His Comprehensive Authority

We are living between the already and the not yet.

The already, of course, is the already coming of Jesus.

He came.

And now we wait for Him to come back.

The not yet is His return.

And so the saving reign of God has already begun to expand on the earth.

God is delivering people from the domain of darkness

and He's transferring them into the kingdom of His beloved Son.

And He's been doing this for two millennia.

And yet, the saving reign of Jesus Christ has yet to be fully realized.

Do you know how I know?

Well, there's still natural disasters.

There's still demonic oppression.

There's still disease.

And there's still death.

Because when Jesus comes back,

He's going to put an end to it all.

No more natural disasters.

No more demonic oppression.

No more diseases.

And no more death.

And so what that means for us is that we're living in between intention.

We are living by faith in our risen and reigning Jesus

while we're still trying to navigate with everybody else.

Atlantic hurricanes.

Terrible demonic oppression.

Diseases.

And death.

We're living in between.

This struck me this week.

In our life group, Jenny and I lead a life group.

And we're doing these things called life maps.

And what a life map is, is a visible depiction of the people and events God has used to shape who you are.

And so, it was my turn this past Thursday.

And my life group just handled me great.

And as I was sharing, I was preparing and sharing, what struck me was God's authority and sovereignty over my life.

And God's mercy and grace in my life.

And God's mercy and grace in my life.

My life map pointed to what my life is all about.

God's steadfast love and faithfulness.

God's mercy and grace in my life.

Now, we could make a life map for Christ the King Church over the last 10 years.

We could map out the significant people and the important events that have shaped us.

I could point you to particular people who have made very important contributions to our life as a church.

But what our story would be coming about, what we would eventually see on the life map, is that our story is not a story about us.

Our story is a story about Him.

Christ our King.

10 years, He's been faithful, loving, powerfully at work, showing mercy and grace, transforming us, correcting us, directing us.

All the while, we are living in between the already and the not yet.

And so, this morning, I get to point you to the most important person over the last 10 years of our church.

Jesus.

So, we're going to be in a passage in the Gospel of Mark.

It's an extended passage.

It starts on page 998 of your Pew Bibles.

And we're going to be looking at four vignettes.

And I want you to behold your King in His overwhelming and comprehensive authority.

Each vignette points to an aspect of His authority.

And Jesus has been exercising this.

It's true of Him for the last 10 years of our life as a church.

And will be true of Him for, Lord willing, the next 10 years.

Or 20.

Or until He comes back.

So, let's look at vignette number one.

His authority over what I'm calling the deeps.

Over natural disaster.

Over creation.

It's on chapter 4, 35-41.

Because we've got so much to cover, I'm going to be summarizing these passages.

So, here's what happens.

Jesus and His disciples, they cross over the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus has an appointment in Gentile country.

Well, suddenly, while they're crossing, this overwhelming and incredibly threatening windstorm hits them.

The disciples, they start flipping out.

Jesus is asleep.

They wake Him up.

And immediately, He commands the wind and the waves to stop.

And immediately, the wind and the waves obey Him.

His disciples are now more afraid because of the one who's in the boat with them.

Let me point out some details here.

In verse 35, what you need to see is that it's Jesus who initiates the trip across the Sea of Galilee.

There's someone waiting for Him in the region of the Gerasenes.

And that person is a demoniac.

In verse 37, this massive storm hits.

And the boat's filling up with water.

Has anybody been on water in a boat and water's now filling up in your boat?

I have.

I flipped out.

This is an existential threat.

But Jesus, verse 38, is asleep.

Now, how can Jesus be asleep?

Either His ministry schedule was very difficult and He's so tired.

It doesn't matter what's going on outside.

He just needs to rest.

Or, this poses no threat to Him.

It's the latter.

This windstorm and these waves, with all the water filling up the boat,

it poses no threat to Him.

Contrast with the disciples who, at least four of them,

are seasoned fishermen on this same body of water.

They say to Him,

Teacher, do you not care?

That we are perishing.

They're thinking that the storm is greater than Jesus.

We don't know what they want Him to do.

He's sleeping there.

