Loving God, though the forces that defy you continue to be at work, you have given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  Fill our hearts this day with your Spirit, that we might be freed from all that keeps us from you; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    So - have any of you ever been possessed by an unclean spirit or a demon?  How about jealousy - have any of you ever been possessed by jealousy?  Or anger - have you ever been possessed by anger?  How about addictions - have you ever been addicted to anything?  Have you ever been a workaholic?  Have you ever been possessed by greed?

    Many of us probably don’t relate too well to the whole “possessed by an evil spirit” idea, or perhaps we end up with scenes from The Exorcist flashing through our minds.  However, we might have a little more experience with things like anger or addictions or greed or jealousy.

    While it may seem at first that these are other things entirely, consider the nature of unclean spirits, or the forces of evil, or even the evil one.  Aren’t all of them forces that are diametrically opposed to God’s will for us and for others?  And so, today’s gospel is almost like a show-down between the Holy Spirit (which came upon Jesus at his baptism) and all unclean spirits.

    When Jesus and his disciples first enter the synagogue, the Sabbath seems much like any other.  However, as soon as Jesus begins to teach them, they know that this teacher is unlike any other.  Perhaps it is the Holy Spirit that they see in him, as they perceive that he seems to speak with God-given authority.

    However, one man in the synagogue can’t bear to listen to Jesus.  The unclean spirit within him is too strong, and he cannot stand to be in the presence of the Holy One.  Ironically, too, the unclean spirits always know exactly who Jesus is.  “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” (Mk. 1:24).

    Jesus knows what is likely to happen if this unclean spirit is allowed to continue.  Thus, using the authority that he has been given, he orders the spirit to be silent and to come out of the man.  Then, after some ugly outbursts and convulsions, the spirit leaves and the man is set free.

    Just as this spirit opposed Jesus in the synagogue, so there are many things that are opposed to God’s will for us that can “possess” us, so to speak.  We have already mentioned some of these things.  Anger and insults are mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount, and can be just as bad as murder, according to Jesus (Mt. 5:21-22).  Jealousy or envy can possess us, and often lead to other more overt sins.

    Certainly addictions can take over our lives, whether we are addicted to alcohol or to drugs or to gambling or to pornography.  These things are opposed to God because they become the things that are in charge of our lives, rather than God.  Even more “respectable” addictions are opposed to God - things like workaholism or greed.  In each case, other things become our (false) gods and give us the illusion that they are life-giving.

    Unclean spirits tear down rather than building up.  They divide us rather than drawing us together.  They curse rather than bless.  They disparage others rather than believing the best about them.  They breed hatred in us rather than love.  We may not have experienced demon possession, but I would bet that all of us have encountered unclean spirits, both in ourselves and in others.

    However, the good news is that Jesus has both authority and power over all of these things.  Every single time that Jesus encounters the forces that defy God, he orders them to leave, and they have to obey.  In Jesus, the kingdom of God has, indeed, come near, and any unclean spirits are sent packing (cf. Mk. 1:15).  In fact, the same thing continues to happen among Jesus’ followers after Jesus has risen from the dead and ascended into heaven (cf. Acts 19:12).  Those who follow Jesus are given the same power and authority over the forces that defy God that Jesus himself had, and continue to send the unclean spirits packing in the name of Jesus.

    It is interesting to note that in today’s gospel, the man with the unclean spirit does not ask Jesus for help or for healing.  In fact, it is doubtful that he would be able to.  His life was too far gone under the control of this unclean spirit, whatever it was.  And so Jesus steps in and gives him his life back.

    I have to wonder if there are also situations we encounter where a person, in effect, needs to be rescued from themselves.  Are there situations where a person is so far gone that it is no longer they who speak, but only the forces that defy God?  I have to ask this because normally people simply cannot be set free without their permission.  For the most part, we are free to allow whatever we want to hold power in our lives.  However, the truth revealed by the gospel is that ultimately it is only Jesus who brings life.

    Imagine living your life in fellowship with God, aware of God’s presence and power in your life every step of the way.  Imagine having a relationship of love with God rather than fear, and knowing how far God has already gone in order to bring you into that relationship.  Imagine experiencing things like peace and joy and love in your heart.  Imagine approaching every challenge knowing that God is ready to hear your prayers and always has your best interest at heart.  Imagine experiencing the Holy Spirit working through you, using your gifts in order to touch the hearts of others.

    This is, at least in part, what God has in mind for each one of us, and these things come when we put our faith in Jesus and allow him to be the power in our lives.  This is also the relationship that we are robbed of when other things hold power in our lives – like greed or addictions or jealousy or anger.  These things, and others, continue to be the forces that defy God.  However, the name of Jesus is more powerful than any of them, and unless we are very severely possessed, we have the freedom to ask God for help, and to confess our sins, and to turn toward God and place ourselves under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

    Jesus continues to have power over whatever our “unclean spirits” might be and is more than happy to set us free.  Come, Holy Spirit, that we, too, might be amazed by your power and by your love!  Amen.

Epiphany 4(B)                                    Mark 1:21-28
January 29, 2012
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison

© 2012 Lynne Hutchison  All Rights Reserved