Mark 1:21-28 Luke 4:31-37

http://biblehub.com/parallelgospels/In_the_Synagogue_in_Capernaum_on_the_Sabbath.htm

Authority is a hard thing for many people to handle because most of us like to think that we are in charge of our own lives.  Most people don’t like to be told what to do.  Many times those who have been given positions of authority are so concerned with keeping their titles that they end up just looking to please others instead of doing what they know to be right.  Other leaders use their power to intimidate the people under their authority.  They use fear to control people instead of leading by example.  The teaching and actions of Jesus were marked by His authority.  This was different from the religious leaders of His day.  His message was backed up by a life that demonstrated the truths that He taught.

THE REVELATION OF AUTHORITY WAS SEEN BY THE PEOPLE: When Jesus went into the Synagogue He opened the Scriptures and taught the people.  The people were amazed by His teaching because He taught with authority.  Apparently the other teachers would read the Scriptures but would not teach the Scriptures in a way that would transform the lives of the people.  Jesus taught in such a way that the people were confronted with their sin and were called to repent of their sin.  God Word was written to tell us how God expects for us to live our lives.  The purpose of preaching is not to make us feel good about ourselves but is to confront us, lead us to repentance and help us live in a way that pleases God.  Authoritative preaching should make what God wants us to do very clear.  Jesus was not concerned about the popularity of His preaching; He was focused on teaching the truth in a way that would transform lives.  This should be the way that we teach God’s Word as well.  We do not have the same type of authority as Jesus had but we do have the Word of God and we can teach God’s Word in full confidence that it is true and we can call our hearers to follow it with their whole hearts.

THE RECOGNITION OF AUTHORITY WAS SPOKEN BY A DAEMON: The teaching was interrupted by a daemon possessed man.  The daemon recognized Jesus as Messiah, the Son of God and publicly declared His identity.  The daemon knew that Jesus had authority over him and questioned why Jesus was there.  Satan and all of the daemons know that they are under the authority of Christ.  They wish that they could cast off His authority and establish themselves as authority but God does not allow this.  The daemon knows that he will be cast into eternal darkness when God judges them.  The presence of Christ fills the daemon with fear that the day of judgment has arrived.  It is interesting that the powers of evil recognized the identity of Jesus but the Jewish people did not.  We must recognize that Jesus is the ultimate authority in our lives and live in submission to Him.

THE REPUTATION OF AUTHORITY WAS SPREAD IN THE REGION: Jesus cast the daemon out of the man who fell into convulsions before being free.  When the people saw that Jesus not only taught with authority but also exercised authority over the daemons; the people spread the new news throughout the entire region.  He had a reputation as a great teacher and worker of miracles, but very few people recognized Him as the Son of God who had come to set them free from their sin.  They were fascinated by Him but were not ready to worship Him.  It is a good thing to spread the fame of Jesus but we must spread the truth about Him.  He is not just a teacher or a miracle worker.  He is the Son of God, the Savior from sin and Lord of Lords.  He has all authority over us and we must live in submission to Him.


APPLICATION:  We must teach the Word of God with authority.  God calls us to submit to the authority of Christ and recognize that He is the Judge to whom we all must answer.  We are called to spread the truth of Christ to all nations of the world.

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