casting out demons

Enemy Intel

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! 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.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. – Luke 4:31-37ESV

After having escaped the wrath of his disbelieving neighbors in Nazareth, Jesus made His way to Capernaum, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. As before, Jesus was invited to address the congregation at the local synagogue on the Sabbath. And, once again, those who heard Him speak “were astonished at his teaching” (Luke 4:32 ESV). Evidently, Jesus spoke with a sense of power and authority that was like nothing they had ever heard before. Luke does not divulge the content of Jesus’ teaching, but it seems likely that it would have been similar to what He had shared in Nazareth. It would have been natural for Jesus to read from the Torah, which contained the first five books of the Old Testament. But in most synagogues in the 1st-Century, it was also a common practice to read from the books of the Law and the Prophets. That’s why Jesus read from the book of Isaiah in his hometown synagogue of Nazareth. This practice is mentioned in the book of Acts.

Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.” – Acts 13:13-15 ESV

Later on in his gospel, Luke records the interaction between the recently resurrected Jesus and two of His followers, who were traveling on the road to Emmaus. These two dejected disciples had been discussing the crucifixion of Jesus when He suddenly appeared by their side as they walked. They did not immediately recognize Him, but as Jesus walked alongside them, He “took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NLT). And later on, when they realized that they had been talking with the risen Lord, they said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:32 NLT).

So, as Jesus opened up the Scriptures on that Sabbath day in Capernaum, He may have used the Word of God to reveal His identity to them. But whatever Jesus said, Luke reports that “his word possessed authority” (Luke 4:32 ESV). The Greek word he used to describe the teaching of Jesus is exousia, which can also be translated as “one who possesses authority.” Jesus didn’t simply read Scripture and then share His opinion, He spoke with a sense of right and privilege, as the Son of God who was Himself the incarnate Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. – John 1:1-3 ESV

While the majority of His audience were amazed by His teaching, there was one individual who made the connection between His words and His identity. Luke reports that “there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon” (Luke 4:33 ESV). And in the midst of Jesus’ teaching, the demon within this man suddenly interrupted the proceedings by causing him to shout, “Ha! 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” (Luke 4:34 ESV).

One of the first questions we should ask is why this man was in the synagogue, to begin with? If the people of Capernaum knew He was demon-possessed, he would have been considered unclean and unfit for entrance into this place of worship. Perhaps they were unaware of his condition, or it could that he entered the room unexpectedly while everyone was listening to Jesus speak. But regardless of how the man got there, the demon within him immediately recognized who Jesus was and revealed an awareness of why He had come. Evidently, the demon spoke on behalf of his companions, who had also taken up residence within this poor man.

While the rest of the audience recognized that Jesus spoke with authority, the demons understood the exact nature of that authority, and they feared the worst. The primary demon expressed their concern that Jesus had come to destroy them. They understood Him to be “the Holy One of God” (Luke 4:34 ESV), the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel. And the demons seemed to be aware that Jesus possessed a power and authority that was greater than their own. Not only could He dispossess them, but He could also destroy them.

But before the demon could say anything more, Jesus shouted, “Be silent and come out of him!” (Luke 4:35 ESV). And at the word of Jesus, the demons were cast out, causing the man to collapse on the floor, exhausted but completely unharmed. And all those who witnessed this encounter were left slack-jawed and amazed. They whispered among themselves, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:36 ESV).

They had just witnessed the authority of Jesus on full display and were left thoroughly blown away by the experience. They had never seen anything like this before. But what they didn’t fully realize was that Jesus had just demonstrated His Messianic power and proven His right to rule and reign. He had authority over both the natural and spiritual realms. Even the demons were subject to His word.

And with this miracle, Jesus gave evidence that His claim to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy was true. When He had read from the scroll of Isaiah in the synagogue in Nazareth, He had boldly proclaimed, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21 ESV). And one of the things Jesus had claimed He had been anointed by the Spirit of God to do was to “proclaim liberty to the captives” and “to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18 ESV). And the man who stood in the synagogue that day was now demon-free thanks to the Holy One of God.

