Let us turn again to the portion
of scripture we read in Mark chapter 1 and I'll read once
more from verse 21 in Mark 1.21 and they went into
Capernaum and straightway on the Sabbath day he entered into
the synagogue and taught And they were astonished at his doctrine,
for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the
scribes. And there was in their synagogue
a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, Let
us alone. What have we to do with thee,
thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us?
I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked
him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when
the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice,
he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch
that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For
with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and
they do obey him. In particular, I want to center
what I have to say on the words that we have in this last verse,
verse 27. The consequence of the miracle,
in fact the whole chapter, which introduces us, of course, to
the public ministry of Christ. The whole chapter is full of
miracles. But here it is that that he performed
in the synagogue there in Capernaum when he cast out the unclean
spirit. And the spirit knew him. I know
thee who thou art, he says, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebukes
him. and cast the unclean spirit out
of the man. And we're told in verse 27, and
they were all amazed. in so much that they questioned
among themselves, saying, What thing is this? What new doctrine
is this? For with authority commandeth
He even the unclean spirits, and they do obey Him. And the theme, the subject that
I really want to take up this morning is that of the divine
marks of Christ's ministry. The divine marks of the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ and how Christ must ever and always
be at the very heart of any true ministry. I suppose that hymn
that we just sang in some ways we might say is rather a strange
hymn, certainly requires some attention as we sing through
the various lines and of course We don't understand what's being
said in the first two verses till we come to the end of that
second verse. It speaks of all those who are
false teachers, false prophets, and then it says there at the
end of the second verse that the key to any true ministry
is Christ. All others should meet with no
regard at all but rather be withstood it says if anything easy or hard
he teach save the lamb and his blood there is the key then to
the ministry and here in this portion that we are considering
this morning we see something of the Lord's own ministry and
he is that one of course who is the model of all true ministry With Mark's Gospel we are immediately
in the midst of that public ministry of the Lord Christ. The opening
words are very striking, the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. And that really I suppose is
an historical statement, it is the beginning the fullness of
the time as Paul says to the Galatians here in chapter 4 in
the fullness of the time God sends forth his son made of a
woman made under the law and when Christ appears there at
the River Jordan and is baptized by John, his forerunner, so that
ministry begins. It's an historic statement, the
beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But reading that one
also thinks of the words of the Apostle when he writes to the
Philippians. Then in Philippians 4.15 he says,
Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the
Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no church communicated with me
as concerning giving and receiving but ye own." Now there, when
the Apostle is using similar words, the same words we might
say, the beginning of the Gospel, he's not so much speaking in
an historical sense, the Gospel had already begun, but what he
is saying there surely is to be understood in an experimental
sense. It was the beginning of the Gospel
for those Philippians. Those Philippians who were brought
to saving faith in Christ. That Gospel had come to them
not just in words, it had come in such power and authority,
it had come by the Holy Ghost, it had worked mightily and effectually
in their hearts. And that was evident in the way
in which they sought to minister to the Apostle, who of course
had been the Lord's servant in first taking the Gospel to them,
as we have it recorded there in Acts chapter 16. And so, there's a difference
between what we have at the beginning of Mark and what we have there
in Philippians 4. This is an historic statement
there. It's referring to their experience
of the grace of God. If any man be in Christ Jesus,
he is a new creature, a new creation. All things passed away, all things
have become new. but coming to the words of our
text it's interesting isn't it what they say in their amazement
as they behold the ministry of Christ what thing is this they
say what new doctrine is this? what new doctrine is this? this is the new covenant this
is the coming the full and final revelation of that eternal covenant
of grace. The fulfillment, really, of all
the words that we find in the Old Testament prophets. Think
of the language of Jeremiah there, in Jeremiah 31, and verse 31,
he says, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make
a new covenant with the house of Israel. and with the house
of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their
fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them
out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break, although
I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord. But this shall be the
covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those
days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward part,
and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they
shall be my people. And they shall teach no more
every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know
the Lord, for they shall all know Me, from the least of them
unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord. For I will forgive
their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Who is this Israel then? This
is not ethnic Israel, this is God's spiritual Israel. We know
they are not all Israel, they are not of Israel. Neither is
that the true circumcision which is in the letter of the law.
