"All Authority In Heaven And On Earth"

1 February 2009

U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris

Fortress Chapel

F.O.B. Sykes

Tall-afar, Iraq

BIG IDEA: Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth; He even gives orders to unclean spirits and they obey him.

REFERENCES: Fourth Sunday after Epiphany; Isaiah 14:12-15 (KJV) “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations”; Revelation 12:7-9 (KJV) And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon: and the dragon fought and his angels. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Ephesians 6:12-13 (ESV) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm; Jesus in the Synagogue at Capernaum: Matthews 7:28-29 (ESV); Mark 1:21-28 (ESV); and Luke 4:31-37 (ESV); Deuteronomy 18:15-20 (ESV); Psalm 111 (ESV); 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (ESV); Jesus Heals two Demon-Possessed Men – Matthews 9:28-34 – (28-29) And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?; Colossians 4:10a (ESV) Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas …; Luke 7:1-10 (ESV) Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant in Capernaum; Acts 19:13-16 (ESV); Proverbs 16:4 (KJV) The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil; Luke 10:17 (KJV) And the seventy returned again with joy, saying Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: Mark 1:21-28 (ESV)

II. READ THE PERICOPE: Mark 1:21-28 (ESV)

III. READ THE TEXT: Mark 1:27 (ESV) 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.”

IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that Jesus give orders to unclean spirits, and they obey Him.

V. SERMONIC THEME: “All Authority in heaven and on earth”

VI. INTRODUCTION: Welcome to the Fourth Sunday after Epiphany and the First Sunday in February. First Sundays are the Sundays that we, the members of COS Sykes Contemporary Worship Service commemorate the Lord’s Death, Burial, and Resurrection by way of The Lord’s Supper (or Communion).

As we have indicated, for the past three weeks, the season of Epiphany is about Revelation – and Opening our Spiritual Eyes and Ears - to see and hear who Jesus is, what he does, and what he says.

Neither the crib nor the cross alone can truly explain the significance of Jesus. Therefore, during the season of Epiphany, Christians everywhere discover the meaning of the “Crib” and the meaning of the “Cross” through Jesus’ life and mission.

For Jesus’ life gives us details of the meaning of the manger and the cross, while His Resurrection reveals the Significance of His life.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 1: John the Revelator reminds us in The Book of Revelation 12:7-9 (KJV) - … there was war in heaven:

a. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon:

b. … and the dragon fought and his angels.

c. And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

d. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, …

e. … and Satan which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

f. Satan’s pride and warped desires to take God’s place introduced sin into the universe.

******* TAKE 5 BEATS *******

MOVE 2: Still … Some believers remain unconvinced that there are evil forces at work in the world.

a. Movies are still being made exploring the topic, and books often portray evil as merely a product of the human heart.

b. The thought of supernatural demons moving among us … is frightening, but the Bible clearly presents evil as a real, … supernatural phenomenon.

c. The noted 20th century British writer and thinker C.S. Lewis addresses these questions in his imaginary/whimsical book The Screwtape Letters.