4th Sunday after Epiphany February
1, 2015
Mark 1:21-28 Astonishing
Teaching
Dear fellow redeemed,
When someone stands before you as God’s representative, what kind
of effect should their
teaching
have on you? Get ready to be
astonished.
* I’d like to recite
to you what was said to some seminary students twenty-six years ago by
a certain professor at the
Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.
* He said: I
want to talk to you today about . . . losing your faith while you are at
seminary. I am not
even going to quibble about whether or not this will happen.
I am going to assume that it
will.
* There are a number of ways this will
happen, and I dont want you to be afraid of them.
Some
of the ways you will lose your faith are actually necessary and helpful to the
process of
becoming more deeply rooted in Christianity . . .
* You will lose your faith because you
have placed your faith in a text [the Bible], and you
are about
to undergo a process in which the text will be dismantled critically before
your
eyes and ears… (Yes) It will appear as if your faith is
being ripped out from under you.[i]
The
professor who spoke these words, needless to say, had one objective: capture
the attention
of naïve impressionable students; impress them with
something they’ve never heard before, brainwash
these young men so that they don’t believe any more than
their liberal teachers.
1
But is such teaching
truly astonishing? For one thing the
teaching lacks authority, since
it’s based on man’s word rather
than God’s.
2 It
also lacks relevance. Because of its
constant effort to keep up with the times, it must
constantly change. And that means what you hear today will be
old tomorrow.
3 And finally, it lacks credibility, since it doesn’t deliver in
the end.
If you can’t trust the Bible, you can’t trust Jesus. If what the Bible says about sin isn’t
so
important, then neither is what
Jesus says about forgiveness of sin.
* In the end, man’s
teaching may capture your attention and impress you for a time.
But there’s
nothing really astonishing about it at all.
A different story is told concerning the teaching of our Lord.
* So that we might truly
be astonished today, our text reveals that we dont have to look
any further than the teaching of
Jesus Christ.
1) First, it has authority, since it’s based on God’s Word.
2) Secondly, it has relevance, since it produces real results for
people.
3) And thirdly, it has credibility since it delivers what it
promises to deliver.
* We consider, in
the first place the authority of Christ’s teaching.
St. Mark records
that the people were astonished at his
teaching, for he taught them as
one who had authority, and not as
the scribes.
* It was quite a
contrast. The Scribes constantly
borrowed from unreliable sources.
One would quote
another as they spoke in long strings of legal niceties and clever
sayings.
* When all was said
and done, their teaching was nothing more than a reiteration of fancy
slogans and man-made commands.
* Following them
might make the people feel good for a time.
But their teaching lacked authority.
It couldnt
provide any real assurance concerning their future and the afterlife.
* In the end, their teaching
offered the people nothing and was therefore unimpressive and
quite worthless.
But Christs teaching was different. The people were astonished at his teaching.
In him they witnessed someone who spoke with authority.
* Of course, we
might ask whether they knew what gave his teaching authority?
They probably
didnt. They were amazed because he was
a real teacher.
He spoke as
though he knew what he was talking about.
* And so often
thats how it works today.
People have the
wrong idea about what gives a teaching and a message authority.
* Like the people in
Capernaum, they might be impressed by the teachers ability to speak
with conviction and enthusiasm.
* But they dont
realize what gives a teaching true authority.
What makes it truly
astonishing, is not its ability to grab our attention. (Were convinced
this guy knows what hes talking
about since after all look at his self-confidence!)
* No. A teaching with true authority is one that
can give us confidence since it’s based on
the inspired and inerrant Word of
God.
Thats why we may speak of Christs teaching as Astonishing
Teaching.
* When Jesus taught
the people as one who had authority he demonstrated that he
spoke
from Scripture; he spoke as though his message was from God,
which, of course, it was.
* And in doing so,
Jesus didnt appeal to other human authorities.
He acted with his own
authority. He spoke as the Son of God and quoted no one
but the Father.
Of course, there was something else the people found astonishing
about Christ’s teaching.
His teaching was relevant since it could produce real results for
real live individuals.
* As we return to todays reading we find Christ expelling an
evil spirit. After witnessing
the miracle the people asked each
other, What is this? A new
teaching with authority.
* New meant
different. It was different from that of the scribes since it had authority; it
could effect change in a
person. He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey
him.
* In other words,
his teaching was relevant for individuals who were suffering on account
of sin, death and the devil. His
teaching would provide relief!
So what about today?
Can we still say that Christs teaching is new; it’s relevant for
the modern individual?
* Well, wed
certainly say that its new to the one whos never heard it.
For the person
who hears for the first time of Gods grace through Christ; that the Lord
promises forgiveness and eternal
life for every believer, that teaching is wonderfully new.
* But what about the
person whos heard this teaching for years?
Is it still new?
What about that
neighbor who stops attending church since Its always the same thing!
* Really?! For
someone to say such a thing can mean only one of two things.
Either theyve
never heard the Gospel, since their pastor doesn’t preach it, or they’ve felt
no need for the Gospel, and perhaps for some time.
On the other hand, if we do hear the Gospel and understand our
need for it, its message is new
every time.
* You may consider,
after all, that our life is never the same from one year to the next.
1) Instead of little kid problems, were dealing with big kid
problems.
2) Instead of struggling to pay off those college loans, were
hoping to avoid going bankrupt.
