Awful and Amazing
Awful and amazing may seem like a strange way to describe Jesus. Brian points out that while Jesus is amazing it is awful to die in our sins.
Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit
I am reading from Mark 1:22 to 27.
“They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately 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 out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed.”
Mark 1:22 – 27 (ESV)
Mark’s Gospel loves to point out that people were astonished and amazed at Jesus. Mark says many were amazed, all were amazed, everyone was amazed, all the crowd were amazed. He says they were overcome with amazement, beyond measure, utterly.
But here is the sad thing – many who were amazed by the miracles Jesus did not believe on the Jesus who carried their sins on the cross. What’s your response to Jesus? Have you confessed Jesus as your Lord and believed in your heart that God raised him from the dead? That is more than amazement; that is salvation.
Power From the Holy Spirit
In this story, unclean spirits speak out to Jesus, but Jesus has power from the Holy Spirit, the enemy of all unclean spirits. In other places, people get a totally wrong idea about Jesus and demons. They describe the one who drove out demons as “possessed by Beelzebub” and that,
“by the Prince of demons he casts out demons.”
(Mark 3:22)
Surprisingly, in our passage the demons themselves seem to get it right.
The demons say to Jesus,
“I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”
(Mark 1:24)
They seem to believe Jesus is God. The title, “Holy One” was a popular description of God in the Old Testament. Isaiah called God the Holy One about 30 times. In other places in the Gospel of Mark, demons call Jesus, “the Son of God” (Mark 3:11) or “the Son of the Most High God” (Mark 5:7).
The demons’ understanding tells us something very serious and sad. It tells us that the demons recognize who Jesus is, but it is possible to recognize Jesus for who he is and yet hate him all the more.
Jesus the Great Man
Almost everyone agrees that Jesus was a great man, but many resent or hate him just the same. Why is that? Because if I see Jesus for who he is in all his goodness and perfection, then I will recognize myself in all my evil and imperfection. It is awful news and amazing news all in one breath. It is amazing to know that his death on the cross made it possible for sin to be forgiven. It is awful to find out that my sin caused his suffering on the cross.
Maybe that is why someone wrote a song called, “The Beautiful Terrible Cross”. The Bible says it in Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death” – That’s Terrible; “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” – That’s Beautiful. If you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it will be … well … just beautiful.
Do you think that having beautiful feet is an appropriate way to describe those who bring the gospel? Contact us at HopeStreamRadio, or comment below.
Brian Stapley
Brian Stapley is the husband of Margaret and “Christian-proud” father of Tabitha, Ben, Jeremy and Joel. He has been director of the Boys JIM Club of America since 1981 and a “JIM Clubber” since 1958, the year he became a Christian. The mission statement of the JIM Club is, “Discipling boys to love Jesus deeply and express him vividly.”
He has been an educator since 1970, primarily as a high school English Teacher. (Don’t dangle your participles.) He has been in fellowship at Scottlea Gospel Chapel, St. Catharines, since 1976 and travels to preach about three dozen times a year, in Ontario and New York State. He is a ventriloquist, in company with Casey, Theodore, Dodo, Grumpa, and a menagerie of others. Also, a bit of a magician.
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The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
Why Did Jesus Say “I am the Bread of Life.”
Images Courtesy of:
Jesus heals a Demonaic – James Tissot
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