INTRODUCTION:

Back in the 80's when Christian Herter was running hard for re-election as Governor of Massachusetts, he arrived late at one of the campaign barbecues. He hadn't had any breakfast or lunch, and was starving. As he moved down the serving line, he held out his plate and received one piece of chicken.

The Governor said to the serving lady, "Excuse me, do you mind if I get another piece of chicken. I'm very hungry. I haven't eaten all day."

The woman replied, "Sorry, I'm only supposed to give one piece to each person."

He repeated, "But I'm starving," and again she said: "Only one to a customer."

Herter was normally a modest man, but he decided this was the time to use the weight of his office and said, "Madam, do you know who I am? I am the governor."

And she answered, "Do you know who I am? I'm the lady in charge of chicken. Now move along, mister."

She definitely knew who was in charge didn't she. So did Jesus.

As we look at Scripture and the accounts of Jesus' ministry in the Gospels, what we see over and over again is people talking about the authority with which He preached and taught. The Scribe and Pharisees even asked indignantly, "By what authority do you do these things or teach these things."

Let's look at the passage for the message this morning from Mark 1:21-28. And then we'll watch a clip from the movie Jesus of Nazareth that shows an interpretation of this passage and just how much authority Jesus had.

Mark 1:21-28

[21] 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.

[NRSV]

"All Right, Who's In Charge Here?" That's the title for the sermon today. And we've all asked that question sometime haven't we? In essence, that's what the crowd was asking in verse 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."

That's what I want us to look at today. The authority of Jesus.

I. HE KNEELED AND WAS SEALED:

Where does Jesus authority come from? He always acted like he was in charge. We look at all the miracles, the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus walking on the water, turning water to wine, calming the storm, the miraculous catch of fish, healing the sick, the lame, the deaf and the blind, raising the dead, even the temptations in the wilderness. We look at all of those and ask "How did He do that?"

All of the miracles and healings, even His overcoming the temptations ultimately boil down to the authority issue. The question of who's really in charge here.

Obviously, from the results, the answer is "Jesus is in charge." Jesus' ultimate authority came through His submission to God

In Philippians 2:6-9 Paul writes.

[6] though he was in the form of God, [Jesus] did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,

[7] but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,

[8] he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.

[9] Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, [NRSV]

In other words, HE KNEELED AND WAS SEALED. And what I mean by that is because Jesus KNEELED before God and humbly submitted Himself to the will of God, He was SEALED with the Authority of Heaven.

Everything was under His control. He WAS and IS in charge. Everything that was and will be was created through Him and for Him because HE KNEELED AND WAS SEALED.

Whatever He asked or commanded would have been carried out.

II. HE HEALED, REPEALED AND REVEALED:

Because HE KNEELED AND WAS SEALED, HE HEALED, REPEALED AND REVEALED.

Because the ultimate authority and power of the universe was in His hands, Jesus was able to drive out the unclean spirit that had possessed this boy. We don't see it here, but often times, a healing is accompanied by the pronouncement that the person's sins are forgiven. When Jesus Heals, He also Repeals a persons' sin.

Years ago I read a story about a family who was awakened in the middle of the night by their dog barking and growling frantically at the front door of their home. Thinking that maybe the dog had scared off a burglar, they got up to investigate. They looked around but couldn't find anything missing or any windows open. But when they went out on the front porch, they discovered that while nothing had been taken, something had been returned.

Outside were two car stereo speakers that had been stolen about three months earlier. There was a note attached which read: "I'm sorry I took your speakers, I was addicted to drugs. Jesus has healed me. I've repented my sins and asked Jesus to forgive me. I hope you will forgive me, too. I no longer steal stuff. God changed me. I'm a new creature ever since I asked Jesus into my heart."

It was signed, "Saved."

Just like in Biblical times, Jesus HEALED, REPEALED AND REVEALED. He Revealed Himself as both Lord and Savior. And when he did, just like when He Revealed Himself to the young man with the unclean spirit, a life was changed.

