Full Remission of Sins - 44

These verses that we're considering tonight begin the long list of miracles which Mark in his Gospel records. They tell us how our Lord cast out demons in Capernaum and how He healed Peter's wife's mother of a fever.

There are three things I'd like to draw your attention to from this portion this evening. Number one, I'd like to show you the divine purpose involved in satanic opposition. Number two, the Christology of demon theology and then the compassion of our Lord. Number one, the divine purpose in satanic opposition. It is not by accident that when we begin to read the opening chapters of the Gospel accounts that we find the presence of Satan and his opposition to Christ. And then we see the demonic activity that Christ confronts.

And I want you to see that there's divine purpose in this. It's not that the devil is on the initiative, that he is marshaling up all of his forces and bringing them to bear on the Lord Jesus Christ, although there's an element of that. Forty days, forty nights in the wilderness we've considered already earlier in Mark's Gospel. But I'm convinced that what we see happening here is the Lord Jesus is not passive, the Lord Jesus is active.

He is like a commanding army, a king who's come to dethrone the opposing forces of evil. You recall, you may not recall, but let me point it out to you in Mark chapter five and verse seven, these words. Mark chapter five and verse seven. This is Jesus confronting a demon possessed man, the demoniac at Gadara. And verse five says, And always night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him, and he cried out with a loud voice and said, What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

I implore you by God that you do not torment me. For he said to him, Come out of the man, unclean spirit. So you see, not just here in Mark chapter one, but further accounts of Jesus encountering demonic activity and demonstrating his superior power. And it recalls, at least to my mind, that what is being emphasized here in these early chapters of the gospel, the purpose for which Jesus came. Now, we can find lots of purpose statements throughout the gospels. Luke says he came to seek and to save those who were lost.

That's a purpose statement. But I think because of this emphasis of Satan and his activity, that what we find in Hebrews, chapter two, verses 14 and 15, is being highlighted. Chapter two, verse 14, Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he, that is Jesus himself, likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetimes subject to bondage. Jesus came to destroy him who had the power of death and to release those who've been bound by Satan their whole life. And here's an encounter here in Mark's gospel of that very thing. You remember that with the coming of Christ, Jesus has come to bind the strong man, to pillage his kingdom, and to destroy him. So do not read these opening chapters and say, well, Jesus is on the scene and the devil has marshaled all of his forces and he's coming at Jesus. Hard.

No. The king has arrived. King Jesus is on the scene and he is marshaling back, pushing back against demonic activity, and he is not passive.

He is very active. I find it interesting that the demon that spoke there said this, what says, now there was a man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit. Interesting place for a demon possessed man to be, right, in the synagogue. And he cried out saying, let us alone, what have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth, did you come to destroy us?

Well, matter of fact, I have. Jesus doesn't say that, but that's what's hanging in the air. That's what the devil, these demons thought. Did you come to destroy us? That's one of the reasons he came, to destroy the devil, to strip the devil of his power.

So the divine purpose in satanic opposition. These verses begin with they went into Capernaum and immediately on the Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and taught. Now, did Jesus find the perfect assembly, the perfect church?

I mean, he's the perfect one, right? If anyone had the right to be very picky about where he would attend worship, you would think it would be Jesus. He had all the places he could think of to go, but he went to the synagogue.

And rather than just skip over that and see it as a fact and move on, I've encountered people and debated people and discussed the merits of home church. Jesus didn't start the home church movement. On the Lord's Day, Jesus found himself in the synagogue. You read over in Luke, Jesus was in the synagogue. Jesus read from the prophets and before it was over, they were hissing and wanting to kill him. Would that make you want to come to church?

I've never been to a synagogue. I'm curious about what takes place in those places. But William Hendrickson in his commentary does us a service to tell us what happened. He's done historical research and listen to what he says. It now becomes clear that the part of the shore in which Jesus was walking when he called his first disciples was near Capernaum. It was customary for Jesus to attend the synagogue. And he cites a number of verses, Luke 4 16, John 18 20. At the present occasion, probably after the prescribed portion of the law had been read in Hebrew and translated into Aramaic, Jesus, having indicated his desire to speak and having gained permission to do so, read from the prophets, then explained the portion read and applied it to the needs of the hearers.

