Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Jesus, His authority proclaimed

From the sermon given June 3, 2012 on Mark 1:21-2:12

Our passage this morning is a lengthy and extensive one focusing on the healing and teaching ministry of Jesus. Let’s catch a glimpse of this important area of Jesus’ ministry in Mark 1:27-34.

As Jesus begins his ministry he teaches and proclaims that “the time has come. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” He then begins to gather followers, some he calls directly to follow him. This we looked at last week. Just to note, all sermons on this series will be posted through the church website so you can go and catch up on them if you want.

We read in verse 21-22 of Mark 1 that Jesus goes to Capernaum and taught in the Synagogue. Here he encounters a demon possessed man and Jesus commands the demon to leave the man and in verse 26 we read the demon, evil spirit, shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. It was with this backdrop that the authority of Jesus is questioned (the passage read at the beginning of the message).
An important thing for us to note here is this aspect of authority. You see, the teachers of the time, the scribes and the Pharisees and the rabbi’s all taught and acted on the authority of other rabbi’s -their teachers. No rabbi, or teacher, would teach against the halakhah or oral tradition passed down from his own teachers. They taught under the authority of the one who taught them.
If you have ever seen the movie, "Yentle," you get an idea of this when the young scholars would argue over the meaning of a law and would quote rabbi so-and-so, or rabbi such-and-such. They relied on the authority of those who taught them.
And that is why the teaching and actions of Jesus were so amazing to the people and caused a stir among the scribes, Pharisees and religious leaders.

Later in Mark (chapter 11) the religious leaders would demand, “By who’s authority do you do this?” They were asking, Who is your teacher that said you could do this?
Jesus, we read between the lines, was known. And it was known that he did not go to any of the rabbinic schools, he and not sat under any rabbinic teacher and to them he had no authority passed on to him to teach or even command demons. To them, he had no authority –no teacher or school to say “I have the authority of rabbi so and so.

And yet, to all it could be seen that he taught as one who had authority. He was bringing a new teaching, a fresh teaching about God, His word and His kingdom –a teaching that he was not quoting from some past teacher or a rabbi he studied under –Jesus was bringing a teaching from himself not based on someone else. This was radical, this was new –at least new to those who were so used to hearing about Rabbi this or Rabbi that.

But we must also see that Jesus was not teaching a whole new law or tradition –he based his teaching, his message on something that had come before the halakhah. It was the Law and prophets –the OT. Right at the beginning of this gospel, we see the coming of John the Baptizer and of Jesus deeply embedded in the OT and prophetically fulfilled. While not here in the gospel of Mark, when Jesus was tempted in the desert he dealt with Satan with Scripture –Matthew 4:1-11. Jesus and His new teaching brought them back to the scripture –not the thoughts and traditions of men. This was new, this was amazing!

And where did this authority of Jesus come from? We are given a clue –a big bright clue in 10-12. Luke further adds in hi gospel, Jesus, being full of the Spirit was led by the Spirit into the desert (1) and then in verse 14, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit…”

In the gospel of John, as Jesus is praying for the church, he says, “For you [father] granted him [Jesus] authority over all people…” (17:2). The authority of Jesus comes not through man but through the Father, not by the power of tradition but the power of the Spirit. His “new teaching” is not a new teaching because the content is new or even the ideas are new but because Jesus did not teach the teachings of others, the authority of others or the traditions of the past. He comes to speak not what others have spoken but what the Father tells him to speak.
John the beloved writes in his gospel that Jesus said, “For I did not come to speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” (12:49-50)

And the authority of Jesus is then demonstrated in his healing and in his casting out of demons. In these early chapters we see Jesus casting out the demon from the man in the synagogue (it is interesting that this man seems to have been coming there for a while and the leaders could not or did not do anything about it). Jesus comes and deals with the authority given to Him by the Father. Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law and many other sick and demon possessed. He heals a man with leprosy and then a paralytic. And it is here, in this event, that Jesus proclaims and demonstrates where his power comes from, his authority.

Jesus is again in Capernaum and this paralytic is brought to him. Well, let me read the account (2:1-5). Jesus does not heal the man physically, but on a much deeper level –the good news level, the seek and save the lost level. Jesus says, “your sins are forgiven.”

In this statement, “Your sins are forgiven,” Jesus sets up an unexpected and dynamic exchange between himself and the authorities. In it he announces his purpose, his identity and his authority.

Your sins are forgiven. They know and we know through scripture that forgiveness only comes through the shedding of blood (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22). And in this only God can forgive sins by announcing or accepting the sacrifice as sufficient. John the Baptizer announced just months, if not weeks earlier, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29) And now Jesus intimates that he is the perfect sacrifice, the one who will shed his blood once and for all –that through His blood there is forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), that believing in him there is forgiveness of sin (Acts 10:43) that indeed he has come to offer forgiveness.

Jesus is not only announcing that sin is forgiven but claiming the divine right to forgive sin. And that is why the teachers of the law reacted the way they did. His purpose was to come and be the perfect lamb, the perfect sacrifice, the only acceptable offering for the forgiveness of sins and that he had the right to forgive –now and forever!

And then he goes on to say, “Which is easier to say, to the paralytic, ‘your sins are forgiven’ or ‘get up, take you mat and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority…”

Up to this point Jesus has been ordering people to keep quiet about him. He orders demons to keep silent when they announce who he is. (1:25, 34) He tells those he heals to not tell anyone. (1:44) He retreats to quiet places and the lonely places. But now he makes it clear who he is by identifying himself as the Son of Man.
We look back to Daniel 7:13-14 to realize the impact of this name, this title, Son of Man. Jesus is now further identifying himself as the prophesied messiah. He is no longer keeping his identity a secret but is now himself declaring, I am the messiah, the Son of Man.

But even more, listen again to Daniel 7:14. When Jesus made this pronouncement, the son of man, each teacher, each scribe, even those who had been paying attention in Sunday School (well the equivalent back then) would have drawn a breath because here was Jesus saying, I indeed am the one who has approached the ancient of days (God the father, the creator, the holy great One) and am given, -what? Authority, glory, and sovereign power! Jesus is clearly identifying who he is and his purpose in coming.

And then to show his authority, authority derived not from the teachings of past scholars, not from traditions, not from some rabbinic school, but from himself as the lamb of God, as the Son of Man, as one who, as the scriptures say, has authority, Jesus announces –“that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” [PAUSE, TURN] -he looks at the paralytic and says “I tell you, “I” tell you, get up take your mat and go home!”

And what was the reaction of the people? Verse 12. The purpose and identity and authority of Jesus is now boldly declared. And they were amazed! Not that the man was healed, although that is an amazing thing, but they had seen this already. Jesus, remember had healed many, including Simon's mother in law, he had driven out demons, already in Capernaum.

The truly amazing thing, I believe was the authority he showed which was his own, his identity as the son of man and the great news of the gospel –believe, repent and you will be forgiven! I CAN FORGIVE!
Jesus stands on the authority given to Him by the father and He has authority to bring the good news, to call for belief in himself and repentance, to heal and to forgive. Jesus is the Son of Man who has all authority given to him in heaven and in earth. Let there be no doubt that he is the Christ, the son of the living God, the Lamb who will take away the sins of those who believe and repent. Praise God for His extraordinary grace. Let me read Ephesians 1:3-10.

Introduction to Communion
What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus! The blood of Jesus as the lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world. By whose authority? That given by the Father to Christ. He alone is worthy. Colossians 1:13-20.
As we come to communion, let us keep this full in our minds –when Jesus says this is my body broken, this is my blood shed, he speaks with the power authority and purpose of God the Father to declare indeed “Your sins are forgiven!”