And, as one would expect, “The news about Jesus spread through every village in the entire region” (Luke 4:37 NLT). The rumors spread. His reputation grew. And the interest in this rabbi from Nazareth increased with each passing day. But apart from the confession of the demon, most people were still unsure of just who Jesus was and what He had come to do. They were impressed with His power, amazed by His words, and curious about His identity, but not quite ready to deem Him the Holy One of God.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

All Things Are Possible

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw him, were greatly amazed and ran up to him and greeted him. 16 And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” 19 And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” 20 And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” 29 And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” – Mark 9:14-29 ESV

The next day (Luke 9:37), when Jesus, Peter, James, and John rejoined the other disciples, they were greeted by a scene of chaos and confusion. There was a large crowd encircling the other nine disciples, who were in a heated argument with the scribes. But as soon as Jesus arrived on the scene, He became the focus of attention, drawing the crowds like moths to a flame.

Like a father who arrives home to find his children in an unexpected predicament, Jesus attempts to discern the cause of the trouble. And it doesn’t take Him long to discover that the conflict involves His disciples and one other man in the crowd. The rest of the crowd were like rubberneckers at an accident, drawn by the spectacle of it all and curious to see what was going to happen next.

When Jesus demanded to know the cause of the argument taking place, a father in the crowd spoke up.

“Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid.” – Mark 9:17-18 NLT

This man had come expecting to find Jesus but instead, he had encountered the nine disciples whom Jesus had left behind. In his account of this event, Matthew describes the man as kneeling at the feet of Jesus. His actions reveal his high regard for Jesus and his belief that Jesus was capable of assisting him with his need. He had brought his son to Jesus for healing but when he had discovered Jesus to be gone, he had turned to the disciples for help.

“So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” – Mark 9:18 NLT

Disappointed by his failure to find Jesus, the anxious father had turned to the disciples for help. And it seems clear from the text that these men had made a valiant effort to cast the demon from the man’s son but with no success. What makes their failure so significant is that Jesus had given all of the disciples the authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:15). And they had successfully proven their possession of that authority when Jesus had sent them out in pairs to preach, teach, and heal. Mark reports that “they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them” (Mark 6:13 ESV).

And yet, on this occasion, their efforts had come up short. The argument that had ensued must have begun when the disciples started making excuses for their failed attempts at exorcising the demon. Perhaps they began to question whether this man or his son had broken a particular Mosaic law and this violation had resulted in the boy’s condition. They were obviously frustrated at their inability to exercise their authority over the demon, and were trying to figure out what was standing in their way. When all the dust had settled, they even asked Jesus, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” (Mark 9:28 NLT).

The scribes may have been dragged into the argument in order to explain the Mosaic Law and to give their opinions on the boy’s condition and the demon’s persistent power over him. The whole scene had quickly devolved into a shouting match, with each side pointing fingers at the other. And all the while, the boy remained demon possessed.

Into this storm of confusion and chaos, entered the only one who could bring peace and calm. Jesus, disappointed at the sordid scene taking place in front of Him, declared His frustration.

“O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” – Mark 9:19 ESV

To fully appreciate Jesus’ words, one must recall the transfiguration that Jesus had just experienced on the mountain top. For a brief moment in time, Jesus had been transformed into His future, glorified state. He had been joined by Moses and Elijah, two of the great patriarchs of the Hebrew people, and the three of them had discussed His coming “exodus” or departure from this life. It had all been a much-needed reminder that His days on this earth were coming to a close and He would soon be returning to His Father’s side. But upon His descent from the mountain, Jesus had encountered a scene of faithlessness and spiritual apostasy.

This recalls a similar scene that took place hundreds of years earlier. Moses, the great deliverer of the Hebrew people, had just spent 40 days and nights on the top of Mount Sinai. He had enjoyed an intimate communion with God and had received the Ten Commandments from the hand of God. But when He descended from the mountain, he had found the people of Israel worshiping before a false god. He had returned to a scene of chaos and confusion prompted by the faithlessness of the people of God.

