When Jesus Speaks…..
If I say the name E.F Hutton….what comes to mind?
Teenagers I think you are off the hook on this one.
Let me say the phrase, When E. F. Hutton Speaks……People listen.
It was in commercial about an investment company, two people in a crowded place talking normally, one would say, “Well my broker is E.F. Hutton….”
Everyone in the commercial stopped walking, talking and was obviously trying to listen in on the conversation. The commercial wanted to illustrate that it was one to work with because their knowledge was sound and represented some level of authority related to successful investing.
Our scripture this morning is the official start in Jesus’ ministry. In the first 20 verses He is introduces as a adult, he receives the Holy Spirit and perhaps an expansion of his healthy abilities. He selected disciples who drop everything and responded to his call to follow him.
We can’t be positive of the time line but it sounds like this is the next Sabbath day. Jesus goes to Capernaum “first” synagogue to preach.
There are some differences between churches today and our worship and what was done in a synagogue. A synagogue was basically teaching institution established by the LAW and was to be established in any community that had 10 Jewish men.
The services had three parts. Prayer, reading of scripture and exposition or explanation of what was read. There was no singing and no sacrifice. The Temple was the only place for worship with psalms and offerings.
Synagogues were places of great influence because they were in the community with easy access while there was only one temple.
The synagogue had no permanent preacher. The ruler of the synagogue could call on any competent man to address the gathering and to explain scripture.
Humm…. Perhaps we could try that sometime. I have heard of churches that do.
I remember years ago when Renee and I were visiting her home church the pastor would look around and say, Brother Sam will pray for our worship this morning….At the offering time he would call out another name…..
Being a conservative Methodist boy, my stomach started knotting up when I looked a the bulletin and saw a reference to prayer. That feeling started me praying, “O Lord, Don’t let him call on me!” Every time we visited I looked at the floor, slumped in the pew out of fear of being asked to pray….
I am sure that most of the time in the synagogue they heard from their local teachers. Perhaps older men with a lot of knowledge and experience. Some one was going to teach on the Sabbath. It seems that your chances of being selected might be higher if you were a visitor to a synagogue….
We know that Jesus has a message and that we went to give that message in Capernaum. We don’t know if he asked to teach or was randomly selected. But He started teaching.
Let’s read part of the scripture again, “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.”
The people were amazed….amazed at what, a guest preacher – no, His age – no, his clothes or that he was a stranger….No
They were amazed that He taught with authority.
What was different than normal?
The normal teachers of the Law instead of reading a scripture and qualifying his comments with “according the Rabbi so and so this passage means….
Jesus teaches with “Personal Authority” He did not seem to need to build any support or defense for his remarks.
It seems that the people did not find a flaw in his style. They were amazed that he spoke plainly with out confusing citations and exact quotes. And it must have made since.
The scripture continues:
Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,
(The story is getting good.) They went from a scripture class with a young gifted preacher to a sort of show. This kind of thing probably never happened around there.
This possessed man, a member of the synagogue shouts…Interaction, questions during the teaching were not uncommon in the services…it is a teaching experience.
But this man does not seem to want to talk about the message. He wants to know what is really going on. He has a personal question.
“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!"
The word “US” catches my attention. It can mean a couple of things. It could indicate several spirits but, it is seems more likely that it was one evil spirit and the human man. This spirit identifies Jesus by name and also by his position in the kingdom of God.
I wonder if there were shocked faces in church that day. Did people get up and move away. The belief in evil spirits and demons was just common knowledge in that day. People felt attacked spiritually al the time. They believe that every phase of life on earth was ruled by demons and devils and unclean spirits. Their vise was that the earthly existence was hell.
Jesus response is quick and simple. Jesus does not have a conversation with them man or the spirit. He gives two commands. Be quiet and come out.
Then my imagination kicks in perhaps fueled by the movies, an uncontrolled shaking and some kind if fingernails on a chalk board shriek.
Jesus demonstrates his authority. Authority does not need a lot of words. Authority does not require a committee.
The authority of Jesus is much bigger than the ability to interpret scripture.
Then the scripture describes the people’s response:
The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority!
He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."
Ok I got a little problem of with the people’s focus.
First, was it a normal problem for evil spirits to attend church…Aren’t spirits supposed to be afraid of church people.
When the scripture said the man was in the synagogue, “in” was not referring to inside. It was talking about membership.
Folks, The scribes and Pharisees were good at making up rules. The created thousands of rules to daily life so that people would not break God’s law by accident.
I can’t even conceive that a member of the synagogue did not have to pass a screening process. Some kind of righteousness test.
Why weren’t they amazed to shocked that the demon came to church? Or maybe more specifically that this member was possessed.
Did they already know about old Isaac was a little off?
Think about this, The devil, evil, unclean spirits are religious. They know that there is one God. They know that God is the creator and is all powerful and can destroy them.
Demons are better theologians than any Christian and they are not bothered by teaching or worship or even prayer if it is false. If it is focused on personal opinion and personal authority of a person.
Jesus’ authority is based on and is God’s authority, will and desire. Evil spirits come to church all the time. Some have addictions, some intend to cause self-destruction, some to misdirect the focus of what is important in the house of God.
-- Folks, I don’t want to worry you but maybe we need to look around that the others here this morning.
Are we overlooking an unclean spirit?
Are we taking for granted that we just need to put up with eccentric attitudes?
Evil spirits that enter church are there to limit and control and ultimately kill a church by causing disunity and division.
-- They may sit quietly and smile and hug people in church.
Then when Jesus comes into the picture start a ruckus. Maybe it will be a gossip campaign against a person or a project. It might be shouting a streaking about not being heard.
Folks, I can’t say that I recognize any evil spirits in our midst today. But if we get up from our pew’s and allow Jesus to clearly speak to our hearts…maybe actually act on a vision…..you can be sure that a challenge will come.
Maybe I need to be a bit more specific; the devil does not need to disrupt a church that is going nowhere.
A church that only lives within the walls.
A church that has stopped learning from scripture and is comfortable with the way things are right now.
There is no church on earth that has reached perfection. There is not church can has not room for improvement.
There is no church that is really a church that does not have a mission and use the authority of God. To take on evil in this world so that other people can be free.
This morning I want to ask our elected Leaders to come down to the alter and Ask God to take full authority over their lives. We will start with personal prayer and it can be silent or spoken. The remaining congregation are invited down to lay hands on the leadership because we all need your prayers.
Then the leadership will rise and everyone is invited to make the same request fo authority and power as a congregation.
If you are unable to kneel, sit on one of the front pews.
The biggest act of worship for us today is the giving of ourselves to the authority and guidance of God.
Leaders please come on down now.
It was only after Becoming a pastor that on one Sunday, brother Ray said “brother Tom, will you dismiss us with Prayer. The funny thins is that I already knew he was going to ask. With the authority of Jesus Christ I offered a blessing on the congregation with the power and authority not of a minister but of a member of the body of Christ.
