Jesus' Power

Theme: The Life of a Servant

SCRIPTURE
Mark 1:21-28

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. 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.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

LESSON

Somehow it is not surprising that such a display of Christ’s divine authority should unleash the forces that would most vehemently oppose it, that is, the demonic world (Mark. 1:23–26). Can you imagine the scene? Jesus was teaching, and suddenly the door opened, and a man came shrieking into the room. The demons within him were crying out, “Let us alone; what have we to do with Thee?” (v. 24, KJV) That’s a revealing confession. There was nothing in common between them; there is nothing in common between the Lord and evil.

How did Christ meet that plea, “Let us alone”? With His divine authority. Evil is not to be left alone. This is not Satan’s world; this is God’s world. Evil is to be cast out, and the Lord accomplishes it (v. 26). In the same way, the Lord Jesus can cast evil out of our hearts today. Evil may cry out with a loud voice, and it may rage and threaten and tear at us, but it must go out when we cast ourselves at the Saviour’s feet.

Immediately the buzz of astonished conversation began again in the startled congregation. Mark says, “They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves” (v. 27). Who was this Jesus? In the midst of this, the meeting ended, Jesus and the disciples went to the house where Peter lived. There his mother–in–law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told Jesus about her (v. 30).

STUDY QUESTIONS

• Why did the demon come out screaming?
• How was Christ able to dispel the evil Spirit?
• Can Christ deliver us from evil now? How?