The Two Natures of Christ Illustrated in His Teaching, Healing, and Power Over the Devil (Mark 1:21-34)- Pastor Kenneth Collins Maple

And as we go to God's Word, we go specifically

to Mark chapter 1, Mark chapter 1, 21 through

Mark 1 · chapter mention Mark 1 · chapter mention

34. What we've been doing of late is looking

at a sermon series through some of the miracles

of Jesus. Typically within this church, we do

consecutive preaching where we take a book, We

take a passage and we make our way through it

kind of systematically. With this sermon series

we do it a little bit differently in that we're

not marching through one book, but we're seeing

the miracles of Jesus throughout all four Gospels.

And so the last two Sundays we have been in the

Gospel according to John. Today we go to the

Gospel according to Mark. And as you look at

this here, you see Mark waste no time jumping

into the action, right? There is so much that

is jam -packed into Mark chapter 1. So as I read

Mark 1 · chapter mention

this from 21 to 34, I want you to listen for

the three components of Jesus' ministry that

he does within this text. And would you please

listen, because this is God's holy word. Mark

1, 21 through 34. And they went into Capernaum,

and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the

synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished

at his teaching, for he taught them as one who

had authority and not as the scribes. And immediately

there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean

spirit. And he cried out, what have you to do

with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to

destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One

of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, be silent

and come out of him. And the unclean spirit convulsing

him and crying out with a loud voice came out

of him. And they were all amazed. so that they

questioned among themselves saying, what is this?

A new teaching with authority. He commands even

the unclean spirits and they obey him. And at

once, his fame spread everywhere throughout all

the surrounding region of Galilee. And immediately,

he left the synagogue and entered the house of

Simon and Andrew with James and John. Now Simon's

mother -in -law lay ill with a fever and immediately

they told him about her and he came and took

her by the hand and lifted her up and the fever

left her and she began to serve them. That evening

at sundown they brought to him all who were sick

or oppressed by demons and the whole city was

gathered together at the door and he healed many

who were sick with various diseases. cast out

many demons and he would not permit the demons

to speak because they knew him this is God's

holy word let's pray father we thank you for

your word we thank you that it's true we thank

you that you give us what we need and yet we

also ask that as we now study this text Lord

You would help us to hear it well, to interpret

it well, and to apply it well. These things we

pray in Jesus' name, amen. As this is the season

of Advent, we've got our candle lit. Some of

you will show up on Tuesday to help decorate

the sanctuary. We might ask an important question.

What happened in the incarnation of Jesus. What

happened in the incarnation? It's simple in a

way, but it's also very complex. It's a bit mysterious,

isn't it? How to explain it? That Jesus, who

is eternal, took on flesh. Jesus, as you know,

has always been. Jesus is one with the Father.

equal in power and glory. So Jesus, the second

person of the Trinity, who has always been, takes

on flesh and becomes a man. This has been a challenge

for many to understand. This has been a challenge

for many to communicate to others. And so the

church recognized very early on, hey, we need

to know what we're talking about. We need to

study the Bible on this. And so if you know your

church history, you know that there were different

councils that were held in the early centuries

after the ascension of Jesus, councils like Nicaea

and Chalcedon, where the church gathered together

to discuss these important matters, especially

the matter of the hypostatic union, how Jesus

can have two natures, a divine nature and a human

nature. in one person, that the Son of God, what

he did when he came to earth is that he who is

divine, who is God, added this human nature.

And what all of this means is that Jesus is fully

man and Jesus is fully God, completely. He is

of the same essence. He's the same substance,

as some have said, as the Father. Jesus is of

the same stuff as the Father. And so Jesus, when

he speaks, he speaks as having the authority

of God. In Mark chapter 1, you see people confronted

Mark 1 · chapter mention

with this for the very first time. Who is this

who speaks with this authority as the people

listen they realize something this Jesus He is

unlike any teacher we have ever heard before

Jesus is not one of many great teachers Jesus

is one of one in that category Now as they listen

not everybody is converted right then and they're

on the spot But they realize they are listening

to one who has supreme authority. Now before

I read the text, I asked you to listen for three

components of Jesus's ministry. This is what

he does within the passage. Jesus teaches. Jesus

casts out demons. And Jesus heals. And Jesus

accomplishes these three things as the God -man.