Jesus, having descended from the mountain of transfiguration, was being forced to look upon a scene where faith was in short supply and the enemy was having his way among the people of God. The disciples’ inability to cast out the demon had left the boy still possessed and persecuted. But even more important, their failure of faith had left the people in a state of doubt and uncertainty.

But Jesus stepped into the darkness of the moment and focused His full attention of the state of the boy. The father provided Jesus with a blow-by-blow description of his son’s condition, explaining in great detail how relentlessly the demon had tormented his child. And you can sense his growing state of desperation as he begs Jesus for help.

“But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” – Mark 9:22 ESV

At this point, he is not even sure if Jesus can do anything about his son’s condition. He is losing hope. But Jesus gently rebukes the man’s timid and half-hearted expression of faith, stating, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes” (MRK 9:23 ESV). Jesus seems to be telling the man that it is not so much a matter of if He can heal the boy, but if He will. This was less an indictment of the man’s faith, so much as it was an exposure of his lack of understanding of who Jesus was.

The father, anxious to see his son healed, cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 ESV). He desperately wanted to believe that Jesus could heal his son, but he had seen the disciples try and fail. He still harbored doubts and asked Jesus to remove any and all doubts by casting the demon from his son. And Jesus did just as the man wished. He addressed the demon directly, commanding it to leave the boy and to never return.

“You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” – Mark 9:25 ESV

And the demon obeyed, convulsing the boy one last time and leaving him in a catatonic state that made it appear as if he was dead. But Jesus raised the boy up, revealing him to be fully restored to health.

This entire scene had been a demonstration of faith. But the focus was not on the faith of the father. Jesus was exposing the faithlessness of His disciples. Matthew records that after Jesus had exorcised the demon and the disciples had asked why they had been unsuccessful, He had responded, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20 ESV).

Remember, Jesus had told the man, “All things are possible for one who believes.” The emphasis was on His own faith, not that of the father. Jesus fully believed He had the power and authority to cast out the demon, and He proved it by doing so. He knew who He was and what He was capable of accomplishing with the power He had been given by God. But the disciples were another matter. Their belief had proven insufficient. But it was not the amount of their faith that was the problem. It was their inability to understand the true source of their power. According to Jesus, all they needed was the smallest portion of faith but in the full power of God, and they could literally “move mountains.”

Their ability to cast out demons did not reside in themselves. It was not some inherent power they possessed but it was meted out to them by God. That is why Jesus told them that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29 ESV). They had failed to understand that their earlier experience of casting out demons had been authorized by Jesus and made possible by God’s power, not their own. But they had somehow believed that they were in personal possession of that power. They had wrongly assumed that it had become permanently resident within them.

In trying to cast out the demon, they had put their faith in themselves. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, the disciples had ended up worshiping a false god: Themselves. They thought they were the possessors of power, but Jesus reminded them that even the smallest of faith placed in the power of God could produce the greatest of miracles. Jesus believed He had authority over the demon because He believed He had the power and authority of God at His disposal. His life was living proof that “All things are possible for one who believes.”

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

What Sort of Man is This?

/ kdmiller55 / 1 Comment

28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” 32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region. – Matthew 8:28-34 ESV

The first question we must address is why Matthew included two demon-possessed men in his account of this event, while Mark and Luke mention only one. The simple and honest answer is that we don’t know. It could be that Mark and Luke were describing the more radical and intimidating one of the two men. They both provide detailed descriptions of the man’s demon-possessed state.

…no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. – Mark 5:3-4 ESV

For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.…He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert. – Luke 8:27, 29 ESV

The fact that Luke and Mark mention only one demoniac does not invalidate or contradict Matthew’s account that there were actually two. Each of these men compiled their gospel accounts with a particular audience in mind, with a singular focus intended, and from their own personal perspectives. So, while there appears to be some discrepancy between their accounts, each of the gospel writers provides a unique take on a shared experience.

It is important to recall the immediate context that accompanies this story. The disciples have just experienced a life-threatening storm at sea and had been eye-witnesses to Jesus’ miraculous calming of the wind and the waves with nothing more than a command. This had left the disciples in a state of joyful relief, but also confused disbelief, as they asked, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matthew 8:27 ESV). With each passing day and every miraculous display of His power, the disciples were receiving more insight into Jesus’ identity, but much of it left them increasingly more confused as to who He was and what He had come to do.

