Sunday January 31,2021
Welcome our scripture readings this week we find in Psalm 111 and 1Corinthians 8:1-13 and our gospel lesson this week we find it in Mark 1:21-28. I would invite you to read, meditate and pray over them.
Please follow along as I read, Mark 1:21-28
Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit
(21) They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. (22) The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (23) Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, (24) “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!”
(25) “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” (26) The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.
(27) The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching–and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” (28) News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
This is the word of God. For the people of God. Thanks be to God.
Maybe you’ve heard the story about the High School teacher who injured his back and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It was form fitted, fit under his shirt and wasn’t noticeable at all. The first day of school he still had the cast on. He looked at his class roster and realized he’d been assigned to the toughest students in school.
He walked into the classroom, which was already rowdy and noisy. All the students were talking and laughing and either acted like he wasn’t there or looked at him with disdain, daring him to say something, anything. The teacher walked over and opened a window as wide as possible and then started working at his desk. Several times, a strong breeze made his tie flip up into his face. Finally, he reached over, picked up the stapler and stapled the tie to his chest in three places and then continued working.
The class immediately quieted down and he didn’t have any problems with discipline problems that entire year.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of authority in everything you did?
In today’s gospel reading, the people were absolutely amazed at the authority of Jesus and his teachings.
Jesus had Amazing Authority, like no one had ever seen before.
Our message this week I’ve titled;
Amazing Authority !
Do you remember arguing as a kid? You’d get into an argument over something really simple and stupid. The argument would go back and forth, back and forth and finally somebody would holler out, “Oh yeah, who said?”
It’s was a cry to validate your source. You might matter a factly answer back, I saw it on Mr. Wizard or My Dad said so or some other person in authority said so. But the main question was, “Where did that authority come from?”
Now there are all kinds of authority. So I’d like to start this message by looking at a few of them.
There’s Parental Authority:
Up until a certain age, and that’s different for different kids and family situations, Mom and Dad have 100% authority over us.
I remember growing up, When my mom would call any of her children buy their first and middle names she was showing her authority over them. And you better pay attention! Then, there were times when, mom and dad didn’t have to say anything to show their authority. You would just get the eye. This happened often on Sunday mornings if one of us did something they thought inappropriate during morning worship service.
Then There’s Boot Camp Authority:
The Drill Instructor or Company Commander weren’t just in charge, they expected you to treat them as if they were God. You didn’t do anything without their permission. You ate, slept, walked, talked, went to the bathroom when they told you to. They even told you how long of a shower to take, when to brush your teeth and how much toilet paper you could use. They were in charge. They might not have been God but they sure acted like they had God on the phone and had put Him on hold to deal with you. That’s the kind of authority they had.
Then There’s The Authority of Age:
Sometimes there are those who we cherish and whose wisdom and authority come simply from their age. They’ve lived longer than anyone we know, they’ve experienced more and seen more than anyone else and their opinion carries great weight. It might be a parent or grandparent. Or a trusted member of a congregation.
In a conversation with one of my mentors in the ministry, he told me of a woman who had this kind of authority. If I remember correctly his story went something like this.
Mrs. Davis celebrated her 103 birthday while I was serving this one church. She was one of those faithful members who was there every Sunday, unless she was sick or it was too cold for her to get out. Mrs. Davis was deaf as a stump but had a radiant smile for everybody. The kids just loved her.
One Sunday we had one of those holy moments, an E.F. Hutton moment when everybody just stopped to listen. One of the little girls stood up in the pew next to Mrs. Davis and hollered in her good ear, “Mrs. Davis, if you can’t hear the sermon or the music, why do you still come to church?”
You could have hear a feather hit the floor. All ears were on Mrs. Davis. With one of those radiant grins, Mrs. Davis patted the little girl on the hand and said, “Well, honey, I just want everyone to know whose side I’m on.”
Mrs. Davis spoke with the voice of experience and the authority or her years.
Then There’s The Authority of Knowledge:
Sometimes we respect people because we know they know more than we do. They are the experts we’re just beginners.
It was always my practice, in my career as a mechanic, no matter where I was working to always pay close attention to most knowledgeable mechanic employed there. They always seem to know the right way and the shortcuts in the repair of any mechanical problems. Which tools were required, where to find the information you needed to keep me from struggling and avoid the loss of blood and time. Which still happened more often than I care to remember.
