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Series B – Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany – Sunday, February 1, 2015 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:28	the holy Gospel According to Saint Mark
0:30	chapter 1 verses 21-28
0:33	they went to Capernaum and when the
0:36	Sabbath came Jesus went into the
0:38	synagogue and began to teach the people
0:40	were amazed at his teaching because he
0:42	taught them as one who had Authority not
0:45	as the teachers of the law just then a
0:48	man in their synagogue who was possessed
0:50	by an evil spirit cried out what do you
0:52	want with us Jesus of Nazareth have you
0:55	come to destroy us I know who you are
0:58	the Holy One of God
1:00	be quiet
1:02	said Jesus sternly come out of him
1:05	evil spirit shook the man violently and
1:08	came out of him with a shriek
1:10	the people were all so amazed that they
1:12	asked each other what is this a new
1:15	teaching and with authority he even
1:17	gives orders to evil spirits and they
1:19	obey him news about him spread quickly
1:22	over the whole region of Galilee
1:25	in the name of Jesus
1:28	so pay close attention to to where
1:31	today’s Gospel account unfolds it
1:35	unfolds in the first century Old
1:38	Testament counterpart to church it’s the
1:41	Sabbath Jesus is teaching in the
1:43	synagogue also note what happens in this
1:46	church service
1:48	there are a lot of moving parts and
1:49	we’re going to examine them a few of
1:51	them this morning so what happens near
1:53	the end of this church service where
1:55	Jesus is the preacher answer
1:57	a demon manifests itself in a man who it
2:01	was possessing
2:03	there were zero indications prior to
2:05	this that the man was possessed
2:07	the demon cries out what do you want
2:10	with us Jesus of Nazareth have you come
2:12	to destroy us I know who you are the
2:15	Holy One of God
2:18	this happens right there in church
2:21	I mean serious it’s as if Jesus has done
2:25	his preaching and his teaching and the
2:27	demon can contain himself no longer
2:29	can’t handle this message and who the
2:33	one who is delivering it so it can’t
2:36	help but manifest itself make itself
2:39	known and oppose Jesus
2:43	listen listen to what it said
2:46	have you come to destroy us
2:48	as if Jesus is somehow a dangerous
2:51	person well he is to Demons but he’s not
2:54	to humans
2:56	so Jesus says sternly
2:59	be quiet come out of him the evil spirit
3:02	shook the man violently and came out of
3:05	him with a shriek
3:06	now this account from Jesus’s life and
3:09	Ministry should give us pause
3:11	it shows us a few things now I’m not
3:14	usually prone to doing three-point
3:15	sermons but my sermon today has three
3:17	points normally this 52 or 56 somewhere
3:20	in there
3:22	Point number one
3:24	let’s get this out on the table demons
3:26	are real
3:28	this is not a fictitious account this is
3:31	history
3:32	demons are real one of the reasons why
3:37	many of the churches in the mainline
3:39	denominations
3:41	have gone off the rails biblically is
3:44	because many of their teachers and
3:47	professors in seminary
3:50	Scholastics
3:52	somewhere in the time of modernity
3:54	thought that they were too smart
3:57	we’ve kind of gotten away from the Dark
3:59	Ages and this idea that demons exist
4:02	this is foolishness it’s utter
4:05	foolishness and it leads to an
4:07	unraveling of the authority of the word
4:09	of God
4:11	now let me give you a modern day example
4:13	and the person whom I know who is also
4:16	one of the major leaders in what was
4:18	known as the emergent Church movement
4:20	which is a post-modern version of
4:24	liberalism that really cropped up over
4:26	the last 10 15 years his name is Tony
4:29	Jones
4:31	here’s what he wrote a few years back
4:33	regarding demons and the idea that
4:36	demons existed listen to this opening
4:38	sentence Jesus held an incorrect
4:42	cosmology Tony Jones writes now
4:46	cosmology is a big word okay I don’t
4:49	want you have to Google it I’ll give you
4:51	an idea a cosmology is basically a
4:54	constructed theory of the beginnings and
4:56	the origins of the universe and how How
