Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

5. { The First Half of The Church Calendar }

6. ADVENT ~ Week 1
The Fourth Sunday After The
January 28, 2018

7. JesusCastsOutThe
UncleanSpirit
-Mark1:21-28-
CathedralofGurk,Austria(@1450)

9. LukeSkywalker;
TheLastJedi
(2017)

11. God of every land and nation,
you have created all people
and you dwell among us in Jesus Christ.
Listen to the cries of those who pray to you,
and grant that, as we proclaim the greatness
of your name, all people will know the power
of love at work in the world.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
A Prayer For The Epiphany

12. ADVENT ~ Week 1
The Fourth Sunday After The
January 28, 2018

13. 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.
Mark 1:21-22

14. 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.”
Mark 1:23-27

15. 1. THE NT DEPICTS “THE SATAN” & “DEMONS” AS REAL
- “The Accuser” and his “agents” steal, kill and destroy
Thoughts About Spiritual Warfare in The NT

16. 1. THE NT DEPICTS “THE SATAN” & “DEMONS” AS REAL
- “The Accuser” and his “agents” steal, kill and destroy
2. JESUS’ KINGDOM BATTLE = MAJOR THEME IN THE NT
- His ministry was a battle of Kingdom v. kingdom
Thoughts About Spiritual Warfare in The NT

17. 1. THE NT DEPICTS “THE SATAN” & “DEMONS” AS REAL
- “The Accuser” and his “agents” steal, kill and destroy
3. TRY NOT T0 ENGAGE IN EITHER EXTREME
- Avoid obsession and outright rejection
2. JESUS’ KINGDOM BATTLE = MAJOR THEME IN THE NT
- His ministry was a battle of Kingdom v. kingdom
Thoughts About Spiritual Warfare in The NT

18. 1. UNCLEAN = UNPURE MIXTURE
- Something “mixed in” that doesn’t belong;
not necessarily due to one’s own sin/behavior
Unclean Spirits

19. 1. UNCLEAN = UNPURE MIXTURE
- Something “mixed in” that doesn’t belong;
not necessarily due to one’s own sin/behavior
Unclean Spirits
2. THINK “OPPRESSION” > “POSSESSION”
- They OCCUPY/OPPRESS; “possess” as “have” not “own”

20. 1. UNCLEAN = UNPURE MIXTURE
- Something “mixed in” that doesn’t belong;
not necessarily due to one’s own sin/behavior
Unclean Spirits
2. THINK “OPPRESSION” > “POSSESSION”
- They OCCUPY/OPPRESS; “possess” as “have” not “own”
3. SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS
- They know who Jesus is, and that they must obey him

21. 1. DOESN’T REQUIRE “FIREWORKS”
- Jesus doesn’t have to “put on a show” in order
to exercise the weight of his Kingdom authority
The Authority of Jesus

22. The Authority of Jesus
2. DOESN’T COME FROM WITHIN HIMSELF
- Like us, Jesus can’t do these things in his own strength;
he does them, not because he is divine, but because
he is an available/obedient son relying on the Spirit
1. DOESN’T REQUIRE “FIREWORKS”
- Jesus doesn’t have to “put on a show” in order
to exercise the weight of his Kingdom authority

23. Various Types of Authority
POSITIONAL
The Presidential “Office,” Manager, Supervisor, etc.
LEGAL
Police Officers, Judges, etc.
SPIRITUAL
The name of Jesus, the power of the Spirit
MORAL
Trustworthiness to make decisions that are right/good

24. Some Thoughts on Spiritual/Moral Authority
1. SOMETIMES WE CAN BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT
SPIRITUAL FIREWORKS THAN THE BASICS
- I’ve followed Jesus for almost 32 years and have never
cast a demon out of someone, but if the need arises,
it would occur by the Spirit’s power and the authority
of Jesus’ name, not by my showmanship/enthusiasm…

25. Some Thoughts on Spiritual/Moral Authority
2. WE NEED MORAL AUTHORITY IN OUR DAY
- Live in a way that we can speak light to darkness
1. SOMETIMES WE CAN BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT
SPIRITUAL FIREWORKS THAN THE BASICS
- I’ve followed Jesus for almost 32 years and have never
cast a demon out of someone, but if the need arises,
it would occur by the Spirit’s power and the authority
of Jesus’ name, not by my showmanship/enthusiasm…

26. JudgeRosemarieAquilina
ExercisedLEGALAuthority

27. RachelDollenhander
ExercisedMORAL&
SPIRITUALAuthority

28. “My advocacy for sexual assault victims,
something I cherished, cost me my church and
our closest friends 3 weeks before I filed my
police report. I was left alone and isolated."
RachelDollenhander
ExercisedMORAL&
SPIRITUALAuthority

29. “I want you to understand why I made this
choice knowing full well what it was going to
cost to get here and with very little hope of ever
succeeding. I did it because it was right...”
RachelDollenhander
ExercisedMORAL&
SPIRITUALAuthority

30. “May the horror expressed in this courtroom
over the last seven days be motivation for
anyone and everyone no matter the context
to take responsibility if they have failed…”
RachelDollenhander
ExercisedMORAL&
SPIRITUALAuthority

31. “…in protecting a child, to understand the
incredible failures that led to this week
and to do it better the next time.”
RachelDollenhander
ExercisedMORAL&
SPIRITUALAuthority

32. #doBETTERa p r i l 2 0 1 8

33. Holy and awesome God, your Son's authority
is found in integrity and living truth,
as we exercise your eternally Christlike character,
not in the assertion of power over others.
Open our imaginations to new dimensions of your love,
and heal us of all that severs us from you and one another,
that we may grow into the vision you unfold before us.
Amen.
A Closing Prayer

34. Hear, O Israel:
the Lord our God, the Lord is one;
you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind,
and with all your strength.’
And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
There is no other commandment
greater than these.
Mark 12