And as we go to God's Word, we go specifically
to Mark chapter 1, Mark chapter 1, 21 through
34. What we've been doing of late is looking
at a sermon series through some of the miracles
of Jesus. Typically within this church, we do
consecutive preaching where we take a book, We
take a passage and we make our way through it
kind of systematically. With this sermon series
we do it a little bit differently in that we're
not marching through one book, but we're seeing
the miracles of Jesus throughout all four Gospels.
And so the last two Sundays we have been in the
Gospel according to John. Today we go to the
Gospel according to Mark. And as you look at
this here, you see Mark waste no time jumping
into the action, right? There is so much that
is jam -packed into Mark chapter 1. So as I read
this from 21 to 34, I want you to listen for
the three components of Jesus' ministry that
he does within this text. And would you please
listen, because this is God's holy word. Mark
1, 21 through 34. 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. 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. 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 and he came and took
her by the hand and lifted her up and the fever
left her and she began to serve them. That evening
at sundown they brought to him all who were sick
or oppressed by demons and the whole city was
gathered together at the door and he healed many
who were sick with various diseases. cast out
many demons and he would not permit the demons
to speak because they knew him this is God's
holy word let's pray father we thank you for
your word we thank you that it's true we thank
you that you give us what we need and yet we
also ask that as we now study this text Lord
You would help us to hear it well, to interpret
it well, and to apply it well. These things we
pray in Jesus' name, amen. As this is the season
of Advent, we've got our candle lit. Some of
you will show up on Tuesday to help decorate
the sanctuary. We might ask an important question.
What happened in the incarnation of Jesus. What
happened in the incarnation? It's simple in a
way, but it's also very complex. It's a bit mysterious,
isn't it? How to explain it? That Jesus, who
is eternal, took on flesh. Jesus, as you know,
has always been. Jesus is one with the Father.
equal in power and glory. So Jesus, the second
person of the Trinity, who has always been, takes
on flesh and becomes a man. This has been a challenge
for many to understand. This has been a challenge
for many to communicate to others. And so the
church recognized very early on, hey, we need
to know what we're talking about. We need to
study the Bible on this. And so if you know your
church history, you know that there were different
councils that were held in the early centuries
after the ascension of Jesus, councils like Nicaea
and Chalcedon, where the church gathered together
to discuss these important matters, especially
the matter of the hypostatic union, how Jesus
can have two natures, a divine nature and a human
nature. in one person, that the Son of God, what
he did when he came to earth is that he who is
divine, who is God, added this human nature.
And what all of this means is that Jesus is fully
man and Jesus is fully God, completely. He is
of the same essence. He's the same substance,
as some have said, as the Father. Jesus is of
the same stuff as the Father. And so Jesus, when
he speaks, he speaks as having the authority
of God. In Mark chapter 1, you see people confronted
with this for the very first time. Who is this
who speaks with this authority as the people
listen they realize something this Jesus He is
unlike any teacher we have ever heard before
Jesus is not one of many great teachers Jesus
is one of one in that category Now as they listen
not everybody is converted right then and they're
on the spot But they realize they are listening
to one who has supreme authority. Now before
I read the text, I asked you to listen for three
components of Jesus's ministry. This is what
he does within the passage. Jesus teaches. Jesus
casts out demons. And Jesus heals. And Jesus
accomplishes these three things as the God -man.
Let's look at his authority to teach in verses
21 22 and 27 You see verse 21. Jesus is in Capernaum
He's in the synagogue Where else would you expect
Jesus to be on the Sabbath? He's in the synagogue
on the Sabbath and he enters in to do some teaching
The text says the word immediately three times
Jesus doesn't waste any time. When he gets to
the synagogue, he begins to teach. Now, I'm not
exactly sure on this about why he immediately
teaches, but I imagine it would be because there
are other teachers, right? There are other rabbis
within the synagogue. And so Jesus goes there
to teach. And this highlights what I said about
Jesus's humanity and his divinity. Jesus... who
is divine takes on flesh so that he can stand
in the synagogue and rightly teach people Jesus
is the greatest teacher and at the same time
if we say that Jesus is only a teacher we do
a great disservice to him and we speak in sin
because Jesus is more than a great teacher he's
the divine teacher he is the godly teacher when
Jesus teaches mouths drop open. People are astonished
at his teaching. Jesus teaches in a way that's
completely different from every other teacher.