Upon reaching the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, the disciples must have been relieved to be back on dry land. After their harrowing experience in the storm, the beaches and hills of Gadara were a welcome sight. But their relief was to be short-lived because as soon as they disembarked from their boats, they discovered that they had landed in the vicinity of Gentile burial ground. And to make matters worse, from among the tombs appeared two naked, wild-eyed, demon-possessed men.

Gadara, the regional capital of the Decapolis, was located on the southeastern side of the Sea of Galilee. It was a predominantly Gentile region and would not have been a common destination for the Jewish disciples of Jesus. The presence of the graveyard and the arrival of demoniacs made their landing in this particular location that much more uncomfortable and unattractive. This was the last place any of these men wanted to be.

But this encounter, like all the others the disciples of Jesus would experience, was God-ordained. Everything that had taken place over the preceding hours had resulted in this every scene taking place. The storm had driven them southeast, far from their original destination. The disciples would never have intended to land at a place like Gadara. But that was exactly what God had sovereignly ordained. This encounter with the demoniacs was not a case of chance or bad luck but was all part of a divine plan to display the true identity of Jesus. Remember the question the disciples asked immediately after the calming of the storm: “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” Mark recorded their question this way: “Who then is this…?” (Mark 4:41 ESV). And God was about to give them an answer to their question from a very unexpected and unlikely source.

…two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God?” – Matthew 8:28-29 ESV

The demons which possessed these men addressed Jesus as the Son of God. They spoke to Him, fully cognizant of His identity and authority. They even ask Him, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29 ESV). These demons were fallen angels, agents of Satan whose sole responsibility was to torment men and women. At one time, they had been part of the heavenly host who worshiped God Almighty, but they had joined in Satan’s attempted coup against God and been cast out of God’s presence. They were now relegated to seeking out refuge in the bodies of helpless humans, tormenting and slowly destroying them.

It’s important to stop and consider how all of this was impacting the disciples of Jesus. Remember, they are Jews, and they have suddenly found themselves on Gentile soil, in close proximity to a graveyard, and accosted by two demon-possessed men. Everything about this scene shouts, “unclean!” They were not to associate with Gentiles. To do so would render them unclean. They were forbidden to come into contact with anything dead. If they did, they would be considered unclean. And to have anything to do with demons was unthinkable. Yet, here they were.

And they were hearing these demons address their rabbi and teacher as the Son of God. If you recall, this is exactly how God addressed Jesus at His baptism.

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” – Matthew 3:17 ESV

God had confirmed the identity of Jesus. But now, He was providing further evidence by allowing the disciples to witness the proof of Jesus’ divine power and authority through the wind and waves, and even the words of demons.

And as if the location and the unexpected company were not bad enough, Matthew is about to reveal that the disciples were in eye-shot of a herd of pigs. This would have been one more proof to these men that they were not where they were meant to be. Pigs were considered unclean to Jews, and they were to have nothing to do with them. Yet, here they were, in a Gentile land, in the company of two demon-possessed Gentiles, in close proximity to a Gentile cemetery, and with a herd of pigs nearby. Could it get any worse?

But all of this was pre-ordained by God. There is nothing about this story that should be viewed as happenstance or coincidence. This was all meant to be. And the overwhelming sense of uncleanness and impurity is intended. Jesus, the Son of God and the Savior of the world, is right where He is supposed to be, surrounded by darkness and confronted by the impurity that pervades and permeates the world. John records in His gospel:

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:4-5 ESV

The disciples would have sensed the darkness of their surroundings. They would have longed to enter their boats and sail away, risking another storm at sea rather than spending another moment in that God-forsaken, sin-infested region. But Jesus was right where He was supposed to be. He was the light of God shining amid the darkness. He was the Son of God, confronting sin and casting out the demons of darkness and destruction. And even the demons recognized that they were no match for Jesus. They also knew that their reign of terror on this earth was going to be short-lived because God had a plan in place for their ultimate defeat. That is why they asked Jesus, “Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

The Book of Revelation reveals that there is a future judgment for Satan and all of his demonic followers. John describes it in graphic terms.

