The Words of Jesus Have Authority and Power

Mark 1:21-28 When you walk into Barnes and Nobles Bookstore there are various sections divided by the topics of the books contained there.  But there is an entire wall dedicated to “self-help”.

Besides that wall of “self-help” books there are sections of the store dedicated to child-rearing and personal finance and home repairs and the list goes on.  Hundreds of authors--thousands of books—millions of words—all of them dedicated to telling you what to do to improve your life.

            There is just one problem—none of them really agree with one another.  Despite having such optimistic titles as:  “The Last Investment Advice You will Ever Need” and “The Complete Book of Childcare” and “The Definitive Guide to Home Repairs” none of the books there really are the last word at all.  None of them are authoritative.

How different are the words of Jesus!  He is the great prophet promised by Moses who possesses and speaks the words of Almighty God.  He is the one who said of himself, the Father who sent me has gven me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 

The authoritative words of Jesus found in the Holy Bible are different than every other word every spoken or written because they have the power to change our lives—not only for time, but for eternity.  The Bible says that:

[Jesus and the disciples] went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath [Jesus] entered the synagogue and was teaching. And [the congregation] was astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

            The people of that day were used to hearing their rabbis and teachers and scribes argue and disagree with one another.  One rabbi would site this ancient authority and another teacher would site another ancient authority and around and around they would go.

  Within Judaism as a whole there were major philosophical divisions that couldn’t agree on what books were in the Old Testament or even if heaven existed.   

  Jesus never spoke like that—as if he were one authority among many.  Instead, he said:  My words are truth.  He said:  If you abide in my words you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  He said:  I am telling you the truth.  Those who hear my words and believe in me have eternal life. 

And so then, when Jesus speaks about the necessity of forgiving others—and the standard that God expects of our lives—and the way to have a life with God—we ought to listen to him and render him the obedience of faith in his words.

We can accept differences of opinion on what to feed our baby or how to improve our emotional health or what kind of investment to make or any of the things that are covered in the “self-help” section of the bookstore.  We can even enjoy a spirited debate between those who disagree about politics or economics. 

What we cannot abide is a difference of opinion about is who God is- and what we need to have a life with him- and how we should live to please him.

In these things we must have an authoritative truth—and that is what Jesus gives.  God’s own truth is what the folks in Capernaum heard in the synagogue that Sabbath day and God’s own truth is what we hear in this place each Lord’s Day.  And the Good News for us is that the authoritative words of Jesus have the power to change our lives for time and eternity.  The Bible says that:

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.

            That was the question of the demon.  And the answer of Jesus was:  everything in the world!  Satan led man into sin.  Because of the devil, slavery, not freedom, was man’s lot.  The evil one brought death and eternal damnation into the world.  But Jesus came to fix it all.

The Bible says in First John that the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.  That is what God promised Adam and Eve in the garden when their sin wrecked creation and mankind—and that is what God delivered when he sent his Son Jesus into the world:  the end of Satan’s tyranny. 

  Every step of the way Jesus defeated Satan.  He refused to fall victim to Satan’s temptations in the wilderness.  He drove out demons again and again.  He healed the people’s diseases and raised them from the dead. 

He went to the cross where he died—not as a helpless victim of evil forces beyond his control-- but as a victorious king whose might and power is so great that his death means defeat for his enemies.  And he rose again to remove the curse of death from our lives and set us free from Satan’s bondage.

All of these blessings are delivered to us by his almighty, powerful, authoritative word.  To the stormy seas that threatened to drown the disciples he simply said:  peace, be still and it did.  To the devil in Capernaum he said be silent and come out and he did.  At the grave of his friend Lazarus, he said:  Lazarus come out—and he did! 

To a world full of sinners he spoke from the cross he said:  Father, forgive them and It is finished—and we are forgiven and salvation is finished.  Standing outside of his empty tomb he said because I live you also will live—and we will.

The Good News for us today is that the authority and power of Jesus’ words have not diminished over time.  Just like that day in Capernaum, in places of Christian worship throughout the world, Jesus speaks in the waters of holy baptism and says to that person You are mine—you have died with me and been raised with me and you will live forever with me. 

In Holy Absolution it is the voice of Jesus who is heard, saying:  your sins are forgiven.  In Holy Communion Jesus says this is my body and my blood given and shed for your forgiveness.  And in the sermon and the readings are the voice of Jesus calling us from death to life again and again and assuring us that we are forgiven and right in God’s sight.

   The words of Jesus are still just as authoritative and powerful as they were that day in Capernaum where a man was delivered from Satan and his life was changed forever. 

Who among us cannot say that being forgiven of our sins and having hope for the future and receiving guidance for our lives, has not changed us just as dramatically as the man who was delivered of a demon in the synagogue that day?!  The Bible says that:

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.”

            I freely admit that as wonderful as our worship is today—with a baptism and Holy Communion—it is still not quite so dramatic as a demoniac being set free!  The Bible says that the people on worship were amazed at what they saw and I bet they were!  I would like to have seen that!

But admitting that really gets to the heart of why so many people today- who say that they are Christians- are so apathetic about worship.  It’s because we have forgotten what is really taking place here each Lord’s Day.  Being reminded of that will renew our amazement at God’s gracious love for us.

Each Lord’s Day we gather in the presence of the living God of the universe and we speak to him in prayer and he promises to hear us.  Just imagine that!  The Almighty God, who powerfully and wisely upholds all creation, promises to hear our prayers.

Each Lord’s Day we hear the most amazing story ever told—the Gospel story of God’s love for us that is so deep, so profound that he sent his Son Jesus to die for us and rise for us so that we could be members of his family who will live with him forever.

Each Lord’s Day we receive the saving benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection in Holy Communion.  Our sins are forgiven.  We are given direction for our lives and the answers to life’s deepest questions. 

Each Lord’s Day we come into this place reminded in the Invocation that we are God’s baptized people-- and we leave this place under the grace and protection of his blessing.

How can we not be amazed at what happens in this place every Lord’s Day?!  How can we remain silent about everything God has done for us in Jesus Christ!?  The Bible says that:  At once [Jesus’] fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

            What does that mean?  It means that as soon as the worshipers left the synagogue they began to tell others about what they had seen and heard.  They told their friends and neighbors about a man who spoke with the authority of God about the things that really mattered.  They told their friends and neighbors that Jesus had the power to change their lives forever.

The saving mission of Jesus Christ to destroy the works of the devil began to spread throughout the area because the people in worship were amazed at what they had heard that day and what had happened that day.  Amazed by God’s grace, they spoke about Jesus.

Dear friends in Christ, so it is for us.  When we have opportunity, we talk to others about what Jesus has done for us—how he has the power to change us for the better—how his words can be trusted about the things that really matter.  Jesus’ love extends far beyond the walls of the synagogue at Capernaum and this church and the way that people will hear about Jesus is through us who believe his authoritative word.  Amen.