Now, this text does not tell us what Jesus is
teaching. Jesus doesn't give us his study guide,
right? But we see how his teaching contrasts
that with others. For you might remember in Jesus'
greatest teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus
will say something like, You have heard it said
this, but I say to you this, right? He says something
like, you've heard it said, love your neighbor
and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your
neighbor and pray for those who persecute you.
God's word never says to hate your enemy. But
the religious leaders don't have the right interpretation.
And so they would continue to teach things throughout
the years, throughout the generations. That's
just simply not true. And yet at the same time,
the religious leaders, the scribes, were kind
of the experts in the law. And so people listened
when they taught. They were the authority. And
yet the way that they taught does contrast how
Jesus teaches. Because what the scribes would
do in Jesus' day, how they would teach, is they
would actually take what others had taught, what
other scribes had taught and teach it themselves.
So they wouldn't speak with their own authority
and they wouldn't speak always on the authority
of scripture, but they would reference some other
scribe, some other rabbi. And this is how they
would teach. Kind of like how I might use a quote
within preaching or how a newspaper article might
reference somebody else. But notice something
about Jesus. He doesn't reference anybody else.
He only speaks what is true to the Scriptures.
He preaches, he teaches what he knows to be true
from the Bible, right? And so Jesus doesn't have
to appeal to other teachers because he is the
authority on Scripture. We know from John chapter
1 that Jesus is the Word. The Word made flesh.
So he doesn't appeal to the authority of others.
I like how Matthew Henry put it. He said, Jesus
taught as one who knew the mind of God and was
commissioned to declare it. Friends, when we
hear the Bible rightly taught, rightly preached
When we hear the Bible read, this is how we should
be. We should think this is the Holy Spirit talking.
Most of you probably cannot remember when you
first heard the Bible taught to you, rightly.
Most of you probably cannot understand the very
first time that you understood the incarnation
of Jesus. Maybe some of our children can remember.
when you first heard the Christmas story, imagine
what it would be like to hear the birth of Jesus
rightly taught and comprehend it for the very
first time. You would be astonished. The word
became flesh and dwelt among us, mind completely
blown. If we could only take ourselves back to
the first time. that we ever heard this, because
the incarnation of Jesus is astonishing news,
isn't it? And yet I'm afraid that many of us
have become apathetic to the birth of Jesus.
We've heard it all before, haven't we? Friends,
this Christmas season, Would you receive the
good news with the excitement of the shepherds
hearing from the angels? Would you be amazed
by the Bible in the incarnation that Jesus came
to be with us and came to be one of us? Receive
it in that way But also as you receive Jesus's
teaching on these things Notice the authority
that Jesus has to cast out demons Look in verses
23 through 27, as well as 32 and 34. So Jesus
is teaching in the synagogue and there is one
in the synagogue who's paying very close attention.
This man with this unclean spirit. A word on
unclean spirits. It seems that when the Bible,
especially in the Gospels, when it refers to
an unclean spirit, it's using this in the same
way as a demon. meaning that unclean spirits
and demons can be one in the same. Who are demons?
Demons are those who fell with Satan, those who
rebelled against God and continue to rebel against
God. And yet, as we look at this text here, we
should note something, that the Bible doesn't
always speak of demonic activity. It doesn't.
Actually, it's quite rare within the Bible except
for in the Gospels. In the Gospels with Jesus,
you see the unclean spirits and you see the demons
very, very often, right? Why is that? Why do
we see so much demonic activity at the time of
Jesus? I think R .C. Sproul is correct here.
He says at the time of Jesus, it's as though
all hell broke loose. And this is true, I think,
because ultimately, what did Jesus come to do?
He came to destroy Satan and he came to destroy
the works of the devil and evil and the demons
and all of it. And so one by one through the
Gospels, Jesus casting out demons, healing people
of unclean spirits. And really, what is this
but just a foretaste of what Jesus would do on
the cross. When we look, Jesus casting out demons.