No, this is God's spiritual people, this is the gospel that is being
spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah and it has its fulfillment here
where we read of this new doctrine. This new doctrine. Previously
in that 31st chapter of Jeremiah we have a remarkable statement
at verse 22 where he says the Lord has created a new thing
in the earth a woman shall encompass a man remarkable statement isn't
it the Lord has created a new thing in the earth a woman shall
encompass a man. And the reference is, of course,
to the miracle of the virgin birth, the great mystery of the
incarnation, the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. So clearly
in that chapter, the prophet is speaking of the gospel day.
And that's what we have here before us. And I want us then
to consider something of the divine marks of the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ. and dealing really with just
two points. First of all the authentication
of that ministry, and then secondly, the authority of that ministry. First of all, let us consider
something of the authentication of the Lord's ministry. And that
really is the point and purpose of the miracles that we have
recorded in all of the Gospels concerning Christ. And here in verse 27, the significance
of the miracle is not lost at all, is it? They are amazed,
it says, and they are questioning among themselves, what is this?
What new doctrine is this? Why don't they ask these questions?
Well, we're told. Because with authority, he commands
the unclean spirits and they obey him. He performs remarkable
miracles. Now, as I've said many a time
when we come to John's Gospel, The interesting thing is that
the word that is constantly rendered as miracle in our authorized
version is literally the word for a sign. I've said it many
a time. Remember there in chapter 2,
the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee when the Lord changes
the water into wine, we're told this beginning of miracles, the
Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and His disciples believed on Him.
Or they saw something remarkable, and what they saw, the miracle
was a sign, this beginning of signs, literally, did Jesus in
Cana of Galilee, and the disciples believed on Him. And when we
come to Scripture, we see that whenever there is a certain epoch,
as it were, of divine revelation, where God's word is being proclaimed
there is the miracle to authenticate the ministry we see it in the
days of Moses we read through the books of Moses it's so evident
the mighty works that he accomplishes in Egypt the miraculous things
that Moses does. Now, what is God doing by Moses? He's giving the law. The law
was given by Moses, and it is God's authentication, you see,
of that great epoch where God is making known his divine law. and then subsequently of course
we have the ministry of all the prophets and the prophets would
appeal to that Lord of God as we read in Isaiah to the law
and to the testimony if they speak not according to this word
there's no truth in them but also with the prophets there
are miracles who is it that stands as the representative of the
prophetic office? But in many ways it's the prophet
Elijah. And when Christ is transfigured
on the mount, who is it that appears unto him? Here at the
beginning of chapter 9 in this gospel according to St. Mark
we're told, there appeared unto him Elias, that is Elijah, and
Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. These two men, Moses
and Elias, that's simply the Greek form of the name Elijah,
and they're talking with Jesus. Luke says they're discussing
his death, his decease, that he's going to accomplish there
in Jerusalem. They're talking of what Christ
has come to accomplish here upon the earth. But these two men,
they represent the Old Testament law, Moses, and the Old Testament
prophets, Elijah. And you know that Elijah, and
then his successor, Elisha, were men who performed remarkable
miracles. And those miracles are the authentication
of the prophetic office. And so this one, that we read
of here in the opening chapter of Mark, the Lord Jesus Christ
himself, he is that one who is the great prophet. is he not spoken of by Moses in Deuteronomy chapter
18 there in two separate verses really we read of his prophetic
office God speaks there verse 15 in Deuteronomy 18 the Lord
thy God will rise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee
of thy brethren like unto me, him shall ye hearken." This is
the word of Moses, obviously telling them what God is going
to do. He's going to raise up a prophet like unto Moses. But then God speaks directly,
verse 18, I will raise him up a prophet from among their brethren.
He says to Moses, Like unto thee, and I will put my words in his
mouth, and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command
him. In a sense, he's another Moses. But of course, he's greater than
Moses. The law was given by Moses. grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ. But now by the miracles there
are those who recognize that Jesus of Nazareth is that promised
one. He is that prophet who was to
come. And we see it for example in the miracle that he performs
when he raises from the dead the widow of Nain's son there
in Luke chapter 7 at verse 11 following how he performs a miracle
he goes to the buyer they're taking this young man to bury
him and the Lord raises him again to life restores him to his mother
and we're told how fear came on all and they glorified God
saying a great prophet is risen That's what they say when he
performs a miracle. A great prophet is risen among
us. God has visited his people. That
miracle is pointing to him then as that one who is the true prophet
of the Lord. But not only the prophet, but
the very fulfillment of the prophetic office. Because Christ is just that. He is the Messiah.
