“An Amazing Invasion”
“An Amazing Invasion”
Mark 1.21-28
Mark 1.21-28
In the name of the Living God and the Christ who has appeared to us. Amen.
The town of Capernaum, along the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, was not an insignificant little fishing village at the time of Christ. This is not little Nazareth, where the Lord grew up. Capernaum had a good-size harbor, which you can still see today when the water is low. The important trade route—the Via Maris, Way of the Sea—passed through Capernaum, linking the chief Syrian city Damascus with the Mediterranean Sea. Because it had a trade route, it also had a tax office, where St. Matthew worked and from where he was called. And because it had a tax office, it also had a Roman Garrison—you see how this works, now, right? First century Capernaum also boasted a beautiful synagogue—its foundations are still there. This is where our Lord taught and drove out the unclean spirit and amazed the gathering crowds in this morning’s gospel.
I tell you these things not to give you a biblical archeology lecture from the pulpit, but as a reminder that we worship the God who intervened in history—a real place, with real people, with real problems. And because we know that the Living God intervened in their history, we know He intervenes in ours, too. One distant day, the significant city we live in on the southwest side of a different lake will surely be reduced to rubble and ruin, as was theirs. Kingdoms and Empires rise and fall—every one of them—but the word of our God endures forever. That word at work in us, through faith in this Jesus, will enliven us forever.
This Word of our God invaded Capernaum in the word made flesh, Messiah Jesus, as St. Mark bears witness to us. I say “invaded”, because that fits the biblical picture much better than say, “invited” or “requested” or “inquired into”. Jesus entered into the realm of this dark world, and overturned evil in all its forms. In these opening scenes, we are given an insider’s knowledge as to who our hero really is: the Christ, the very Son of God. We are given an insider’s understanding of His mission: he confronts the evil which has enslaved God’s creation. And we are enlisted into his work by becoming followers of him and fishers of men.
Jesus confronts the evil of a dark world in all its forms. By his teaching, driving out demons, curing the sick, calming the waves, feeding the hungry, and restoring the downtrodden, our Lord invades the lair of the Evil one, overturns his authority, and rescues those held captive.
Here in Capernaum, the people are amazed at his authority: they recognize that he has not only the permission from God for this work, but also the power of God to do this work. Jesus’ teaching was not like that of the teachers of the law because the Lord’s was divine in origin and divine in accomplishment. It came from God, and it “did” from God. In fact, Jesus was and is and always will be the very Word of God, who has all authority in heaven and earth. And brothers and sisters, he has no less authority here among us, this morning. As the Word given in the word and in the sacraments, Jesus is even this moment invading our dark hearts, our lives, our world, and setting us free by the permission of God and the power of God. Satan accusing you? Christ has authority here. Heart hurting you? Christ has authority here. Fears crippling you? Christ has authority here. Sin binding you? Christ has authority here. Darkness blinding you? Christ has authority here.
Jesus invaded Capernaum and on one Sabbath he freed captives, drove out the darkness, and overturned the authority of Satan. But this was not enough. The Gospel only begins here. It crescendos at the end of the book in a victory of a different kind, a victory through which all the other little victories are given their meaning. In his suffering and death, Jesus, the instrument of light, enters the darkness once and for all; for us and for all. He becomes the darkness for us. In his suffering and passion, in his tears and bloody sweat, in his hands which held nails on that Friday when the sky turned black, Jesus accomplished his full and final authority over sin, death and the devil. This is he, who we praise this morning. This is he who speaks to us life, again today. This is he who hears our silent prayers and wipes away every tear. This is he, who in the authority of his glorious resurrection, has spoken the final word on us.
We can imagine one day a millennium from now, archeologists of the distant future perhaps unearthing our own city. Perhaps. Who knows, maybe no one will bother! But if they do, they’ll find things not all that different from Capernaum, although on a larger scale: trade routes, tax offices, garrisons, federal buildings, markets, houses of worship, and a pleasant little harbor or two. Ultimately, what distinguishes people is not what century they live in; or whether they reside in a city, town, or village; or how they vote; or how much money they make; or what kind of job they do. The ultimate distinguishing mark is what they do with Jesus, the Invasion of Divine Light into this dark world.
May we be enlightened by his presence and join him as children of the light.
Come soon Lord Jesus. Amen.