Let's look at his authority to teach in verses

21 22 and 27 You see verse 21. Jesus is in Capernaum

He's in the synagogue Where else would you expect

Jesus to be on the Sabbath? He's in the synagogue

on the Sabbath and he enters in to do some teaching

The text says the word immediately three times

Jesus doesn't waste any time. When he gets to

the synagogue, he begins to teach. Now, I'm not

exactly sure on this about why he immediately

teaches, but I imagine it would be because there

are other teachers, right? There are other rabbis

within the synagogue. And so Jesus goes there

to teach. And this highlights what I said about

Jesus's humanity and his divinity. Jesus... who

is divine takes on flesh so that he can stand

in the synagogue and rightly teach people Jesus

is the greatest teacher and at the same time

if we say that Jesus is only a teacher we do

a great disservice to him and we speak in sin

because Jesus is more than a great teacher he's

the divine teacher he is the godly teacher when

Jesus teaches mouths drop open. People are astonished

at his teaching. Jesus teaches in a way that's

completely different from every other teacher.

Now, this text does not tell us what Jesus is

teaching. Jesus doesn't give us his study guide,

right? But we see how his teaching contrasts

that with others. For you might remember in Jesus'

greatest teaching, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus

will say something like, You have heard it said

this, but I say to you this, right? He says something

like, you've heard it said, love your neighbor

and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your

neighbor and pray for those who persecute you.

God's word never says to hate your enemy. But

the religious leaders don't have the right interpretation.

And so they would continue to teach things throughout

the years, throughout the generations. That's

just simply not true. And yet at the same time,

the religious leaders, the scribes, were kind

of the experts in the law. And so people listened

when they taught. They were the authority. And

yet the way that they taught does contrast how

Jesus teaches. Because what the scribes would

do in Jesus' day, how they would teach, is they

would actually take what others had taught, what

other scribes had taught and teach it themselves.

So they wouldn't speak with their own authority

and they wouldn't speak always on the authority

of scripture, but they would reference some other

scribe, some other rabbi. And this is how they

would teach. Kind of like how I might use a quote

within preaching or how a newspaper article might

reference somebody else. But notice something

about Jesus. He doesn't reference anybody else.

He only speaks what is true to the Scriptures.

He preaches, he teaches what he knows to be true

from the Bible, right? And so Jesus doesn't have

to appeal to other teachers because he is the

authority on Scripture. We know from John chapter

John 1 · chapter mention

1 that Jesus is the Word. The Word made flesh.

So he doesn't appeal to the authority of others.

I like how Matthew Henry put it. He said, Jesus

taught as one who knew the mind of God and was

commissioned to declare it. Friends, when we

hear the Bible rightly taught, rightly preached

When we hear the Bible read, this is how we should

be. We should think this is the Holy Spirit talking.

Most of you probably cannot remember when you

first heard the Bible taught to you, rightly.

Most of you probably cannot understand the very

first time that you understood the incarnation

of Jesus. Maybe some of our children can remember.

when you first heard the Christmas story, imagine

what it would be like to hear the birth of Jesus

rightly taught and comprehend it for the very

first time. You would be astonished. The word

became flesh and dwelt among us, mind completely

blown. If we could only take ourselves back to

the first time. that we ever heard this, because

the incarnation of Jesus is astonishing news,

isn't it? And yet I'm afraid that many of us

have become apathetic to the birth of Jesus.

We've heard it all before, haven't we? Friends,

this Christmas season, Would you receive the

good news with the excitement of the shepherds

hearing from the angels? Would you be amazed

by the Bible in the incarnation that Jesus came

to be with us and came to be one of us? Receive

it in that way But also as you receive Jesus's

teaching on these things Notice the authority

that Jesus has to cast out demons Look in verses

23 through 27, as well as 32 and 34. So Jesus

is teaching in the synagogue and there is one

in the synagogue who's paying very close attention.

This man with this unclean spirit. A word on

unclean spirits. It seems that when the Bible,

especially in the Gospels, when it refers to

an unclean spirit, it's using this in the same

way as a demon. meaning that unclean spirits

and demons can be one in the same. Who are demons?

Demons are those who fell with Satan, those who

rebelled against God and continue to rebel against

God. And yet, as we look at this text here, we

should note something, that the Bible doesn't

always speak of demonic activity. It doesn't.

Actually, it's quite rare within the Bible except

for in the Gospels. In the Gospels with Jesus,

you see the unclean spirits and you see the demons

very, very often, right? Why is that? Why do

we see so much demonic activity at the time of

Jesus? I think R .C. Sproul is correct here.