Jesus of Nazareth is that one that God promised the son of
the woman, the son of Abraham, the son of David, the seed of
the woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David, and we have
it there in Matthew chapter 12 for example. There are various
verses we could turn to, but here in chapter 12 of Matthew.
We are told verse 22, Then was brought unto him one possessed
with the devil, blind and dumb, and he healed him, insomuch that
the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were
amazed and said, Is not this the Son of David? Is not this
the Son of David? What are they saying? Is not
this the Promised One? Is not this the Messiah, the
Christ? Oh, the miracles then are those
that point to Jesus of Nazareth as that one who is the great
prophet of God, the promised Messiah. And how these miracles
are there authenticating his ministry. But then, ultimately,
all these miracles are really for God's glory. All really gives honor and glory,
not to man, but to God. Again in Matthew, Matthew 15,
31, the multitude, it says, wondered when they saw the dumb to speak,
the lame to behold, the lame to walk, and the blind to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel. All the miracles are for God's
glory. There are those today, you see,
who claim to be able to perform many wonderful works. But it
seems that they do these things for themselves and for their
own glory. But all of this is for the glory of God. How the
people marvel at these things. All the devils cast out, the
dumb speak, the multitude marveled, saying, It was never so done
in Israel. And so we have it here in the
text. They were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves,
saying, What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For
with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and
they do obey him. We see something then of the
point, the purpose, of the miracles. But then with regards to these
mighty works we must also recognize what was their place? What was their place really in
the coming of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? And we see
really that they are subservient to the preaching of the Word
of Truth. The preaching is what is paramount. And the miracles really are quite
secondary to that preaching of the Word. In Luke, when Christ
begins his ministry, Luke chapter 4, remember how he'd been baptized,
he'd been led of the Spirit into the wilderness, He'd been tempted
40 days as we have it in summary here in Mark's opening chapter. A far more detailed account is
given in in Luke, and then he comes out of the wilderness after
his temptations, full of the Spirit of God, and he goes to
Nazareth where he'd been brought up, and that was his custom.
He's in the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and the minister
put in his hand the scroll. It's a prophecy of Isaiah, the
book of Isaiah. And the Lord begins to read there
in Isaiah chapter 61 and what is the passage that the Lord
reads? What is the significance of the
passage? We have the record as I say in
Luke He found the place where it was
written the Spirit of the Lord is upon me Because he hath anointed
me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them
that are bruised, to preach the acceptable word of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and David again to the minister and sat
down, and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were
fastened on him. And he began to say unto them,
This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Now look at the
significance of the portion that he reads in Isaiah 61. How does
it begin? The Spirit of the Lord is upon
me because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel. And he
goes on to speak of the miracles. But then at the end of the passage
It's those words in verse 19, to preach the acceptable year
of the Lord. The passage that he reads then
begins with the preaching of the gospel and ends with the
preaching of the acceptable year of the Lord. It is clear that
the Lord's own ministry is principally that of being himself a great
prophet, a great preacher, the prince of all preachers of course. and the miracles are there simply
to authenticate just as was the case with Moses or with Elijah
and all the prophets it's the Word and it's the ministry of
the Word that has the preeminence and again we see it with the
Lord's own apostles as Paul writes there in Hebrews chapter 2 There
in Hebrews chapter 2 at verse 3, How shall we escape if we
neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken
by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him,
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders,
and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according
to his own will? It's what is spoken by the Lord.
It's what is confirmed by his apostles. And then God bears
his witness by signs and wonders and mighty works and miracles.
But it is the Word that is so paramount. And we see it here. What new doctrine is this? Oh,
they see there's something significant in this miracle. It points to
some great truth that God is about to reveal, some new doctrine.
Again, in Luke 4.36, when they witness the miracle, they say,
what word is this? Interesting statement there,
in that 36th verse, in Luke chapter 4. They see a miracle, And what's
the response? What word is this? It's the word. It's the word that is vital.
It's the word that is the very center, of course, of the ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ and all true ministry is the preaching
of Christ, the preaching of Christ in His person and in His work. What does Paul say to the Corinthians? I determine to know nothing amongst
you save Jesus Christ. and him crucified. And in the
Acts, what do these men do? They go everywhere preaching
the Gospel of Christ. The miracles then are there simply
to authenticate. Authenticate the Lord's ministry. But let us, in the second place,
consider something of the authority that belongs to this ministry
of Christ. They say in the text, with authority, commandeth he
even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. You see, previously, verse 22,
they were astonished at his doctrine, it says, for he taught them as
one that had authority, and not as the scribes. Oh, they're astonished at the
authority with which this man is able to speak the Word of
Truth. And we know that the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ could
raise the dead. Wasn't that the case with his
friend Lazarus? As we have it there in John 11. Here he is at the grave of Lazarus,
he's been dead four days, says his sister. And there in that
hot climate, behold he stinketh. His body is already beginning
to decay, they would think. But Jesus cried with a loud voice,
Lazarus come forth. And he that was dead came forth,
bound with grey clothes, and bound about his head with a napkin.