It's like, Jesus, we need You to bail water.

We don't know what they're thinking.

But here's what I'm thinking.

We've all been there.

Crisis hits.

And instead of faith, there's fear.

And it shows up in a question like this.

Sometimes you actually say it.

Other times you're afraid to say it.

It's something like this.

Do you not care?

God, do you not care?

Do you not care that this is happening?

These disciples ask a question that, let's be honest,

all of us ask when things get hard.

They feel helpless.

They're hopeless.

Because they're in a humanly impossible situation.

None of them can stop what's happening.

Verse 39 is the surprise.

Jesus wakes up.

I don't know what you're like when you wake up,

but my first instinct isn't to command creation.

Jesus rebukes the wind, speaks to the sea,

peace be still,

and immediately the wind ceases

and the sea is as smooth as glass.

Anybody been up north to a Wisconsin lake

early in the morning

and the top of the water is as smooth as glass?

That's what's going on.

Smooth as glass.

Immediate obedience.

Has anybody been down to the lake

during a big wave season?

Has it ever occurred to you

to speak to the waves to stop?

And then if you did,

would you actually be thinking that they would?

I just want you to feel

the human impossibility of what's going on here.

Jesus isn't done rebuking.

He rebukes his disciples.

Why are you so afraid?

Do you still not have faith?

Throughout these four vignettes,

there's this contrast between fear and faith.

Fear crowds out.

Faith overcomes fear.

And he's asking,

do you not yet realize

who is in the boat with you?

Why are you so afraid?

And following this incredible demonstration

of his power and authority,

the disciples in the boat

look to each other and say,

who is this?

That even the wind and the waves obey him.

Who is this?

So here's the point of this vignette.

Jesus has full authority

over all creation.

And if you looked up passages like

John 1, 1-3,

Colossians 1, 15-20,

Hebrews 1, 1-3,

you will quickly realize

that the second person of the Trinity,

this isn't the first time

he has spoken to creation.

In fact, he upholds the universe

with the word of his power.

So who is this guy?

Well,

it's the whole reason

why the Gospel of Mark was written.

This is the Son of God.

Totally God.

Totally man.

In the boat.

And he's just commanded

a tempest at sea

to stop.

Behold your king

in his overwhelming authority

over creation.

Does he not care?

He stopped it.

Of course he cares.

The second vignette

is his authority

over demons.

And this vignette

is chapter 5,

Isaiah 5:1–20

verses 1-20.

It's the longest,

most extended vignette

in this four-pack.

So let me just summarize it for you.

Jesus and his disciples

arrive to the other side

of the Sea of Galilee.

And literally,

I'm guessing,

it was smooth sailing.

Well,

they arrive

in Gentile country.

You see that in verse 35

in the region

of the Gerasenes.

And Jesus is immediately

met by a demoniac.

And what we learn

is that this is not a man

possessed by just one demon.

We learn in verse 9

that he's possessed

by a legion of demons.

A Roman legion

at full strength

had 6,000 soldiers.

There was a lot of demons

in this man.

Well, Jesus doesn't flinch.

No threat.

Actually, what happens

in this story,

which is a bit surprising,

is that the demons

start begging Jesus.

They beg him

to allow them,

to permit them

to go into

a herd of pigs.

Jesus gives them permission.

The demoniac is delivered.

The locals come out

to see what has happened.

And the locals,

they see the demoniac

sitting in his right mind,

clothed,

and they are afraid.

And they beg Jesus to leave.

Then,

the demoniac,

formerly demoniac,

begs Jesus,

can I just be with you?

Jesus commissions him

to go talk about him.

So let me point you

a couple things out

about this particular vignette.

First,

the description

of the demoniac.

Verse 3,

he was living

among the tombs.

That's instant uncleanness

to a Jew.

This demoniac

was likely a Gentile

because he's in

Gentile country.

We learn later

that he's clothed later,

which means

he was probably naked.

Which, like,

who would want

to be around that?

So this guy,

there's like

multiple levels

of kind of

ceremonial Jewish

uncleanliness

about him.

Not to mention

verse 4,

he had superhuman strength.