Then the devil, who had deceived them, was thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. – Revelation 20:10 ESV

These demons inherently know that they have met their match in Jesus. And all they can do is beg to be cast into a herd of swine. Later on in his gospel, Matthew records the words of Jesus concerning the need for demons to have a host to possess. Their entire existence is based on possession and manipulation.

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” – Matthew 12:43-45 ESV

These demons knew what Jesus was about to do, so they request that He allow them to possess the herd of pigs. And this request speaks volumes when it comes to Satan’s outlook on humanity. We are little better than swine to Satan and his demons.

And when Jesus cast the demons into the swine, the entire herd “rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters” (Matthew 8:32 ESV). These soul-less animals proved to be poor hosts for the demons, ending their lives and leaving the demons to pass through waterless places seeking rest, but finding none.

But the reaction of the helpless pigs stands in stark contrast to that of the herdsman. Matthew tells us that they “fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men” (Matthew 8:33 ESV). And Mark provides us with additional insight, describing them returning to find the formerly possessed men in a dramatically altered state.

…the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid… – Mark 5:14-15 ESV

The herdsman returned with their neighbors and friends, but rather than reacting with amazement and wonder at the amazing transformation of these two men who used to terrorize their community, they respond in fear. And Matthew records that “they begged him [Jesus] to leave their region” (Matthew 8:34 ESV). They wanted nothing to do with Jesus.

Consider all the responses recorded in this story. The demons begged to be spared. The pigs plunged to their deaths. The herdsman ran in terror. The townspeople returned in curiosity. But they all begged Jesus to leave. There was no revival in Gadara that day. But the lives of two men were dramatically changed. And Jesus sent them back into their community with a charge to tell what He had done for them.

“Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. – Mark 5:19-20 ESV

The only reaction that Matthew fails to record is that of the disciples. We’re left to wonder what they thought about all of this. But just imagine the sheer volume of questions that must have been running through their minds as they considered all that they had just witnessed. This entire scenario must have left them dumbfounded and confused. But God was slowly and methodically answering their question: What sort of man is this?

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Day 150 – Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:44-49

/ kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

Go!

Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:44-49

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.” – Mark 16:15-16 NLT

The Great Commission. These are the last words spoken by Jesus to His disciples. So they carry a significant amount of weight. After three and half years of ministry together, a gruesome death and His miraculous resurrection, Jesus is now leaving His disciples, but He had one last thing to tell them before He departed. It was a commission or charge. He told them to “Go!” He was sending them out as His ambassadors and emissaries with the message of the Good News of salvation through belief in Him. And they weren’t just to go to their neighbor, they were to take this vital message to the ends of the earth. They were to preach to all the nations. Think about what Jesus said. Give some thought as to just whom He is speaking to. These are the same 11 men who He had chosen three and a half years earlier. They were common men. They were uneducated for the most part. They were slow to learn and had missed out on so many of His important messages to them. Even after His resurrection, they still struggled with belief. But He was giving them a commission to act as His spokesmen and to take His message of salvation to the world. I can’t help but think that they felt overwhelmed at His words. They could not have been brimming with confidence at the thought of pulling off His command, especially in light of all that had just happened to Him. But Jesus was giving them authority – His authority – and they had seen what they could do with that kind of authority. He had sent them out before with authority to heal diseases and cast out demons, and they had returned reporting, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” (Luke 10:17 NLT). So they had first-hand experience regarding His authority and what they could accomplish with it. Jesus even suggests that their efforts on His behalf will be accompanied by miraculous signs, including the casting out of demons and speaking in new languages they didn’t know. Then He gave them two other “signs” that were a bit more spectacular or odd. He told them that anyone who believes will be able to handle poisonous snakes with safety and drink poison without ill effect. They will be able to place their hands on the sick and see them healed. Now we know that many of these signs took place shortly after Jesus ascended back into heaven and after the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. On the day of Pentecost, filled with the Holy Spirit, the disciples proclaimed the Gospel in languages they didn’t know to the multi-cultural crowd who had gathered. Later on, they healed the sick. Paul, on one of His missionary journeys, was bitten by a poisonous snake and shook it off with no harm coming to him.