He says at the time of Jesus, it's as though

all hell broke loose. And this is true, I think,

because ultimately, what did Jesus come to do?

He came to destroy Satan and he came to destroy

the works of the devil and evil and the demons

and all of it. And so one by one through the

Gospels, Jesus casting out demons, healing people

of unclean spirits. And really, what is this

but just a foretaste of what Jesus would do on

the cross. When we look, Jesus casting out demons.

We should be thinking of the cross of Christ

But look at this Look at what's going on here

with this one unclean spirit verse 24 What have

you to do with us Jesus of Nazareth? Why does

the unclean spirit speak of us? the man may actually

have multiple unclean spirits within him. That's

an interpretation. Two, it could be that the

unclean spirit is speaking for all unclean spirits,

as if to say, well, I have the attention of Jesus,

let me speak up for all of us. And then the third

view is that the unclean spirit is speaking about

everybody in the temple, as if to say, Jesus,

Are you here to destroy everybody in the temple?

I think we can definitely say that that is not

true. So I think the view that is correct is

view number two. Jesus is speaking for all unclean

spirits and all demons. That this demon is saying,

what have you to do with us referring to everyone?

And as we refer a little bit further down in

our text, you see that there are many who are

a impressed by demons later on within this passage,

and so he speaks up for all of them. But there's

something here that's very important to understand.

The unclean spirit knows who Jesus is. I know

who you are, the Holy One of God. J .C. Ryle

comments on this, and this is an important Quote

listen up the mere belief of the facts and doctrines

of Christianity will never save our souls the

mere facts He continues Such belief is no better

than the belief of demons They all believe and

know that Jesus is the Christ they believe that

he will one day judge the world and throw them

down To endless torment in hell, it is a solemn

and sorrowful thought that on these points, some

professing Christians have even less faith than

the devil. James 2 .19, the demons shudder. Friends,

there is no unbelief among the demons. There

is no unbelief among the demons. What they do

not have, though, is saving faith in Christ.

And so, friends, we must not treat our faith

like it's just head knowledge. There are some

who do this. Some who say, well, I know about

Jesus. I went to Sunday school. But saving faith

doesn't come to those who only know about Jesus.

Saving faith is for those who trust in Jesus

for salvation. And so if your approach is to

only know about Jesus, you are in danger of hearing

the words of Jesus when he said, depart from

me, for I never knew you. That would mean that

your faith is no better than the demons. We must

have a relationship with God through Jesus by

the power of the Holy Spirit. We must know more

than just facts about Jesus. We must know him.

I like how Luther put it He said the life of

Christianity Consists in possessive pronouns

It is one thing to say Christ is a Savior It's

another thing to say he is my Savior and my Lord

The devil can say the first But only the true

Christian can say the second for instance Who

is the first one in our passage to say something

true about Jesus? It's the unclean spirit Again,

there's no unbelief among the demons. They knew

who Jesus is Do you do you know Jesus do you

have that relationship with him? Have you trusted

in him for salvation? Have you repented of sin

this Christmas season? Stop busying yourself

with all the periphery stuff and walk humbly

after your God as a disciple of Jesus. Give your

heart to Jesus. Receive the teaching of the gospel

as good news. And friends, for those of us who

are prone to unbelief, remember what comes later

in the book of Mark. In Mark chapter 9, you have

Mark 9 · chapter mention

the Father who has the Son with the unclean spirit.

And the Father says to Jesus, I believe. Help

my unbelief. Let that prayer be on your lips

during seasons of doubt. Help my unbelief. And

so we see in here Jesus' authority to teach.

Jesus's authority to cast out demons and now

let's look in verses 29 through 34 his authority

to heal you see here the words getting out about

Jesus and people are amazed but there's a great

moment that happens next a moment that shows

us that Jesus never forgets his disciples because

he leaves the synagogue to go to Peter Andrew's

house. Peter's mother -in -law is there. She

is sick with a fever and I'm not gonna make any

mother -in -law jokes here. He simply takes her

by the hand and he lifts her and the fever leaves.

Now in Luke, I think it's chapter 4, we see the

same episode there. Jesus taking the fever from

Peter's mother -in -law. But in that episode,

within that passage, Jesus rebukes the fever.

And so some have said, well, look at Mark 1 and

look at Luke 4 here. These things are in contradiction.

