Jesus has Authority – Mark 1:21-34

Sermon Video

Last week, we looked at what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Jesus called his first four disciples in Mark 1:16-20. In our text today we will see that Jesus has authority. The world rebels against authority. Before following Jesus, I enjoyed listening to rock music (I still do, but there are many songs I won’t listen to anymore).

Rage Against the Machine was a band that railed against government authority. Metallica had a song called, “Don’t Tread on Me.” I certainly would love it if the federal government would be less obtrusive. The point I’m trying to make is that in our natural state, we rebel against authority–especially God’s authority.

As we turn to our text, I want you to think about what source of authority is loudest in your life. Some people live according to reason. They base their thinking on their own knowledge and value scientific, observable evidence. Others live according to their feelings–if it feels good, do it. Still others live according to tradition (this is what I’ve always done). Followers of Jesus should live according to God’s special revelation given in God’s Word.

As we look at Mark 1:21-34 I want you to consider these two questions:

Why should Jesus have absolute authority in your life?

Are you submitted to Jesus’ authority in your life?

Sermon Text: Mark 1:21-34

The first thing we see in this text is that Jesus has authority in his teaching.

Jesus has authority in his teaching (21-22, 27)

²¹ And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. ²² And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

²⁷ 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.”

After calling his disciples while they were fishing, Jesus and his four disciples go back to Capernaum. Capernaum was a fishing town with a population between 1,000-2,000 people.^[1]Craig S. Keener and John H. Walton, eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 1685.

Jesus taught in the synagogue on the sabbath (v. 21). The synagogue was a local place of worship for the Jews. Synagogues began to be used after Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. Communities of all sizes had synagogues as long as there were 10 Jewish men in the area.

Synagogues had to be located close enough for faithful Jews to attend without breaking the sabbath by exceeding the distance the rabbis allowed one to walk on the sabbath day. Jesus regularly taught in synagogues, and he often encountered opposition. The modern-day equivalent of a synagogue would be a local church building.

The text says that Jesus taught on the sabbath. The sabbath was the day when all work ceased. It was a time for sacred assembly and the worship of God. The fourth commandment is to keep the sabbath holy (Exod 20:8-11). The sabbath took place from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday.

As Jesus taught, those present were “astonished” at his teaching, for he taught as one who had authority, in contrast to the scribes (v. 22).

Scribes were men trained in writing skills. They recorded events and decisions. Eventually, scribes became the experts in God’s written word, copying, preserving, and teaching it. Most scribes became Pharisees (Mark 2:16) and interpreted the law, taught it to disciples, and were experts in cases where people were accused of breaking the law of Moses.

While scribes relied on the work of previous scribes, Jesus, as the authoritative son of God, had no reason to do this. Jesus had authority in his teaching. His words confronted the congregation with the absolute claim of God upon their lives.

It’s important that you are very careful about what kind of teaching you place yourself under. There are many false teachers within the church today. Jesus told us how to identify false teachers in Matthew 7:15-20 – by evaluating the fruit of their words and the fruit of their lives. If you think that every person that is a preacher is speaking the truth, then you are disillusioned. We should make sure that every person’s teaching that we listen to lines up with Scripture (Acts 17:11).

So, Jesus has authority in his teaching. Second, he has authority over demons.

Jesus has authority over demons (23-28, 32-34)

In vv. 23-28, Mark refers to demons as unclean spirits. In vv. 32-34 he uses the word demon. So, what is a demon (or unclean spirit)? They are fallen angels that joined Satan in his rebellion. They have some authority and work to promote disunity, disseminate false doctrine, inflict disease, and  hinder Christian growth. They may oppress (but cannot possess) Christians.^[2]Daniel Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: Mark, 27.

²³ And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴ “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.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ 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.” ²⁸ And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

³² That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ 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.

In v. 23, we read that a man with an unclean spirit was in the synagogue. Of all places, the demon-possessed man was in a synagogue! We don’t think of demon-possessed people in church, but there he was. We know that Satan and his demons will always seek to thwart the church’s mission of making disciples (1 Pet 5:8).

In Jesus’ early ministry, the demons recognized Jesus before anyone else. They knew who he was (vv. 24, 34). The demon recognized both Jesus’ humanity (“of Nazareth”) and Jesus’ deity (“the Holy One of God”). The demon recognized that Jesus was a threat to his authority and power.

Some people are like this demon-possessed man. They attend church, but they don’t want Jesus to have any authority in their lives.

Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. Demon-possessed people can attend a worship service and even affirm who Jesus is. You can come to church every week and look good. You might even smell good if you wear perfume and brush your teeth. You can even know who Jesus is. But if you do not live in submission to the authority of Jesus then you are not living like a disciple. You are living like a demon.

If you do not live in submission to the authority of Jesus then you are not living like a disciple. You are living like a demon.

