Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Saturday after the First Sunday after the Epiphany of our Lord

Posted on January 15, 2022 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Mark 1:21-28 (NKJV)
 
1:21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
 
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
 
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 8 “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
 
Devotion
 
“And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
 
Jesus taught the people with authority, for He is the giver of the Holy Scriptures and has the authority to fully explain them and apply them to His hearers. Jesus’ authority as the Son of God was seen in the fact that He even commanded an unclean spirit to come out of a demon-possessed man, and the evil spirit had no choice but to obey Him.
 
We also see Jesus’ use of this authority in His sermon on the mount as He expounded the true meaning of the Scriptures. He said numerous times, “You have heard that it was said … but I say to you…” (Matt. 5). In the “Great Commission”, Christ’s Church is to make disciples of the nations, by baptizing and teaching all that Christ taught and commanded (Matt. 28:18-20). The true meaning of Scriptures is centered in Christ Jesus; it must be understood through Him and His teaching, for He is the Son of God and His Word is truth (John 8:31-32)!
 
Prayer: O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people who call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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