Authority

Today we are going to jump right into a dialogue question. It’s a moment to connect with each other and with where we are going today in Mark. I am going to ask you, what is your expertise?

We all have different expertise. It might be cooking or making a mess or programming computers or playing computer games or writing poetry or procrastination or playing an instrument or making playlists on Spotify or leading a conversation or any number of other things. We all have different expertise. Some are obvious. Some are new, some are lifelong. There are some that others can see in you, and some that very few people know about; some that lots of people have and some that very few other people have. Pick one and share.

What is your expertise?

Today we are jumping into week 2 of our series on Mark. Mark has a very simple but incredibly complex objective–walking the readers through the process of knowing, Who is Jesus?

The author of Mark is hyper-focused on introducing Jesus to the people of his day. He does it by walking the readers through a process, writing about things that Jesus experiences, things that He says, how people related to Him, and how He related with others.

Mark, like all the other gospels, is not trying to capture every detail. He’s not writing a biography or a history book, and he’s not trying to build our Jesus trivia knowledge. He has a purpose in mind: processing–or opening the door for the readers to be processing–who Jesus is.

And as we explore Mark, as we join in on the process, as we continue the conversation, the hope of the book and the hope we have in this series is that our understanding of who Jesus is grows. Not towards some kind of completion but in a deepening relationship.

Feel this: in a world that has deeping barriers to church connection (church baggage, political baggage, family baggage, abuse baggage, worldview baggage, and so much more), the focus of Mark is not to convince you or others to go to church or go to church more. The focus of Mark is to open the door to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. Mark is not forcing answers. Mark is not dictating our response. Mark is opening the door for processing. And Mark’s faith and intention is that the process is life changing.

The door is open. Let’s walk through and see and feel the process working in us.

Last week, we focused on the first short section of Mark. We saw John bursting onto the scene–a prophet people flocked to and confessed their sins. John was not focused on building himself up, but said one was coming that would be the greatest. We saw Jesus coming to John to be baptized by him, and God speaking over Jesus as the Spirit descended on him like a dove.

We talked about the powerful picture of water found in scripture, and about that picture being lived out in baptism. Baptism is a picture of dying to old life through repentance and being raised to new life as you come out of the water. The first step in processing who Jesus is, is immediately seeing the picture of new life being available in relationship with Him.

Today we turn the page to the second part of Mark 1. Jesus begins teaching and doing miracles. He calls people to repent and follow Him. And immediately, people begin to notice that something is different about Jesus.

But before we get too far in, we are going to have some connection with one another about our focusing theme here. We are going to be leading towards questions about Jesus’ authority, but before we get there, let's explore the idea of authority together.

Maybe you grew up in the household of a Marine like I did, and authority has a very specific kind of direct feeling. Maybe authority feels safe because you know who is responsible. Maybe you’re inclined to confront authority at every chance you’re given. Let’s take some time to talk, connect and learn from one another.

When you hear the word authority, what comes to mind? Why?

The hope is that this question brought up a ton of different perspectives at your table. Remember, the goal is never that everyone agrees with one another, but rather that we see value in perspectives that are different from our own.

This next question might be difficult if you have initial negative emotions when you think about authority.I want to encourage you to try and push through that. The goal is to focus on purpose and not on the misuse of authority.

What are some different purposes of authority?
What sets a good authority apart from a bad one?

In Mark 1:14-45, Jesus begins His ministry by proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God and calling people to repent. He travels to Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and exercising authority over demons. He later heals a man with an unclean spirit, then heals Simon's mother-in-law and many others. He withdraws in the evening to pray, but is still sought out by the people. He travels to Capernaum and continues healing, casting out demons and teaching. Here’s the text:

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “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!” “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 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.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, 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.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. (Mark 1:14-45)

If this text was your only exposure to Jesus, what would stand out to you?

…amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:22)

The Message version reads:

Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.

They noticed something was different about Jesus. He was confident about His teaching. He had “authority.” He was an expert.

A question that is coming in this series is, how is Jesus different from the teachers of the law? How is Jesus different from other teachers, good people, and religious leaders, in history and in the current day? We will get there, but for now feel this: the people immediately saw something different in Jesus.

Everyone there was spellbound, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and tells them to get lost!” News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee. (Mark 1:27-28 MSG)

The fact that Jesus was able to cast out demons and heal people demonstrated that He had power and authority over even the spiritual realm. Jesus had the power to command and control, and Jesus consistently used his authority to help and serve others. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and taught the truth.

Maybe true authority is not about exercising power over others, but rather it is about using influence and resources to help and serve others.

How have you experienced Jesus being different? I love the words of Jesus in Luke:

Jesus said, 'The Scriptures say, "The Lord's Spirit is upon me, for he has appointed me to tell the Good News to the poor. He has sent me to announce forgiveness to the prisoners of sin and to the blind eyes he will give sight, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."' (Luke 4:18-19)

He was drawing on this passage in Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, (Isaiah 61:1-2)

How have you experienced these things?

How have you experienced Jesus being different?

Today we have talked about your expertise–something you are an authority on. We have talked about good and bad authorities. We have talked about what set Jesus apart in His early ministry and about how He has been set apart in your own life.

Mark is building into the process of us knowing who Jesus is, and immediately he shows the people being taken aback: this guy is different! Different than me. Different than the other spiritual authorities. Different than John. Different than the other prophets. He speaks with authority, He has supernatural power, and He sees and helps the least. This guy is different.

Process this together. See the Y in the road.

Where does it lead to if we see Jesus as not being different, not being set apart, not being one of authority, not being the Son of God?

Where does it lead to if we see Jesus as being different, being set apart, being one of authority, being the Son of God?

Take It Deeper Questions

• Read Mark 1:14-45.
• Who was your most enjoyable teacher? What made them so fun?
• Who was youe teacher that was the greatest expert in his or her field? How did you recognize their expertise?
• What made Jesus stand out from the other religious authorities?
• What changes in you as you miss or see Jesus’ authority, ability, and love?
• How are you challenged, encouraged, focused, and/or confused by this text?

Bible Reading Plan

• Mark 1
• Luke 5
• John 1
• Matthew 4
• Matthew 8
• Matthew 9