We should be thinking of the cross of Christ
But look at this Look at what's going on here
with this one unclean spirit verse 24 What have
you to do with us Jesus of Nazareth? Why does
the unclean spirit speak of us? the man may actually
have multiple unclean spirits within him. That's
an interpretation. Two, it could be that the
unclean spirit is speaking for all unclean spirits,
as if to say, well, I have the attention of Jesus,
let me speak up for all of us. And then the third
view is that the unclean spirit is speaking about
everybody in the temple, as if to say, Jesus,
Are you here to destroy everybody in the temple?
I think we can definitely say that that is not
true. So I think the view that is correct is
view number two. Jesus is speaking for all unclean
spirits and all demons. That this demon is saying,
what have you to do with us referring to everyone?
And as we refer a little bit further down in
our text, you see that there are many who are
a impressed by demons later on within this passage,
and so he speaks up for all of them. But there's
something here that's very important to understand.
The unclean spirit knows who Jesus is. I know
who you are, the Holy One of God. J .C. Ryle
comments on this, and this is an important Quote
listen up the mere belief of the facts and doctrines
of Christianity will never save our souls the
mere facts He continues Such belief is no better
than the belief of demons They all believe and
know that Jesus is the Christ they believe that
he will one day judge the world and throw them
down To endless torment in hell, it is a solemn
and sorrowful thought that on these points, some
professing Christians have even less faith than
the devil. James 2 .19, the demons shudder. Friends,
there is no unbelief among the demons. There
is no unbelief among the demons. What they do
not have, though, is saving faith in Christ.
And so, friends, we must not treat our faith
like it's just head knowledge. There are some
who do this. Some who say, well, I know about
Jesus. I went to Sunday school. But saving faith
doesn't come to those who only know about Jesus.
Saving faith is for those who trust in Jesus
for salvation. And so if your approach is to
only know about Jesus, you are in danger of hearing
the words of Jesus when he said, depart from
me, for I never knew you. That would mean that
your faith is no better than the demons. We must
have a relationship with God through Jesus by
the power of the Holy Spirit. We must know more
than just facts about Jesus. We must know him.
I like how Luther put it He said the life of
Christianity Consists in possessive pronouns
It is one thing to say Christ is a Savior It's
another thing to say he is my Savior and my Lord
The devil can say the first But only the true
Christian can say the second for instance Who
is the first one in our passage to say something
true about Jesus? It's the unclean spirit Again,
there's no unbelief among the demons. They knew
who Jesus is Do you do you know Jesus do you
have that relationship with him? Have you trusted
in him for salvation? Have you repented of sin
this Christmas season? Stop busying yourself
with all the periphery stuff and walk humbly
after your God as a disciple of Jesus. Give your
heart to Jesus. Receive the teaching of the gospel
as good news. And friends, for those of us who
are prone to unbelief, remember what comes later
in the book of Mark. In Mark chapter 9, you have
the Father who has the Son with the unclean spirit.
And the Father says to Jesus, I believe. Help
my unbelief. Let that prayer be on your lips
during seasons of doubt. Help my unbelief. And
so we see in here Jesus' authority to teach.
Jesus's authority to cast out demons and now
let's look in verses 29 through 34 his authority
to heal you see here the words getting out about
Jesus and people are amazed but there's a great
moment that happens next a moment that shows
us that Jesus never forgets his disciples because
he leaves the synagogue to go to Peter Andrew's
house. Peter's mother -in -law is there. She
is sick with a fever and I'm not gonna make any
mother -in -law jokes here. He simply takes her
by the hand and he lifts her and the fever leaves.
Now in Luke, I think it's chapter 4, we see the
same episode there. Jesus taking the fever from
Peter's mother -in -law. But in that episode,
within that passage, Jesus rebukes the fever.
And so some have said, well, look at Mark 1 and
look at Luke 4 here. These things are in contradiction.
One says that he rebukes. The other says he takes
her by the hand. These things are not at odds.
