On this fifth Sunday of Lent, I hope you have heard the voice of God and have renewed your faith and trust in the God who can make us new. Our messenger today is the District Superintendent of the West District of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church Rev. Bumkoo Chung.
The Word of God comes from the Mark 1.21-28
21They went to Capernaum; and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23Just then 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.
27They 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.”
28At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Sermon - “A New Teaching.” Rev. Bumkoo Chung, West District Super Intendent
In
today’s Scripture reading, we see Jesus teaching in the synagogue, and the
people who are listening to Jesus’ teaching are very amazed. Verse 22 says like
this “ 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one
who had authority, not as the scribes.”
The contemporary Bible “the Message” translates the same verse in a bit different expression. It says, “They were surprised at his teaching – so forthright, so confident- not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.”
The people who listened to Jesus words were amazed because his teaching was not like the scribes teaching.
The scribes were the experts of the law and they were recognized as the religious scholars, so that they interpreted God’s words and taught people in the synagogue.
As today’s scripture says, there were people at the synagogue as usual; however, these people were experiencing something new that they never had experienced before. They were amazed by Jesus’s teaching. They were surprised by Jesus’s teaching. They were touched by Jesus’s teaching. They were moved by Jesus’s teaching. They were excited by Jesus’s teaching. They were changed by Jesus’s teaching.
Because, Jesus’ teaching had power, Jesus’ teaching was so forthright, Jesus’ teaching had a real authority, Jesus’ teaching was authentic, and Jesus’ teaching was alive.
The scribes were the religious scholars; however, they were false teachers. They used God’s words to justify their own interests and benefits.
They were hypocrites; they acted differently from what they were taught. Their teaching was enough to make people feel guilty about what they were doing, but it did not have power to bring the salvation into their lives.
Their
teaching provided people with some useful standards to judge and criticize
other people’s lives but it did not work to find their own problems.
As we are Christians, as we are readers and interpreters of the Bible, we always have to be aware of the possible mistakes that we could make like the scribes did. When we read the Bible, we have to apply God’s words to our own lives not to others. When we read the Bible, we have to use what we read as a mirror to reflect on our own lives, not other people’s lives. We don’t have to criticize other people using the Bible. God is the only one who judges people.
For this reason, we have to first listen to God before we talk about God. We have to carefully study God’s words to interpret the God’s words. We have to spend enough time praying and asking the Holy Spirit to help us understand what we read. We have to be more listeners than speakers in front of God.
Jesus taught people and the people were amazed by his teaching. And, suddenly Jesus met a man with an “unclean spirit.”
Kids like to say “you’re so evil.” When I was a youth pastor, I told kids not to say those words to their friends, but they still said “you’re so evil.”
One day, I was wondering myself about the meaning of the “evil.”
Many theologians define “evil” as the negative and destructive power that opposes and resists the will of God and the plan of creation.
When we say “you’re so evil,” it does not mean that you are the evil being but it means that you are controlled and driven by evil forces.
As Jesus was teaching at the Synagogue, there was a man with an unclean spirit.
So Jesus met a man who were controlled by evil forces.
There are many different kinds of evil forces in the world. Evil is a force to block brining justice into the world.
The evil powers seek war to destroy the society and the world. The evil powers will do whatever it takes to destroy the Church, the body of Christ. The evil powers exploit children, women and elderly people who are very vulnerable. The evil powers are the “wrong” economic systems which create a deep gap between poor and rich.
This is the evil that Jesus wants to cast out from us.
Look at the first reaction of the man with “an unclean spirit,” when he saw Jesus. v. 24, he says, "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!"
This “evil spirit” recognizes Jesus as the Holy One of God. However, he does not welcome Jesus.
Just right before this event, (Mk 1:14-20), Simon, Andrew, John and James met Jesus and were called by Jesus. After they met Jesus Christ, they left everything-- their lives, jobs, and family, and they immediately followed Jesus Christ.
However, when this man with “an unclean spirit” met Jesus, he reacts very differently. Instead of accepting and following Jesus, he rejects Jesus and he complains against Jesus, saying “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? “have you come to destroy us?”
Yes, Jesus came to us to destroy our sinful attitudes, and sinful minds. Jesus came to us to destroy our old sinful life and give us a new life.
Jesus
came to us to destroy our sin, and give us salvation and an eternal life.
How many times have we refused Jesus coming into our lives? How many times have we been afraid of being destroyed our status quo by Jesus Christ? How many times have we said “no” to Jesus when Jesus came to change our lives? How many times we said “no” to Jesus when Jesus came to destroy our past sinful lives and give us a new life?
In the verse 25, “Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‘Be silent, and come out of him!’” And, finally, the unclean spirit came out from him.
In
this story, we can experience the love of God, one more time. First, Jesus
embraces the man who was controlled by “an evil spirit.” Even though the
society excluded him, Jesus embraced him with love and care. Jesus didn’t
ignore the man with an unclean spirit.
Secondly, Jesus heals this man casting out the “evil spirit” from him. Jesus gives him a new life. Jesus gives him a new hope of life. Jesus brings him the salvation. Jesus brings him the liberation. Jesus loves us this much.
After seeing all these things, people were amazed one more time, and they asked themselves, saying, in verse 27, “What is this? A new teaching….” Yes, this is a new teaching. Jesus’ teaching is a new teaching. It is very different from the scribes’ teaching.
Jesus teaching has the power. Jesus’ teaching is so forthright. Jesus’ teaching has the authority. Jesus’ teaching is authentic. Jesus’ teaching is alive.
Jesus teaching changes our lives. Jesus teaching touches our hearts. Jesus teaching liberates us from our old sinful life. Jesus teaching brings us a new hope. Jesus teaching brings us the salvation.
Are we ready to accept Jesus’ new teaching? Amen.
Lord, you make all things new. Create is us ears that listen and hearts that care. Bless those in need this day – the persecuted, the homeless, the scattered, the hungry, the hopeless, the addicted, the afraid, the caregivers, the lonely, those sick at heart or body or mind. Draw us close to you, receive us as we sit at your feet, lead us to the rock that is higher than us. We pray as you taught us…
Our father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy
kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day,
our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for
thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
May the God who can, make us new!
Next week is
Palm Sunday and we go to the gospel of Mark chapter 4. Our 10 a.m. service will
feature a young guest musician, a violinist named Jody Goodhart. The
message is “What Are You Doing?”
If you would like to make your contribution to the great ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is
Or you can send it to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475.
God bless you!
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