Pastor’s Notes for 4th Sunday After Epiphany, B Date: 2/1/15Theme: The Man with an Unclean SpiritBible Ref’s: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 [21-23]; Psalm 111; 1Corinthians 8:1-13; and Mark 1:21-28.

Prayer of the DayCompassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion, that all creation will see and know your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

Brief Sermon Outline: “As One Having Authority”Focus Statement:

1. I was in maximum culling mode of my library, up against a deadline of traveling to the cities where I would be able to offload all my unwanted books, so I had to move fast through many books—reading the cover, the inside jackets, then taking a quick look inside, to tell the “spirit” of the book.

2. And in more than one instance, the book in my hand was on the nature of authority—authority in the Bible, authority in the church, the lack of authority in preaching, the disregard of authority, and so on…And more than once, I read that the biblical Greek word that gets translated as “authority” is the word e˙xousi÷an (“exousian”) as in the passage we just heard in the gospel of Mark 1:22.

3. “They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” It’s very interesting this word e˙xousi÷an b/c if you break this up into its constituent parts, you get the Greek word ec/ex which means “out of” and the Greek word ousia, which means “be-ing.” So the meaning that comes out of exousian is literally “out of being” or “out of [one’s] being.”

4. So in the ancient Greek world, the most fundamental act or display of authority is this ability to cast out demons, to bring unclean spirits out of another’s being—which is what gets displayed several times in Mark’s gospel, & in today’s gospel, it’s the first instance of Jesus displaying his authority.

5. The scribes/Pharisees couldn’t approach this level of authority; exorcisms lent to Jesus’ teachings an authenticity and seriousness that people just couldn’t ignore! “Hey, we better listen to this guy. Even the unclean spirits listen to him, & who are we?” So Jesus’ reputation spread as one having authority, and not afraid to use it. And in chapter 3 when Jesus commissions the twelve to go out & proclaim the message, he backs them up by giving them “authority to cast out demons.” (3:15)

6. So we ask ourselves today, what are the demons that possess our beings, that control our lives & the lives of our neighbors? We’re not just talking re: those inner demons that torment us (e.g., ad-dictions to alcohol/pornography/gambling, or maybe it’s depression, a chronic pain of some sort).

7. Not just those inner demons that torment us, but the external powers & principalities that oppress us & our neighbors, the demons that devour widows houses, take food out of babies mouths, that mar & poison the earth. All these are demons, unclean spirits w/ which we contend…& what does it mean that Christ commissions us, his followers, to proclaim the good news of God’s kingdom, & specifically for us to be re: the business of casting out the demons of this world in Jesus’ name?

8. Authority develops as one begins to name the demons that afflict us. In the ancient world, to know someone’s name was to have some control over them. That’s why over & over again, when Jesus confronts the demons, they all say, “I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” This is a power play by the demons, and Jesus’ authoritative response is to tell them, “keep silent and come out!”

9. So the work of being an apostle sent out by Jesus into the world to proclaim the good news & cast out demons is, first off, to indentify the demons that possess/control/harm our lives, from within & without…name the demons & then be re: the business of casting the demons out in Jesus’ name.

10. First we identify the demons, then we cast them out…which is the unique quality of the gospel of J.C., because it’s Christ’s work, Christ’s love & grace poured into our lives which delivers us from evil. We say it in the Lord’s Prayer—“Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil.”

11. The “time of trial” is God’s final judgment against sin, but it also has to do with the daily trials that torment us, drive us to despair, the trials that deflate our hopes and our trust in God. The Lord’s Prayer asks that God’s love would so possess us, so enter our lives that all these trials and fears & demons that possess us…all these mean/nasty/unclean things are pushed out, overcome. It’s “God’s love…poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Rom. 5:5)

12. That’s Paul’s way of describing the hope that possesses us in Christ, a living hope that he says fills us “with all joy and peace in believing” (Rom. 15:13), a hope and confidence that authorizes us “to act with great boldness” (2Cor. 3:12) in sharing this gospel of God’s love. We can face the powers and principalities of this world, cast out the demons that inhabit our own lives and the lives of others, b/c, as Paul says in Phil. 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Hymn of the Day: “Rise, shine, you people!” (LBW #393, ELW #665)

Children’s Sermon

<I composed most of the above sermon (on the theme of “casting out demons”) the evening of Thursday, January 29, 2015—unprompted by the need to preach the upcoming Sunday since I would be away in the cities until Monday. But then Meghan and Madeline were involved in this terrible accident on Friday, January 30, 2015 at 5:50p.m. on Hwy 7 in rural Mt. Iron. My life was suddenly thrown into emotional anguish as I travelled back to Duluth. Somehow, in the following 36 hours, I completed the sermon, and delivered it twice on Sunday morning along with the Lord’s Supper—once with Meghan, her roommate Patricia (hospitalized as a victim of domestic violence), and K4 (our son); and once with Maddie and K4.>

The Word

(Deuteronomy 18:15-20 [21-23])The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet [other ancient manuscripts read prophets] like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet [var. prophets]. 16 This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: “If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.” 17 Then the LORD replied to me: “They are right in what they have said. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet [var. prophets] like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet [var. prophets], who shall speak to them everything that I command. 19 Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. 20 But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.” [21 You may say to yourself, “How can we recognize a word that the LORD has not spoken?” 22 If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not be frightened by it.]

(Psalm 111)1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the

upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. 3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. 6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. 8 They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name.

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

 (1Corinthians 8:1-13) Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.

4   Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “no idol in the world really exists,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7   It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 “Food will not bring us close to God.” We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

(Mark 1:21-28) They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 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.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Sermon Notes

Now where in Jesus’ name is Pastor off to?

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We need to show our state leaders we support a clean energy plan that includes an increase to the existing Renewable Energy Standard to 40% by 2030, improving the yearly energy savings goal for utilities from 1.5% to 2%, and implementing policies that will grow renewable energy in Greater Minnesota. 

Please join Lutheran Advocacy – Minnesota (LA-MN) and the Minnesota Clean Energy & Jobs Campaign (of which LA-MN is a part) for the Day at the Capitol on Monday, February 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to show your support for clean energy in meetings with your state legislators.

And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14-15)