off the floor of that small-town synagogue. This new Rabbi not only exposes evil but sends it running with its forked tail between its legs.
A Game Changer
The authority Jesus is a total game changer. Nobody has ever seen anything like Him before. I’m talking EVER. Not before. Not since. Not ever. It’s the role He was born to play. And that role is the incredible combo of Savior and Lord.
As our Savior, He’s the Hero the Father first promised He would send to clean up the mess our first parents made (Gen 3:15). The Son of God leaves the luxury of the heavenly palace to come to our rescue. Or as Jesus announces at a big shindig in Jericho, “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Lk 19:10).
As the Lord, He has total authority. Complete authority. Unlimited authority. So much so that when Jesus says so, it IS so. Just ask the demon He evicted from the dude in the synagogue. Oh, that’s right. You can’t. The Lord told him to shut up and leave.
The 800-pound Gorilla
Here’s the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to Jesus as Lord. Are WE actually going to do what He says? Am I going to obey His commands? Do I believe that believe that He is God and what He wants for me is good? Or do I think He’s holding out on me? In case you haven’t heard the story, but that’s how things fell apart in Eden in the first place (Gen 3:1-8).
Here’s the rub. We love the whole Jesus as our Messiah/Hero idea. That’s awesome. But once He saves our eternal bacon, we really want nothing to do with His leadership as our Lord. Savior, yes. Lord, no.
There’s just one little problem. I can’t pull the two apart. Jesus as my Savior and Lord is a package deal. In other words, I can’t simply buy the fire insurance. I must also willingly to submit to His leadership and guidance. It makes sense when you think about it. My very limited authority certainly hasn’t been able to get me to make any real changes in my life so far.
The Buzz in the Burg
Back in Capernaum, there’s a quite a buzz in the little burg as people leave the synagogue. “The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee” (v28). Word gets around about not only the new Teacher, His amazing message, but His astonishing authority.
Because of Jesus’ authority, the Sabbath will never be the same. Going to synagogue will never be the same. Life will never be the same!
Let’s just say things are about to get rather complicated for Jesus and His team. But He’s up for it. He’s got the brand new message folks have been waiting to hear. And He’s got the authority they desperately need.
You wake up, rub your eyes, and roll out of bed. Before your feet hit the floor, you realize you’re headed to church today. It’s what you do every weekend…whether you want to or not. You know that’s the wrong attitude. But it’s the truth.
As you pour your coffee, you think about the day ahead. You’ll get together with friends and neighbors to hear some holier-than-thou guy talk about God. He’ll talk a lot of religious dumbo jumbo, most of which is way over your head. Pie-in-the-sky-sweet-bye-and-bye kinda stuff.
Same old Sabbath
When the preacher does teach something that makes some sense, it doesn’t exactly send your heart soaring. Quite the opposite. His message is nothing more than a religious ball and chain. A loathsome list of impossible dos and don’ts.
What’s even worse, you’ve heard it all before. Last week. The week before. The month before. The year before. Same old Sabbath. Same old synagogue. Same old sermons. Same old stuff. The faces of the preachers may change but there’s one thing that doesn’t. That religious rehash they warm up and serve every weekend.
A Podunk Village in Palestine
Sound familiar? Hit too close to home? For too many of us, this is EXACTLY what going to church was (and still is!) all about. Here’s the crazy thing. This was the very same attitude people had 2,000 years ago in a podunk fishing village in Palestine. Well, at least until the day Jesus came to town.
That’s exactly the scene Mark sets in his bio of Jesus midway through his opening chapter (Mk 1:21-28). The place is Capernaum, a tiny blue-collar burg on the northwest shore of a large freshwater lake we call the Sea of Galilee. It’s Saturday, the Jewish day of worship.
People fill the streets as they head to the local synagogue. It’s not like some go to First Baptist or Saint Moses Catholic or Capernaum Community Church. The synagogue is the only game in town. It’s not just the center of worship but the center of life for the city.
