Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Mark 1:21-28, Psalm 111

Today’s action takes place in Caperna-um – a village on the shores of the Sea of Galilee that has fertile soil and a prosperous fishing industry.  Appropriately, Capernaum would become the fertile center of Jesus’ Galilean ministry.  Here in Capernaum, as we are told in this morning’s Gospel lesson, when the Sabbath came Jesus goes to the synagogue to teach.  And, even at this early stage of Mark’s narrative, we begin to see the synagogue becoming a symbol of hostility between Jesus and the established leaders.  These leaders will grow increasingly concerned about the powerful actions they witness from this stranger from across the way in Nazareth.

So, let’s imagine the confusion, wonder, and even fear in our setting.  “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 your are, the Holy One of God.’”  [Mark 1:24 NRSV]  Who said that?  What does he mean?  What will Jesus do now?  What will this crazy person do next?

We might, at first, think of this unclean spirit as something morally impure.  But, rather than being interpreted as something immoral or morally unclean, Jewish tradition would interpret the unclean spirit as anything that is opposed to the “holy.”[1]  This unclean spirit is well aware of its opponent.  And, here it is – a force that is opposed to the holy.  Here it is, right here in the synagogue – this sacred space of worship.  And, did this unclean spirit call Jesus “the Holy One of God?”

This unclean spirit coming in opposition to the holy comes in opposition to Jesus – the “holy one of God.”  Wonder and awe possess those standing by watching as Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, thus, subduing it and expelling it.  There is no physical touch like that that we often visualize in healing or exorcism.  Jesus says, simply, “Be silent, and come out of him!” and the unclean spirit obeys – a true message of the power of this Jesus of Nazareth – power expressed not in his dominance, but in his service.[2]

Jesus rebukes, subdues, and expels the unclean spirit through the power of his mission.  Our focus for today is that ongoing mission – our focus for today and always is to dispel the unclean spirits that oppose this mission of the “holy one of God.”  The opposition is sneaky; the opposition seeks to remain unrecognizable until it has established a hold on us, successfully separating us from our faith journey.

The opposition comes in the form of inhibitions or lack of nerve that limit our sharing of the Gospel message; the opposition comes in the form of corruption of the Gospel message through our self-righteous cruelty to one another; the opposition is expressed in our improper insinuation that God’s grace can and must be earned.

Our focus today is our place in the Body of Christ – serving the world in the name of Christ.  We are not to think of ourselves as serving the church – and certainly not that we are serving the priest.  We ARE the Church serving the world in the name of Jesus Christ.   Jesus Christ is here among us; Jesus Christ is in us wherever we go and in everyone we meet.

Through the mission and ministry of The Church of the Advent lives are changed.  The opposition – the unclean spirit knows this change well; the unclean spirit in opposition to the holy one of God seeks to devour our zeal for ministry and thwart the goals of our mission.  The unclean spirit is well disguised; our constant vigilance is essential.

The psalmist reminds us the Lord’s “work is full of majesty and splendor,
and his righteousness endures for ever.”

To the glory of God, the work of Jesus Christ through us is filled with splendor.  Lives are changed.  The Lord’s righteousness endures forever.