In this passage, we read about a great move of God that took place in the city of Capernaum. This took place at the beginning of the second year of our Lord’s ministry - what scholars commonly refer to as the “Year of Popularity.” Year one of His ministry was a “Year of Obscurity” and year three was the “Year of Rejection,” but year two was the year when Jesus became popular with the people, and this awakening in Capernaum was the beginning of that popularity.
While Mark would leave us with the impression that this was our Lord’s first day in Capernaum, the other gospels would have us understand that Jesus had been teaching in the city for several weeks, using Capernaum as His “base of operation,” so to speak. As a result of His ministry among them the entire city of Capernaum was transformed by the power of Christ.
This is something that we would say we long to see take place in our community. But do we really? We sing songs like, “Revive us again,” and “Mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead,” but do we really?
All too often, I believe we are content with the “mercy drops” and satisfied to simply have the Lord break through every now and then to do some mighty things among us, but we really aren’t serious when it comes to really wanting to see Jesus actually take over.
It has been said that “half of knowing what you really want is knowing what must change in order for it to happen.” Perhaps we would do well to examine what took place in Capernaum when Jesus took over that city to see if that is really what we want to see happen in our own.
What happens when Jesus takes over?
1. Satan’s kingdom is shaken up - vs. 21-26
We are told that Jesus taught with authority, unlike the teachers of the law. Unlike the scribes, Jesus declared God’s truth boldly. An example is found in our Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, where again and again, Jesus would state what had been commonly taught, then say, “But I say to you . . .”
Declaring God’s truth without compromise stirred up the kingdom of Satan. So much so, that apparently, a representative was sent to ask Jesus to leave Capernaum.
This is what we read about in verses 23-26. One can only imagine what set up the scene recorded here in Scripture.
Imagine what was going on in Capernaum. Jesus comes in and sets up shop. He is speaking and acting with divine authority. This, no doubt, got the demons in the city of Capernaum upset. After all, they had Capernaum right where they wanted it. They no doubt had people whose lives were given over to sin and immorality people enslaved to alcohol and drugs; marriages falling apart; children disrespecting their parents, husbands running around on their wives, etc. Yes, they had things under control . . . Until Jesus started taking over Capernaum.
So in order to address this crisis, they probably called a demon’s meeting to discuss what they should do. Perhaps their discussion included thoughts like, “Let’s just run Him off.” “Yeah, let’s see if we can scare Him and get Him to leave us alone.”
But I’m sure one of the older, wiser, and more level headed demons probably replied by saying something like, “Brothers, this is no ordinary prophet we’re dealing with here. We know who He is! He is the Holy One of God! No, we have no authority over Him and we will not be able to intimidate Him or scare Him. I’m afraid the only thing we can do is ask Him to leave us alone.”
This evidently made sense to the crowd, so they elected a representative from among them (no doubt one of the demons who was absent from the meeting) and sent him to the synagogue to ask Jesus to leave. This is what we read about here.
But Jesus would have none of it. His reply to the demon’s request was straight to the point, “Shut up! Come out of that man!” Immediately, the Bible tells us, the demon left the man. And not only was that demon dealt with, but Mark tells us in verse 34, that before the day was over, “Jesus drove out many demons.” When Jesus takes over, Satan’s kingdom is shaken up.
One of the greatest movements of God in modern history took place in what historians call the “Welsh Revival.” It had its beginning in 1904 in the village of New Quay in the church of pastor Joseph Jenkins. Deeply burdened about the indifference among Christians around him, and particularly concerned about the apathy of his own young people, he addressed them in a special gathering on a Sunday morning. He spoke to them about obeying the Holy Spirit.
He then asked for testimonies. After a while, Florrie Evans, who had been converted a few days before, rose, and spoke with a tremor in her voice, saying, “I love Jesus Christ, with all my heart.” That simple testimony I impressed the other youth in the group that day, as one by one, they began to surrender fully to God and adults followed suit.
An evangelist, Seth Joshua, was invited to the New Quay church some six months later. Excerpts from his diary reveal what kind of things were occurring in the church and community.
September 18th - “I have never seen the power of the Holy Spirit so powerfully manifested among the people as at this place right now.”
September 19th - “Revival is breaking out here in greater power . . . The young receiving the greater measure of blessing. They break out into prayer, praise, testimony, and exhortation.
September 20th - “I cannot leave the building until 12 and even 1 o’clock in the morning—I closed the service several times and yet it would break out again quite beyond control of human power.”
Indeed, the movement of God that began at New Quay soon spread through-out the country-side, and boy, oh, boy, was Satan’s kingdom shaken up!
According to historian Edwin Orr, in his book “The Flaming Tongue,” the famous parliamentarian, David Lloyd-George, compared the revival to an earthquake and to a tornado” sweeping through the country. Taverns were shut down due to lack of business, debts were paid, and stolen goods returned, all to the dismay of the evil one.
Indeed, when Jesus takes over, Satan’s kingdom is shaken up. This is because when Jesus takes over . . .
2. Sin’s captives are freed up - vs. 32-33
The Bible tells us that before the day was over, “the whole town gathered” to Jesus. This is something that always happens when Jesus takes over.
Seth Joshua concluded his week of meetings at New Quay, and journeyed to his next scheduled week of services at Newcastle Emlyn. It was in one of those services that a young man by the name of Evan Roberts responded to the call of God. At the conclusion of the service, Seth Joshua prayed, “Lord, bend us.” Evan Roberts later testified that he felt moved to pray, “Lord, bend me.”
God responded to that prayer by raising up Evan Roberts as a mighty preacher and evangelist. Through his ministry and the ministry of others, several thousands of people were swept into the kingdom of God. Within six month’s time, more than 100,000 people were recorded to have made professions of faith in Christ and joined the local churches in Wales.
When Jesus takes over, sins captives are freed up. But seeing Satan’s kingdom shaken up and sin’s captives freed up only takes place when Jesus is allowed to take over the lives of His people.
3. God’s people must straighten up - vs. 22; 27
In verses 22 and 27 we read how that Jesus spoke and acted with authority. The word in the original Greek literally means “out of oneself.” in other words, to speak with authority or to act with authority means to speak or act with a sense of who you really are and whose you really are. This is how Jesus lived. This was the basis of all He said and did. John speaks to this in John 13:3, where he tells us:
“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God.” - John 13:3 (NIV)
Now, we are called to be like Christ in this world. And the key to that is allowing the Lord Jesus, who dwells within us through the person of the Holy Spirit, to live His life through us. In other words, if Jesus is going to be free to take over, he must first be allowed to take over in the lives of His people. God’s people must straighten up!
During the Welsh revival, Evan Roberts preached a sermon time and again that God used to challenge His people in Wales to “straighten up.” It was called “The four points.”
1. You must put away any unconfessed sin.
2. You must put away any doubtful habit.
3. You must obey the Spirit promptly.
4. You must confess Christ openly.
God’s people responded, and Jesus took over. Satan’s kingdom was shaken up and sin’s captives were freed up. Likewise, if we really want to see Jesus take over, we must determine who we are and whose we are! Are you a Child of God or a child of the world? Do you belong to the Lord or to the world? Consider Evan’s Robert’s “Four Points.” How do you need to straighten up today so that Jesus might take over?