That sounds like what we do around here. Read the scriptures, explain their meaning and applied the scriptures to the hearers. I think we're following a pretty good example in the Lord Jesus.

What do you think? How was Jesus's ministry received? There was this interruption with this demon possessed man, and Jesus dealt with that. Verse 25 says Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him.

A man in the synagogue with an unclean spirit. Notice the personal pronoun that's plural in verse 24 saying they said, Let us alone. This wasn't a single demon that was possessing this man. This was many demons. You remember another occasion where Jesus confronted a demon and said, Who are you? And he said, Legion, for we are many. So this is not an isolated demon.

This is more than one. Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, Be quiet and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. And what was the response to Jesus's ministry on that particular day? It says they were all amazed.

They questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority, he commands even the unclean spirit and they obey him. Teaching and preaching has authority when God is the one who is being referenced. And I would encourage you that when you're talking with people and witnessing to people and perhaps having a discussion with people, be in the habit of not saying, Well, I say this and I believe that. The Bible says, the Bible says our authority comes from the Bible.

Our authority is rooted in the scriptures. And when people take opposition to what the Bible says, it depersonalizes the thing. They're not against you. They're not opposed to you. They're opposing God. Because it's his word that they are objecting to. So just a little reminder to enhance your witnessing.

Because, you know, everybody has an opinion. Your truth is my truth and my truth is you know how it goes. No, the Bible says the Bible says be in the habit of doing that. So first, I wanted you to see the divine purpose and satanic opposition.

And it's not just here. When Jesus went into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan for 40 days and 40 nights, what are we told about that event? Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Now, if you don't know what's going on here, you'd be like, no, wait a minute. Led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan? Yes, exactly. This is not passivity. This is active engagement. Jesus is confronting the power of evil, Satan himself, and reminding him that his days are numbered.

All right. The divine purpose and satanic opposition. Number two, I want you to see the Christology of demon theology. The Christology of demon theology. They knew who Jesus was.

They voiced it. Let us alone. What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.

Verse 34, the passage ends. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he did not allow the demons to speak because what? They knew him. They knew him. So two times we are told that the evil spirits knew our Lord.

They knew who he was. What do we learn from this? The mere belief of the facts and the doctrines of Christianity and of Christ will never save our souls. James tells us that the devils believe and tremble. There is a belief, there is a faith that is not saving faith. It's mental assent. It's agreeing with certain things about theology, about the Lord Jesus Christ. So the mere belief of the facts and the doctrines of Christianity will never save a man's soul. These demons not only believed in who Jesus was, they believed in a future eternal judgment. You come to destroy us.

Yes, I have. They believed that Jesus indeed was the Christ and they believe that he will one day judge the world and throw them down to endless torment in hell. It's troubling, a troubling thought that on these points some professing Christians have even less faith than the devil himself. Scholarly men who deny the doctrine of eternal punishment, professing Christians, professors in well-known universities. The devil, the demons have better theology than that particular person does. What does Jesus do here? He confronts them in verse 27. He confronts them. He commands them. Verse 27, he commands even the unclean spirit and they obey him, the people said.

And he restricts them. Verse 34, he did not allow the demons to speak because they knew him. And there's an awful lot being suggested by that comment and I don't have time tonight to get into it, but we will get into it because Mark of the four gospels keeps bringing this matter up. Where Jesus is wanting to keep a lid on his popularity. And in those days 20 miles is like 2,000 miles in our day.

Capernaum was probably that far from, well they're here in Capernaum, but he's 20 miles from another city and yet huge throngs are following him. The word is getting out. There is a man who's doing amazing things, healing people, casting out demons. So the challenge here tonight is to be certain that our theology, what we claim to believe is more than just agreement, mental agreement to a certain number of facts.

It's very troubling to me when I hear a presentation of the gospel that takes about 45 to 60 seconds. Do you believe that Jesus is the son of God? Do you believe Jesus came to die for sinners? So if you believe that, pray this prayer. Write in and we'll send you a Bible. Welcome to the family of God.

Really? If that's all that was, all you had to agree to to become a Christian, the demons would be Christians, because they understand who Jesus is. No question about it.

Their understanding is sound. The life of Christianity, says Martin Luther, consists in possessive pronouns. It is one thing to say Christ is a savior. It is quite another to say he is my savior and my Lord. The devils can say the first, but only a genuine Christian can say the second.

