January 29th, 2012 Worship Service

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. IN CHURCH WITH JESUS I. Finding Security in His Power. II. Drawing Strength from His Word. Mark 1:.21-28 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil[a] spirit cried out, “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!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 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.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee. In the name of Jesus who says, “Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest”, dear fellow redeemed children of God, There still is time to enjoy a Star Trek Celebrity Cruise! I found out that the original dates have changed. The details are being worked out with the celebrity guests now. I’m not sure that stars from the original Star Trek that I enjoyed are able to do much cruising any more so cruise participants will be joining the stars from the later generations of Star Trek. The dates will be announced soon for those who would like to join the crew of the Star Trek Voyager on a Caribbean Cruise. Participants could actually talk catch a glimpse of Doctor Phlox, the Denobulan chief medical officer, on his way to the pool or chat with Ensign Harry Kim at the buffet. That sounds like fun, but I think it would be even cooler to go on a Space shuttle flight with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. God’s Word offers something even better than that. Today in God’s Word we travel to the Holy Land, to the city of Capernaum in Galilee and we get to go to church with Jesus. Imagine that! In Church with Jesus! I. Finding Security In His Power. II. Drawing Strength From His Word. The people of Capernaum had a front row seat to Jesus’ rescue mission. The city was the hub for Jesus’ ministry up in Galilee. It was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where many important things would happen like the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus calming the storm. Jesus healed Simon Peter’s mother in law who lived in Capernaum. The city was also right on a busy highway where taxes were collected which is what Matthew was doing when Jesus called him. The people who gathered at the synagogue would see Jesus power. Jairus was one of the synagogue officials there. Jesus raised his daughter from the dead. Jesus healed the servant of the Centurion who built the synagogue there. On a Sabbath day early in Jesus’ ministry the people in that synagogue would get to see Jesus’ power over evil spirits. So Jesus was busy when he was in Capernaum. He was in the middle of calling His disciples who would be the witnesses the His rescue mission of saving sinners from eternal death. Heaven or hell for us was hanging in the balance. If that were on our plate, we might be tempted to think that we were too busy for church and to sleep in on Sabbath morning. “They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue.” How easy isn’t it for us to that we think that we know what we were going to talk about at church anyway so why go? The sinless son of God who wrote the Scriptures went to the Synagogue on the Sabbath. He did that for us our benefit. He was our perfect substitute. He did what we could not do. Part of His rescue mission was defeating the devil for us and in this confrontation in church we find security in His power. We’re told Jesus “began to teach. 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 noticed that Jesus was different. From the things Jesus tells us it seems many of the teachers of law were mainly concerned with rules taught by men but their hearts were far from God.” When the people heard Jesus, they were amazed. What amazed them was not the appearance or public speaking style of Jesus. The Bible says that there was nothing special about the appearance of Jesus that would would attract people. It also says he would not be one to raise his voice or cry out in the streets. What amazed the people was the authority and power of Jesus’ message. His message was very different from what they were accustomed to hearing in church. Jesus’ message pointed the people to what God would do for them. The people were not the only ones who noticed Jesus. The evil angels did too. Have you ever used Raid spray on those creepy crawly insects in the dark corners of the basement. As soon as just a little bit of spray brings the bugs out of their hiding places Jesus was here and the creepy crawly demons slink out of their hiding places.? “Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 “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 dictator from North Korea who died recently was often pictured at his parades with his country’s armed forces marching by and a big missile being towed by a big army truck. He was trying to display his power. One of those missile trailers probably would not have fit into the synagogue that day but we do see some of the devil’s power as a man who was possessed by an evil spirit, another name for an evil angel tries to confront Jesus. We normally can’t see them but evil angels are incredibly powerful creatures. The Bible doesn’t tell us how the evil spirit made this man’s life miserable but in the Gospel accounts we hear people possessed by evil spirits having arms so strong that no chain could bind them or throwing young boys into fires. What does it say about the religious leaders of Jesus’ day that the demon knew who Jesus was and the religious leaders did not. Jesus didn’t have to call 911 or call in air support. Faced with the incredible power of an evil spirit Jesus shows incredible power. “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. One might ask why Jesus would tell the demon to be quiet when it was speaking the truth but remember that those demons are Jesus’ enemies- our enemies. That eveil angel did not have anything good in mind for us with His words. You can imagine that the people of the town had heard this demon speak its native language of filth and lies and they might take lump its foul lies with Jesus’ words of truth. Jesus didn’t want or need the testimony of demons. With just a few words Jesus silences the foul smelling words of the demon. He doesn’t have to use a flying head scissors or some other fancy wrestling move. Jesus simply says the words, “Come out of him!” and “the evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.” Jesus saw a man in desperate need, and he acted on it. Demons are incredibly powerful, but Jesus is far more powerful. With a few short words he drove the powerful demon out of the man. As scary as the devil looks, Jesus did not go heading for cover. The devil and the evil angels are not stronger than Jesus. No matter how fast the devil can talk with his temptations, he did not outwit Jesus, your substitute. This Jesus who loves us enough to die for us watches over you. The one whose words send shivers down the spines of evil spirit says, “I am with you always.” Through my life, I’ve noticed that when my dad is driving I’m not so frightened by snowy roads. When my dad is there getting the project done, I’m not so afraid that it won’t be down right. Now my dad is getting to be almost 79 years old so the day may come when he doesn’t drive or ramrod projects anymore but that feeling of security is something that we see magnified many times over in our Savior Jesus. Jesus, our powerful Savior goes with us. Nothing paralyzes him in hear. No problem is so great that he cannot help. We find security in His strength. Isn’t it interesting that the people don’t seize onto the powerful way Jesus threw the demon out of the man. They grab onto Jesus’ teaching that day in church with Jesus. Each week as we come here to God’s house we too can not only find security in His strength but we can draw strength from His Word. It is amazing that the Bible does not not tell us what Jesus was teaching about that day. It simply says that the people were amazed at His teaching. Perhaps that is so that we can continue to be amazed each week as we gather together to hear the Lord talk to us. Sometimes we pastors have to smile when people come out of church and people will say, “Pastor, that’s just what I needed to hear” or “you were talking about me or to me today in that sermon” We have to chuckle because with our little brains most often we didn’t have that person in mind when we wrote it but God did. Every day God knows the things that are on our hearts and He has just the right Word to bring strength for us to carry on. Each week when we gather here Jesus knows the sisn and problems that are weighing you down. Through the power of the holy Spirit, His words have real strength. His words cut deep into greedy tax collectors like Matthew and Zacchaeus and made them generous givers. His words warmed the hearts of fishermen like Peter, Andrew, James, and John and made them fishers of men. His words turned a sinful woman of the street into a sincere worshiper of the Savior who gladly washed his feet with her tears. Let’s keep coming here to God’s house because here the Lord gives us food for medicine for our souls. In His Word, He promises forgiveness for all your sins. At your baptism he made a personal promise to you that you belong to him and he will never leave you or abandon you. In the Lord’s Supper he puts his own body and blood into your body and blood and says, “For you, for the forgiveness of your sins.” As Jesus’ words are read from the lectern, explained from the pulpit, sung from the pew Jesus gives you strength. “So is the word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty. It will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Others soon heard of what Jesus did and taught that day in church, “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.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.” The Star Trek Celebrity Cruise last only for a week and costs around $2,000. The security and strength Jesus gives us in His word are given freely. By His grace, Jesus not only goes with us everyday, He also comes to sit us with here in church. More and more may we be found in church with Jesus, finding security in His power and strength in His teaching. Amen