3) Instead of that dealing with that minor arthritis which
occasionally flares up, were now
practically disabled and barely
able to walk.
* Christs teaching
may be the same, but as the years go by, it brings new meaning to us.
Its because our
sin – which is a part of our nature – never goes away.
It simply finds
new and perplexing ways to disrupt our life.
* And thats why we
need to hear again and again that we have a Savior who promises
to take our sin away. We need Astonishing Teaching which
always produces and never
gets old.
The problem with many people, of course, is that they can listen
to Jesus teaching for years and
years and never come to appreciate the Gospel.
* The Gospel may
produce real results in someone else, but not in them.
Why is that?
* Sometimes it’s
because theyre impressed with the delivery of the sermon, but not with
the sermon’s content.
* More than likely,
thats what was happening that one day in Capernaum.
Christs teaching
produced astonishment, but did it produce faith?
It wouldnt do so
until they recognized Jesus for who he was.
* And clearly, they
didnt at first. Notice the question asked by those astonished by his
teaching. They dont ask who is this? but What is this?
* They’re enthralled
not with their Savior’s message, but with their Savior’s conduct.
Im sure thats why the evil spirit made his presence known that
day.
* The people
may not have known who Christ was and why he had come, but Satan knew.
What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to
destroy us?
I know who you are
the Holy One of God!
* Its interesting.
We’re reminded that Satan and his fellow evil spirits were the first ones,
other than the good angels, to
know Christs true identity.
He was the
promised Christ who would save sinners by the teaching of the Gospel.
* And of course that
explains the great distraction that day. The evil spirit was hoping get
the people to make a different
association with the title Holy One of God.
They should think
of Jesus not as one who brought the forgiveness of sins.
They should know
Jesus as the destroyer of man.
* And they should think of his Gospel as that which destroys
our life.
And what about today?
Would it surprise you that the same lie is still being proclaimed?
* Those posing as
biblical scholars like to label us who truly love Jesus teaching. Were
the radical right who actually
believe the Bible to be the verbally inspired Word of God.
* Were the ones
whod make Jesus into some kind of fanatic who threatens us with hell for
being the sinners we are.
And as for his
Father, well, judge for yourself. To save us he has to destroy his own Son!
* Of course, what do
today’s liberal theologians offer as an alternative?
Stripping the
Bible of its authority, they rob Christ’s teaching of its relevance, for it can
no
longer talk seriously about sin.
* Rather than seeing
the Bible as containing Astonishing Teaching; teaching which delivers
us God’s forgiveness, they want
to perform an autopsy on the Bible.
Assuming its dead, we’re to tear it apart to determine why it died;
what happened to
Gods living Word?
But the Word of God does live. Thats why Christ came with his
Word; his Astonishing Teaching.
* Not only does it
have authority because it’s from God; and not only is it relevant because it’s
intended for every
sinner, but it’s credible because it stands up to every possible assault.
It can even
survive the assaults of Satan and his helpers.
* Notice Jesus’
reaction when the spirit tries to intimidate him.
The Lord rebukes
him, saying, Be silent, and come out of
him!
And immediately
the spirit comes out of him with a loud voice.
* It’s Astonishing
Teaching, and it’s teaching Jesus gives us to
speak.
By giving us the
Gospel, Christ has given us the power to silence our enemy.
* Yes. Christ bled
and died for us. But he did so that wed no longer be threatened with hell.
And yes, he was
destroyed by his Father. But he was also resurrected.
* Long story short:
Satan has no claim whatsoever on the believer.
The devil must
submit to Christ’s teaching and be silent!
It’s astonishing!
* The one who
delivers us from the devils attacks is the one who delivers to us the Lord’s
forgiveness. And his Word is the last word.
Then again, theres more at stake here than simply winning an argument.
* No evil can stand
against Christs teaching for one moment.
The fact that this evil spirit left this man with a shout
and without hesitation demonstrates
the incredible power behind
Christs teaching.
* There was no
resisting its power. Despite this spirit’s effort to go head to head with the
Lord Jesus, he
quickly learned he had to leave
the man.
* Sometimes we joke
about peoples inability to resist something.
1) Someone has a hard time resisting a fight.
If theres an
argument to be won, theyre right there in the middle of it.
2) Or a driver struggles with the speed limit.
He sees the open
road and just cannot resist.
3) Or it has to do with food.
Your weakness is chocolate.
You bite into
one, and then it’s another one and another one.
* Well, it may not
be thought of as a laughing matter for the enemies of Christ.
They simply
cannot resist the power of Christs Word and teaching.
They cant stop themselves from standing down as the
loser.
* It doesnt matter
where Christ’s teaching is taught, his enemies must submit.
True. Christs enemies will never admit defeat, and we can never
underestimate their power.
* And so it is with
Satan.
He’ll never
willingly give up on his victim until he deprives him of faith in his Savior.
* Having said that,
theres another power we may never underestimate.
And thats the
power of our Savior and his teaching.
* It’s not simply an
amazing story which never gets old. Its a convincing story which saves.
Jesus rescued us
from the power of sin and Satan and hell!
* That’s what I get to relate to you every Sunday standing
before you as God’s
representative! I’m not here to impress you.
I’m here to
assure you that you need have no fear of losing your faith!
* The false teacher
of our day may dazzle you with his flattery and charm, but it’s only the
Gospel that gives you God’s forgiveness.
* So listen up, and
get ready to be astonished! Amen.
May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Amen.
