Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Here’s Jesus in the synagogue in Capernaum, teaching as one with authority. What do you suppose that means? Is he pounding on a pulpit or yelling? Is he quoting the “experts,” that is, teachers of the law or rabbis from past years? Or is he simply explaining Scripture in a way that made sense, in a way that perhaps contradicted some of what those listening to him had heard before? I think so. I think Jesus is teaching like he knows exactly what the Scriptures mean, what the lessons are, and how they apply directly to those who are listening to him.

And now, “a man with an unclean spirit” is in their midst, right there in the synagogue! Does this mean he simply “appeared,” perhaps out of thin air? No, I don’t think so. I think the man was there all along. in fact he might have been a regular attendee at that synagogue. After all, what better place for an unclean spirit to work than in the synagogue, or in the church today? Maybe he was the kind of man who today might say something like “let me play devil’s advocate,” the difference being back then he would have really meant it! He’s the kind of guy I could see sitting there quietly, then speaking, perhaps supporting a course of non-action, or suggesting the easy understanding of a particular scripture, arguing persuasively that there’s some gray area there, that it’s not always black and white.  The unclean spirit suddenly causes the man to exclaim, “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.” And Jesus commands the unclean spirit to leave the man and all marvel at this.

Now, I’m not surprised that the unclean spirit recognized Jesus. After all, Jesus saw Satan and the rest of those who rebelled against God, cast out of heaven. And I’m not really surprised that the rest of the folks who were there back then didn’t recognize Jesus. It was near the start of Jesus’ ministry, the unclean spirit’s exclaiming “the Holy One of God” might not have registered with them. But, I wonder, if Jesus were with us now, today, yesterday, if he’s here tomorrow, would we recognize him? Would you recognize him?

Did you see him in the face of one of teachers from children’s ministry as he or she taught our youngsters? Did you see him in the face of one of the young people who came up a few minutes ago for the children’s sermon? Did you recognize him in the face of one who was too shy to come up, who clung to mom or dad? Did you see Jesus for who he was in the face of one of our guests when we last hosted IHN? Or in the face of the woman behind the counter, or the guy who was waiting on tables as our guests ate? Did you see him the last time you were at Temple Baptist in Brainerd as we served 60 or so people who came for a square meal, to get out of the cold, to be treated as though it was an honor to serve them? He was there too, serving that night. He was there as a member of our congregation was driven for treatment to the Brainerd hospital. Or maybe it was the one in St. Cloud, or one of those in the Twin Cities. He was there driving or riding along on one of those trips. Did you see him in Pastor Joan as she preached last Sunday?

And Jesus taught, and teaches, as “one having authority.” And if you saw Jesus, if you see him today, will you accept his teaching, through Pastor Joan, through myself, through the words of Holy Scripture, will you accept his teaching as having authority, as being authoritative in and for your life? If so, then you accept all his teachings. Or do you pick and choose, saying this one doesn’t really apply to me. Or perhaps thinking that “I know what’s best, I love this church and I’ll pretty much do as I please and woe to anyone who gets in my way!”

So what are these teachings of Jesus, the ones that apply to our lives today? Well, all of them of course. But let me hold some of them up for you, for all of his teachings stem from these.

Jesus teaches us that God so loves the people of the world that he gave his only Son for their sakes, that all who believe will not perish, but have eternal life. And this flows from love. And speaking of love, Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is that we should love the Lord our God with every fiber of our being, and that the next is like it, that we should love our neighbor as our self. And he further tells us that on these two commandments the law and prophets depend. And he defines “neighbor” in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Which of course means that there is no definition of who our neighbor is, and who our neighbor isn’t. Which means that everyone, everywhere, is our neighbor. In Africa, Europe, South America, in the Twin Cities, in the pew next to you.

Then what? Jesus tells us to do unto others as we would have done unto us. Not do to them before they do to you. Not do to them that they will do the same to you. No, there’s no condition here, just do as you would have done. Don’t belittle, berate, tear down, disrespect, cause to fall, or despair. Instead treat others with love, respect, build them up, share with them.

Now I suspect that if you’re with me so far, well, you probably think of yourself as a disciple. And now Jesus is talking specifically to his disciples. What’s that he’s saying? It sounds like “Love one another as I love you, by this they will know you are my disciples, that you love one another.” Jesus loves you enough to die for you. Does he want you to make the ultimate sacrifice for a brother or sister? Perhaps. But I can tell you this, he does want you to die to self, that is to put the needs of others ahead of your own wants, your own desires, your own agendas. Jesus wants you, he tells you in a very emphatic fashion, no wiggle room here, to love one another. To do so is our agenda, it is our delight. It is our witness.

Brothers and sisters, as a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, by his authority, as your associate pastor I tell you this, from our Lord Jesus. Love one another as he loves you, that all will know you are his disciples, by your love for one another.

AMEN.