Listen to what one commentator said. Rest not in an historical knowledge or faith. If you do, it will not save you. For if it would, it would have saved the devils. For they have their literal knowledge and general belief of the word. Do not think it is enough to know and believe that Christ lived and died for sinners. The devil and his angels know and believe it as much.

Labor then to outstrip them and to get a better faith than is in them. Jesus said this, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? It's not just believing.

It's believing that is backed up by living. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me. So the question is, not do you believe certain facts about Jesus, but are you a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? Have you ordered your life in conformity with the word of God? Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ?

Because the devil and the demons didn't love the Lord Jesus. Do you love the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you love the word of God? Do you love the people of God?

That's the question. So the divine purpose in satanic opposition, the Christology of demon theology. Number three, let's think about the compassion of our Lord and Savior. It says, verse 27 and 28, Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.

And immediately his fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. So the synagogue service was over. And what happens when church is over?

People are hungry. Things were no different in that day. After the service, in need of nourishment and refreshment, Peter extends an invitation to Jesus and the others to return to his house. Now notice what it says, verse 29, Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew. Andrew lived with Simon. And then there's James and John, business partners, fishermen, part of the apostolic group, the disciples that Jesus has chosen. So here they are, returned to Simon's house after the meeting at the synagogue.

And verse 30 says, but, there's a but. But what? Simon's wife's mother is sick with a fever. Don't imagine there's a meal ready on the table.

She's been busy caring for her mother. What did they do? They did the wife's thing. They told him about her at once. Tell it to Jesus.

Tell it to Jesus. That's what they did. Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever and they told him about her at once. So, he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. That's pretty astounding.

You want to know how immediate was? Well, the fever was gone and she immediately served them. They'd come to the house for a meal, for refreshment, and she served them. Isn't that like our Lord? We have a sympathizing, great high priest who's touched with the feelings of our infirmities. Folks, we're so resourceful in our day.

There's so many avenues to pursue when needs arise. But may we resolve that when needs arise, that the first place we're going to go with our need is to Jesus. And the last thing, the first thing, let's tell it to Jesus. Let's talk to Jesus about it. Convinced that he cares for his own. And he has resources that are not available to us.

I'm not saying if you have a financial problem that you don't seek advice from a financial advisor. You understand what I'm saying, but let's not be people who avail ourselves to prayer as a last resort. Let's be people who are marked by, that should be unique to us. The world doesn't understand this, but let's tell it to Jesus. Let's look to him for our needs.

And what's the result? The result of telling Jesus is instant recovery and joyful service. So, she served them. We don't know what she served, but their appetite was assuaged and their needs were met. And then it tells us in verse 32, at evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city, not every person in the city, but the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he did not allow the demons to speak because they knew him. Jesus had a timetable and there were, I think it's helpful, at least for me, to think about the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ in three separate years.

Now, these aren't hard and fast, but you'll understand what I mean. There was, number one, the year of inauguration, where he's baptized by John, and he begins his earthly ministry. And it's not long before that year or however many months morphs into that second year, which I want to call the year of popularity. His fame spread beyond the regions like wildfire. Word got out about the Lord Jesus.

These little villages are not heavily populated. And when it says, he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, that popularity was in one sense a bit of a hindrance to the Lord Jesus's moving about. He had to restrict himself. He had to become more selective in his public appearances and gave himself to seclusion more and more.

So year of inauguration, year of popularity, and then year of opposition. And when opposition began to ramp up and become more intense, that's when he began to teach his disciples in parables. He spent more and more of his time just with the Twelve. You didn't find him going into the synagogue and other places where there were crowds because, well, one time they sought to seize him, lay hold of him, and the Bible seems to give some kind of an indication that there was some divine activity going on that they weren't able to.

It was those kinds of things going on. So we're very early on here in Mark's gospel, but you see this where Jesus is restricting. He tells a man who is, well, we're going to look at it the next time we gather. Again, restricts the man who's been healed. Don't make this known abroad, and yet the man defies what the Lord Jesus told him to do.