III. THEY REELED BUT IT APPEALED:

A. Verses 27-28 of our reading say: 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." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

THEY REELED BUT IT APPEALED. They Reeled in wonderment and awe. They Reeled in disbelief and even uncertainty. But there was something about Jesus that Appealed. The Authority with which he spoke and taught and acted Appealed to their very God given nature. The person and Authority of Jesus Appealed to the Image of God likeness within them. And as it drew them closer to Jesus, it drew them closer to God.

It's the same thing that draws us. It draws us today because we know that there are still unclean spirits in the world. There are still demons, so to speak. Some of us have demons we carry with us. Some of us have unclean spirits that still control our lives.

Demons and unclean spirits are those things that overshadow our lives. Or cast us into the darkness. The Catholic Church calls them the Seven Deadly Sins. The Seven Deadly Sins are: Lust, Anger, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Gluttony, Pride.

These are still the demons of our times. They are still the unclean spirits that have taken over and inhabit our hearts, souls, minds and strength. They've take over our hearts, souls, minds and strength but those are the very things that we're called to love God with.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

It causes us to become dissatisfied with our spouse. It causes us to look where we shouldn't at things we shouldn't. Lust isn't about love, it's about possessing.

Anger causes us to lose control. It is contrary to the spiritual fruits of Peace and Joy. Anger not only smothers love but spurns love and lets fury reign.

Greed is that desire for material wealth and gain at the cost of ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Covetousness. Remember the 10th Commandment; "Thou Shalt Not Covet."

Sloth is that self centered aspect of life that says: "I don't have to do anything if I don't want to." It's known as laziness and avoids any physical work whatsoever.

Envy is the desire for the traits, status, abilities or station in life of another. Pure and simple it's jealousy, jealousy that doesn't rejoice in the blessings of others but rather curses their good fortune because it didn't happen to the envious person.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than is needed or required. It's pulling the stool up to the buffet and eating because it's there and you want to get as much as you can.

And then there's Pride. Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity. (2)

So you see, the demons and unclean spirits are still around. We've just internalized them differently.

B. But the Good News is that Jesus is still in charge. He hasn't given up. He hasn't abdicated. He hasn't forgotten us. We may have forgotten him but he is faithful even when we're not.

Hebrews 10:23 says "Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful."

Because He is faithful we can be forgiven and brought back into relationship. We can know the joy of the young man and rejoice with those who have been changed.

The Challenge for us is to listen to the Appeal and say "Yes" to Jesus. Jesus is Still In Charge. Let us rejoice with Paul and say: "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." (Hebrews 12:1 NRSV)

CONCLUSION:

"All Right, Who's In Charge Here?" Jesus is.

In his book God's Psychiatry, Dr. Charles Allen told how after World War II the Allied armies in Europe gathered up many of the hungry and homeless children and placed them in large camps. There they were very well fed and very well cared for but most of them didn't sleep well. They were restless and afraid.

Finally, a psychologist hit on a solution. At bedtime, each child received a slice of bread to hold. If they wanted more to eat, more was always provided, but that one slice was not to be eaten, it was just to hold on to. Holding on to that bread, the children would go to sleep peacefully. Why because the demons of being without for so long still haunted them. And holding that piece of bread helped them feel secure that they would have something to eat the next day. (3)

That one piece of bread gave them hope and cast out at the demon and unclean spirit.

This morning we're invited to come to His Table. The Table of Remembrance. The Table of Forgiveness. The Table of Healing.

We're invited to come to His Table to kneel and be healed. Let Jesus, who is revealed in the forgiveness of our sin, be revealed to you. You know the demons and unclean spirits that still grip your heart. Let Jesus cast them out. Let Jesus be in charge of your life, so your sin can be repealed.

This morning you've been invited to an all you can eat buffet of Grace. Come, eat that one piece of bread that can give you hope.

1. Parables, Etc. (Saratoga Press, P.O. Box 8, Platteville, CO, 80651; 970-785-2990), May 1986

2. http://deadlysins.com/sins/index.htm (adapted)

3. Charles Allen, God's Psychiatry

4.

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