4:58	the Universe operates so Tony Jones who
5:02	is a author
5:04	of popular Christian books for years was
5:07	a conference speaker at all the major
5:09	Evangelical youth conferences his in his
5:12	writings he writes Jesus held an
5:16	incorrect cosmology
5:19	to which I say who on Earth do you think
5:22	you make yourself out to be Tony Jones
5:23	he continues yes of course our cosmology
5:27	the one we all hold supposedly together
5:30	today is probably wrong as well or at
5:32	least it’s incomplete how humble of him
5:34	to say this but that doesn’t make
5:36	Jesus’s cosmology any more right both
5:40	Jesus and John the Baptist seem clearly
5:42	to have embraced that ancient hebraic
5:45	belief in shayol gehena and Hades I.E a
5:50	physical place of fires that bodies of
5:54	the Damned are thrown
5:56	and he faults Jesus for believing this
6:00	it seems merely wishful thinking when
6:02	Thomas Aquinas argued that Jesus had
6:05	full and perfect knowledge of all things
6:07	and wrote quote Christ perfectly knows
6:10	all human Sciences Tony Jones continues
6:13	so we’re left with this conundrum what
6:15	do we make of Jesus’s teaching on heaven
6:18	and hell if he believed that he existed
6:21	in a geocentric universe and lived on a
6:23	flat Earth
6:24	to which I would say show me a single
6:26	passage in Scripture that Jesus believed
6:28	in a flat Earth and I’ll show you the
6:31	Psalms and other passages where it talks
6:33	about the circle of the Earth
6:34	Jesus is the one who made the Earth and
6:36	he knew perfectly well that it was round
6:38	and he never said it was flat but notice
6:41	what he’s doing here he’s attacking
6:43	Jesus and this is a guy who many look to
6:46	to get their theology from and you know
6:49	and learn from as far as what they’re
6:51	going to teach and preach in the church
6:54	so he’s let me go back he says
6:57	what do we make of Jesus’s teaching on
6:59	heaven and hell if he believed that he
7:01	existed in a geocentric universe and
7:03	lived on a flat Earth this is not unlike
7:06	the conundrum regarding the gospel
7:08	writers and Jesus diagnosing Legion with
7:12	demon possession when today we would
7:15	most likely consider him beset by
7:17	schizophrenia
7:19	to conclude Tony Jones writes I don’t
7:23	believe in demons
7:29	you can buy his books at Christian
7:30	bookstores today
7:33	why would anyone want to buy this
7:35	so those preachers and teachers and
7:37	authors within the visible Church who
7:39	tell you that demons don’t exist are
7:40	actually doing the work of demons
7:43	they’re undermining and attacking God’s
7:46	word and like Tony Jones they have the
7:49	audacity to think that they know better
7:51	than Jesus and in their foolishness and
7:54	blindness they think they have the
7:56	authority to correct Jesus
7:59	in other words they’re saying listen
8:02	don’t listen to Jesus we have better
8:04	words and a more accurate understanding
8:06	of how the universe operates than Jesus
8:09	so listen to us don’t listen to Jesus
8:14	that’s what these people are doing
8:17	and unfortunately Tony Jones is not some
8:19	isolated incident of one guy gonna gonna
8:23	ride like this
8:24	men like Tony Jones are rampant
8:26	throughout the church
8:29	so let’s make this perfectly clear Our
8:32	Gospel text says that the man was
8:34	possessed by a demon you know what that
8:36	means in the Greek it means he was
8:39	possessed by a demon
8:42	doesn’t matter if it’s Greek Hebrew
8:43	Spanish or Portuguese it means he was
8:46	possessed by a demon this literally
8:48	happened
8:49	now
8:51	let’s get the diagnosis right as to
8:53	what’s going on here notice that the
8:55	demon knew exactly who Jesus was the
8:58	people in the synagogue in church not so
9:00	much there’s a reason for this the
9:02	Gospel of John in chapter 1 reads this
9:04	starting at verse 9. the True Light
9:06	which gives light to everyone was coming
9:08	into the world this is Jesus he was in
9:11	the world and the world was made through
9:14	him
9:15	yet the world did not know him
9:17	he came to his own and his own people
9:20	did not receive him
9:23	this tells you of just how blinding sin
9:28	is
