Come Out!
Good News - Part 3
Sunday, January 21, 2024
Mark 1:21-28
The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”
“Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.
Mark 1:22-26 CEB)
Listen to this Week’s Sermon here:
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When we get too close to Jesus, our inner demons cringe. They make excuses for us to stay away. They remind us of our faith and our church involvement. They tell us that we wrote our prayer needs on cards at church so others will take care of them for us. They remind us of all the good things we’ve done so we don’t feel too bad when we neglect the good we know we should do. They remind us of all those church services, Sunday school classes, and Bible Studies we’ve sat in on so that we can take a well earned break from our devotions. They make us feel good, so that we will never know how sick we really are.
So long as we keep our distance from the Son of God, our inner demons are comfortable and they will do everything they can to keep us comfortable. So long as we keep our distance from the Holy One, our Un-holiness doesn’t look so bad compared to others. So long as we keep our distance from the Truth, it’s so easy to believe the Lie.
People experienced healing and wholeness when they came close to Jesus in faith because the demons could not remain in His presence. When the light is turned on, the darkness disappears. If the darkness remains, either the light is burned out, or we are not close enough too it. Since the Light of Christ burns eternally, we must not be close enough if darkness continues to cloud our lives. Imagine yourself in a pitch black room when a spotlight comes on and shines in your face. You cringe and shut your eyes in pain. It would be easier to go back to a dark corner than to look into the light. But we must keep our eyes on the light no matter how hard. We must take up our cross, surrender our will, and follow him even unto death.
We say we believe, but what does it mean? Of course we have faith. We believe in God the Father, Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ His Only Son Our Lord. Many of us recite it week after week.
But I wonder if our inner demons have more faith than we do?
Demons fear God… demons recognize the Son of God… demons obey the authority of the Spirit sent from the Father through the Son. Do we?
People stare in amazement as the demons flee at His command. They experience His healing among them, yet they still question His identity. Jesus Himself silences demons so they don’t reveal it. Does Jesus’ teaching, healing power and authority have more impact on the devil Himself than on we who claim to be His disciples?
What darkness is holding on inside of you, trying to keep a safe distance from the Light of Christ?
What are the things that control you, that consume your thoughts and life, that Jesus wants to cast out?
What do you fear losing if you truly surrendered every part of your life to Christ?
How would your life look different?