Mark 1:21-34
Over the last few years, we’ve seen the idea of authority fractured and dismantled. Much of the protesting that we saw a few years back was in response to authority. Songs over the last few decades have become anthems for cultural revolutionaries. Songs like “We’re Not Gonna Take It,” by Twisted Sister, “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley, “Fight for Your Right” by the Beastie Boys. I’m sure, depending on when you were a teenager, other songs might come to mind.
But, here’s the point. People have become slower and slower to trust those who are in authority. Over the generations, enough people have abused the position of authority, that it has created a culture of distrust. Not so with Jesus. In fact, in our passage this morning, we see the authority of Jesus expressed in power and force, but also in gentleness and compassion. We see His authority shown in public, but also intimately in the home of one of His disciples. Ultimately though, we see the authority of Jesus wielded in perfection.
Read Mark 1:21-34
Big Idea: The authority of Jesus is reliable and perfect, showing the full power of God while drawing us close with compassion.
Authority in Public - POWER, FORCE
1.. Authority Over Truth (1:21-22)
Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, which would have been during the weekly worship service of the Jews. On this day, Jesus became the teacher. There was something very different about the way that Jesus taught. We see a few things:
A.. Astonishment
This is one of those Greek words that really brings an idea to life. The word is “ekplesso,” which mean to “strike out of one’s senses by sudden shock or strong feeling.” It would cause a person to be filled with amazement to the point of being overwhelmed, and so “struck out of their sense.”
Have you ever had this kind of experience? One that was so surprising and amazing that it all but took your breath away? When I was in high school, I went to Athens Drive in Raleigh, and our basketball team was playing Leesville Road, who had a guy by the name of Anthony Richardson, who ended up playing at Florida State. I was in the front row of the student section, and Richardson had a fast break. One of our players decided to do the honorable thing and take the charge. Richardson took one step in front of the free throw line and took off, all but jumping over our defender, and dunking the ball with so much force, he sent our poor guy into the wall. It struck our student section so out of our minds that we almost rushed the court celebrating his dunk, the opposing team’s star. We were exceedingly struck with amazement to the point of being overwhelmed.
Now I’m not saying the Jews rushed the court in the Synagogue, but it’s that kind of jaw dropping moment that leaves us astonished. See it wasn’t just that they were intrigued. They were “exceedingly struck to the point of being overwhelmed” by Jesus’ teaching. And the reason for this is because Jesus spoke with authority.
B.. Authority
Jesus spoke differently than the scribes. The scribes were writers. They took care of drafting legal documents, and were also responsible for copying Old Testament Scriptures. They were devoted to studying the law, and ensuring that people were following the law on a daily basis. When they would teach, they would read Old Testament Scripture, and would quote different Rabbis. The Old Testament Law was their ultimate authority.
Jesus, on the other hand, spoke as one whose own words carried the authority. There was something about his confidence and clarity that brought people in. Something to note here. Matthew’s account of the Sermon on the Mount happened between verses 20 and 21 of Mark’s account. So right before this, Jesus preached a message in which He said, countless times, “truly, truly, I say to you,” and “you have heard that it was said, but I tell you…”
He was flipping the script on perceived authority. Up to this point, the Law was the authority in their lives. Jesus says, “I haven’t come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it!” Jesus will bring the Old Testament Law to completion when He goes to the cross and becomes the perfect and final sacrifice. With that comes a New Covenant of His blood. The Law is no longer necessary because Jesus is now the ultimate authority.
QUESTION FOR REFLECTION: Are you left astonished at the teachings of Jesus? Do His words carry the only weight of authority in your life?
2.. Authority Over Spiritual Oppression (1:23-26)
Unclean spirit in every use refers to a demonic spirit. This man was overtaken and controlled by this spirit. It controlled his words and his actions. At the authoritative teaching of Jesus, this demon begins to tremble with fear.
It’s interesting to note here that this demonic spirit uses the word “us.” The thought would be that in this moment this one demonic spirit recognizes that this God man, Jesus, had come to destroy the whole army of demons. And in a weird attempt to stop it, he causes this man to cry out, to yell at Jesus, “leave me alone! Just let me be.”
Instead Jesus rebukes this spirit. By the way, Jesus uses very strong language. It would be with the same force as yelling at someone to SHUT UP. Jesus was telling this demon to be quiet, He was commanding silence. And THEN, He commanded the demon to leave this man’s body. This caused the man to fall on the ground, shaking, and shrieking in a terrifying way. And once again, the crowd was AMAZED.