9:29	we are born dead in trespasses and sins
9:32	and dead means dead
9:34	by Nature we do not fear love and trust
9:37	in God by Nature we don’t even know who
9:39	God is we know that he exists
9:42	but we don’t really know him
9:44	and the tragedy of the situation is is
9:47	that Jesus who is God in human flesh
9:49	came and dwelt Among Us
9:52	and the people who were living at that
9:53	time didn’t even recognize him for who
9:55	he was
9:57	but listen to the gospel of Mark chapter
9:59	5. the story of Legion which Tony Jones
10:02	referenced he says this
10:04	they went across this is verse 1 chapter
10:06	5. they went across the lake to the
10:09	region of the garrisones when Jesus got
10:11	out of the boat a man with an evil
10:13	spirit that would be a demon came from
10:15	the tombs to meet him
10:17	and listen to the condition of this poor
10:19	man this man lived in the tombs
10:23	no one could bind him anymore not even
10:26	with a chain
10:27	for he had often been chained hand and
10:30	foot but he tore the chains apart broke
10:32	the irons on his feet no one was strong
10:35	enough to subdue him night and day among
10:38	the tombs and in the Hills he would cry
10:40	out and cut himself with stones
10:42	sure this sounds like mental illness
10:44	doesn’t it it could potentially be that
10:47	then watch this when he saw Jesus from a
10:51	distance
10:52	he ran and fell on his knees in front of
10:55	him and he shouted at the top of his
10:57	voice what do you want with me Jesus Son
11:00	of the most high God swear to God that
11:03	you won’t torture me
11:06	how does a crazy person somebody with
11:08	schizophrenia from a distance know that
11:10	Jesus is the son of God
11:16	the people whom Jesus was walking among
11:18	they didn’t know who he was
11:21	this demon-possessed man this is the one
11:23	who had the Legion of demons he knew
11:25	exactly who Jesus was and he knew his
11:28	name and he knew this just by spotting
11:31	Jesus from a distance
11:35	coincidence not on your life
11:38	demons exist here’s Point number two
11:43	demons operate in the church
11:48	notice again where our story unfolds
11:52	there was nothing to warn anybody that
11:56	this was about to happen
11:57	and there sitting in the pews oh the
12:01	first century equivalent of them
12:03	was a man who for all intents and
12:05	purposes looked like anybody else
12:09	and there Jesus is preaching and he’s
12:12	teaching
12:13	and that sets this demon off he
12:17	manifests himself and opposes Christ in
12:19	church and right there in church
12:22	there was an exorcism
12:25	and it says he that demon left with a
12:27	shriek
12:28	if something like this happened at
12:30	Kong’s finger believe me the community
12:32	would be buzzing
12:34	something
12:35	spectacularly bizarre has happened and
12:39	no one saw it coming but see that
12:42	understand this this is where Satan
12:43	operates
12:45	Jesus warns us that there are wolves in
12:48	sheep’s clothing in among the Sheep
12:52	that Satan masquerades as an angel of
12:56	Light
12:57	doesn’t say that Satan comes to us we’re
12:59	dressed up in a red union suit with a
13:01	pitchfork that’d be easy to spot
13:05	but I want you to consider now this
13:08	concept if we’re talking about demons
13:10	operate in church by looking back with
13:12	me at our text from Deuteronomy chapter
13:15	18. and I’m going to add two verses to
13:18	it our text this morning ended at verse
13:20	20 but I want to add two more verses
13:22	here’s what it says
13:24	Yahweh your God will raise up for you a
13:29	prophet like me from among you from your
13:31	brothers
13:33	notice our Old Testament text begins
13:35	with a prophecy
13:37	that Moses is giving
13:39	that the Lord will raise up for the
13:42	people of Israel a prophet like Moses
13:45	from among them it is to him you shall
13:48	listen hear those words it’s to him you
13:51	shall listen just as you desire to the
13:54	Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the
13:56	assembly when you said let me not hear
13:58	again the voice of the Lord my God and
14:00	see great fire any more lest I die and
14:03	the Lord said to me they are right in
