Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany (2024))
Epiphany - From the River to the Mountain • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 22:23
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In Church with Jesus
GOAL: That the hearers will recognize the absolute authority of Christ Jesus, by daily turning to Him in repentance and faith.
17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account. 20 But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.”
1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
What happens when we are in church with Jesus?
This is really the focus of all the Scripture readings today. We have to come to terms with this One whom God has given absolute authority.
Head-to-Head Confrontation with Evil
Head-to-Head Confrontation with Evil
As He always did, Jesus went to church on the Sabbath. This time He stands up to teach.
An unclean spirit can’t handle God’s Word and will do everything he can to disrupt the hearing.
So the unclean spirit blurts out a comment, to which Jesus told him to be quite and come out of the man.
When the gospel is unleashed on those in our hearing the demons can't handle it and Satan can't handle it.
It is no small thing what happens when two or three believers gather together in Jesus’ name.
Jesus is still at work among us confronting evil. It is happening though it may not have appear so to our eyes.
Satan will do anything to keep us from hearing God’s Word. Since Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, a continual battle is being waged for your soul.
8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
That old enemy, the devil, will use anything at his disposal to keep you from hearing the Word of Christ.
We may not think in our modern society that unclean spirits are at work today.
The devil showed up in the Garden and deceived Eve and Adam from listening to God’s command. Likewise, are there other activities keep you from the weekly Sunday service.
Many read the newspaper or watch the evening news, but do we approach daily reading of Holy Scripture with the same interest?
What about what you watch on TV? Could an unclean spirit be given access to you and your home because of what comes over the tube?
We don’t know exactly what happened to the poor man in Church with Jesus in today’s Gospel account. But an unclean spirit did get ahold of him in a way, which I’m sure, he did not see coming.
The devil is truly waging a battle for our souls. He thought he had the man in Church with Jesus that day, but the authority of Jesus’ Word is greater.
Jesus’ Authority Wins the War
Jesus’ Authority Wins the War
Jesus came to our world to confront Satan and his minions.
Jesus Christ, the God-Man, came to defeat Satan and rescue the world from sin, death, and the power of hell.
He is the only hope for mankind. He alone is the Champion capable of overcoming the evil and unclean power of Satan and returning creation in forgiveness to the Father.
Christ meets Satan in a battle for a man's soul.
The unclean spirit is seized with fear; he knows the power of Christ and is rightly afraid. With all his power base Satan is no match for the Son of God.
The unclean spirit's cry,“I know who You are, the Holy One of God,” is an admission of the power and victory of God’s Son.
Jesus casts out the demon and brings salvation.
Jesus rebukes the demon, and it leaves its victim and flees from the presence of the only authentic power and authority in time or eternity. The man is convulsed; the demon does not want to give up. He would destroy the man, if he could, rather than see him freed by Christ.
Christ alone can save the world from slavery to Satan and free men to be children of God.
By His death on the cross and His resurrection Jesus completely and finally crushed Satan and His kingdom. Jesus appeased the wrath of God and cancelled out our guilt, freed all people from slavery to Satan and sin, and gave eternal life to all who believe in the Christ.
Now in these last days Jesus sends us to
Share His Word
Share His Word
Our hearts and lives now reflect Jesus’ authority.
Jesus’ missional cry—“Repent and believe in the gospel” — is applied to every person who is battling with sin, death, and the devil.
The people in the Gospel account see the reality of Christ's victory over Satan.
We are also to know that all authority is from Christ and we trust in Him alone for our salvation. His actions and words demonstrate His person and authority. This we hold on to by faith.
We live in confidence and joy at the complete authority our Savior has over Satan's kingdom. Therefore, we seek ever to live by His power as His children. This means we regularly attend the Sunday service to hear the Word of Christ, which gives and strengthens faith. And we receive His body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. This is the lifestyle of every Christian.
His authority is in His Word. As we grow and mature in His Word, He is given free-reign in our lives . In times of stress and trial we depend on Christ; He never fails us (growth).