While there are those who want to use this verse as a proof-text to justify their believes in sign gifts and tongues, I believe Jesus is addressing two kind of belief in this passage. He said, “Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16 NLT). At that point, Jesus is talking about anyone who responds to the Good News and believes. Their belief in the Gospel message would result in their salvation, and should be followed by water baptism. Refusal to believe the Good News would result in condemnation and eternal separation from God. Then I think Jesus addresses a different kind of belief. He looks at the disciples and says, “These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe” (Mark 16:17 NLT). At this point He is addressing the disbelief of the disciples. They can’t believe what He is asking them to do. They can’t comprehend how they are going to go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. It all sounds impossible and inconceivable. So Jesus reminds them that if they will believe in Him and His promise of authority, their going will be accompanied by miraculous signs, just as they had experienced before. Jesus is not necessarily telling them that these are the specific signs they will see, but the kinds of signs that will accompany their efforts. Speaking in foreign tongues makes sense because they are going to be going to all the nations, attempting to minister in languages they don’t know. They will need to cast out demons just as Jesus had done, because spiritual warfare was going to increase, not decrease. They would find themselves in situations, like Paul, where they were in remote places and exposed to dangerous circumstances, facing everything from poisonous snakes to enemies who might try to poison them. Whatever happened, they were not to worry, but believe. They would have the authority of Jesus on their side.

These words of encouragement were needed. Jesus was leaving and He knew that things were going to get difficult for the disciples. He wanted them to know that just as belief precedes salvation, belief would have to precede their efforts at global proclamation. What He was asking them to do was impossible. They were ill-equipped and under-educated for the task. But they simply needed to believe, then go. He would take care of the rest.

Father, it almost seems easier to believe in order to be saved, then it is to believe and obey Your Son’s command to go and tell. We find it so easy to justify our inaction due to inability or lack of training. But Jesus didn’t tell the disciples to go when they were ready or equipped. He simply said believe and go. He would take care of what they needed. He would be with them. We are to believe what Jesus told us to do and go and do it. Obedience requires faith. We have been given authority to go, so we must take Him at His word and do what He has called us to do. Faithfully. Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 51 – Matthew 9:35-11:1; Mark 6:6-13; Luke 9:1-6

/ kdmiller55 / 3 Comments

Not Your Typical Pep Talk.

Matthew 9:35-11:1; Mark 6:6-13; Luke 9:1-6

“If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” – Matthew 10:38-39 NLT

We tend to read the Scriptures from a been-there-done-that perspective. In other words, we know how the story ends, so we allow our knowledge of the ultimate outcome to influence how we read certain passages. The one for today is a perfect case in point. Here is Jesus getting ready to send out the twelve disciples on their first official short-term mission trip. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all three record this event, but Matthew includes quite a bit more detail. It all comes across as kind of a dry run, an attempt to prepare the disciples for what is going to be coming later in their lives after Jesus has returned to heaven. He sends them out to do ministry on their own, but Luke tells us He “gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases” (Luke 9:1 NLT). This is significant, because the Holy Spirit had not been given yet. That would not happen until after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension. So Jesus gave them temporary filling of power to make their ministry trip possible.

But back to our tendency to allow hindsight to influence our reading of Scripture. Imagine the fear the disciples must have felt as Jesus informed them that they were going to be doing ministry on their own for a while. Up until this point, they had been silent spectators, watching Jesus preach, teach, heal and cast out demons. They had seen the growing animosity of the religious leaders and knew that not everyone liked Jesus or agreed with His message. So there had to be some real apprehension in their hearts as Jesus sent them out two by two. And then Matthew adds the little pep talk that Jesus gave them right before they left. This is where we need to put aside our knowledge of how things are going to turn out and get into the minds of the disciples for a minute. How would they have received this little talk from Jesus? How would His words have come across to them? They didn’t know how the story would end. All of them were still expecting Jesus, as the Messiah, to set up His kingdom on earth just like they had always been taught. They are not even remotely thinking about Jesus having to die. Having to watch Him be crucified is not something they would even remotely consider. So when Jesus drops this bombshell on them, it had to have left them shaken.

