True Power and Authority
Easter Monday
Psalm 45:10-17
Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,[a]
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Leviticus 4
The Sin Offering
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands—3 “‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the LORD. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines— 12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.
Mark 1:21-34
Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
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 impure 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 impure 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 impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
Reflections:
In the passage in Leviticus, we see that the priest was not immune to sinning, even unintentionally, and had to offer a sin offering, in the form of a bull. He too was to lay his hands on the bull at the tent of the meeting and slaughter it to make atonement for his sins, before he could go and make offerings for the people who had sinned as well. We see here that the leaders were just as vulnerable as the people, and needed to rely on the prescribed sacrifices so they could be forgiven and minister under the grace of the covenant prescribed by God to Moses.
In our gospel today, we see right after John announces “Repent and believe the Good News for the kingdom is at hand”, that Jesus begins to live out this Good News and show its kingdom power and authority. Notice the impure spirits recognize Jesus’ authority, and they must obey his command. The people notice that the spiritual world must obey his command and they are amazed.
Right after this, they bring him to Simon’s mother in law, who is sick with a fever. In those days fevers were life threatening as they didn’t have the medicine we have today. Jesus takes her by the hand and she gets up and even serves them, such is the restoration of her health in Jesus’ name. Many more sick and demon possessed are brought to him, and Jesus heals them all. We quickly see in the gospel of Mark (often called the “power gospel” because of the confrontation we see Jesus immediately in!) how the kingdom is manifest through Jesus life. Later we will see Jesus telling his disciples that they have this same power and authority to do the things he did.
Do you believe you can live in the same power and authority? As believers filled with the Holy Spirit we can live in the same authority and power as Jesus and his disciples. It is the promise Jesus gives us in the Great Commission, when he says, “All authority and power have been given to me, therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey all I have commanded you, and I am with you until end of age.”
As we carry out the ministry of Jesus He is with us and we go in His power and authority!
Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth? Numbers 23:12
Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11
God, we pray that the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts will be for your glory. We wish to serve you with strength and wisdom. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Psalm 45:10-17
Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention:
Forget your people and your father’s house.
11 Let the king be enthralled by your beauty;
honor him, for he is your lord.
12 The city of Tyre will come with a gift,[a]
people of wealth will seek your favor.
13 All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
14 In embroidered garments she is led to the king;
her virgin companions follow her—
those brought to be with her.
15 Led in with joy and gladness,
they enter the palace of the king.
16 Your sons will take the place of your fathers;
you will make them princes throughout the land.
17 I will perpetuate your memory through all generations;
therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.
Leviticus 4
The Sin Offering
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the LORD’s commands—3 “‘If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the LORD a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed. 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the LORD. He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the LORD. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox sacrificed as a fellowship offering. Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines— 12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a place ceremonially clean, where the ashes are thrown, and burn it there in a wood fire on the ash heap.
Mark 1:21-34
Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit
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 impure 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 impure 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 impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
Reflections:
In the passage in Leviticus, we see that the priest was not immune to sinning, even unintentionally, and had to offer a sin offering, in the form of a bull. He too was to lay his hands on the bull at the tent of the meeting and slaughter it to make atonement for his sins, before he could go and make offerings for the people who had sinned as well. We see here that the leaders were just as vulnerable as the people, and needed to rely on the prescribed sacrifices so they could be forgiven and minister under the grace of the covenant prescribed by God to Moses.
In our gospel today, we see right after John announces “Repent and believe the Good News for the kingdom is at hand”, that Jesus begins to live out this Good News and show its kingdom power and authority. Notice the impure spirits recognize Jesus’ authority, and they must obey his command. The people notice that the spiritual world must obey his command and they are amazed.
Right after this, they bring him to Simon’s mother in law, who is sick with a fever. In those days fevers were life threatening as they didn’t have the medicine we have today. Jesus takes her by the hand and she gets up and even serves them, such is the restoration of her health in Jesus’ name. Many more sick and demon possessed are brought to him, and Jesus heals them all. We quickly see in the gospel of Mark (often called the “power gospel” because of the confrontation we see Jesus immediately in!) how the kingdom is manifest through Jesus life. Later we will see Jesus telling his disciples that they have this same power and authority to do the things he did.
Do you believe you can live in the same power and authority? As believers filled with the Holy Spirit we can live in the same authority and power as Jesus and his disciples. It is the promise Jesus gives us in the Great Commission, when he says, “All authority and power have been given to me, therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey all I have commanded you, and I am with you until end of age.”
As we carry out the ministry of Jesus He is with us and we go in His power and authority!
Must I not take care to say what the Lord puts into my mouth? Numbers 23:12
Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4:11
God, we pray that the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts will be for your glory. We wish to serve you with strength and wisdom. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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