Now… This may seem a bit of a distant concept to a lot of us. When we read accounts like this about demon possession or demon oppression, they don’t seem like modern day realities. I want to tell you 2 stories.
A.. Caleb Cross in Kenya - Demon Possession and Decision for Christ
B.. Middle East - Preaching - Cabinets Opening and Closing Until Jesus
I believe that demonic activity still exists today. I believe that Scripture paints such a broad stroke of demon possession, that we can’t just keep it confined to the idea of bodily invasion and manic outbursts. Let me make one thing clear. It is impossible for a genuine follower of Jesus to become possessed by a demon. It is, however, possible to engage in spiritual warfare in terms of spiritual oppression. One commentator defines it like this: “Demonic oppression is a spiritual attack from a demonic spirit which seeks to influence a person’s thoughts, emotions, and even their actions. The goal of demonic oppression is to keep a person trapped and bound. The desire is to paralyze the Christian believer so they become ineffective.”
And it’s hard to discern this. It’s hard to know when it’s our own brokenness coming through vs. spiritual oppression. The important thing to remember is that Jesus has complete authority over all of it. So when we feel weighed down, when we hear the lies and start to believe them, when get the sense that we are worthless, we turn to Jesus. We beg Him for deliverance. We beg Him for victory. We trust that His power is greater than anything else in our life.
After this event, we once again see that the people are amazed. “Not only do His words carry such authority that we can’t help but be mesmerized, but He even has the authority to command unclean spirits, and they OBEY HIM?!” WHO IS THIS MAN! And His fame continues to spread. And then, we get to see Jesus in a really intimate, private setting, still exercising that same authority.
Authority in Private - GENTLENESS, COMPASSION
3.. Authority Over Sickness (1:29-31)
Church is over, and Jesus heads to Simon and Andrew’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law is sick with fever, laid up in bed, and notice what Mark says. “Immediately.” Immediately they told Jesus. They walk through the front door, and before even getting settled, they fill Jesus in on what’s going on. This seems kind of normal though, right? I mean today, if we had friends coming over to the house, and a family member was sick in bed, we would tell them. There is no indication that they told Jesus with any expectation that He would heal her. But whatever their intentions in telling Him, notice what He does.
He quietly goes in where she is resting, takes her by the hand, and helps her to her feet. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t audibly command the fever to leave her. It is by His touch that she is healed. Let’s think just for a moment about this. Have you ever been laid up in bed with terrible fever? Like, the kind of fever that causes hot and cold chills, shivering uncontrollably under 7 blankets, but sweating profusely with no covers at all? And then once the fever breaks, our bodies are weak and sore. We need to get up and slowly ease back into things.
But here’s the healing power of Jesus. This woman is bed-ridden with a fever. Jesus heals her body, to the point that she doesn’t just have the strength to stand, but she goes right back to serving her family and their guests.
This is such a tender moment. Jesus has just commanded a demon to come out of a human being, such power, such force. And now, by His gentle touch, with compassion, His authority is shown over sickness.
After a short time with His disciples, the doors to the house are opened, and all who have now heard about the healing power of Jesus are flocking to Him. Those who are experiencing demon-oppression, those who are sick. And He is healing them, and He is casting out demons. The whole city it says! Power. Authority. Compassion.
And then there’s this seemingly random verse at the end. “He would not permit the demons to speak, for they knew Him.” It’s a little strange when you think about it. God spoke audibly at Jesus’ baptism. Jesus has been healing people. Jesus has fed the 5,000. He’s shown who He is countless times by now. So why the supposed secrecy?
There is much debate and no clear consensus on the real reason. It could be that Jesus wanted to control the clarity around the message, so He wanted to control how the truth got out. It could be that Jesus just didn’t want the demons to be the ones revealing who He was! No matter the theory, one thing is true. The fullness of Jesus Christ would be realized on the cross. The truth of who He was would be revealed that day, and would be confirmed with force as He rose from the dead.
Application
Jesus has authority over truth
Jesus has authority over spiritual oppression
Jesus has authority over sickness
Maybe one of those resonates with you this morning. Maybe you are struggling to filter out the noise and trust wholly in the truth of Scripture. Maybe you are feeling the weight of darkness. Maybe the nights are long and there is no light at the proverbial end of the tunnel. Maybe you are believing the lies that you aren’t good enough, that you aren’t worthy, that you will forever be in the chains of self-destruction. Maybe you or someone you know is struggling with some sort of illness, and you’ve been praying, but nothing seems to be getting better.
Wherever you are struggling to allow the authority of Jesus to rule in your life, there is hope for us this morning.
Ephesians 1:19-23 - “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.”
