Providence Church (CREC)
Fourth Sunday After Epiphany, February, 1st, 2009.
Mark 1:21-28
Fourth Official Sermon
Title: The Coming of the King
Mark 1:21-28
21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “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.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
Prayer: Give us Grace, O Lord to hear your Word and live by it. In Christ’s Name, Amen.
The gospel of St. Mark introduces the readers to a New King. We have in the beginning of this gospel a royal procession. It is the royal procession of the anointed One of Israel, Jesus the Messiah. Mark’s gospel is the beginning of a new era; a new world in which Christ our Lord is the exalted ruler and sovereign King. The New King is coming to make sure that His house is in order. He is coming to clean up His house with the waters of baptism and to purify it with the blood of the cross. The King is coming and God’s chosen vessel to declare to the world the coming of the King and His Kingdom is the greatest of all earthly prophets, John the Baptist.[1] He comes from the wilderness preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins. He comes clothed in camel’s hair, eating locusts and wild honey, preparing the way of the Lord. John the Baptist is the greater Moses calling the people to repent and turn to their God. He is the greater Samuel who anoints/baptizes Christ as the new King of Israel. In verse 9, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and the Spirit descends upon him like a dove. What is happening at Jesus’ baptism is that He is being equipped by the Spirit for the prophetic task ahead. And in verse 11, “…a voice comes from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” God the Father confirms Jesus’ kingship.
What we have in this affirmation is the manifestation of the Trinity. As Augustine writes: “The Trinity appears very clearly; the Father in the voice, the son in the man, the Spirit in the dove.”[2]Father, Son and Spirit are together before eternity past and will continue of one mind for all eternity future. Continue reading “Sermon: Mark 1:21-28; The Coming of the King, Fourth Sunday after Epiphany”
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