A New Rabbi in Town
But Mark tips us off that this particular Sabbath is going to be different. An unfamiliar face is there. There’s a new rabbi in town by the name of Jesus. He’s accompanied by four of His brand new followers who you swear you saw working as fishermen just a couple of days ago.
Here’s how the author describes that day. “Jesus and His companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath came, He went into the synagogue and began to teach” (v21). Same old Sabbath. Same old synagogue. But this is going to be a VERY different sermon. What’s about to go down is about to change absolutely everything.
Snap out of It!
Right out of the gate, this Rabbi/Carpenter from up the road in Nazareth is like no other teacher you’ve ever heard before. “The people were amazed at His teaching” (22). Jesus totally blows your mind. Normally folks can’t wait for the sermon to end. Today they don’t want Him to stop.
John Mark uses a word (Gr. εκπλεσσω/ekplesso) that the NLT translates as “amazed.” It literally means to hit something or someone suddenly in order to get something to leave. Ever see the movie “Moonstruck”? Cher’s character slaps Nicolas Cage to get his attention. “Snap out of it!” (Well, let’s be honest. Who hasn’t wanted to do that to Nic after sitting through one of his flicks?)
Jesus blindsides the boredom right out of the sleepy crowd at the synagogue. He snaps you out of it. He catches you off guard. He astonishes. He astounds. He bewilders. There’s just something about Him that grabs you by the shoulders and forces you to pay attention.
Shock and Awe
Christ’s teaching amazes people, not just once. But over and over and over (Mt 22:23; Mk 6:2). Jaws drop when He drops the mic at the end of His most famous sermon (Mt 7:28-29). Shock and awe are His signature.
Jesus awes the crowds when He brings the heat. Forget “amen” and “hallelujah.” You hear “oohs” and “aahs" when the Lord preaches and teaches. His lessons and lectures were absolutely amazing. And they still are!!
Blowing away the Religious Fog
What a great reminder that we need to regularly blow the religious fog out of the story of Jesus. Too many stale Sunday School lessons and mundane messages have covered His dazzling life under a thick layer of church dust. Grab a new Bible translation. Read Jesus fresh. Walk with Him for the first time all over again.
Remember, He’s unlike anyone or anything the world has ever seen. He brings a Gospel no one has ever heard before. He’s bringing grace and mercy straight out of heaven. Instead of demanding a hopeless climb to an unapproachable God, He brings God all the way down to us.
Real Authority
What is Jesus’ secret sauce for His sermons? “He taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law” (v22). Did you catch that? He wasn’t some self-promoting, self-proclaimed expert blogging from his parents’ basement. He has “real authority.”
The word most Bibles translate “authority” here is εχουσια/exousia. It describes power, strength, jurisdiction, or influence. At its core, the term means doing exactly what you want when you want where you want to whom you want.
Where does Jesus get this incredible ability? Right before He heads home to heaven, He tells His followers that His Father is the source. “I have been given all authority (Gr.εχουσια/exousia) in heaven and on earth” (Mt 28:18). It’s that kind of heavenly authority that qualifies Him as Lord.
Tasteless Leftovers
This new Rabbi is so radically original that all you and your fellow worshipers can do is compare Him to the men who have taught before in the synagogue. His impact and influence is nothing like the tasteless leftovers that have been part of the regular diet on Sabbath. His new teaching is fresh and delicious!
The regular teachers simply taught the Old Testament by quoting the opinion and interpretation of rabbis. The Message puts it this way. Jesus was “not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars” (22 The Message). Their teaching is more like a nonstop argument trying to prove who’s right rather than pointing people toward God.
The Ultimate Authority
A couple of thousand years later, this garbage still goes on. You’ve heard the arguments. They’re all over the interweb. Who’s team are you on? John Piper’s or Rick Warren’s? John MacArthur’s or Bill Hybels’? Let’s be honest. We spend WAY too much energy arguing in public about which teachers are right when it comes to stuff like predestination, speaking in tongues, evangelism, and even style of worship. Come on, people.
