In this message Pastor Edward teaches from Mark 1:21-34. How should followers of Jesus relate and respond to the authority of Christ in their lives? That is what we explore in this sermon.
Sermon Notes
Title: Authority Worthy of Following
AUTHORITY
AUTHORITY FIGURES
AUTHORITY FIGURES?!
Helped
Hurt
Held Back
TENSION QUESTION
How should followers of Jesus relate and respond to the authority of Christ in their lives?
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
To the degree that, for you, authority is problematic, Christianity is going to be painful!
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
Our capacity to live under the authority of Jesus Christ greatly influences our ability to live in the authority of Jesus Christ.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
You are least likely to get un-stuck in the areas where you remain most un-submitted.
MARK 1:21-34
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.
MARK 1:21-22
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.”
MARK 1:23-24
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.
MARK 1:25-26
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.
MARK 1:27-28
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.
MARK 1:29-31
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, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
MARK 1:32-34
SUMMARY
Jesus teaches. People are amazed. Man was possessed. Jesus casts out demon. People are amazed. Jesus heals many and casts out many more demons.
MESSAGE OUTLINE
The nature of Jesus’ authority
The peculiarity of a demon’s response
The challenge to Jesus followers today
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.
MARK 1:21-22
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.
MARK 1:27-28
"Jesus spoke exousia, out of substance. His teaching was supremely substantive; there was nothing superficial or light about it. This was the utterance of the One who was of the same essence as the Father, so Jesus’ authority was rooted and grounded in God Himself." R.C. Sproul
"...the word literally means “out of the original stuff.” It comes from the same root as the word author. Mark means that Jesus taught about life with original rather than derived authority. He didn’t just clarify something that they already knew, or simply interpret the Scriptures in the way the teachers of the law did. His listeners sensed somehow that he was explaining the story of their lives as the author, and it left them dumbfounded.." Tim Keller (Jesus the King)
THE NATURE OF JESUS’ AUTHORITY
Just as an author can speak most authoritatively on a book they have written, Jesus has the ultimate authority in the world He created!
THE NATURE OF JESUS’ AUTHORITY
Jesus is the only One with all authority in the heavens and earth because He is the only One who created all the heavens and the earth.
THE NATURE OF JESUS’ AUTHORITY
Jesus’ authority is “ultimate” and “all” because He ultimately created it all!
MESSAGE OUTLINE
The nature of Jesus’ authority
The peculiarity of a demon’s response
The challenge to Jesus followers today
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.”
MARK 1:23-24
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, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
MARK 1:32-34
"A Pluperfect tense verb in Greek is very rare. Pluperfect is used of an action that had been completed prior to some point in the past. It is the perfect tense adjusted backwards in time. The demons knew Jesus before he ever showed up on the scene healing anyone!!! The demons have always known of Jesus’ deity. He created them as regular angels, but they followed the chief angel Lucifer and 'fell' with him!!!" Pastor Tom McCormick (We love you Tom!)
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.”
MARK 1:23-24
"Demons have the insight to know who Jesus is, but they are unwilling to worship him." Tony Evans
THE PECULIARITY OF A DEMON’S RESPONSE
Full acknowledgement of Jesus’ deity with zero desire to submit to Jesus’ authority.
How does our faith differ from the faith of demons?
Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That’s just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them?
JAMES 2:19 (MSG)
THE CHALLENGE TO JESUS FOLLOWERS TODAY
Do we acknowledge Jesus as God, but refuse to submit to His authority as Lord?
3 AREAS TO SUBMIT TO CHRIST’s AUTHORITY
Actions
Attitudes
Authority Figures
“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
JOHN 5:19
For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.