The human impossibility

here

is that no one

could subdue him.

No one.

Let me just point that out

in verse 4.

Let me just read it

for you.

For he had often

been bound

with shackles

and chains,

but he wrenched

the chains apart

and he broke

the shackles

and pieces.

No one had the strength

to subdue him.

No one.

And everybody knew it

in the area.

Verse 5,

he lived among the tombs

crying out

day and night.

He must have been

miserable,

tormented,

this poor man.

He was cutting himself

with stones,

self-destructive

behavior.

It's classic

demonic oppression,

defacing an image

bearer of God.

In verse 6,

he sees Jesus coming,

he runs,

he falls down

at his feet.

Do you know

what that says?

When someone

falls down

at the feet

of another person,

that one who's

falling down

is saying,

you are greater

than me.

And look at

verse 7,

how this

demoniac

addresses Jesus.

What have you

to do with me,

Jesus,

Son of the Most High

God?

Alright.

In the Gospel

of Mark,

the Gospel

of Mark

starts

with a confession

that Jesus

is the Son

of God

by God

himself.

This is my

beloved son

with whom

I'm well pleased.

It happened

at his baptism.

And at the end

of the Gospel

of Mark,

surprise,

there's another

confession

that he's the

Son of God

by a Roman

centurion

at the moment

Jesus breathes

his last.

Truly,

this was

the Son of God.

The only

human being

in the Gospel

of Mark

that confesses

Jesus

as the Son

of God

is a Roman

centurion

at the moment

of Jesus'

last breath.

Which means

Jesus is

fully revealed

as the Son

of God

on the cross

at his death.

but in

between

throughout

God

says one

other time

at the

transfiguration

this is my

beloved son

listen to him

but the other

times that

Jesus is

confessed

as the Son

of God

as the anointed

what do you

know who's

saying it?

Demons.

They recognize

him for who

he is.

In verse

7

let the

begging

begin

I adjure

you

by God

do not

torment

me.

Look at

10

and he

begged

him

earnestly

not to

send them

out of

the country.

Verse

12

and they

now they

begged

him

Jesus

earnestly

not to

send them

out of

the country

and they

begged him

saying send

us to

the pigs

let us

enter

them.

At this

point

in this

story

you're

asking

the questions

what's

Jesus

going to

do?

Are

demons

greater

than

Jesus?

this is

a legion

of

demons

who

possessed

a man

that no

human

being

could

subdue

and

they're

begging

him.