We still play the same silly games as the Capernaum rabbis. We LOVE to quote folks like Chuck Swindoll, Matt Chandler, Andy Stanley, and C.S. Lewis. Don’t get me wrong. These are heavyweight teachers when it comes to Scripture. I love them all. But why not read about Jesus straight from Jesus? Why not get God’s Word directly from God’s Word?
But Jesus doesn’t quote other rabbis and their opinions. He didn’t need to. As the Son of God, He’s the Go-To Guy on what Scripture says and what it means. Forget the Bible Answer Man. Christ doesn’t need to Google or Youversion. He IS the Ultimate Authority.
When Worship Goes off the Rails
If Saturday at the synagogue wasn’t crazy enough already, we’re about to turn it up a notch or two. “Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, ‘Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!’” (v23-24).
Here in the middle of Jesus’ message, a guy shouts back at the new Rabbi. Whoa. Sure, there have been a few times I felt like the pastor has gone from preaching to meddling in his message, but I’ve never stood up and shouted at him to stop! This worship service in Capernaum has officially gone off the rails! I mean, WAY off the rails!!
The Weird Guy in Town
On the other hand, you’re not really all that surprised at the dude challenging the guest Speaker. He’s the weird guy in town. Yeah, THAT guy. The guy who mumbles to himself a lot. He makes you uncomfortable. Shoot, he makes EVERYBODY uncomfortable! Conversations with him are bizarre and messy. You head the other way when you see him coming.
Mark explains just why the man is so bizarre. He’s “possessed by an evil spirit” (23). We’re not exactly sure how or when it happened, but a demon has made itself at home in the man and is calling the shots. And now the filthy spirit is calling out Christ.
Satan and His Evil Army
Throughout the Bible, these nasty spirits cause people all sorts of serious problems, including both physical and mental illness (Mt 12:22; Mk 9:17-25; Lk 8:27-28; 9:39; Acts 8:7). This does NOT mean the devil’s demonic crew is behind all of them. But we need to be aware of the potential spiritual aspect of any sort of sickness.
A couple of important ideas. On one hand, blaming the enemy and his unholy horde for every little thing that happens in life gives him way too much credit. This leads to a victim mentality. I’m not saying Satan hasn’t set his sites on me, but my biggest problem is the knucklehead I see in the mirror each morning.
The other problem is ignoring our enemy completely. Jesus makes it clear the devil does is demonic best to “steal, kill, and destroy” (Jn 10:10). The prince of darkness is real. To ignore that satanic snake and his evil army is a MASSIVE mistake! We have a defeated enemy but he’s still a dangerous enemy.
Jesus’ Heavenly Identity
Clearly the demon controlling this guy knows there’s a new sheriff in town. “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” (v24). The evil spirit tips us off that Christ isn’t simply going one-on-one. In order to help the man, He must deal with a minimum of one demon. It’s not unusual for them to torture folks in massive teams (Mk 5:9, 15; Lk 8:30).
In essence, this particular satanic spirit tells Jesus to stop jacking with him and his human host and mind His own business. The demon not only calls the Rabbi/Carpenter by His earthly name, “Jesus of Nazareth” (24), but also clearly understands His heavenly identity. “I know who you are—the Holy One of God” (v24). This is one of those times Christ’s kid brother James writes about when he says even demons believe in God but “tremble in terror” (James 2:17).
Evil Gets Antsy
It’s interesting that the demon inside the dude couldn’t simply sit there quietly with the Son of God in the room. That’s because wherever Jesus shows up, evil gets antsy. You see it all throughout the four bios of Christ. There’s nothing like the Light of the World to expose sin and filth (Eph 5:13). Like cockroaches on the run when the light comes on.
Do you start to squirm when Jesus is around? Do you think He should get His holy nose out of your personal business? Do you get more than a little anxious when you think the Lord might know all about those nasty little “habits” you do behind closed doors?