One says that he rebukes. The other says he takes

her by the hand. These things are not at odds.

There is no contradiction. You can rebuke something

while touching something at the same time. And

so we must see here that these accounts of the

miracles of Jesus are wholeheartedly, completely,

fully true. There is no contradiction. The Holy

Spirit is working through the writers of Scripture

to describe exactly what happened. And exactly

what happened is Jesus, in all of his power as

the Son of God, with the authority of God, he

exercises great humanity. He exercises great

compassion. in tenderness, doesn't he? We don't

have much information on this fever from Peter's

mother -in -law. We just don't know much more.

And so in some ways, this miracle seems a little

less miraculous than others, doesn't it? Taking

a fever away doesn't seem to be on par with walking

on water or turning the water to wine or multiplying

the bread or the fish. And yet this is still

very, very miraculous. Because look at her response

in verse 31. And he came and took her by the

hand, lifted her up, and the fever left her,

and she began to serve him. She exhibits how

free she is of this fever because she has complete

healing in order to serve Jesus. and to serve

the disciples and so friends her response should

be ours her response should be ours we who know

of the power and the authority and the salvation

in jesus those of us who if i can say this way

have a heart transplant where god has removed

the heart of stone and give us in a heart of

flesh we should use our hearts in order to serve

jesus and others her response is part of the

miracle. She is raised to serve Christ. And even

though this removal of the fever doesn't seem

as miraculous as some others, it's miraculous

in its impact. Look in verse 33. That evening

at sundown, they brought to him all who were

sick or oppressed by demons. Peter's house becomes

kind of a mash unit here all kinds of people

from town showing up to the door now you might

say why do they wait until sundown well because

of the Jewish calendar the new day begins when

the Sun goes down and so they waited until the

Sabbath was over did they need to do that well

no because Jesus is actually already healed on

the Sabbath as we saw earlier but they wait They

wait until the sun goes down. That's when the

needy show up and he heals many and he casts

out many demons And then look what he says to

these demons he casts out Verse 34 he would not

permit the demons to speak because they knew

him If Jesus allows these demons to speak The

word gets out even more, perhaps speeding up

the cross. It's not time for that yet. You see,

Jesus doesn't go around telling every single

person who he is. He humbly goes about his work.

And he is able to command that the demons not

speak and they obey him, showing us that the

devil and his minions don't have authority over

Jesus. Jesus has authority over them. And so

friends, as we look at texts that have demonic

activity, I think we're prone in our hearts to

fear, aren't we? It sounds terrifying. And yet

Jesus has power over them. And so I don't want

you to fear this at all. I want you to recognize

the reality of these things. But we ought not

fear. Why? Because God is with us. And Jesus

has conquered sin and death on the cross. God

permits the devil to have some authority. This

is true. But even the devil knows that his authority

is limited in capability and time allotted for

his rebellious work. So I want to encourage you,

do not fear, for God is with you. He will strengthen

you and help you. He will uphold you with his

righteous right hand. And so be aware. Be aware

of this kind of activity. But do not fear. The

question is often asked, can a Christian be demon

possessed? And the answer to this, I believe,

is no. For where the Holy Spirit is, there is

no room for demon possession. R .C. Sproul said,

demons can oppress us. They can harass us. They

can tempt us. They can attack us and so on. But

thanks be to God, He who is in us is greater

than he who is in the world. And so friend, Christian

know this, that Jesus protects you. And this

is all possible because of Jesus's victory on

the cross and because of his ministry. For we

remember that Jesus went toe to toe. He faced

off with the devil in the wilderness, defeating

the devil each time by the power of the Holy

Spirit. in the power of God's Word and so you

can be certain that Jesus's divinity and his

humanity did this the book of Hebrew says that

Jesus was tempted in every way as we are yet

without sin so that just at the right time the

humanity and the divinity of Christ all in one

went to the cross as a sacrifice to atone for

your sins and to defeat sin death and the devil.

You see, the humanity of Jesus allows him to

do it, but his divinity allows him to do it with

the authority of God. And so Christian, this

Christmas, trust in the God man. Trust in the

one who is fully God and fully man and know of

his mission to defeat sin and death. that it

was completed on the cross, that he said, it

is finished. And as this time is described as

Advent, Jesus's arrival. Know and trust this,

that as Jesus has come once, so he will come

again to put a bow on it all and to lock away

Satan and the demons forever. Let's pray.