So it's interesting, isn't it? God is a timetable, and when you come to Passion Week and you begin to understand what transpires on those days and brings Jesus to the culmination of the death at Calvary, how it coincides with Passover absolutely perfectly. So I'm not suggesting that all this fame and all these crowds following him was somehow an interruption or a hindrance to him. It was part of God's divine plan, but on a human level. The demands of ministry were incredibly draining upon the Lord Jesus. I know why a good many pastors take Mondays off, because Sunday is a very demanding day, particularly if you've ministered the Word on morning and evening, where a lot of men do. Monday morning is just a day to recover from the demands.

There's a physical demand, there's an emotional demand. The weight of caring for the souls of the people that God's entrusted to you weighs heavily upon you, if you're a faithful shepherd. And all that is, I think, going on here with the Lord Jesus. So, you know, I find it interesting that we're told that Simon had a wife. Peter had a wife! Tell that to the Roman Catholic Church. This idea of clerical celibacy to qualify for ministry is a lie. It's utterly opposed by the Scriptures.

You see that? But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever. I don't know how you get around the fact that Peter was a married man. You've got to be a married man to have a mother-in-law, right? So marriage is not a disqualifying factor to serve Christ's Church as a minister, as the Roman Catholic Church would teach.

In fact, having a wife is a great advantage, a great help. When you come across these things, it just kind of reminds you how ill-informed many worshipers of the Roman Catholic Church are. You talk to Roman Catholics, it's rare to find someone who has a Bible and reads it. Oh, well, just whatever the priest tells us. They've been indoctrinated. They've been kept ignorant on purpose. My brother, who is with the Lord and I'm convinced God saved in a wonderful way, married a woman of the Roman Catholic faith, and he knew nothing about the Roman Catholic Church. But the Catholic Church would not acknowledge that she had a right to remarry my brother, who was a non-Catholic.

So Gary, he was kind of ignorant about things, so he just engaged the priest. What about this? What about that? How about this?

How about that? And he got mad. Not my brother, but the priest got mad, because how dare you raise questions? And my brother had arguments that were rooted and grounded in the Scriptures. So divorce is the big sin. That's the disqualifying sin.

That's the one that's elevated above everything. This is the way my brother was reasoning with the priest. Now let's be Bereans. Let's study the Scriptures.

For what reason? To make sure what you're hearing is the truth. Paul wasn't offended by that. He wasn't put off by that. He commended the Bereans. They were more noble, he says, because they studied the Scriptures to see if those things were true.

So let's be like-minded. Well, we're going to encounter an awful lot of miraculous power manifested by the Lord Jesus Christ. And it would be a tendency to think, well, that was the reason he came, that he came to heal people. He came to perform miracles. Well, what's the whole point of all these miracles?

Let me conclude with this. In Hebrews, we have these words. God, also bearing witness, both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will. And what the writer of Hebrews is telling us here is that the purpose of the miracles was to attest to the validity that Jesus was who he claimed to be.

It was to authenticate not only the messenger, but the message. And let me show you one place where it's very, very obvious. And sometimes, many times, I think it's overlooked because there's so many other great truths there. But it is in the raising of Lazarus from the dead. And before Jesus raised him from the dead, he prayed.

And in John chapter 11, we have these words. Jesus said to her, did I not say to you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying, and Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And I know that you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by, I say this, that they may believe that you sent me. That miracle was for the purpose of authenticating and validating that Jesus indeed was the Christ. He was the Messiah sent from God. Now, we wouldn't know that particularly if Jesus didn't pray that out loud, and that it is preserved for us. But again, he says, I know you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by, I said this, that they may believe that you sent me. So let's understand the purpose for this concentration of miraculous work going on in the coming of Jesus to the earth.

It again is to authenticate, to validate both the message and the messenger. And we see that extended on into the apostolic age, the opening chapters of the Book of Acts. We see miracles. The purpose of that?

Again, to authenticate, to validate that these men were indeed the messengers of God, and they are to be heard. Well, that's what I have for us tonight. We will continue in our study.

Thank you for your interest. Let's pray. Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the miraculous power of the Lord Jesus Christ manifested on these occasions. We thank you that he is the one who came to strip the strong man and to pillage his house and to destroy the works of the devil. Thank you, Father, for the freedom we have in Christ. If any man indeed be in Christ, he is a new creation. And if the Son shall set you free, you shall indeed be free. Bless this word to the hearing of our hearts tonight, and for the strengthening of your Church, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.