Thank you for joining us as we study God’s Word together. This book is so much more than just a book; it pulses with life and has a profound effect on those who delve into it. I was recently impressed with this truth while studying 1 Peter 3. The more I learned, the more it exploded; each word was filled with meaning, and the whole passage turned out to be very encouraging. Lord willing, the same thing will happen today as we look at Mark 1 together.
As we know, Jesus is the King. He hasn’t fully gained His kingdom yet, but we know He will. Someday, he will rule and reign physically on earth, king over all His creation. He has always been the King in the spirit realm, and interestingly enough, humans are the only ones who don’t recognize this truth; angels and demons know who He is.
Our lesson takes place near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, and he demonstrates authority in both the physical and spiritual realms. Turn to Mark 1:21-34, and Pastor J. Mark will give us three ways Jesus demonstrates “The Authority of the Servant.”
For many years, Dr. Ben Carson was the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children’s Hospital. Later on, he became a professor of neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Carson is a globally recognized expert in neurosurgery. That’s one definition of authority.
To some people, the word authority has extremely negative connotations. I remember the slogan from the 1960s: “Resist Authority!” There were demonstrations and riots on college campuses across the United States. Their goal was to throw off all the restraints that the established authority had placed on their lives. Today, we have those who advocate abolishing law enforcement, freeing convicted criminals, and promoting anarchy.
I admit that authority has often been abused. But the problem isn’t authority; it’s our sinfulness. Those who resist authority do so because of pride. That mindset started with Satan, was embraced by Adam and Eve, and has been part of our humanity ever since. The rejection of authority brought chaos into God’s ordered world.
Our text is Mark 1:21-34. It connects the concept of authority to Jesus and His ministry. As we meditate on these verses, we will see His authority in action. I’ve titled my teaching “The Authority of the Servant.”
Read this text carefully and see if you can pick out the specific areas where Jesus demonstrated His authority.
21Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath, He entered the synagogue and taught.
22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now 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!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
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.
29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.
31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
32 In the evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.
33 And the whole city was gathered at the door.
34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
In this text, Jesus, the Servant, demonstrates His authority in several significant AREAS. They are–authority over definition, authority over demons, and authority over disease.
The First AREA (where we see the authority of the Servant) is,
Over Definition
Popular culture suggests that we can define truth as we see fit. Truth is subjective, rather than objective. For example, the word “gay” originally meant something bright colored, someone happy, or having a good time. Now, it represents a perverted lifestyle, the very antithesis of the original meaning.
This battle over the authority to define meanings is also present in religion. Did you notice what the people said about Jesus’ teaching? They were astonished, amazed, and overwhelmed by His teaching because He taught from a position of authority. His teaching differed significantly from that of the scribes, the primary religious teachers of the day. That’s what the crowd said.
The scribes based their authority on the writings of the rabbis who had preceded them. Rather than speak the truth of Scripture, they would share all possible points of interpretation, leaving their listeners unsure of what to do. Jesus condemned them for this in Matthew 23:23-24. They had the outward details nailed down, but they missed the heart issues. They focused on appearance instead of substance.
In contrast, Jesus’ teaching was life-transforming. The tension between Jesus and the scribes was authority—who speaks for God? After Jesus drove the merchants and money changers out of the Temple, the religious leaders explicitly asked him, “Who gave you this authority?” It was this battle over authority that would eventually lead to Jesus’ death on the cross.
The battle continues today. There are people of influence who take the liberty to make the Scriptures say what they want them to say. Positions of orthodoxy, which the church has embraced for centuries, even millennia, are cast aside as outdated. Jesus and Paul are “reimagined” through the lens of a modern intellect that’s often devoid of any presence of the Holy Spirit.
But all these attacks on the authority of Jesus and the Scriptures will fail. Jesus said in Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Pastors and others who teach the Word must do so under the authority of Christ. He alone is qualified to reveal the message He wants to convey. We are not at liberty to make our interpretations and reach our conclusions. Jesus has authority over definition. We ignore this area of His authority at our peril.
The Next AREA (where we see the authority of the Servant) is,
Over Demons
The next part of this scene shows us an important truth. The proclamation of truth often provokes a strong, adverse reaction. Satan hates the truth, and Jesus proclaimed it with authority.
One of Satan’s vile, unclean spirits was present in a man who was attending the synagogue, and it cried out in opposition. The first words from the demon were “Let us alone, why do you interfere with us?” Again, the rejection of Jesus’ authority. What right do you have to interfere? Amazingly, the demon affirms Jesus’ sinlessness and His deity. The scribes who were present denied these very same things, and even today, many people still deny them. Jesus quickly responded to the demon, “Shut up, and come out of him.” Jesus wants no witness of truth from the demonic realm.
Immediately, the demonic spirit threw the man into convulsions and screamed out a protest; then he came out of him. Jesus demonstrated that even the powers of evil are subject to His authority. This should have been a clear sign to the scribes and other religious leaders of who Jesus was.
The reaction of the people was instantaneous! They were amazed, astonished, awestruck. They said to each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even gives orders to demons, and they obey Him.” The scribes bound people by their petty rules, but Jesus set people free from the power of sin and Satan. What a contrast!
Not long ago, we received a testimony from a listener in Nepal. He was a sorcerer and struggled with anxiety and depression. But he came to faith in Christ through the witness of a faithful evangelist. It wasn’t what the evangelist said that drew him to Jesus; it was his willingness to endure beatings and ridicule and keep coming back to his village to share the Gospel. It was the courage and joy of this evangelist that caused this former sorcerer to seek Jesus.
Jesus still has authority over demons and the forces of evil today. We don’t need to live in fear of them or bondage to them. Like this man in our text, we can be free!
The Final AREA (where we see the authority of the Servant) is,
Over Disease
When Jesus and the disciples left the synagogue, they went to the house of Peter and Andrew. Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and so those in the house immediately told Jesus.
Jesus demonstrated His authority over disease by going to where she was lying, taking her by the hand, and raising her. As He did that, the fever left her, and she reclaimed her role as hostess and served them.
After the sun had set, the people were free to come and see Jesus for themselves. And come they did! Mark records the whole city coming to the door of Simon Peter’s house, bringing with them the sick and demon-possessed. No disease could stand against His power, and no demon could successfully resist His authority.
We serve the same Jesus today. He still has authority over definition. He still has authority over demons. And He still has the authority to overcome disease. Sometimes, as in the cases we looked at today, He heals miraculously, immediately. But ultimately, all healing comes from Him!
“Have you brought your life under the authority of the Servant, Jesus?” Are you experiencing deliverance from sin and healing from past hurts? If not, you can find those things today when you surrender your heart, mind, and life to His authority.
Definition, demons, and disease – thank you, J. Mark, for sharing these three areas with us. Three “d” words to concisely summarize the lesson in a memorable way. He concluded with a profound thought, as we have just seen that Jesus is the king in both the spiritual and physical realms. The question is, is He the king of your life? Jesus desires the heart and worship of every human He has ever created. Please submit to His authority and share the fantastic news about your great King with others.
If you have any questions about today’s lesson or would like to contact us, please don’t hesitate. You can reach us by email or the internet. Our email address is [email protected], and our website is heraldsofhope.org. There, click on the “contact us” which is on the top right of the page, and there you can message us directly. Please get in touch with us using the method that is most convenient for you. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Thanks so much for being with us for today’s lesson. It was beneficial to reflect on Jesus’ authority and its implications for us. Remember what he said just before he left this world? In Matthew 28, Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” He goes on to say, “I am with you always.” This is a powerful truth, and we bless you as you live in this reality.