14:06	what they have spoken
14:07	I will raise up for them a prophet like
14:10	you from among their brothers this is a
14:13	prophecy again regarding Jesus I will
14:15	put my words in his mouth and he shall
14:18	speak to them all that I have commanded
14:21	him and whoever will not listen to my
14:24	words that he shall speak in my name I
14:27	myself Yahweh will require it of him
14:32	but along with the prophecy comes this
14:35	but the prophet who presumes to speak a
14:39	word in my name that I have not
14:40	commanded him to speak or who speaks in
14:42	the name of other gods no sooner does
14:45	the Lord give a prophecy regarding Jesus
14:47	the true Prophet that we’re to look to
14:49	the one who we have to listen to and if
14:52	we don’t God himself will require it of
14:54	us
14:56	no sooner are those words out regarding
14:58	this great prophet who will rise then
15:01	comes the warning but the prophet who
15:04	presumes to speak a word in my name
15:07	oh there’s false prophets too
15:10	Satan operates in the church
15:13	Prophet who presumes to speak a word in
15:15	my name that I have not commanded him to
15:17	speak or who speaks in the name of other
15:19	gods that same Prophet shall die
15:24	and if you say in your heart how may we
15:27	know the word that the Lord has not
15:30	spoken when a prophet speaks in the name
15:32	of Yahweh if the word does not come to
15:35	pass or come true that is a word the
15:37	Lord has not spoken the prophet has
15:39	spoken it presumptuously you need not be
15:43	afraid of him
15:48	and believe me when I tell you the
15:50	church is full of people claiming to be
15:53	prophets today
15:55	who speak words coming from the Lord
15:58	the Lord has told me the Lord has showed
16:00	me do you want to know what the Lord is
16:02	doing in the year 2015.
16:05	and they’re all crackpots
16:08	and false prophets
16:10	and they would have us listen to them
16:13	rather than listen to Jesus
16:16	this is why Jesus warns us and God’s
16:18	word warns us in the last days
16:21	it’ll be a proliferation
16:24	of doctrines of demons
16:28	let me give you another cross-reference
16:30	by looking at a portion of our epistle
16:33	text our epistle text in part read First
16:36	Corinthians 8 verses four through six so
16:39	then about eating food sacrifice to
16:41	Idols we know that an idol is nothing at
16:44	all in the world and that there is no
16:46	God but one
16:47	for even if there are so-called Gods
16:50	whether in heaven or on Earth as indeed
16:53	there are many gods and many lords
16:56	notice what God’s word says
16:59	there’s no other God
17:02	there’s no other God
17:04	and we live in a society that says it’s
17:07	all about being tolerant but our society
17:09	doesn’t tolerate
17:11	one message the one that says that there
17:13	is only one true God they will tolerate
17:15	every other message except for that
17:16	message being them in the past weeks
17:19	I’ve read stories at coming out of
17:22	Europe there was a Christian School shut
17:24	down just this past week in Great
17:26	Britain you know why they were closed
17:28	down
17:29	they were closed down because
17:31	the government discovered that the kids
17:34	there were taught that Islam is not a
17:37	true religion
17:41	there’s a man in the Netherlands
17:45	who literally is being raked over the
17:47	coals in the media in the eastern part
17:49	of Europe why because he as a pastor had
17:53	the audacity to say that Allah is not
17:56	the same God as the god of the Bible
18:02	but what does scriptures say
18:05	what does God say
18:08	an idol is nothing there are many
18:10	so-called gods in heaven on Earth for us
18:13	there is but one God
18:14	the father from whom all things came and
18:17	for whom we live and there is one Lord
18:19	Jesus Christ through whom all things
18:21	came and through whom we exist let me
18:24	give you a cross-reference to this
18:25	Paul continues in First Corinthians 10
18:27	verses 14 through 22 therefore my dear
18:30	friends flee idolatry
18:33	I speak to sensible people judge for
18:35	yourselves what I say is not the cup of
18:37	Thanksgiving for which we give thanks a