It starts out fairly easy, with Jesus giving them marching instructions as to where and how they were to minister. He gave them specific details and told them they were to “go and announce the kingdom to them that the Kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons” (Matthew 10:7-8 NLT). Pretty heady stuff. Scary, but exciting too. Then Jesus gives them some news that had to have been sobering and a bit shocking. He tells them to beware! They are going to be arrested, flogged and stand trial for being one of His followers. What? Really? Are you kidding me? I can see the disciples looking around at each other as Jesus dropped this news on them. Their eyes are wide. Their mouths are slack-jawed. Their hearts are pounding in their chests. But Jesus is not done. He tells them that brothers will betray brothers and children will rebel against their parents, resulting in the death of their parents. All as a result of their relationship with Jesus. On top of that, every nation will hate the disciples because of their belief in Jesus. He talks of persecution. He mentions those who will want to kill their bodies. Then Jesus tells them that those who choose to deny Him on earth, He will deny before His Father in heaven. Finally, Jesus wraps it all up with the statement that we have all grown so familiar with that it doesn’t have much impact on us anymore. But it had to have hit the disciples like a bag of bricks that day. Jesus tells them, “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:38-39 NLT). Remember, the cross is not on their radar screen at this point. They are thinking kingdom, not crucifixion. They are thinking glory, not Golgotha. They are dreaming of Jesus as a king with a crown, not dying like a criminal on a cruel Roman cross. So when they hear Jesus tell them that they are to take up their own cross and follow Him, it had to have sent ripples of confusion and fear through their hearts. When Jesus finished, it had to have been extremely difficult for them to take that first step on their new assignment. They had to have been expecting any and all of what Jesus had said to happen at any moment. They were probably thinking arrests and floggings awaited them around every corner. Sure, Jesus had told them to see all of this as an “opportunity” to tell the rulers and unbelievers about Him. He had told them they would receive just the right words to say at just the right time – straight from God Himself. He had told them not to fear because God valued them greatly. But their hearts had to be filled with fear as they walked away from Jesus that day and entered into the unknown.

But what do we know? We know that Jesus was telling them about future events. All that He said would eventually happen, but it would only be after He had died and been raised again. These events would take place after Jesus returned to heaven and the Holy Spirit had come to permanently indwell His followers. What the disciples would experience in the days immediately following this “pep talk” from Jesus would leave them excited, pumped and relieved that none of the negative things Jesus had warned them about had happened. They would cast out demons and heal the sick. They would display incredible power and become celebrities in their own rights. But Jesus is trying to tell them that the real test will come when He is gone. The real battle will begin when He leaves and the Holy Spirit comes. The real work will begin when He has returned to His place at the right hand of His Father in heaven. We know the rest of the story. They didn’t. But even though we know how the story ends, we still have a hard time reading this passage and understanding that much of it applies to us as well. He expects us to take up our cross daily as well. He demands us to stop clinging to our lives as we want them to be and give up our lives for Him. We are to acknowledge Him publicly here in earth. We are to tell “rulers and other unbelievers” about Him. We are to fear God only, and not men. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit to give us the words to say. We are to be shrewd and snakes and harmless as doves, knowing that we are like sheep among wolves, living in a hostile environment, where every nation hates us because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. When the disciples heard this news from Jesus, they went out. Fearful, but faithful. We have heard the same message. But what has our response been? Do we even think it applies to us. “So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God” (Mark 6:12 NLT). What will you do?

Father, I still struggle with taking up my cross daily and following You, and I know how the story ends. I want to cling to my life and live it on my own terms. I want to live in safety, easy, and comfort. I don’t want to be hated, disliked, persecuted, or despised for my faith. I tend to fear men more than I fear You. I doubt Your power even though I know I have it available to me 24/7 in the form of the Holy Spirit. I know what the disciples ended up doing. I am fully aware that they experienced all the things Jesus warned them about, and yet they remained faithful. I want to do the same. Give me the strength to go out and tell, in spite of my fears. Strengthen my faith Father. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Day 38 – Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30

/ kdmiller55 / 1 Comment

The Kingdom Has Arrived.

