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The STRONG MAN in Authority

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Bob Bradley

_________________________ 

Mark 1:20-27

 

20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

 

In the scripture, this gentleman is called John Mark.  When we look into the book of Acts, we know his mother and we know who she was.  We know that Mark lived with his mother.  We know that Mark went with Paul and Barnabas for a while on the first missionary journey.  When we get to Acts 13, we know that Mark comes back home to Jerusalem and he did not continue with them on the journey when they started the second missionary journey.  We know that Paul wanted to take Mark, but Barnabas did not want to take Mark.  There was contention among them that began so sharp that Paul took Silas and Barnabas took Mark and they went on their journey.  We don’t know much about him at all.  He is the writer of this gospel that is bearing his name.  As we read, he no doubt got much of his information from Peter.  When we read the book of Peter, we know that Peter called him his own son.  Peter was probably very instrumental in leading Mark to the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

He is writing and telling unto Roman and Gentile people.  He is telling us many things about the Lord.

 

Last week we studied about Jesus calling some of His disciples.  As we read, we know that He called James and John along with Simon Peter and Andrew into full time ministry.  These guys had already met the Lord probably several months before.  Now He was calling them into full time ministry.  They are going to follow Him now.  They have quit the fishing business and are going to follow Him now totally and completely. 

 

As we look in verse in 21…

 

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

 

We automatically think that right directly after or the next event that happened after he calls Peter, James, John and Andrew that He immediately goes to Capernaum.  When we look at the whole story of the other gospel writers, we know that there was some time elapsed here between verse 20 and verse 21 before He actually went there.  There was probably a year’s time between verses 13 and 14 so some other things have happened here when you read the scriptures here that He did.  We know that He healed the leper and the Centurion servant and He done some other things that happened that Mark did not record.

 

He gets to Capernaum…  Capernaum is a place that is down on the Sea of Galilee.  Capernaum is a place that probably during the time that Jesus was living there was a couple of three hundred thousand people that lived in the city of Capernaum.  It was not just a little hole in the wall.  Capernaum was a big place and when you throw in Bethsaida, Chorazin, and all those other little cities that were there.  The Bible says that around these cities of Capernaum, Bethsaida and Chorazin, the Bible says that this is where most of Jesus mighty works were done.  He did the majority of His healing and mighty works that He did; He did them around Capernaum.  We know that He leaves Nazareth where he had been brought up and comes to Capernaum.  Peter owned the house here and probably set up His headquarters somewhere in close proximity to Peter’s house.  His ministry was going to come forth from Capernaum. 

 

When he gets to Capernaum, the Bible says,

 

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

 

Jesus is going to do some great things in and around Capernaum.  We know the word “straightway” means immediately.  In other words, He gets to Capernaum—He didn’t go down to the Sea of Galilee and put His feet in the water or take a boat ride.  When He gets here, He immediately goes to the synagogue.  The synagogue was a place where people went to worship.  It was not the temple, but it was meeting place where people would come—they didn’t offer sacrifices here, they did that in the temple—the synagogue was a place of prayer, a place of worship, and a place where someone would get up and read the scriptures and expound the scriptures.  There are many things that we can say about a synagogue.  However, it was a place of worship where the Jews—especially after their return from Babylon.  This is when the synagogues come into play.  The temple was torn down then so they started meeting in people’s houses.  If they had at least ten adult Jewish men over the age of twenty years old, that is what made them an adult.  If they were over twenty years old then they could establish a synagogue.  Sometime they had it at people’s houses.  Sometimes they built buildings.  It was a place of worship.

 

21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

 

Saturday is the Sabbath day.  Sunday is the first day of the week and Saturday is the seventh day, the last day of the week.  Saturday is the Sabbath day.  We, the church of Jesus Christ, we that are saved today, we worship on the first day of the week.  The reason that we worship on the first day of the week is that is the day that Jesus arose from the dead.  If He had not risen from the dead then everything we are doing is in vain. 