Guess what. He already knows. Our Savior is fully aware of our deepest, darkest secrets. As a matter of fact, Jesus knows more about that junk that we do (Ps 44:21: Jer 23:24). And He came to free us from it and replace it with a “rich and satisfying life” we can only know through Him (Jn 10:10). Tell Him and trust Him. Get it off your chest and get Him into your life. What are you waiting for?
A Screamin’ Demon
If this Sabbath at Capernaum synagogue wasn’t already crazy enough, wait until you see what happens next! “But Jesus reprimanded him. ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man,’ He ordered. At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him” (v25-26).
In the words of Ron Burgundy, “Well, that escalated quickly!” No sooner does the demon challenge Jesus than the visiting Rabbi tells him to stuff a sock in it and get the heck out of Dodge…or at least get out of the poor guy he had possessed.
The evil spirit certainly doesn’t go without a fight. When Christ gives him the order and sends him packing, the demon screams and gives the guy one last nasty shake. This is like an ump tossing a player out of game. Before the player leaves, he throws a juvenile tantrum, involving bats, balls, hats, and the Gatorade cooler. He pitches a fit, but he’s still leaving.
Jaw-Dropping Authority
If you think folks were impressed by Jesus’ sermon, having a front row seat for an exorcism takes this Sabbath to a whole new level. “Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened, ‘What sort of new teaching is this?’ they asked excitedly. ‘It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey His orders!’” (v27).
Just in case you had any doubts about whether this new Teacher and His message could move the needle, they’re gone now. Those doubts ran out the door with the demon. Everybody is picking their jaw up off the floor of that small-town synagogue. This new Rabbi not only exposes evil but sends it running with its forked tail between its legs.
A Game Changer
The authority Jesus is a total game changer. Nobody has ever seen anything like Him before. I’m talking EVER. Not before. Not since. Not ever. It’s the role He was born to play. And that role is the incredible combo of Savior and Lord.
As our Savior, He’s the Hero the Father first promised He would send to clean up the mess our first parents made (Gen 3:15). The Son of God leaves the luxury of the heavenly palace to come to our rescue. Or as Jesus announces at a big shindig in Jericho, “The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Lk 19:10).
As the Lord, He has total authority. Complete authority. Unlimited authority. So much so that when Jesus says so, it IS so. Just ask the demon He evicted from the dude in the synagogue. Oh, that’s right. You can’t. The Lord told him to shut up and leave.
The 800-pound Gorilla
Here’s the 800-pound gorilla when it comes to Jesus as Lord. Are WE actually going to do what He says? Am I going to obey His commands? Do I believe that believe that He is God and what He wants for me is good? Or do I think He’s holding out on me? In case you haven’t heard the story, but that’s how things fell apart in Eden in the first place (Gen 3:1-8).
Here’s the rub. We love the whole Jesus as our Messiah/Hero idea. That’s awesome. But once He saves our eternal bacon, we really want nothing to do with His leadership as our Lord. Savior, yes. Lord, no.
There’s just one little problem. I can’t pull the two apart. Jesus as my Savior and Lord is a package deal. In other words, I can’t simply buy the fire insurance. I must also willingly to submit to His leadership and guidance. It makes sense when you think about it. My very limited authority certainly hasn’t been able to get me to make any real changes in my life so far.
The Buzz in the Burg
Back in Capernaum, there’s a quite a buzz in the little burg as people leave the synagogue. “The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee” (v28). Word gets around about not only the new Teacher, His amazing message, but His astonishing authority.
Because of Jesus’ authority, the Sabbath will never be the same. Going to synagogue will never be the same. Life will never be the same!
Let’s just say things are about to get rather complicated for Jesus and His team. But He’s up for it. He’s got the brand new message folks have been waiting to hear. And He’s got the authority they desperately need.
That’s what happens when Authority comes to town.
©2017
Jay Jennings
©2017
Jay Jennings
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