There is a difference between someone who merely professes faith in Jesus and someone who actually possesses faith in Jesus. The difference is one of authority. Those who merely profess faith never really submit to Jesus’ authority. In contrast, those who truly possess true faith gladly submit to Jesus as the supreme authority of their lives.

Do you want to know if you are really a Christian? If you are truly in Christ, your life will not just be marked by a profession of faith, but a faith that is willing to obey Christ in every area of your life for the rest of your life.

Do you want to know if you are really a Christian? If you are truly in Christ, your life will not just be marked by a profession of faith, but a faith that is willing to obey Christ in every area of your life for the rest of your life.

A simple test for judging your faith: how do you respond when shown that you are living in disobedience to the Word of God? Do you conform to God’s Word or rebel against it? A child of the devil consistently rebels against God’s Word (John 8:31-47). In contrast, a child of God obeys God’s Word (Rom 12:1-2).

Interestingly, though demons hate Jesus, they must submit to Jesus’ authority when commanded to do so (vv. 25-26, 34). In biblical times, people often tried to expel demons through incantations or strong odors. In contrast, Jesus spoke and the demon came out. Just as God spoke creation into existence in Genesis 1, Jesus spoke and the demon had to obey. This was extraordinary and invited amazement (v. 27).

David Garland writes, “Jesus’ healing miracles do not simply remedy human physical maladies; they represent a war against demonic forces.”^[3]David E. Garland, Mark, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996), 71. Jesus’ exorcisms were proof of the truth in Mark 1:15 – that indeed the kingdom of God had come near. Jesus’ authority over the demon reinforced the authority of his teaching (vv. 27-28).

Jesus has authority in his teaching. He has authority over demons. Third, he has authority over sickness and disease.

Jesus has authority over sickness and disease (29-34)

²⁹ And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. ³¹ And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. ³² That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. ³³ And the whole city was gathered together at the door. ³⁴ 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.

We see in vv. 29-31 a couple of things. First, contrary to the prosperity gospel, even Jesus’ disciples are affected by sickness (vv. 29-30). Peter has just committed to following Jesus. He just got home from church. And we see that his mother-in-law was “ill with a fever.” This was probably a severe fever, perhaps even life-threatening. Following Jesus does not mean that our lives will be without trouble.

Following Jesus does not mean that our lives will be without trouble.

Second, we see the appropriate response to Jesus’ grace (v. 31). Peter’s mother-in-law did nothing to earn Jesus’ healing. Out of gratitude for what he had done she went about serving him. In the same way, we did nothing to earn our salvation, but out of gratitude for the salvation we have because of Christ, we serve him in loving obedience!

We see that Jesus cares for the sick. Notice that a distinction is made between those who were sick and those who were demon possessed (v. 32). All sickness and disease is a result of sin as a consequence of the Fall in Genesis 3, but not all disease and sickness is the result of a demonic attack or someone’s sin (John 9:1-2).

We see in this text that Jesus is not detached and distant. Jesus is willing to love the unlovables and touch the untouchables in society. We have a tendency to build privacy fences and seal ourselves off from the world. It is much more comfortable for us to quarantine ourselves from the world rather than engaging the darkness as Jesus did.

I want to wrap up with a few words on healings. I want us to notice some things about Jesus’ healings:

• Jesus did not ask for money.
• Jesus did not have to promote himself – people came to him.
• Jesus did not do the miracles in a showlike atmosphere. No tickets were sold.
• Jesus was not seeking selfish gain.
• Jesus’ power was not thwarted because of anyone’s lack of faith (this does not undermine the importance of faith).

Contrast Jesus’ techniques with modern-day “faith healers”^[4]See God, Greed, and the Prosperity Gospel by Costi Hinn.:

• Faith healers ask for money.
• Faith healers advertise and promote their events.
• Faith healers “perform miracles” to make money.
• Faith healers seek selfish gain.
• When faith healers are questioned because the miracle failed, they blame the victim’s lack of faith.

Conclusion

In our text today, we have seen that:

• Jesus has authority in his teaching.
• Jesus has authority over demons.
• Jesus has authority over sickness and disease.

Together, these three manifestations of Jesus’ authority provide a glimpse of Jesus’ absolute authority over all of creation.

Every person that was healed during Jesus’ ministry is now physically dead. Sickness, disease, and death remind us of our own mortality and our need to seek healing that will last beyond our time here on earth.

Like those who were diseased and demonized, our only hope is to come to Jesus.

As you read this, you have a choice. You can continue to live as if you are your own authority. If you do, you will incur God’s wrath for all of eternity (John 3:36). Or, you can acknowledge that Jesus is who he says he is – the perfect Son of God that came to give his life so that we could be reconciled to God and spend eternity with Him.

To be reconciled with God, you must turn from your sins and place your faith in Jesus and his death, burial, and resurrection and follow him as Lord. For more, click here.

For those of us who have trusted in Jesus, I also want to ask you a question: Is there an area(s) of your life are you not willing to submit to Jesus?

If so, repent and give this area of your life to Jesus.