Set Free
Mark 1:21-28
January 28, 2006, p. 1552
Our text for today is Mark 1:21-28. You need to know that this text takes place on the Sabbath day. The Church day. The Jewish Holy Day. This text tells us about a church service when Jesus spoke.
Before we look at what happened in the service, during the service - I would like to point out 4 things that happened in the 24 hours following the service. Mark lists for us in the verses that follow, 4 actions, 4 behaviors, 4 pursuits that the church people took, did as a result of being at the service that day.
After the service the first thing that happened is found in verse 28, "News about Jesus spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee." Mark tells us that the worshippers that day when the service ended, spread news about Jesus. They told, talked, proclaimed Jesus. They didn’t talk about the prayers, the music, the kid who was a bit noisy, or the old man who fell asleep. They talked about Jesus.
Secondly - verse 32, "That evening after sunset the people (church people) brought to Jesus all the sick and demon possessed."
These church people wanted people to be well. They brought the sick, the hurting, the possessed to Jesus. This tells me these church people had caring hearts and they knew who the sick were and where to find them and who could help. And because this happens after sunset, this tells me the church people were willing to sacrifice their time and their energy to get them to Jesus.
A third response by the people who were in church that day is in verse 33, "The whole town gathered at the door." I assure you this has never happened to me after I have spoken, but after Jesus did, the whole town drew near to him. Everyone. All. Whatever the church people told the town people about Jesus, it was attractive to them. They came - each and everyone - after sunset with a sense of expectation. With a sense of hope.
A fourth thing happened early the following morning. Peter, Andrew, James and John go and find Jesus having been awaken from their sleep by the people. And they say to him (verse 37), "Everyone is looking for you." These same people who had been up with Jesus late into the previous night were back - back again early the next morning. Apparently Jesus had awakened them to something they hadn’t experienced before. They were hungry for more. They wanted to begin their day with Jesus.
I want to point these 4 reactions out because these are not the typical reactions that church people have after one of our services or for that matter after any other church’s service. Most of the time our 4 reactions, our 4 behaviors after a service tend to be any of the following:
We go eat - we are hungry.
We go to sleep - we are tired
We go shop - we have the ads from the paper.
We watch a ball game or any other number of things.
But something happened on that day that was unique. Something that lit a fire under the church people to:
Tell others.
Bring their hurting friends.
Have an attitude of expectation and hope.
And come clamoring for more.
And beginning in verse 21, we can read what that something was. Read text Mark 1:21-28
Mark identifies for us 3 things that happened in the service that awoke within them their desire to tell others, bring their sick friends, stay late into the night and come back early the next morning.
These 3 things are given to us in an ever-increasing order.
1st - These people were available.
Mark tells us that the 1st step these people took on the Sabbath day was to get up and go to the synagogue/their church. They made a point of being there. They didn’t exactly know what was going to happen. They didn’t know if it would be worth while (whatever that means) for seldom does one service and one message ever to touch everybody. They went. They chose to go. They made themselves available.
In the latest issue of the Covenant Companion, there is an article called, "Good Intentions - Empty Pews - Most Americans who say they go to church never get there." In it are statistics that indicate that people are not participating in that most basic Christian tradition--the weekly gathering together for worship, teaching, prayer fellowship, and Holy Communion. A church service is the most prominent place where people hear Jesus’ words. When fewer people attend church, fewer hear the words of life. Fewer hear the gospel for the first time. Fewer take the sacraments. Fewer children hear of God’s love for them. Fewer marriages are put back together. Fewer teenagers find a listening ear. Fewer people glorify God and enjoy him forever. It should be a question that matters deeply to Christians.
Saints- though we have made the point in the preceding weekends that we have encountered God in all kinds of places besides the church and during all hours of the day, not just during a worship service. There is no denying the reality that when God’s people come together for worship; something unique is taking place. As we do we,
Proclaim to our kids - God is more important than games, errands, hobbies or TV.
We demonstrate to our neighbors-that it is in God we trust - not in a paycheck -
we will pause to honor the Giver.
We remind ourselves that others too are on this faith journey with me.
And we put ourselves before our God - identifying him as Father - amid all of the
other idols that the world promotes.
When we come to church. When we draw close to God - James - Jesus’ brother writes for us in James 4:8, "Our God will come close to us." It is a wonderful promise. "Come close to God and He will come close to you."
When the people in our text and when we come to worship week after week, we take another step in making ourselves available to God.