And what does the Lord say? Loose him and let him go. Loose
him. Release him. Oh, he has a voice,
you see, to raise the dead. That's a miracle, of course.
But Christ is that one who also has authority to raise those
who are spiritually dead, those who are dead in trespasses and
in sins. And he declares it, doesn't he,
there in the fifth chapter of John. Verily, verily, the hour
is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of
the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. Oh, the hour
is coming, it's come already, it's there with Christ, it's
going to continue. It's the day of grace, the Gospel day. For
as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even
so the Son quickeneth whom He will, says Christ. He is that
one then who can bring spiritual life to those who are dead in
trespasses and sins. Again he says, the words that
I speak unto you they are spirits and they are life. He has such
authority as he ministers the word of God. Or where the word
of a king is. There is authority, there's power. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
They acknowledged those who were sent by the scribes and Pharisees
to try to catch him in his words. Never man spake like this man,
was the report that those officers came back with. Why he spoke
with such an authority. Now why was this the case? Two
things, two things. First of all, here is one who
has a commission. He has come as the Messiah, he
has come as the very servant of God. No man taketh his honour
to himself, he says, but he that is called. And the Lord Jesus
Christ was called He was called in the sense of
that eternal covenant of grace, that covenant of redemption that
he had entered into with the Father from all eternity. We read of God sending His own
Son. God sends Him. Now, as the Son,
we know He is equal with the Father. there's no subserviency
in the Godhead. Father, Son and Holy Ghost they
are co-equal. There is no superiority of one
over the other. It's God the Father, God the
Son and God the Holy Ghost. But the great mystery of godliness,
the mystery of real religion is that the Son of God was manifest
in the flesh when God sends him in the fullness of the time.
He comes then, doesn't he, as the servant of God. Behold my servant, God says,
whom I uphold, mine elect, in whom my soul delights. He is
God's first elect. The whole election of grace are
all chosen in him, as Paul says there in Ephesians 1. And so
when he comes, he comes with a commission. He whom God hath
sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit
by measure unto him." We have that statement there at the end
of John chapter 3. And we see there in this mission, in this ministry
of the Lord Jesus Christ, all the persons in the Godhead, Father,
Son and Holy Ghost are involved. the Father sends him, he whom
God hath sent the Son is sent and he speaketh the words of
God and how do we know he speaketh the words of God because God
giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him for the Holy Ghost has
come upon him in a great effusion there it is baptizing the heavens
open the Spirit is sending upon him he is sent by the Father
he is anointed by the Spirit of God. And so what does he say
in the course of his preaching? My doctrine is not mine, but
his that sent me. So how shall they preach, except
they be sent? This is his authority. He has
a commission from on high. and in some small measure surely
that is true of any who are the Lord's true servants. There's
that compulsion, they must speak the
word of God. Jeremiah would forbear, but God's
word is in his bones. He's got to speak it, because
God's hand is upon him. And in some measure that must
be true of every one of the Lord's servants. But we're thinking
in particular of Him who is the Prince of all preachers, the
Lord Jesus Christ. What authority! Oh, what thing
is this? What new doctrine is this? For
with authority commandeth He even the unclean spirits and
they do obey Him. But there's not only His commission.
There's also here his experience, how the Lord
prepares him in that experimental way. I know I often quote those
words, I think they're quite remarkable in Hebrews 5, who
in the days of his flesh, speaking of Christ, who in the days of
his flesh, when he had offered up prayer and supplication with
strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
from death and was heard in that he feared. he was heard in that
he feared the margin indicates he's heard in that he fears,
his fear is the fear of God, it's piety it's reverence heard
in that he feared how he is subject you see as the God-man subject
to the father though he were a son he continues though he
were a son yet learned the obedience by the things that he suffered
and Here we're reminded of what had taken place previous to his
miraculous ministry. After his baptizing, verse 12,
immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And
he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan,
and was with the wild beast and the angels ministered unto him. And then, after John is put in
prison, Jesus comes. He comes into Galilee preaching
the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, saying, the time is fulfilled,
the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent you and believe the Gospel. Is there not a connection there
then, between his previous experience and this beginning of his ministry?