18:39	participation in the blood of Christ
18:41	notice a reference to the Lord’s supper
18:43	and is not the bread that we break a
18:45	participation in the body of Christ
18:47	because there is one bread we who are
18:49	many are one body for we all partake of
18:52	the one bread consider the people of
18:55	Israel
18:56	do not those who eat the sacrifices
18:58	participate in the altar do I mean then
19:01	that a sacrifice offered to an idol is
19:04	anything or that an idol is anything no
19:07	but the sacrifices of pagans are offered
19:10	to Demons not to God
19:12	I do not want you to be participants
19:14	with demons
19:18	this is an exclusive
19:21	religion not an inclusive one
19:25	we cannot shake hands with Muslims
19:29	or Buddhists or Hindus and say you are
19:32	my brother in Christ
19:34	they’re not
19:35	scripture says
19:38	and this is a tough saying that their
19:40	sacrifices are offered to Demons
19:44	demons exist
19:46	they operate in the church this is the
19:49	reality of the situation and anyone who
19:52	tells you otherwise is not speaking the
19:53	truth
19:55	remember for us there is one God only
19:58	one the father from whom all things came
20:00	and for whom we live and there’s only
20:03	one Lord Jesus Christ through whom all
20:04	things came and through whom we live
20:07	so the one who says and listen carefully
20:10	because we’re talking about idolatry the
20:13	one who says he knows better than Jesus
20:15	and knows better than God’s word He
20:18	makes himself just like Lucifer did into
20:22	a God who claims to be higher than God
20:26	that is the ultimate idolatry self
20:29	idolatry
20:31	listen to these words from the prophet
20:34	Isaiah that describe Satan
20:37	how you are fallen from Heaven o Day
20:40	star son of the Dawn how you are cut
20:42	down to the ground you who laid low the
20:44	Nations
20:45	you said in your heart I will Ascend to
20:48	Heaven above the stars of God I will set
20:51	my Throne on high I will sit on the
20:54	Mount of assembly in the far reaches of
20:56	the north I will Ascend above the
20:58	heights of the clouds I will make myself
21:01	like the most high
21:04	but you are brought down to shale
21:07	to the far reaches of the pit
21:13	so when we talk about idolatry don’t
21:15	think for a second we’re only talking
21:18	about people who worship false gods
21:21	when you make yourself higher than God
21:24	and you make yourself into your own Idol
21:27	and you make your reason stand above
21:29	God’s word and you dare to say well this
21:32	isn’t possible or that’s possible I
21:34	refuse to believe this but I like that
21:36	you have made yourself into a God and
21:39	that’s exactly what Lucifer did and
21:41	that’s why he fell from heaven
21:43	0.3
21:46	Jesus has Authority
21:53	our text says
21:55	Jesus said sternly be quiet come out of
21:59	him the evil spirit shook the man
22:02	violently and came out of him with a
22:05	shriek
22:06	the people were all so amazed they asked
22:09	each other what is this a new teaching
22:12	and with authority he even gives orders
22:15	to evil spirits and they obey him
22:18	of course they do he’s God
22:23	remember our Old Testament the Lord your
22:25	God will raise up for you a prophet like
22:27	me from among you from your brothers it
22:30	is to him you shall listen I will raise
22:32	up for them a prophet like you from
22:34	among their brothers and I will put my
22:36	words in his mouth and he shall speak to
22:38	them all that I command him whoever will
22:41	not listen to my words that he shall
22:43	speak in my name I will require it of
22:45	him
22:46	or as Jesus says in Matthew
22:49	all authority in heaven on Earth has
22:51	been given to me
22:53	all authority
22:55	in heaven and on Earth belongs to Jesus
23:00	so there is no one with greater
23:02	Authority than Jesus for us there is but
23:05	one Lord Jesus Christ through whom all
23:07	things came and through whom we live
23:09	this same Jesus who cast the demon out
23:12	of a possessed man during a church
23:14	service is the same Jesus who bled and
23:16	died for your sins Who Rose bodily from
23:19	the grave on the third day for your