So Church people don’t ever brush off a visitor here. Don’t do that. That person is making a significant step toward God. Don’t size them up and critique them in your mind, instead open up and welcome them. For they have the desire that you have - they are making themselves available to God.
There is a second quality that characterizes the people at the service that morning. Not only were they available, they were teachable. Because this event happens at the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry, I think it is safe to say that Jesus didn’t really have a reputation. He didn’t have a following. That began to happen after the service, so when this guest preacher gets up and begins to talk something surprising happens, (take it from one who has been a guest speaker), the people’s eyes rather than closing opened up. The people’s body language rather than slouching down most likely leaned forward. Because Jesus was teaching in a way different from what they were used to. He taught with authority. The people were amazed. They hadn’t heard anything like this. Because they had made themselves available, because they were there that day, Jesus was able to teach them.
Though the preacher in me would like to know what Jesus talked about that day. What was Jesus’ topic? His points? His illustrations? Mark doesn’t tell us. That’s not the point. The point is when the word of God is spoken it has authority and it amazes people who are teachable.
So how teachable are you?
You’ve made yourself available to God by being here, but now there is an increasing level of challenge, are you teachable? Are you willing to hear, able to listen?
When I was in high school, I realized that I needed help in this area. Though my parents made me available to God by bringing me to the service, I wasn’t exactly teachable. I often had on my mind the 4 things; I would do after the service:
Leftover pizza
Shot some hoops.
Call some friends.
And watch TV.
During the service our pastor was talking away and in the midst of his talk, he said the word Turkey. And this young boy named Shane (3 or 4 years old) who was far more teachable than me yelled out "Turkey?" to which our pastor said "Yes turkey" and kept on going. I realized I needed to be more teachable. I didn’t exactly come hungry and ready to listen.
How about you?
Now I admit my words often fall short. I admit our services aren’t as high powered as others, but I guess I believe that where 2 or 3 make themselves available to God, to these Jesus comes and when they/when we open up his word and read from it, there is the very real opportunity for even turkeys, like me to learn something and be changed.
In Hebrews we read, "the word is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
We read in Isaiah 55:11,
"That the word of Lord goes out and it will not return void or empty. It will accomplish what God desires and achieve his purpose for it."
A third thing happened at this service.
Not only did the people make themselves available.
Not only were they teachable.
They were able to be awed by God.
There in the service, as Jesus taught, one of their own stood up. I believe the people who surrounded this man knew him. I believe the people there that day knew where he lived and what he did. I believe that there was nothing about this man that had struck any of the people as being weird. I believe he was going about his life in the normal way until this moment. But when this man heard the living word of God and its authority, it confronted something within him that was evil/that was of the devil.
"What do you want with us Jesus?" the evil spirit asked, "Have you come to destroy us?" the demon asked. "I know who your are, the Holy One of God."
Though the words come from the man, it wasn’t him speaking but an evil spirit. Jesus having just encountered the same just 10 verses before calmly and in his authority tells the evil to leave and it does.
Though we don’t have the man’s response to this, Mark tells us how the people responded. They were amazed for a second time (v. 27), "What is this? A new teaching and with such authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." These people were able to be awed by God.
Are you?
The author Mike Yaconelli writes in a book called Messy Spirituality. The most critical issue facing Christians is not abortion, pornography, the disintegration of the family, moral absolutes, MTV, drugs, racism, sexuality, or school prayer. The critical issue today is dullness. We have lost our astonishment. The Good News is no longer good news, it is okay news. Christianity is no longer life changing, it is life enhancing. Jesus doesn’t change people into wild-eyed radicals anymore. He changes them into "nice people."
Yes?
Friends, God is amazing - would you say that? God is amazing. Though my Swedish blood has no problem whooping it up for our Seahawks or cheering about Deb’s great baking or getting excited about a back packing trip. When it comes to God, often I appear more dull than devoted. I appear unmoved and steady, but,
I am learning to be more vocal.
I am learning even to use my hands for our God is amazing and I am in awe of Him.
Friends, as we make ourselves available week after week. As we become teachable message and Bible study after Bible study, you and I will begin to see all the transforming, life-changing work that our God is doing.
And when we see this, His good work in we ordinary people, we will choose to:
Spread the news.
Invite the sick.
Stay up late and wake up early in order that we would love God more, in order that others would come to know of God’s love.
Amen.