 

He comes to Jerusalem, it is the Sabbath day, and immediately enters into the synagogue.  So he goes here, gets to Capernaum, and goes into the synagogue.  The Bible says that He taught.  They had a ruler that was over the synagogue.  They had different elders and different people that were there.  They had someone that was there that actually oversaw what went on in the synagogue.  They were able to invite different rabbis and different teachers to come in to teach and to expound the scriptures.  When Jesus gets here — evidently, they have heard about Him from somebody, somewhere because they ask Him to teach.

 

The word “teach” is a good word.  When you look at the word “teach”, the Greek word is a word that means, “To enter into an activity.” 

 

When Jesus gets here, He goes to the synagogue to worship.  He goes there and He is involved in what is going on.  He just doesn’t come there and sit.  He just doesn’t come there and cross His legs and ho hum.  He just doesn’t come there to find fault, but He enters into an activity.  He is going to teach the people.  We know it is on the Sabbath day.  It brings out something that I really like and I know that you are going to like it too.  When you look at this in the Greek, His teaching and His way of teaching brought out the idea that it was something that was for a long period.  He was very active in His teaching.  It was more than just a five-minute lesson that He taught. 

 

Sometimes, when we come to God’s house, we are more interested in when 8:30 comes than when 7:00 comes.  We get more excited when it gets closer to 8:00 than we do when it is gets closer to 7:00.  It is great to be able to come to God’s house to sing and testify.  However, it is also great when we can look into His Word and God can speak to our hearts from His Word.  We can learn something from His Word that will help us and strengthen us.  We can learn something that will give us something to eat on and to be able to survive spiritually until Sunday.  I thank God for that.  I need His strength.  I need His help. 

 

Here He is teaching.  The Bible says:

 

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

 

When you look at the word “astonished” it means that these guys were absolutely flabbergasted, blown away by what He was doing. 

 

The thing that was so exciting to them; these guys in this synagogue were so used to people coming in and repeating what some other scribe had said.  The elders would come or a rabbi would come and take what some other rabbi had said then repeat it.  That became old after a while.  However, when Jesus Christ came here and begins to speak to these folks, it was something that was absolutely brand new.  It was something that they had never heard before.  They had never seen a man speak with authority before.  It was exciting to them. 

 

Spiritual people need to hear, they need to be fed and need to have, and they need spirit-filled preachers and teachers.  It is not all in the jumping.  It is not all in the shouting.  You will never teach anything to anybody that is going to be spiritually led, if you are not spiritual yourself.  People that are dead cannot be spiritual leaders.  If we are alive spiritually, there will be times that we will move around.  There will be times that the Spirit of God will quicken us or make us alive and move us around that we know that we are saved and we know that He is dwelling on the inside of us.  There will be times that He will do that. 

 

The more I work on my spiritual life, the more He becomes real in my life. 

 

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

 

They were astonished at His teaching.  The things that He was teaching they were absolutely flabbergasted by.  They could not imagine in their minds a fellow speaking words like this.  Could you imagine sitting there that day in that synagogue and the Son of Almighty God walks in and starts to speak?  That would have been a great day, wouldn’t it?  Do you know how that I know that is a great day?  It is because there are days here on planet earth that He still yet speaks.  He is real!!!  He is as real today as He when He spoke in the synagogue at Capernaum.  Jesus Christ is alive today.  We have a constant companion dwelling on the inside called the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit whatever we may want to call Him.  He is our comforter.  He is our guide. He blesses us and encourages us.  He lets know that we are alive.  We are blessed people. 

 

He goes to the synagogue and He taught.  They were blown away at His doctrine. 

 

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

 

He taught them as one having authority.  As I said earlier, the scribes that were there and the rabbis that were there they had authority—they would read what another rabbi or someone had written down.  They would get up, read, and maybe use what these other rabbis had said like maybe we would use a commentary today.  It is great to have commentaries, but if all I know is what someone else has wrote then I don’t know much.  If I get up and read, what someone else has wrote then it is just dead as a hammer.  We can take what these others have read and these great men of God and they can be a blessing to us.  However, these rabbis, the only authority that they had was what they had received by the other rabbis that were before them or the rule that was in the synagogue.  That is all they had.  When these rabbis would get up and teach, they didn’t have any authority.  There was no power in their life.  Their message that they had was not changing anybody’s life.  They were just talking.  They might have been teaching but it was just something that was dead. 

