| 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. We don't have time in this short devotional to delve exhaustively into the topic of demonology. It does behoove us, though, to take the time and make the effort to understand the origin and agents that propagate and perpetuate evil in this world that we live in. Quite frankly, we humans are not the sole inhabitants of this planet and, to borrow a term of reference used by our President, we are contending daily against an "axis of evil" whose potential for destruction and devastation far exceeds that of a rogue Iraq or the communistic PRNK. Our Gospel text clearly points out that we live in a spiritually conflicted world filled with spiritually conflicted people and on numerous occasions in the Gospels we see Jesus dealing with demonic spirits manifesting themselves in one fashion or another. We also find occasions in the Acts of the Apostles where the Apostles dealt with demons and demonic manifestations. "Distinguishing" or "discerning" spirits is one of the spiritual gifts named by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 and the Apostle John tells us "do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1) It is here, in this world of spiritual conflict, that Christ comes to us. It is also here, in this world of spiritual conflict, that Christ both keeps and sends us as his agents of healing and redemption. Our role in this world is not to retreat from and reject every self or demon possessed soul but to reach toward and reconcile those who have been overcome by spiritual darkness. Jesus prayed for his disciples saying, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (John 17:15) The Apostle Paul wrote, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:18) Evangelism is an integral part of the calling of Christ upon our lives. The word "evangelism" makes a lot of people cringe. Evangelism models can leave us fearful. We are often led to equate evangelism with going door to door handing out Gospel tracts. While some may have the personality to do this, all of us do not and I find it more than interesting that Jesus didn't do "door to door" evangelism. He simply did what he did and people sought him out. And when we follow his example, when we simply live and love people where they are, we will never lack oppor-tunities to communicate the hope that we have in the power of the resurrected Christ who breaks every chain and fetter employed by the forces of spiritual darkness. We need to learn to listen for and to hear the voice of Jesus as he speaks to us. We have his written Word that we can dust off and read. We also have the Holy Spirit who quickens, who brings to life, the written Word so that it works within us like a flame that's been kindled deep in the center of a pile of dry tinder. We have all of creation groaning in travail while pointing us to our Creator. And what will he reply when we, like the possessed man, ask "what do you want with me Jesus of Nazareth?" May the gentle Spirit of Christ penetrate our strongest defenses, rebut our best well rehearsed excuses, and quicken within us vast wells of hope and confidence in the power of the Gospel of Christ. May He impart to us the liberation we need from all the powers of darkness that labor against us in their attempts to hold us in their captivity. Free us, Lord, from our own personal absurdities and stupidities. Set us free from the corrupting tentacles of our own selfishness, fear, and condemnation. Amen. |
| ©David Kralik Ministries, Inc. 2002 Email: matthewfivesix@hotmail.com |
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| "Agents of Redemption" Mark 1:21-28 |
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