Jesus

in

underwhelming

fashion

verse 13

so he

gave them

permission

matter

of fact

the

legion

of

demons

they

leave

the

poor

man

enter

the

2,000

head

of

swine

and

they

rush

into

the

sea

of

Galilee

and

drown

now

if

you

were

an

original

reader

of

this

you'd

be

like

thinking

what

2,000

swine

that's

a boat

load

of

money

why

would

Jesus

let

that

happen

well

because

Jesus

cares

for

the

demoniac

he's

worth

the

death

of

2,000

swine

and

he's

worth

the

death

of

the

son

of

God

do

you

not

care

Jesus

cares

here's

the

point

of

the

story

Jesus

has

full

authority

over

the

demons

then

and

now

now

we

see

an

interesting

response

in

this

in

verses

14

through

17

we

have

a

fear

response

the

herdsmen

run

into

the

cities

in

the

countryside

and

they're

like

you

won't

believe

what

happened

so

everybody

comes

to see

what's

going

on

and

when

they

see

Jesus

and

then

they

see

the

demoniac

sitting

posture

posture

of a

disciple

remember

last

week

sitting

clothed

and

in

his

right

mind

they're

afraid

they

were

afraid

and

in

verse

17

they

begged

Jesus

to

depart

from

their

region

there

will

be

people

in

our

lives

who

will

clearly

be

presented

who

Jesus

is

and

for

whatever

reason

it

strikes

fear

into

them

and

they

want

Jesus

to

leave

the

faith

response

is

in

verse

18

through

20

the

former

demoniac

he

starts

begging

Jesus

as

Jesus

is

getting

into

the

boat

he

begs

him

that

verse

18

that

he

might

be

with

him

what

a

picture

of

discipleship

I

just

want

to

be

with

you

I'll

go

wherever

you

go

I'll

do

whatever

you

tell

me

to

do

I

know

you

what

a

picture

what

a

picture

of

faith

and

belief

in

the

son

of

God

but

in

verses

19

through

20

Jesus

does

not

permit

him

there's

that

permit

language

again

authority

but

sends

him

to

his

gentile

family

and

to

those

in

the

Decapolis

and

he

tells

them

in

verse

19

hey

go

tell

how

much

the

Lord

God

has

done

for

you

and

how

he

has

had

mercy

on

you

not

only

authority

authority

exercised

in

mercy

go

go

tell

them

and

this

man

obeys

behold

your

king

he

has

full

overwhelming

authority

over

demons

so

so

far

we've

seen

a

vignette

Jesus

authority

over

the

deep

we've

seen

another

vignette

of

Jesus

authority

over

demons

and

now

the

third

vignette

his

authority

over

disease

it's

in

verses

chapter

5

verses

25

through

34

but

the

interesting

thing

is

this

vignette

actually

interrupts

the

fourth

vignette

and

so

let me

get you

up to

speed

in

verses

21

through

24

Jesus

has

just

crossed

back

the

sea

of

Galilee

back

to

Capernaum

and

now

he's

mobbed

by a

huge

crowd

and

this

distraught

synagogue

ruler

named

Jairus

falls

down

at

Jesus

feet

and

implores

him

that's

another

way of

talking

about

begging

it's

like

my

daughter's

dying

would

you

please

come

with

me

and lay

your

hands

on

her

and

heal

her

so

that's

the

fourth

vignette

starting

and

then

we

get

the

third

vignette

in

verses

25

through

34

there's

this

crowd

and

there's

a

woman

in

the

crowd

and

she

has

been

suffering

for

12

years

some

kind

of

hemorrhaging

that

no

human

could

heal

no

one

could

do

it

and

there

was

a

woman

verse

25

who

had

a

discharge

of

blood

for

12

years

and

who

had

suffered

much

under

many

physicians

and

had

spent

all

that

she

had

and

was

no

better

but

rather

grew

worse

for

it

well

she

hears

about

Jesus

she

walks

up

behind

him

she

touches

him

thinking

that

if

I

just

touch

him

I

will

be

healed

and

bam

she

touches

them

and

she

is

fully

healed

she

knows

it

internally

but

the

other

thing

is

that

Jesus

knows

that

his

power

just

went

out

and

he

starts

asking

who

just

touched

me

and

eventually

this

woman

fear

and

trembling

she

falls

down

at

his

feet

and

it

is

kind

of

beggarly

she

tells

him

what

happened

and

then

he

blesses

her

oh

daughter

go

in

peace

the

human

impossibility

of course

is

in

this

vignette

is

that

there

was

no

human

doctor

that

could

heal

her

12

years

countless

physicians

she's

broke

she spent

all

her

money

trying

to do

this

and

she's

no

better

but

worse

for

it

has

anybody

experienced

the

medical

run

around

of

trying

to

get

something

diagnosed

nobody

knows

what

it

is

you're

spending

tons

of

money

and

you're

don't

come

through

it

better

you

come

out

worse

anybody

apparently

