A Decision: Mark 1:23-24
by Rev. Al Jenkins 

Do you remember the days when there were no dryers and clothes had to be hung out on the line? Do you remember how clothes and the bed sheets smelled? They smelled like sunshine.

A young couple moved into a new neighborhood back in those days. They were eating breakfast one morning and the young wife saw her neighbor hanging out the wash. She said, “Look at that woman. Her laundry is not very clean. She doesn’t know how to wash correctly. She needs some better soap.”

Her husband looked on, but kept quiet.

So, every time the neighbor hung her wash on the line to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

One month later, the young woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband, “Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her how to do it?”

Her husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows!”

In the bible lesson for today, Jesus went to church and, as he was teaching, he was interrupted. This is in Mark 1:23. At first glance, this passage is hard to understand, but if we “wash the windows”, as it were, we can see something not readily apparent.

The passage says, “Just then (meaning an interruption), a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil (or unclean) spirit cried out (or raised his voice), and said, “What do you want of us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God! (meaning the Christ).” Jesus shot back, “BE QUIET AND COME OUT OF HIM!”

In verses 21-38 for today, I understood the text, but the meaning tripped me up. I searched commentaries. I researched on line. No explanation, but many ideas.

Here is what I think. The synagogue was a place where people milled around. It was a place where various kinds of people came, mostly the devout. People came to listen to the teachings and preaching and worship. I think this man was with several others and they were rascals, a little on the rough side. It’s obvious. The bible says he was, “possessed by an evil spirit.” That can be translated “defiled in spirit”.

I think this guy who yelled at Jesus in church already knew Jesus. I think he knew where he came from – Nazareth. Notice what he said, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us (meaning himself and his rascal buddies). I know who you are – the Holy One of God!”

That, to me, is shocking. Let me tell you why by using the Gospel of John 3:20-21 where we hear these words, “Everyone who does evil, hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But, whoever lives by the truth, comes to the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Now, the man who yelled at Jesus, a rascal, was in the light. What light? The people listening to Jesus couldn’t understand how he taught and preached with authority. The answer is he had been anointed by the Holy Spirit. Mark 1:10. BUT, the rascals knew, because they had been convicted. They knew they were living in sin, the light hit them, and they started squirming like a fish on a hot plate and one got hit so hard he yelled at Jesus.

The authority of Jesus was first an anointing. BUT, authority also meant what he says comes to be. I call that throne authority, the authority of the creator. So, everyone was shocked when Jesus commanded, “Be quiet and come out of him!” causing the man to convulse. The points are Jesus gave him his freedom AND he didn’t want people to know who he was, as the Messiah, at that time.

Sometimes, evil becomes so powerful in a person that they lose their freedom to be rational. Wrong becomes right. Sin becomes acceptable.

St. Paul in Galatians 5:19 names what these sins are. But, he also names what Godliness is, what the anointing is – joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

Gal. 5:24 – “Those who belong to Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit (the anointing) let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

This means to walk in the anointing.
Keep in step means being synchronized.
Step for step.         

If you want to leave the rascality of life behind, your reward will be a lot better than the playground of sin.

God said this to Jeremiah (29:11-13) and to us all – “I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will seek me and find me – WHEN you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you. I will bring you back.”

It only requires one thing – a DECISION!