 

When Jesus Christ comes on the scene, He did not get His authority from some rabbi.  He did not get His authority from some commentary.  He is the authority.  When He spoke, He spoke from authority because He is authority.  He is all-powerful.  He did not speak as the scribes did.  They were just dead talk.  He spoke with authority.  He spoke words that changed people’s lives.  He spoke words that calmed storms.  He spoke words that made diseases go away.  He spoke words that raised the dead and healed the blind.  That is authority.  We cannot understand how much authority that is or how much power that is. 

 

Jesus simply spoke words with authority, or with power. 

 

22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

 

Do you know what we need in our churches today?  We need preachers and teachers to speak with authority. 

 

Do you know why we are studying the book of Mark?  I was praying about what we need to do on Wednesday a long time before we ever got here.  God spoke to me that we need to be here in Mark.  If we need preachers that will seek the face of God, who will study, pray and meditate to know what God is speaking, to know what God has said in His book.  When we get here, behind the stand then we will be able to speak with authority, speak with some power, we won’t be like wet noodles.  We won’t be dead.  I’m not saying that jumping around is always spiritual.  I’m not saying that, but I’m saying that we need preachers, teachers, and pastors that will speak with authority.  If I am speaking with authority, that what I am speaking can be found and proven in the Bible.  That is speaking with authority.  When I tell people that they must be born again to go to heaven that is speaking with authority.  When I tell people that sin is sin.  When I say that drunkenness, lying, cheating, stealing and drug abuse is sin, I can do that because I am speaking authority from the Bible. 

 

I was thinking about one of our churches here in the area that a few years would run a 100 or more.  However, today they have 20 on Sunday morning and 10 on Wednesday night.  Actually, I don’t know if they are even having service now or not for sure.  What happens is that somewhere along the line we have lost.  Somewhere along the line, we give up and say hey, we don’t need to speak with authority anymore.  We might be able to speak nicely; we might be able to speak words that make us appear to be very intelligent.  We may be able to speak words that would make you think that butter would not melt in your mouth.  If we are not speaking with the authority that comes from Almighty God, then it is dead.  We are just speaking like the scribes.  It is not going to help anybody.  It is not going to lead our children to the saving knowledge of Christ.  If we are not speaking with authority then we will never accomplish anything for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Here He is speaking with authority and they are astonished at His power.

 

He is in a place of worship.  He is in a place where they would take the scriptures and read them and someone would come forward and teach…so and so forth. 

 

23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

 

The “their” in verse 23 means those people/rulers that were here, that Jesus was talking to.  When you read this here, it brings out the idea that Jesus had been talking for a long time.  I don’t know how long.  In the congregation, there at Capernaum in the synagogue, there was a man that had an unclean spirit.  If the Bible says that he had an unclean spirit then that would tell me that we could have a clean spirit.  We should agree with that because if I am living as I should be living, if I am saved then the Holy Spirit of God is on the inside of us.  He is dwelling on the inside of us and He is a clean spirit.

 

There is a man here.  He is sitting in the midst.  We don’t find out anywhere else where the scribes had taught when anybody else said anything.  Something happens here when the Word of God is spoke, something happens to an individual here that is completely controlled or possess by an unclean spirit.  When you look at what this is saying, here is a man sitting in the synagogue, listening to Jesus teach and he completely controlled, completely possessed by demons.  That is what that says.  I know when we talk about demons, devils, and unclean spirits; honestly, when you start looking at unclean spirits, demons and the devil; it will get your attention very quick. 

