Mark 1:21-28 (RSV) 21And they went into Caper'na-um; and immediately on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; 24and 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." 25But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" 26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27And 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." 28And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Today we generally do not talk about “unclean spirits” except in a superstitious way. We do not talk about unclean spirits, but we have been heard to say, “I don’t know what came over me. I just have a short fuse.” I hope that this passage from Mark and the man with an unclean spirit can at least raise some questions for us.
Could we call anxious striving being possessed by unclean spirits? Could we call addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex, or food being possessed by an unclean spirit? Could we call being possessed by worry or being trapped in a sick relationship an unclean spirit?
The action of Jesus raises hope for us. The action of Jesus raises hope for our deliverance and for the deliverance of others, others for whom we hope and others on whom we may have given up hope. Jesus still offers hope and heals by the power of His word.
The word of Jesus still frees us when it reaches us. The word of Christ frees us from anxious striving, from the struggle to try to build a life that best suits our needs and desires, from hammering together a life out of the bits and pieces of scrap lumber that come our way. The word of Jesus frees us to see life and that life is all a gift. Jesus has the power to heal every unclean spirit that comes over us. Do we believe that? Do we live with that awareness and confidence?
Jesus not only has the power to heal every unclean spirit that comes over us, but has also called us to be channels of that power. Do you believe that God could call you and give you the right words to free someone from an unclean spirit? If God does not use you and me how will God release others from unclean spirits?
Do we believe that Jesus has the power to release us from unclean spirits and that Jesus calls us to release others? And they were astonished at His teaching. Can you believe it?
From a sermon preached by Henry Dobbs Pope January 30, 2000
© Rhonda Hinkle Mitchell Broyles
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