Sermon Tone Analysis

Authority

The captain on the bridge of a large naval vessel saw a light ahead on a collision course.

He signaled, “Alter your course ten degrees south.”

The reply came back, “Alter your course ten degrees north.”

The captain then signaled, “Alter your course ten degrees south.

I am a captain.”

The reply: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.

I am a seaman third-class.”

The furious captain signaled, “Alter your course ten degrees south.

I am a battleship.”

The reply: “Alter your course ten degrees north.

I am a lighthouse.”

Prayer

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.

Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and take them to heart that, by the patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life.

… through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

AUTHORITY.

†The possession of and right to use power

In the story above, the naval officer knew that he had authority.

1st, because he was in command; 2nd, because of his rank; 3rd because of the size of his command.

By contrast, the person on the other end of the conversation had only one basis of authority - his state of being, that of being in a lighthouse.

Our Gospel text continues with Mark’s introduction to us of Jesus the Messiah.

Previously we saw Jesus’ validation by the Father, His conquest over satan in the wilderness, followed by His return and launching forth into His Mission.

The way that Mark lays things out, it is clear that Jesus does not play.

When He called the four fishermen, Andrew, Peter, James and John, they didn’t even try to argue.

They dropped whatever they were doing and responded to His summons.

The first thing He does is take them right back home...

The ordinary way of teaching in the synagogue involved presenting your subject as being supported by previous rabbis, and ultimately supported by Moses.

Unlike the American church scene, which is perpetually seeking out the newest theory, the hot new revelation, and such like, they prized tradition.

Even John the Baptizer, aside from his demand for washing in the Jordan, called for nothing that had not been declared by the Prophets going back to Elijah: repentance and obedience to God’s Holy Commandments.

When Jesus enters Capernaum, He comes with no pedigree that anyone would have respected, He has no title or official status, even John’s recommend would not have been known except to his disciples.

None of that stopped Jesus from entering that Synagogue and declaring that the Kingdom of God was at hand.

Like John, He calls for repentance, but unlike John, he isn’t dressed in the rough clothing of an ascetic, drawing and yet terrifying by the sternness of his appearance.

No - the Word itself pulsed with authority, and they recognized it.

Do you hear what they heard?

If you believe those words, turn to somebody, grab them by the hand and say, “I know that’s right!”

Now point that same hand to heaven and say, “Thank you, Jesus!”

That’s right, I know that Word is true because I heard it as the Word of Christ

As a LCMS Mission Field: USA, I see myself as the tip of a long, powerful spear.

Behind me stands, though our synodical organizations, RSOs and congregations, the prayers, encouragement, and finances of countless Confessional Evangelical believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen?

On paper, we would be a juggernaut - sweeping away idolatry and enthusiast pietism through the faithful service of Word and Sacrament.

On paper, we are a force Satan cannot comprehend.

On paper, we are invincible.

All those things that I just said are EXACTLY how the Bible describes the Church of Christ.

When we take our eyes out of the Book, out of God’s Strong Word, and look at either our fellow-believers, or at those to whom we witness, serve, or disciple, sometimes, it gets hard.

When I look in the Book, I see

When I look at my Mission Account back in St. Louis...

I see a deficit.

When I look at my boss, Rev. Dr. Schave, I see frustration with my lack of a strong network of supporters.

When Mission Advance contacts me, it’s to tell me that I need to do more presentations, come see people like you.

The Bible tells me about “principalities,” about “strongholds,” about “spiritual forces of wickedness.”

When I read those words, I think about the next part of our text.

If I told you that I have seen demons in action, and cast them out, would you think I was crazy or putting on a show?

But I have.

I have looked into the eyes of a demonized person who, but for the grace of God, wanted to take my life where I stood.

No, it wasn’t in the jungles of central America or some part of Africa - it was in downtown Las Vegas, NV (not much difference, I guess).

The devil doesn’t bother me - I know what he will do - because the Word tells me

I can stop the devil in his tracks - Sigurd Grindheim,, author of Introducing Biblical Theology, wrote about the Kingdom of God that, “When God’s kingly rule was established, the most important thing that would happen was that his enemies would no longer be able to oppose him.

When Jesus came, this was exactly what happened.

The evil spirits knew who Jesus was, and they knew that he had come to destroy them ().

Jesus himself explains why he could cast out the demons: “But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

There is a curious little fact, however, that we don’t talk about.

It’s found in the Gospel of John.

It wasn’t the devils that gave Jesus trouble.

It wasn’t Satan who withstood Jesus’ Word.

It was people!

Look at your neighbor, say “neighbor, is it you?”

If we end up shutting down this mission.

If I end up having to take a call somewhere to take care of my family.

If I have to walk away from this charge, it won’t be because of demons.

It will be because somewhere, some folks said that they didn’t care about ministry at home.

They would rather cross land and sea to win a soul and watch a city just down the road go to into ruin.

Like I said, I;m just the tip of the spear.

I can call and come out, but I can only reach so many when it comes to support.

If you all will help me, I know that we can do better.

IF you talk to the people whom you know, your cousins in California, your sorors in Florida, your LinkedIn colleagues wherever they are, and tell them what we’re doing here, how the homeless are getting a new lease on life, how the ones who didn’t know God have heard the pure Gospel and are walking away from their bottles and needles, drinking only from the cup of the New Covenant.

Tell them how kids that had no good options for an education are getting a good Lutheran Education, since I came here.

Maybe they’ll add to your monthly contribution, maybe they’ll do a special fund-raiser.

Maybe they will become part of the solution instead of part of the crowd.

Maybe they’ll join this great mission that you and I are a part of in Gary.

In closing

A letter from a missionary out in the jungles of New Guinea writing to his friends at home caught the nature of spiritual warfare:

“Man, it is great to be in the thick of the fight, to draw the old devil’s heaviest guns, to have him at you with depression and discouragement, slander, disease.

He doesn’t waste time on a lukewarm bunch.

He hits good and hard when a fellow is hitting him.

You can always measure the weight of your blow by the one you get back.

When you’re on your back with fever and at your last ounce of strength, when some of your converts backslide, when you learn that your most promising inquirers are only fooling, when your mail gets held up, and some don’t bother to answer your letters, is that the time to put on mourning?