Mark 1:14-28 Part 3

Mark 1:14-28
Theme: The Use of Power Encounter in Evangelism

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Let me explain what a power encounter is: a power encounter is a demonstration of the power of God over against the counterfeit power of demonic false religions and strongholds. A classic example of a power encounter occurs in the Old Testament story of the confrontation between Elijah and the Prophets of Baal which led to the destruction of the prophets of Baal and revival in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the time of Jezebel.

I like John McArthur a lot but I cannot agree with him when he says, “In the great spiritual warfare in which we do battle, we are only called to resist and to stand firm.” As much as I appreciate and value the teachings of John Macarthur, when they contradict scripture, I must respectfully disagree. The Bible is clear that we are in a spiritual battle against very hostile and aggressive powers and principalities and passive resistance is not an option! In fact, we must be constantly waging war and advancing the cause of the Kingdom so that we can take back ground from the enemy. We don’t advance our forces by simply resisting and standing firm.

I’m not saying that there is a demon behind every bush; I’m saying there might be a demon behind every bush. And do not think that material wealth, education and comfort is the absence of spiritual warfare, it is the height of spiritual warfare and the enemies most pernicious tactic to neuter the people of God and keep them docile and ignorant of Satan’s wiles.

We wage our war against Satan and his armies of darkness through self-sacrifice, biblical character and the proclamation of the gospel (here is where I agree with Macarthur) in order to forcefully assert our God-given authority over powers and principalities just like Jesus did and the Apostles after him. The Church should never allow itself to fall into a defensive passive resistance posture when it comes to spiritual warfare (we call those churches Presbyterians); we must remain sober and alter and take the offensive because:
3…though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ… (2 Cor 10:3-5).

A. Verse 21-22: In a Synagogue in Capernaum

According to v. 21, Jesus has just entered Capernaum and come into a synagogue to preach. Matthew describes this same event in more prophetically significant detail saying,
13 …He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.” (Matthew 4:13-16)
Capernaum is the place where Jesus lost many of his own disciples because they were offended on account of his teaching. And, in spite of the powerful works in Capernaum and testimony of those who witnessed them, Jesus pronounced judgment on this city saying Woe to you…
Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, [but you] will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

We must consider that the mighty works of Christ may in fact have been a judgment against that city while at the same being a sign of favour to the Gentiles.

Likewise many Christians have hardened their hearts to the power of the Spirit (we call them Baptists) and we risk the mighty works that are done among us becoming a judgment against us. The church ought to be the one place on earth where the power and mighty works of God are most evident- it ought to be a place of spontaneous unexpected life transforming outbursts of the demonstration of His power among us.

And when we go out into the highways and by-ways to invite the dinner guests to the Kings feast, we ought to go in the demonstration of his authority vested in us because they deserve the same signs that accompany the gospel that those residents of Capernaum got even though the greatest sign of all was dwelling among them!

Woe to us when we put God in a box and say that He no longer has the power that He had in scripture even though the display of God’s power is portrayed as normative throughout the scriptures. I think it is an excuse to say God does not work that way anymore and it reveals the unbelief of those who say it. Jesus said if you have enough faith you will move this mountain! Did he only intend that statement for his Apostles? The it is meaningless to us!

Am I advocating that we all become Charismatics or Pentecostals or some new kind of fringe Baptist movement? No, what I am advocating is even more revolutionary than that. What I’m advocating is a new doctrine that is nothing less than the cutting edge of the 1st century teaching and practice of Christ. I’m advocating that we put feet to the faith that we claim to hold and trust God to do God-sized feats among us because we believe that the Bible says that He will.

Mark’s gospel records that they were astonished by Jesus. The Greek word carries the idea of being panic stricken, flattened with fear. And this was just at his teaching; they hadn’t even seen his works yet. The power that they seeing was in the power of the Holy Spirit- what we Reformed folk like call unction!

The Word made flesh was demonstrating the power of the Spirit made word in the preaching of the written word in a way that they had never before been seen much less heard. The logical conclusion we draw from verse 22 is that power encounters are always accompanied by preaching (the opposite is also true even though we may not always see it or be aware of it).

But I want to say it this way to emphasize that power encounter is not an anti-intellectual emotionally charged sensationalistic event. Jesus’ preaching contained deep and profound propositional truths about eternal realities enough to confound the combined wisdom of human thought (that in itself is a power encounter).

Jesus taught as one having authority like a King who has come to his people in order to explain and enforce the very laws that he enacted.