Matthew 12:22-37; Mark 3:20-30

“But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.” – Matthew 12:28 NLT

The utter blindness of the religious leaders towards Jesus and His claim to be the Messiah seemed to be limitless. It didn’t matter what He said or did, they refused to recognize the power and authority that oozed from every pore of His being. His very words had power. At His command the seas calmed, the lame walked, the blind gained sight, the demon-possessed were set free, water turned to wine, and the dead rose from the grave alive. He miraculously fed 5,000 people with a meager meal that was barely enough for a single boy. He walked on water. He forgave sins. He taught with a power and authority that no one had ever seen before. Thousands flocked to see Him. And yet the religious leaders were blinded by their own arrogance, pride, self-righteousness and greed-driven ambition.

Their logic was illogical. The conclusions they reached were far-fetched and made no sense given the overwhelming evidence. How in the world could they seriously believe that the reason behind Jesus’ ability to cast out demons was that He was demon-possessed Himself? They had just witnessed Jesus and His encounter with a man who had three strikes against him. He was blind and mute. But as if that wasn’t bad enough – he had a demon. But none of that was a problem for Jesus. He simply healed him. The crowd was amazed and began to wonder if He really could be the Messiah. But the Pharisees reached a different conclusion, saying, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:24 NLT).

It’s absolutely ridiculous to think that these men could have witnessed something so amazing and still have written off as a trick of Satan. In essence, they were attributing to the enemy what was an obvious work of God. Which is why Jesus warned them about blasphemy against the Spirit. He tells them that to attribute to Satan anything that was a work of God through the Spirit was unforgivable. It was dangerous territory. But they refused to believe that God was at work in their midst and that the Kingdom of God had arrived. Their very words revealed the true nature of their hearts. And God was going to hold them accountable for both their words and actions.

But the real point is that Jesus clearly claims to be stronger than Satan. That is the reason He was able to cast out demons with a simple command. He gives them a much more logical conclusion to reach. “But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you” (Matthew 12:28 NLT). Why? Because only God would have the kind of power to defeat Satan. “Only someone even stronger – someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house” (Matthew 12:29 NLT). Which is exactly what they had just watched Jesus do. But they couldn’t bring themselves to see it or admit it. And so they would miss out on it – the Kingdom that is. They had the very Messiah of God standing in their presence. They were witness to the power of God working right before their eyes. But instead of confess Jesus as the Messiah and His power as coming from God, they attributed it all to the enemy. They gave Satan credit for what had been done by God. Not the wisest move in the world.

And yet, how often do we fail to see God at work in our midst? How many times have we been blind to the working of God in our lives, even occasionally blaming the enemy, because things didn’t turn out quite the way we had hoped. Jesus was not what the Pharisees expected. He did not come in the manner they supposed He would. He didn’t look like they thought He would. He didn’t teach and speak in a way that tracked with their conclusions and their own dogma. He was not only a disappointment, but a nuisance. So they plotted to get rid of Him. They looked right past the evidence because it failed to prove or support what they were wanting to see. And we can be guilty of the same thing. We can refuse to see Jesus working in our lives because He doesn’t do it the way we want Him to. When He doesn’t keep our agenda, we can easily become blinded to His presence in our lives. Just like the Pharisees. But the Kingdom has come. And He rules and reigns according to His terms, not ours. He does as He wishes. He works in our lives according to His plan. His power is on display every day for us to see, but we can easily become blind to it. The proof of who He is is all around us. May we open our eyes and see His power at work and praise Him accordingly.

Father, forgive me for failing to recognize and acknowledge the power of Your Son at work in and around my life. I know there are times that I give Satan more credit than I do Jesus because things don’t appear to be going the way I wanted them to. But He is King. He is sovereign. He is in complete control. He is stronger than Satan and He has tied him up and plundered his house. May I see that increasingly more clearly with each passing day. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org