Amazed
Luke 4: 31 – 37
Intro: “The devil made me do it.” This is an excuse I have heard used to express a reason for doing something negative or possibly hurtful to another person. It is a way to playfully excuse one’s actions.
I Do we really believe the devil or Lucifer or Satan exists?
A Do you believe there is a “evil being” who roams the earth?
B The theological history of early Judaism claims that Satan is a fallen angel whom God expelled from heaven because he wanted to be God.
C When Lucifer left heaven, some believed he took his followers with him and they are the demons who do the bidding of Satan or Lucifer.
II LK 4:33 “In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit.”
A The word demon in Greek is DIAMONION. It refers to those who demonstrate the power of unclean spirits or who are morally destructive.
B The word for spirit in Greek is PNEUMA. It can mean breathe or that part of man that is invisible, immaterial and powerful.
C In this case it refers to the man’s fallen nature and his sinfulness. Even more interesting is VS. 34 “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are---the Holy One of God!”
III The demon recognizes the nature of Jesus while the people are amazed at the authority and power of Jesus.
A The Greek word for amazed is EKPLESSO and it literally means “To strike with panic or shock.”
B They were astounded or speechless. I guess by modern terms we could say “they were dumb struck.” They could not believe the power and authority they experienced in the presence of Jesus.
C Through his simple words, Jesus was teaching that God was the ultimate power in the world. God holds power over evil and the works of the devil.
Concl: I have read that when you carry a bible, the devil gets a headache. When you open it, he collapses. When he sees you reading it, he faints. But, when he sees you living it, he is not only amazed but he leaves.
There is available to us the power of God in Christ Jesus to confront and defeat the evil in our world even as it was that day long ago in the synagogue in Capernaum.