All that time, the bitterness of those 40 days sorely assaulted
by Satan. And of course the devil only
leaves him for a little season, it says in Matthew's account.
The devil will come again, and again, and again. And when he
comes to the end he says to his disciples, ye are they which
have continued with me in my temptations. Oh the Lord is ever
equipping him for this ministry. these bitter experiences and
remember how we have more detail in the other synoptic gospels
in Matthew and in Luke concerning these things and there in Matthew's
account for example in chapter 4 we read of his temptations
in some detail in the wilderness and then when he returns in the
fullness of the spirit, what do we have? Chapters 5, 6 and
7 we have the great sermon that he preaches, the Sermon on the
Mount. Where did he learn that sermon? He didn't learn it in
books. He's speaking out of his heart's
experience, the things that he has known. Oh, this is a great
comfort, is it not, to the people of God? How he was tempted. And he was tried and tested,
tempted in all points. Paul says, like as we are, yet
without seeing. And he's able, you see, to succor
them that are tempted. He was such an exercise preacher. He preached those things that
he had known and felt the Lord Jesus Christ. That's a remarkable
thing. Remember what Luther said concerning
the minister, it's prayer, it's meditation, it's temptation.
Those three things that make the minister, prayer, meditation,
that's the looking to God, that's meditating the Word of God, but
there must also be those testings, those trying, those temptations.
And all of this is equipping the Lord for the ministry. that
is so amazing to these people what thing is this? what new
doctrine? what new teaching is this? they say he was one then who preached
not just intellectually, not just addressing the mind but
speaking out of all the fullness of his own experiences and so
when the people hear him they're amazed Remember the testimony
of the woman of Samaria there in John chapter 4 when she goes
back to the city, come see a man, she says, which told me all things
that ever I did. Is not this the Christ? He told
me all things. Now, we have to be careful. We're
not to think that it was simply a matter of his omniscience.
God does know all things. He knows the end from the beginning,
we know that. And that is the Christ, the Son
of God, and He's never anything less than that. But I reckon
there, it's not so much His omniscience, it's His experiences. It's His
temptations, it's all that He's been through Himself. It's the
reality of His human nature that is coming out. he needed not
that any should testify of man he knew what was in the hearts
of men he knew what sort of temptations were all the comfort you see
that we can draw from the truth of the reality of his human nature
a man there is a real man he's a real man he's not a superman
he's crucified through weakness it's all mystery to us But let
us never lose sight of that blessed truth that he is God, yes, but
he is also man. And the mystery of it is, he's
one person, he's not God at one moment, man at another. He's
always God, man in everything he does. One person. And this is the one that they're
amazed at. Imagine what it must have been
to be there, and to witness these things, and to hear his words.
And yet he comes now, doesn't he? He comes still in the ministry
of the Word, in the preaching of the Gospel. I've said many
a time, he was there at Ephesus when the Apostle was preaching. And remember how Paul reminds
them. He says, you have not so learned
Christ if so be ye have heard him and been taught by him as
the truth is in Jesus and Christ was never at Ephesus and yet
they heard Christ and they were taught of Christ how was that? well through the ministry of
the Lord's servants and that holds still true the Lord comes
he has promised where two or three are met together in my
name I am there in the midst he is here he is in the midst
And we should be those who desire to witness something of that
gracious presence, to hear his voice. Not the words of a preacher,
but the words of the living God. Even the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
It's amazing. It's amazing. they were all amazed in so much
that they questioned among themselves saying what thing is this? what
new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth
he even the unclean spirits and they do obey all this new doctrine
the gospel of the grace of God and remember what the Lord says
to his disciples in the as he comes to the end of his earthly
ministry a new commandment he says a new commandment I give
unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also
love one another it's all new it's those exceeding great and
precious promises it's those precepts of the gospel and we
have to come, we have to attend to his voice and we have to be
those who would not be in any way partial in his word, we want
all his words We want His promises, we want His precepts. All we
want to know Him, His person, His work. And all made such a
reality that it makes us new creatures. If any man's in Christ,
he's a new creation. Who are we that today? New creatures.
All things passing away. All things ever becoming new.
May the Lord have mercy and bless His word to us. Amen.