Then There’s The Authority of a Position and a Person:
Some people just have an air of authority about them. In my lifetime I have had the honor to know a few people who had this authority. They weren’t always the most well educated or qualified for the position they held in the community, but they were always willing to listen and give of themselves. They would take a position of leadership, because that’s where they thought they were both needed and could do the most good. Most of them were usually quiet and thoughtful, not quick to pass judgment or to give advice. Never saying too much, not that they were unfriendly or anything but simply because that was their nature. If you’ve been part of this church family for very long, I’m certain you know some of these same people.
That’s the way Jesus was. Mark in his text doesn’t tell us what Jesus taught only that whenever He spoke, He spoke with authority. He wasn’t arrogant or prideful, He just carried Himself and presented Himself in such a way that it set Him apart. I’ve always imagined Jesus as one of those people whom you might not see enter the room, He never made the, “Grand Entrance”. But before long you felt His presence. You might not even be aware of it at first because it was something subtle. But pretty soon you’d find yourself drawn to Him, like everyone else. Why? Because His words rang true. His words sprang from the heart and they resonated with power and authenticity. It was as if He had a direct line to God. And that’s what amazed His listeners.
There were no gimmicky tricks or false promises to get folks to open up there wallets to support His ministry. There was no phony manipulation. Jesus was truly concerned about everyone who came to hear Him. Jesus wanted them to understand, to know, to learn about God’s love and forgiveness. He was so concerned that He risked Himself and shared Himself with everyone he met.
I’m certain Jesus was not on the Pharisees, “Social Registry”. He was a threat to them and they considered him a nobody. But he had that air of authority about Him.
Several years ago, Derek Evans and Dave Fulwiler of San Diego began the world’s first reverse social register. This register is for people who couldn’t make it into Who’s Who. It is called Who’s Nobody In America. Evans and Fulwiler say that 3,800 people have sought places in the register since they began accepting entries. Each “nobody” is limited to a twenty-five-word biography. Some of those biographies are hilarious. According to these nobodies, you know you’re nobody if:
“Your twin sister dies and they bury you instead.
“Your own reflection in the mirror ignores you.
“You had your picture taken beside a tree and everyone admires the tree.”
One applicant claimed, that the government returned his taxes unopened. Another claimed that all of his mail was addressed to “Occupant,” and the post office had returned it with the legend, “No longer at this address.”
Many of us have the feeling, that our lives really don’t matter, that we’re unnoticed and unloved. And the same was true back then. But Jesus cared for the people. His love and concern came through in everything Jesus said and did. And Jesus cares for us.
It’s not only that Jesus cared for them as He does for us, but Jesus gave them and us something besides commentary and quotes about the Scriptures like the pharisees. Jesus gave them and us something to believe in and hang onto. You see words aren’t enough. There has to be something deeper. Something at the very core for you to grab onto and hang onto. That’s what Jesus gives.
Not long ago I watched the movie, Secondhand Lions, for about the fifth time. It’s become one of my favorite.
In the movie, Secondhand Lions, Walter, an adolescent is left by his mother to live with his uncles. In the movie, Walter’s uncle Garth has been spinning amazing adventure stories about his past with his other uncle Hub. He tells how he and Hub were forcibly recruited into the French Foreign Legion and how they fought for their lives and for love, in Africa. But Garth refuses to tell the end of their story to Walter, especially the part about the love of Hub’s life, Jasmine. He tells Walter to ask Hub himself. Fearful of his wilder uncle, Walter finally asks Uncle Hub to finish the story and once it is over, the starry eyed boy asks the most important question of all.
Walter looks at his uncle and says: “Those stories about Africa, about you, they’re true, aren’t they?” Hub tells the boy, “Doesn’t matter,” but Walter is not buying it.
Walter argues, “It does too. Around my mom all I hear is lies. I don’t know what to believe.”
Hub tells him, “If you want to believe in something, believe in it. Just because somethin’ ain’t true doesn’t mean you can’t believe in it.” Hub tells Walter that he gives a speech to young men and thinks that Walter should hear a piece of it. He says, “Sometimes, things that may or may not be true are the things that a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honor, courage, and virtue mean everything. Power and money, money and power mean nothing. That good always triumphs over evil.” Hub’s most important advice is, “That love, true love, never dies. Remember that boy. Doesn’t matter if they’re true or not, you see, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in. You got that?”