this has

been

happening

for a

long

time

the

thing

is

because

she

was

bleeding

she

was

unclean

she

couldn't

go to

synagogue

technically

she

should

not

have

been

in

this

crowd

well

she

in

verse

27

and

28

hears

about

Jesus

finds

Jesus

touches

Jesus

and

what

we're

seeing

there

is

her

faith

her

faith

verse

29

is a

beautiful

beautiful

verse

and

immediately

the flow

of blood

dried up

and she

felt in

her body

that she

was healed

of her

disease

can you

imagine

if that

was

you

but the

thing

is

it

appears

as though

she

remains

silent

how do

you keep

that

in

well

Jesus

knew

immediately

verse

30

that he

just

healed

somebody

now

I'm

not

going to

try to

spin

this

gang

because

I

got to

tell

you

something

I'm

bumping

into

a

mystery

here

apparently

this

woman

who

has

faith

in

Jesus

touched

him

and

Jesus

without

his

conscious

consent

power

goes out

from him

and heals

her

I don't

fully

get it

all I'm

thinking

is

man

my

my

king

is

awesome

she

had

faith

Jesus

has

the

power

to

heal

the

authority

to

heal

she

touched

him

he's

always

willing

as

those

who

humble

faith

come

to

him

in

verses

30

through

32

there's

this

funny

exchange

between

Jesus

and

the

disciples

Jesus

he's

touched

Jesus

is

like

who

touched

me

and

I

imagine

it's

Peter

he's

like

what

do

you

mean

who

touched

you

Jesus

you're

packed

in

like

sardines

with

all

these

people

touching

you

you're

being

touched

by

everybody

what

do

you

mean

who

touched

me

and

Jesus

keeps

looking

for

the

person

who

touched

him

with

faith

and

eventually

this

woman

knowing

what

happened

to her

verse

33

in

fear

and

trembling

fell

down

before

him

fear

and

trembling

when

those

two

words

show

up

together

paired

more

often

than

not

it's

a

person

in

the

presence

of

God

fear

and

trembling

fell

down

before

him

there's

that

picture

of

recognizing

authority

and

greatness

in

your

midst

and

she

told him

the

whole

truth

told him

everything

look

how

Jesus

responds

man

he

is

so

classy

and

he

said

to her

daughter

your

faith

has

made

you

well

go

in

peace

and

be

healed

of

your

disease

there's

the

faith

you

see

the

fear

you

know

what

go

in

peace

means

fear

not

faith

overcomes

fear

fear

has

a

tendency

of

crowding

out

faith

the

story

here

is

the

point

of

it

is

Jesus

has

full

authority

over

disease

and

if

we

pulled

on

that

string

in

which

the

disciples

asked

in

the

boat

do

you

not

care

yes

he

cares

his

interaction

with this

woman

is

a

demonstration

of

his

authority

and

mercy

behold

your

king

one

more

vignette

we've

seen

his

authority

over

the

deeps

over

the

demons

over

disease

and

there's

one

more

but

can

we

just

change

this

these

are

all

threats

gang

threats

of

natural

disaster

the

threat

of

demons

the

threat

of

disease

and

of

course

there's

the

threat

of

death

this

last

vignette

is

his

authority

over

death

so

remember

back

in

chapter

five

twenty

one

to

twenty

four

Jairus

he

was

a

distinguished

esteemed

synagogue

ruler

in

Capernaum

he'd

be like

lead

pastor

of

first

synagogue

of

Capernaum

well

respected

he

falls

at

Jesus

feet

verses

twenty

two

he

implores

him

earnestly

twenty

three

his

daughter's

dying

if

your

daughter's

dying

you're

going to

be

desperate

so

Jesus

in

verse

twenty

four

leaves

with

Jairus

to go

to

Jairus

house

Jesus

cares

and

then

there's

the

whole

story

of

the

woman

with

twelve

years

of

bleeding

interrupts

and

then

verse

thirty

five

the

fourth

vignette

picks up

again

while

Jesus

was

still

speaking

to

the

daughter

go

in

peace

there

came

someone

from

Jairus

house

and

it's

bad

news

someone

comes

and

tells

Jairus

quote

unquote

your

daughter

is

dead

Jesus

overhears

tells

Jairus

don't

fear

just

believe

goes

with

him

to

Jairus

house

he

bumps

into

some

commotion

has

some

interesting

conversation

walks

into

this

young

girl's

room

and

raises

her

from

the

dead

let's

dial

in

where

the

woman

with

disease

the

idea

there

would

have

been

disease

is

greater

than

Jesus

but

Jesus

flips

that

here

the

question

is

is

death

greater

than

Jesus

your

daughter

is

dead

why

trouble

the

teacher

any

further

the

idea

is

nobody

can

do

anything

about

death

human

impossibility

you can't

stop

death

once

you're

dead

you're

dead

and

when

Jairus

would have

heard

that

could

you

imagine

his

his