The reign of Christ is revealed by Jesus’ ability to proclaim the powerful and living word of God. He has all authority and according to Matthew 28:18, the one having all authority [Jesus] has given us the authority to preach the same living word with that same power and authority to every nation, tribe and tongue and to go into all the nations making disciples in order to transfer unto them the same authority to make disciples.

This is the essence of a power encounter- preaching the gospel- especially in places where it has never been heard before. For Jim Elliot, that power encounter resulted in his death and the formation of a thriving church among the very people who killed him who now send out missionaries of their own into the Amazon jugle.

The gospel is the most powerful message on earth –even if it was never accompanied by other manifestations of power (things that we consider charismatic). But it also seems that it is normal to expect those manifestations to accompany the preaching of the Gospel. Paul says as much to the Thessalonians, “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance (1 Thess 1:5). This is the legacy of the church, that “…they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20).

And Jesus gives us an example of the kind of signs that accompany the preaching of the gospel not because it is extraordinary, but because it is ordinary when the gospel is preached. Verse 23 says,
23 …there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

So Jesus responds by saying, “this is unusual and is only meant for the gospel times but when the cannon of scripture is closed it will no longer happen- especially in scientifically sophisticated countries like Canada so do not try this at home. If in the unlikely occurrence that you encounter a demon do not attempt enforce your Holy Spirit empowered authority over him in any way that may be deemed sensationalist or charismatic- just passively resist and that will do the trick.” [smile]!

No, Jesus did what he expects us to do! And it’s what seems natural for people for whom he has given authority over unclean spirits (this is here to teach us and to model to us what our gospel preaching ministry will look like): He rebukes the demon and commands him to “[be] quiet, and come out of [the man]!”

If this was my only example, I might have a week argument here. But I believe that when the Bible uses repetition without qualification, the thing that is being repeated is intended to be portrayed as normal. Let’s look at some other responses to powerful preaching:
• We saw it in the preaching of Peter in Jerusalem, where it could have gotten him stoned. On the day of Pentecost he rebuked the crowd for crucifying Christ and 3000 of them were added to the Kingdom.
• We also see it in Samaria when Pentecost was poured out on the Samaritans; the sorcerer Simon saw that there was power given when the Holy Spirit was given and we he wanted that power more than his own sorcery.
• There were the people who were healed when Peter’s shadow passed over them and in Ephesus where
11 …God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them (Acts 19:11-12)

• And later in that same city after Paul’s long sermon that resulted in the death of a young man. Paul’s prayer raised him from the dead.
• Or what about when Paul was bitten by the poisonous viper and the natives expected him to die immediately. Instead he lived and performed other miracles so that many people in Malta believed.
And there were other miracles and power encounters including the dead being raised, prison doors opening in the middle of the night, surviving violent riots, preaching before kings and men in great authority. And the point of this is show that wherever the gospel went, whether in Jerusalem, or Judea, or Samaria or even the to the ends of the earth, it is accompanied by power encounters and signs and wonders and marvelous works of God.
When Jonathan Edwards preached his famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, he preached in a monotone voice and he barely looked up from his notes. But it is recorded that people were so struck by his portrayal of the severety of God’s justice that they were literally clinging to the pillars of the church (I mean structural pillars not people) because they were so afraid of descending into hell that very moment except for the mercy of God.

Verse 27 summarizes the effects of the power encounter
27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Can you imagine if that happened in Central City? Can you imagine it on 134a street next Friday night? Imagine all those drug addicts being amazed at anything? Imagine all those moslems at the mosque being amazed at the Christian God? Imagine all those tech students at SFU being amazed at a power other than an electronic one? It can happen!

Did you ever think that God in is sovereign providence has allowed the demonic in order to display his glory in the same way that scripture records that he hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to display his glory to Israel? Maybe God has allowed the current spiritual neurosis in this city as an opportunity for us to show his glory and power. This demon comes out with much prayer and fasting- but it will come out!



Conclusion:
Let me conclude and apply this with the observation from the crowds. They say, “With authority he teaches and with authority he commands the spirits”. There is a self condemning double entendre to their conclusion because as they have noted, he has authority to command demons and the demons submit. And they also noted he preaches to the people with authority but they harden their hearts and refuse to believe. Are the demons more righteous than men?

Will you hear the authority of Jesus who commands us to go into all the world with power to take authority of the earth and bring it into submission to the Kingdom of God? When you consider the amazing opportunity to be the means of such awesome power and to used to bring people into the Kingdom of God, why wouldn’t you?