There is no contradiction. You can rebuke something
while touching something at the same time. And
so we must see here that these accounts of the
miracles of Jesus are wholeheartedly, completely,
fully true. There is no contradiction. The Holy
Spirit is working through the writers of Scripture
to describe exactly what happened. And exactly
what happened is Jesus, in all of his power as
the Son of God, with the authority of God, he
exercises great humanity. He exercises great
compassion. in tenderness, doesn't he? We don't
have much information on this fever from Peter's
mother -in -law. We just don't know much more.
And so in some ways, this miracle seems a little
less miraculous than others, doesn't it? Taking
a fever away doesn't seem to be on par with walking
on water or turning the water to wine or multiplying
the bread or the fish. And yet this is still
very, very miraculous. Because look at her response
in verse 31. And he came and took her by the
hand, lifted her up, and the fever left her,
and she began to serve him. She exhibits how
free she is of this fever because she has complete
healing in order to serve Jesus. and to serve
the disciples and so friends her response should
be ours her response should be ours we who know
of the power and the authority and the salvation
in jesus those of us who if i can say this way
have a heart transplant where god has removed
the heart of stone and give us in a heart of
flesh we should use our hearts in order to serve
jesus and others her response is part of the
miracle. She is raised to serve Christ. And even
though this removal of the fever doesn't seem
as miraculous as some others, it's miraculous
in its impact. Look in verse 33. That evening
at sundown, they brought to him all who were
sick or oppressed by demons. Peter's house becomes
kind of a mash unit here all kinds of people
from town showing up to the door now you might
say why do they wait until sundown well because
of the Jewish calendar the new day begins when
the Sun goes down and so they waited until the
Sabbath was over did they need to do that well
no because Jesus is actually already healed on
the Sabbath as we saw earlier but they wait They
wait until the sun goes down. That's when the
needy show up and he heals many and he casts
out many demons And then look what he says to
these demons he casts out Verse 34 he would not
permit the demons to speak because they knew
him If Jesus allows these demons to speak The
word gets out even more, perhaps speeding up
the cross. It's not time for that yet. You see,
Jesus doesn't go around telling every single
person who he is. He humbly goes about his work.
And he is able to command that the demons not
speak and they obey him, showing us that the
devil and his minions don't have authority over
Jesus. Jesus has authority over them. And so
friends, as we look at texts that have demonic
activity, I think we're prone in our hearts to
fear, aren't we? It sounds terrifying. And yet
Jesus has power over them. And so I don't want
you to fear this at all. I want you to recognize
the reality of these things. But we ought not
fear. Why? Because God is with us. And Jesus
has conquered sin and death on the cross. God
permits the devil to have some authority. This
is true. But even the devil knows that his authority
is limited in capability and time allotted for
his rebellious work. So I want to encourage you,
do not fear, for God is with you. He will strengthen
you and help you. He will uphold you with his
righteous right hand. And so be aware. Be aware
of this kind of activity. But do not fear. The
question is often asked, can a Christian be demon
possessed? And the answer to this, I believe,
is no. For where the Holy Spirit is, there is
no room for demon possession. R .C. Sproul said,
demons can oppress us. They can harass us. They
can tempt us. They can attack us and so on. But
thanks be to God, He who is in us is greater
than he who is in the world. And so friend, Christian
know this, that Jesus protects you. And this
is all possible because of Jesus's victory on
the cross and because of his ministry. For we
remember that Jesus went toe to toe. He faced
off with the devil in the wilderness, defeating
the devil each time by the power of the Holy
Spirit. in the power of God's Word and so you
can be certain that Jesus's divinity and his
humanity did this the book of Hebrew says that
Jesus was tempted in every way as we are yet
without sin so that just at the right time the
humanity and the divinity of Christ all in one
went to the cross as a sacrifice to atone for
your sins and to defeat sin death and the devil.
You see, the humanity of Jesus allows him to
do it, but his divinity allows him to do it with
the authority of God. And so Christian, this
Christmas, trust in the God man. Trust in the
one who is fully God and fully man and know of
his mission to defeat sin and death. that it
was completed on the cross, that he said, it
is finished. And as this time is described as
Advent, Jesus's arrival. Know and trust this,
that as Jesus has come once, so he will come
again to put a bow on it all and to lock away
Satan and the demons forever. Let's pray.