Today we are reading from Mark 1: 21-28:

21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “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 with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Yesterday we talked about one of the key words we see over and again in Mark, the word “immediately.”  Today we see another key word or concept for this Gospel.  Authority.  We see that Jesus is teaching today in the synagogue, and as He does, a man with an unclean spirit cries out.  

Jesus rebukes the spirit and commands it to come out and it did. The people are amazed because of this authority that He has. This authority doesn’t just come from His teaching, which is powerful, but it comes from the fact that even the unclean spirit obeys Him. 

We see today that Jesus has authority. He has authority over even the forces of evil, this unclean spirit must obey, Jesus has the authority to compel its obedience.  There is nothing on the earth, above the earth, or below the earth over which Jesus does not have authority. 

There is a reason why one of the first “creeds” or statements of faith of the Christian church was this – Jesus is Lord. That is the entire point of our teaching and preaching. He is Lord of life of death, of creation, or all that is, seen and unseen.  He has authority.  He is Lord.  

And for us, that means that we can truth Him because He has that authority and power. 

But it also means this – we must follow and obey Him because He has that authority and power.  

He is Lord.  May we hold tightly to His truth and to His authority.  

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