Broadway Christian Church · Columbia, Missouri

Morning Worship · February 1, 2009

Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

Prayer of the Day

Dear Lord, help us to realize how important it is for us to allow you to be the Supreme Authority in our lives. A life built on any other foundation is a life that will never achieve its fullest potential. As we allow you to become Lord of our lives, grant us peace of mind, poise, and a Christ-like character so others may see Christ in us. Amen.

Scripture

Mark 1:21-28

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 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.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 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.

Message

Jesus Spoke with Authority

Larry Gallamore

Have any of you ever felt your life was out of control? It’s a feeling that day by day the events of life seem to be beyond your control. You long for peace of mind, and it seems to escape you. You remember at one time in your life you were poised, but it’s been a long time. Many people are constantly subjecting their minds to totally-unnecessary wear and tear. They rehearse past troubles mentally, and often they even rehearse troubles they think will happen tomorrow or next week. They indulge in violent mental arguments with absent people. They cross all kinds of mental bridges hundreds of miles before they reach them. No wonder they are worn out! If you’ve been riding the merry-go-round in your mind, I have good news for you.

I want to tell you of a spiritual principle that can radically change your outlook on life.  I’m going to tell you of one who is the author of everything good and who has the power to change your life, the power to help you regain control once again.  I’m going to introduce you to one who has all authority and is eager to help you get your life back on track, one who is capable of freeing you from all the unwanted burdens of life.  By now, it’s obvious I’m referring to Jesus Christ.

Our Scripture lesson for today (Mark 1:21-28) vividly illustrates how Jesus set a man free whose life had become uncontrollable.  As we examine this amazing story, we find Jesus in the synagogue teaching.  The people were all astonished when he helped a man regain control of his life by getting rid of an unclean spirit.  Jesus spoke with such authority that the unclean spirit came out of the man.  Everyone was in such awe as they witnessed one who could reprimand an evil spirit with only a few words.  They had never seen a teacher like this before.  They must have thought if he can remove unclean spirits, he can do anything.  They were astonished.

The result: the man with the unclean spirit got his life back.  Have you ever seen God give someone his or her life back?

Some people say, “I believe strongly in the spiritual teachings of Jesus, but I don’t seem to be able to make them work.  My mind is constantly racing here and there, and I’ve lost control of my life.  I’m stressed out.  I’m beyond help.” We’ve all known people who have lost control.

I knew a man who was quite an illogical fellow.  He was a wonderful Christian guy but had lost control of his life.  He had an illness that had taken control of him that no one could heal.  He had been to many doctors.  It seemed that he had successfully defied every school of healing and emerged triumphant, still in possession of his affliction.  In fact, he boasted of having an incurable illness.  He had totally given up on doctors and thought his illness was the will of God for his life.  He told others the doctors could not do anything, and God could not do anything for him.  Of course, if one goes about talking like that, one has a hard time being healed.

It’s really unfortunate that some religious people seem to assume that the will of God for them is something dull or burdensome, if not repulsive.  People say, “I suppose this is the will of God for me.  I must put up with it.”  You’ve heard people say this in the face of tragedy and sorrow.  All this is absolutely wrong.  

The will of God for humanity is life, health, happiness, and true self-expression.  The will of God for you is something joyous and fine.  Until people know the Truth it cannot set them free.

Notice the man with an unclean spirit in today’s story.  He was in the synagogue.  He came to Jesus.  He knew Jesus as the “Holy One of God,” and he asked, “What have you to do with us?”  It’s apparent he was searching, curious.  Jesus knew what he needed.  He needed to control his life.  He needed to get rid of an unclean spirit.  He was morally or spiritually impure.  Do you know what ‘unclean’ means?  He was infected with a harmful supernatural contagion.  Jesus healed him.  Jesus took care of his problem and gave the man his life back.  Here is the good news.  Jesus can also remove anything that has taken control of your life.  Jesus has the authority to do the impossible.

Sometimes we are separated from God by thought or deed, and we lose control of our lives.  Something in our lives keeps us away from God.  Something keeps God at a distance.  It may be anything.  No two people have the same weaknesses, but whatever it is ask God to remove it.  Cost what it may, let it go.  When you do, God will bless you beyond anything you could have hoped for.  God will renew your peace of mind.  When peace of mind returns, it will feel like you have control of your life once again.  There is absolutely nothing in the world equal to peace of mind.  Remember, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you.”  

There is absolutely nothing in the world equal to peace of mind. As our biblical story goes, peace of mind comes when you allow Jesus to remove the evil from your life.  You have a shift in perspective.  Here is how this works.

There is a story of a particularly vicious sergeant who finally became a colonel in the army.  One day, he encountered Christ and his whole life changed.  He was speaking once before a group of medical people telling them of his drastic personality change, how he now was temperate where once he had been intemperate; he was considerate where once he had been extremely severe; he had concern for others where once he had been selfish and self-serving.

A psychiatrist, who believed that personalities are so firmly set in early life that no one can change, protested to the colonel that, at his age, a person could not have such a radical transformation.