 

Here is a fellow that is completely possessed by demons.  More than one demon, his every emotion is under the control of demons.  Something happens.  Do you know what an unsaved fellow can do?  Do you know what a demon possessed fellow can do?  We have a lot of demon-possessed people go to church.  I have pastored churches where there many demon-possessed people there.  The reason I know that is how that they acted.  Christian people do not act like devils.  We want to say well I have lost my religion, if you can lose it that easy then you didn’t have anything to start with. 

 

He is completely controlled by demons.  There is many fallen demons; angels that were created, just like lucifer or satan was created; angels that were created to worship and to praise Almighty God, that when satan decided that he wanted to overthrow the throne of God, we know that many demons followed him in his rebellion against God.  We know that they were cast out. 

 

The Bible says this guy is completely controlled by demons.  I thought about that over the years many times.  Believers today are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.  Do you think that it should be a big thing then that unbelievers are indwelt by demons?  We are either indwelled by satan or we are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.  There is a reason for that.  It is a great study when you look into how that works.

 

Satan is a great imitator.  He is called the anti-Christ.  Everything that Christ does, he wants to do something that imitates that.  Believers get saved and they are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God.  Satan indwells people that are not saved.  He wants to imitate.  Just as the Holy Spirit of God indwells, leads, and guides a believer, satan, the unclean spirit sitting over here, the unclean spirits indwell, lead, guide and direct people that are unsaved.

 

The Bible will tell us some things about demons and devils.  All we have to do today is look around and see some of the things that happened on the news today.  God will never tell you to kill your child.  God did not do that.  However, the god of their life told them to do that, but the God of heaven did not tell them to do that.  The lord in their life told them to do that, but the LORD of heaven did not tell them to do that. 

 

He is completely controlled by an unclean spirit.  The Bible says that when he hears what Jesus is saying, he cries out.  When you look at the word “cries out” it means that this guy when he heard Jesus teaching, he let out a death curdling scream that would have made the hair stand up on your head if you would have been there.  Absolutely, would have terrified us if we would have been sitting there listening to this unclean spirit, these demons that were inside this guy when he hears Jesus talking or teaching he lets out this death curdling scream.  Do you know what happens when and the Word of God goes out in authority, those that are unsaved get convicted.  Those that are unsaved, there is something that happens.  Do you know unsaved people can come and sit?  The place may be deader than a hammer.  He hears the Word of God because Jesus is God.  When Jesus spoke, He is speaking the word of God.  He screams out in a voice, a tone that just went through you.  He says let us alone.  How many times have we talked to unsaved people, I have heard that, “just let me alone.”  That is what satan always says.  That is what people always say when they are controlled and completely possessed by satan.  They always say, when someone is trying to get them to convince them to make things right with the Lord, they always say, “Let me alone.”  Let us alone is what it says which means there is more than one. 

 

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

 

When you read that, it says what do we have in common with you.  Here the unclean spirits are speaking from this man.  Jesus has been speaking.  The demons say, “What do we have in common?”  Jesus has nothing in common with an unclean spirit.  He is righteous.  They are unrighteous.  Jesus wants to help people.  The demons want to kill people.  Jesus wants to feed people.  Satan wants to starve people.  We could on and on with that.  They have nothing in common.  That is what he is asking.  “What are you doing over here?  We do not have anything in common with you.  We don’t have anything that we can discuss on common ground.”  The demons knew that. 

 

24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

 

When you read that in the Greek, it makes the statement that the demons are making an assertion.  They are saying, “You are coming here to destroy us.”  These demons knew exactly who Jesus was.  They knew exactly what their end was going to be.  They knew that there was going to be a time that they were going to be destroyed.  They thought this was the time.  Even the demons believe who Jesus is.  Even the demons/devils believe and tremble.  They know that there is a God in heaven.  They know who He is.  Not for the saving of their soul, no, but they know who He is.  Even the devils know that.