Impressed, Walter replies, “That was a good speech.”
Hub says, “You think so? Thanks.”
In a twisted sort of way, Hub is trying to teach Walter a lesson like Jesus taught. A lesson that is deeper than historical facts. He’s talking about virtues being worth our belief even if other people don’t hold to them to be true anymore. In an age when power and money seem to be the predominant value, honor and virtue are still more important.
In a time when it appears that evil is overcoming good, we have to believe that good will ultimately triumph over evil or else we lose all hope. The details aren’t that important, but the values the story teaches is everything.
The parables of Jesus were stories designed to teach lessons. We weren’t told to go and physically look for the Prodigal Son. But we did learn a deep lesson about grace and repentance and how much God loves us. In that sense, our response to the story is more important than whether it was historically true.
The other thing that was so amazing was that Jesus not only spoke with authority, but He lived what He spoke. The authority of His teaching extended to the authority of His actions. And the day of this particular incident, His words were punctuated with an exclamation point of authority and authenticity when He healed the man. He backed up His words with deeds.
And in a sense, that’s the Good News. As we look at Jesus’ life and ministry we see that He had authority not only to speak. But He had authority over demons, who fell at His feet, trembled in His presence, and fled as soon as He spoke.
Jesus had authority over illness, healing many of leprosy and every other kind of infirmity you can think of.
Jesus has authority over sin, forgiving our sins while here, and then taking the punishment for our sins on the cross. And in so doing, He vanquished the power of sin over us, if we just turn to Him.
Not only that, but Jesus had authority even over death. He raised Lazarus, the widow’s son and Jairus’ daughter from the dead. And death couldn’t hold Him either. As a consequence, it no longer holds us. As believers, Jesus holds that same ,” Amazing Authority”, in our lives! Not sin and death.
Remember, Jesus did more than staple his tie to his chest, He gave Himself up to be nailed to the cross for our sin and for our sake. No wonder, everyone was amazed by Jesus. No wonder he had such “Amazing Authority”!
Does Jesus have that authority in your life? Have you invited Him to be the core of your beliefs, the rock upon which to stand and build your life?
Jesus is the True Authority! Have you given Him full authority in your life?
By His “Amazing Authority” I’m;
In His Service,
Pastor Joe
Listen To Audio: Sermon 20210131
Listen To Audio: Service 01312021
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Joe will be available at the church on Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4. If you need to speak to him, contact Pastor Joe at
570-267-4570 (cell) or email: joe.s.travis@gmail.com
Loose change today goes to Trehab -Local Food Bank (every 5th Sunday)
PW will meet Thursday, February 11 at 11:00 for our meeting and a covered dish luncheon to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Please bring a mask for mask exchange and a covered dish (with something in it! Ha!)
Super Bowl has begun and will continue through February 7; please bring a non-perishable food item or monetary donation noted on your envelope or check payable to: FHPC.
There was considerable damage Christmas Eve when snow fell off the church roof. We are having a “Fund Raiser” for additional repairs on the church. The insurance company paid $4,296 after deductible of $1,000 for damage to the ramp and only the actual damaged area to the chimney. To bring the chimney up to “code” there was additional construction. The total for all repairs is approximately $7,200 and with donations received to date leaving a balance of $1,500 to complete the work. Anyone wishing to donate please make checks payable to: FHPC and designate on your envelope. Session thanks you for your consideration.
If you are in the parking lot, PLEASE TUNE YOUR RADIO TO 89.5 FM TO HEAR THE CHURCH SERVICE.
PLEASE NOTE: We ask that you wear a mask as you ENTER the church. Winter Months – Session discussed the procedures the congregation will follow during the winter months. People will enter and leave the Church by the front door. Mask must be worn as they enter and go to a pew. Mask must be worn when they leave the Church. Pastor Joe will stand near the pulpit when the service is finished to speak to people before they leave. He will not stand by the front door. Session is asking that people do not congregate in the vestibule or loiter for a long time in the sanctuary when they leave. Hand sanitizer will be located by the front door for people to use.