“Well,” replied the colonel, “That may be true.  But I am under new management.  I answer to a higher authority – the highest and truest there is.”

Would you like to be under new management – the highest and truest authority in the universe?  It is possible when you allow Christ to be the Lord of your life.  You can be under new management.  Christ will help you change.  Let me tell you how.  You’ll experience regeneration.  Regeneration means renewal.  It is the process of spiritual renewal.  It’s building a new mentality, creating a new soul to replace the old one.  It means a new you.  Everything that needs changing in your life gets changed.  Your health improves, your attitude improves, your appearance improves, and the world around you improves because you have a new perspective.  You develop a new and better way of living life.  You’ll start to love everyone.  You’ll cultivate poise, a self-possessed composure, assurance, and dignity.

Nature teaches everything I’ve told you.  For instance, what does the butterfly teach that we humans need to learn?  He was not always a butterfly.  He begins life and lived a long time as a worm – a humble caterpillar.  Nature shows us radical changes.  You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to see that humans can change.

The butterfly story is the story of every human soul.  It is up to us to develop our own wings and gain pose for living.  Do you know what happens when you acquire poise?  (You are going to like this.)  First of all, you slow down; you stop rushing.  Silence and quietness comes back into your life.  You begin to feel more of the Presence of God hour by hour, day by day.  That’s why the Bible says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).  You stop hurrying, you stop rushing, and you do what is necessary.

Secondly, when you gain poise, you train yourself to think only on what you want to focus on at the time.  You make it a rule to keep your mind on whatever you are doing at the moment.  If your mind’s bouncing back and forth in every direction you can’t be poised.  Being poised helps to calm you down.  It works wonders.  You’ll be much more effective in prayer.  People will notice a change in you, and their liking and respect for you will increase dramatically.  Your ability to influence others will increase a hundredfold because people will see Christ in you.  You’ll be sociable and friendly, but you’ll also know how to be quiet mentally.  Your state of mind will be enhanced spiritually, and you will joyfully serve others.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean being solemn, much less gloomy.  It doesn’t mean retiring from the world.  It means living actively in the world working, serving, and helping others.

Some people have the wrong idea of what it means to be Christian.  It means enjoying life, serving others, realizing you can make a difference.  It means finding yourself, gaining control of your own life, and finding happiness.

People have been searching for happiness for centuries.  All the great philosophers spoke of happiness.  Volumes have been written on how to achieve happiness.

There is a great story of a king’s search for happiness.  In the old days, there was a king who was so miserable and unhappy that he called together all his soothsayers, magicians, and other court advisers to find a remedy.  They tried all sorts of methods to rouse the king out of his deep despair—but alas, to no avail.

Finally, one of them suggested that a search be made for the happiest man in the kingdom, for it was thought that if the king could put on the man’s undershirt, he would become happy too.  In due course, the happiest man in the kingdom was found.  But, of course, he had never even owned an undershirt.  His happiness sprang from within.

Did you know that happiness springs from within?  Too often, we look outside ourselves for happiness.  We seek all kinds of material things believing they will bring us happiness.  We seek status, position, power, and fame only to find that the happiness contained in all these things soon fades.  Real happiness, lasting happiness comes when we make God the Supreme Authority of our lives.  Only then can we let go of our fears and doubts.  It is then and only then that newness can occur.  If you really want to get your life in order, if you really want to gain control of your mind, if you really want to find answers to life’s problems, try Jesus.  The great philosopher Kant once said, “All the questions of man can be summed up in three questions.  What can I know?  What is the meaning of the world?  What is the power in back of it?

Jesus Christ is the answer to all three.  His authority and his power are the key to all three.  Let me tell you what you can expect in your life if you put God first.  But first you need to know what God expects of you.  You must put God first in all things; in short, practice the Presence of God.  Allow God to build you up.  When this start to happen, beware. Some people allow God to build them up, but, instead of faithfully preserving their faith long enough for it to get strong, they tear it down.  It is as though a bricklayer should spend the morning building a wall and then spend the afternoon knocking it down.  You can work hard in this fashion without ever accomplishing anything.

Secondly, God expects you to have a lively faith.  Faith in itself is relying on God. God wants you to know of God’s goodness.

Lastly, God expects you to communicate with God as God’s sons and daughters.  God loves you.

Now if you are willing to do these things, what can you expect from God?  The Bible is very clear on this.  It shows promise after promise of what God will do for God’s children.  In short, it says God will give us all good things.  God will take care of us.  When we are sick, God brings healing. When we are in need, God supplies our need.  When we are fearful, God brings peace and harmony.  As God’s children, God is always there ready to help.  Start building your life today on the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  Build a solid life day after day.  Don’t allow the world to tear your life down.  Build your life daily through prayer, Bible reading, and service to others.

So be it. Amen.

Benediction

God on High, we lift our heads and our hearts to you in wonder and awe at the authority you have in heaven. God, here below, we bow our heads in humility and thankfulness that your grace is here among us, too. Let us always feel your presence and expect your power. Amen.