 

25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

 

The word “rebuked” is a good word.  There are two Greek words in the New Testament that are used.  One of the words that are used that talks about rebuking people is used to help someone to repent.  In other words, if I see you doing something that is not right and I may rebuke you or reprimand you with the idea to get you to change or repent.  This rebuke is not that word.  This rebuke is a sharp reprimand, but Jesus knew that these guys were not going to repent.  He was reprimanding him.  He says here, “hold thy peace.”  Jesus is saying, “Shut your mouth.”  That is what He says.  Isn’t that awesome!  The great thing about it is that they had to shut up.  He has authority over them.  He has authority over even the unclean spirits.  Jesus says, “Shut up” 

 

26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

 

The devil does not give up easy.  The Bible says that when Jesus says, “Shut your mouth.”  Or “Hold thy peace, and come out of him.”  He tore him.  It brings out the idea of convulsions.  It brings out the idea of spasms.  In other words, this guy probably fell down on the ground.  He may have been in convulsions.  He may have looked like someone having a seizure.  When you look at the whole word, the enemy here or the demons that were in him did not do this guy any lasting damage.  They are going to come out of him.  He did not want to give up.  He shut his mouth; they could not speak any longer.  The demons knew that they had to come out.  They tore him, when they had torn him and cried with a loud voice this death-curdling scream again.  The Bible says here, he came out of him. 

 

Here is a guy that is completely controlled by demons.  Jesus says, Shut up guys and get out of him.  They have to leave. 

 

If you have ever been saved, do you know what happened to you when you asked Jesus Christ to come into your life?  He told the demons that were dwelling on the inside; you have to get out.  They had to get out.  There was a strong man came that was stronger than the man on the inside.  The demons were subject to authority and power of Jesus Christ.  When I got saved, when you got saved, the demons that were controlling your life have to get out; not willingly, but they have to get out.

 

Does that mean that you will never mess up?  No. it does not mean that.

 

Does that mean that you will never have an evil thought?  No. it does not mean that.

 

It does mean that you have someone else directing your life.  It does mean that you have someone else directing your path.  Does that mean that you will never stumble on this path?  No. it does not mean that. 

 

It does mean that we have someone brand new that is leading the way.  We have a constant companion that instead of trying to destroy me as satan was, he is trying to do good for me, as Jesus Christ is.

 

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

 

When Jesus is teaching and preaching, and he commands the unclean spirits to come out, they were amazed.  When you look at what happened here, some of these guys were actually scared.  They were amazed, but some of them were scared of what they were seeing.  They were seeing a man being made whole.  They questioned among themselves.  In other words, what is going on?  What thing is this?  In other words, what is going on here?  What new doctrine is this? 

 

27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

 

This guy’s life was changed because Jesus commanded the unclean spirits to come out of him.  Do you think it was changed for the better?  I promise you, it was changed for the better.  This guy will never forget this day.  A day that the demons that were haunting him and controlling his life he will never forget the day that Jesus told them to get out.

 

In my life and in your life, I may not remember whether it was Tuesday or Thursday.  I may not remember whether it was 1976 or 1986.  If my mind functions as it should, I can remember the day that Jesus Christ saved me.  The day that He moved in.  The day that the enemy moved out.  I can remember that time. 

 

It was mentioned here tonight about some different things, but we have someone that is dwelling on the inside that wants to help us, bless us, and encourage us.  Many times in life, we forfeit success because we don’t allow Him to have complete control in our lives.  If we would just simply and totally surrender our hearts to Him; and live for Him everyday just like He wants us to live for Him; we would be super-duper Christian people.  Many of the frowns that we see would be gone.  Much of the discouragement that comes in people’s lives because of luke-warmness would not be there.  We could see the path real plain that He is leading for us in our life because we get closer to Him.  He is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  When I am walking in the light as He is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.  When I am walking in the light as He is in the light, I can see exactly where I need to go.  If I am walking exactly where I need to go, I know that the place that He will lead me will be in a place that He will always protect me.  It will be a place where that He will always be right there with me.  He will never leave me, or you.  He will take care of us through any difficulties that come.  Where we get in trouble at is that we get too far away from Him. 

 

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