15 November 2021  Devotion for Today  “Unclean Spirits”   Mark 1:21-28

The Scripture for today calls to mind a worship service I was leading in Pennsylvania more than thirty-five years ago.  I will not identify the place, suffice it to say that it was perhaps one of the most difficult preaching venues of my young ministry.   Robin and I drove a hundred miles or more to this location and got a little lost on the way there.   We did make it to the church with a few minutes to spare.  Exiting the car, I walked to a man in the parking area near the entrance to the building.   He looked somewhat authoritative.  I smiled and greeted him, identifying ourselves.  He stood there frowning, glassy-eyed, starring disapprovingly at me and said nothing at first.   It was then I caught a whiff of what I was certain was alcohol from his breath.   It was then that the man spoke and said:  “You know we are supposed to be having communion this morning, don’t you?”   I resisted the urge to tell the man: “from what I can tell, you have already had communion!”  Thankfully I did not say this.  Instead I replied, “Sir would you mind showing us where the sanctuary is?”  He drew a breath and signed.  We followed him into the sanctuary, where he identified himself as a deacon.   I then asked him:  “now how do you go about the communion service?”  It was probably not the best question to ask as he growled, “How else do you serve communion?”   He then stalked away.  I remember thinking, “This is going to be a long church service!”

The congregation was somewhat sparse, which was no surprise given what we had already experienced.  The service began and I called the deacons forward to assist me with the Lord’s Supper service, including the inebriated gentleman I encountered earlier, and the elements were passed without incident.   The song leader came to the platform to lead in worship.  An older lady sat at a Hammond organ and began playing, but the two were not in sync with the rhythm at all.  In obvious frustration, the worship leader snapped at the organist.  “Let’s start this again!  Can’t you get it right?”   I was shocked that the worship leader  behaved this way, but eyeing the audience, no one reacted to the comment at all.  After leading one or two rather botched hymn selections, the worship leader introduced me, stammering and grasping for words.   I approached the pulpit as graciously as I knew how, and started preaching.   I was into my second point when a woman in her thirties began shrieking, startling me.  She stood to her feet,  mumbling and groaning, and then spouting obscenities.  The song-leading husband tried in vain to calm her down.  I tried to continue preaching, but to no avail.   I had to stop until the song leader led the woman from the room.   I was hardly able to regain my composure, and continued on with the message.  But there was deep, dark heaviness in the room that seemed to grow more intense as I continued to preach- taking nearly all the power out of me.  Confusion clouded my mind as well, making it very difficult to stay focused as I preached.  Finally, I drew the message to a close, led in the invitation, and then dismissed the service.  No one approached me or greeted my wife and I as they filed out the door.   No one spoke to us except a little lady who placed an envelop in my hand as an honorarium for preaching the morning service.  Robin and I walked to the car and drove back the 115 miles to Pittsburgh where we were staying at the time.

This unfortunate ministry story seems similar to what I find in the Scripture reading in Mark’s Gospel:

21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying,  “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.   Mark 1:21-28

As we continue through the first chapter of Mark we encounter Jesus with His disciples teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.   The people were evidently responsive to His teaching, evidenced by the astonishment noted by the Gospel writer.    Another astonishing note was the reaction of a man seated in the congregation who disrupted the service by crying out loud.   Mark identifies the man as having “an unclean spirit.”   An “unclean spirit” is simply a “demon.”  These terms seem to be interchangeable in Scripture. They are also known as “evil spirits,” delighting, among other things, to attach themselves and promoting wickedness in humans.  They love to be disruptive, confrontative, promoting confusion and distraction especially where God’s Word is being preached or taught.   Jesus did not tolerate the manifestation of this unclean spirit.  He rebuked it simply by saying, “Be quiet!  Get out of him!”  The demon obeyed, causing more astonishment in the congregation that day.  

As Baptist Christians, we generally do not generally dwell upon such matters of the supernatural realm, or spirit realm, but it is very real.   We expect such manifestations at the time and place where Jesus lived, or in the third world.   Missionaries report hundreds of experiences like these on an almost daily basis.   But they are more prevalent in America than we realize and seem to be increasing in activity  in these recent (perhaps last) days.   We do not need to be alarmed, however.  Jesus was not.  He accepted this as a part of life.  But He did not have to tolerate it around Him.   Many times in the Scriptures we see Him casting out demons and rebuking evil spirits.   How exactly this is done is neither consistent in Scripture or always very clear.   But Jesus still retains that authority and He indues us with it.  I would not suggest that the reader start making a practice of rebuking demons until he or she has prayed about this and made a full study of the expectations of such a ministry.   

Not everything is attributed to the presence of evil spirits.  I spilled my coffee this morning and made a huge mess.  This was not a demon- it was simply my carelessness.   May God give us the wisdom to discern the difference.   Have a blessed day!