23:21	justification and he’s the same Jesus
23:24	who’s coming again in glory to judge the
23:26	living and the dead to create a new
23:28	heavens and a new Earth
23:29	this same Jesus by his great and
23:33	unsurpassing Authority has washed away
23:37	your sins and the Waters of your baptism
23:39	in which you were also buried with
23:41	Christ and raised with him this same
23:44	Jesus by his great and unsurpassing
23:47	Authority this morning feeds you with
23:49	his very body and blood and the Lord’s
23:51	Supper that we’re about to partake in
23:53	with and under this Bread and Wine and
23:56	he does this for the Forgiveness of your
23:58	sins in all of these things this same
24:00	Jesus by his great and unsurpassing
24:03	Authority has declared you
24:06	that’s right you all of you he’s
24:09	declared you who were born Children of
24:11	the devil you who were born dead in
24:13	trespasses and sins you who were born in
24:15	slavery to sin and death and who by
24:18	Nature were objects of God’s Wrath this
24:21	same Jesus by his great and unsurpassing
24:24	Authority declares you to be forgiven
24:27	pardoned and set free
24:30	this same Jesus by his great and
24:32	unsurpassing Authority has given you
24:34	eternal life not as a wage
24:37	that you’ve earned but as a gift
24:39	purely by his grace and his Mercy
24:43	if you want to talk about spiritual
24:44	warfare then understand this
24:47	Jesus is the legend
24:50	I just recently saw that movie
24:53	American Sniper
24:56	it was an interesting movie
24:59	difficult at times one of the things I
25:01	thought was interesting is that Chris
25:03	Kyle the man who the story is based on
25:06	his life this is a man who holds the
25:09	record in military in U.S military
25:10	history as the guy as a sniper who’s
25:13	killed the most people
25:16	and he became known as The Legend
25:19	that’s what he was called they called
25:21	him Legend
25:27	see our text this morning in all of the
25:30	scriptures teach us
25:33	that
25:34	sinful men are not the legend Jesus is
25:38	the legend he’s the hero he’s the
25:42	Conqueror he’s the one who has crushed
25:44	and defeated Satan and he’s done it for
25:46	you and he’s done for you which you
25:49	cannot do for yourself he sets you free
25:52	so don’t listen to those who exalt
25:54	themselves above Jesus and question and
25:57	challenge God’s word and challenge his
26:00	actions and try to cast doubt on them
26:03	that’s the devil’s trick
26:05	that’s the same tactic the devil used to
26:07	deceive our first parents in the garden
26:09	when he tempted them with these words
26:11	did God really say
26:14	Eve should have said you bet he said it
26:16	just been done with it right
26:19	so if you’ve been listening to the voice
26:21	the false teachers and the false
26:23	prophets or even that voice inside your
26:25	head from your sinful flesh that says
26:28	you know better than God’s word
26:30	repent
26:32	repent
26:33	and pray for Christ’s Mercy
26:36	even now he will forgive you
26:39	for us there is but one God the father
26:40	from whom all things came and for whom
26:42	we live and there is one Lord Jesus
26:44	Christ through whom all things came and
26:46	through whom we live
26:48	and the text says the people were amazed
26:51	and they asked each other what is this a
26:53	new teaching and with authority he even
26:56	gives orders to evil spirits and they
26:57	obey him
26:58	and news about him spread quickly over
27:01	the whole region of Galilee
27:04	think of all that Christ has done for
27:06	you
27:08	and go and tell Oslo tell Alvarado let
27:12	the people of Warren know that we have a
27:14	God and his name is Jesus and he has
27:16	died for their sins and risen again so
27:19	spread the news to your neighbors and
27:21	your friends and your family members
27:22	that this Jesus has the authority to
27:25	forgive their sins to make them new and
27:27	to give them eternal life and to cast
27:29	the demons out of their life
27:32	he silenced the demons and he’s crushed
27:35	the head of the serpent and all of this
27:38	he has done
27:39	for you in the name of Jesus Amen
27:43	[Music]

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