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#DailyDevotion Jesus Has Authority Over Illness & Demons

#DailyDevotion Jesus Has Authority Over Illness & Demons

Mark 1:29Right after leaving the synagogue, they went into the home of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them. 30Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever, and so the first thing they did was to tell Him about her. 31He went to her, took her hand, and helped her get up. The fever left her, and she waited on them. 32In the evening when the sun had gone down, the people brought to Him all the sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33The whole town had gathered at His door. 34He healed many who were suffering from various sicknesses and drove out many demons and wouldn’t let the demons talk, because they knew Him.

According to tradition Mark assisted Peter in his work. The people wanted a written account of the life of Jesus and Mark wrote down what Peter had always taught the people about Jesus. Peter more or less gave Mark his approval to do so. As such, Mark in many respects is Peter’s Gospel. You will see this as Peter is often featured prominently and often in a different point of view than the other Gospels. We see this here in this account. Who is one of the first people healed in Mark’s Gospel? Peter’s mom! And of course, if you were Peter this would lay prominently in your mind when recounting the works of Jesus.

Now what do we see here? Well, something very prominent in last weeks lesson from Mark. Jesus has authority and power. Here we see Jesus has authority over illness. All Jesus need do is take Peter’s mother-in-law’s hand and the fever leaves her. After this, many people come to Peter’s home from the town brought all the sick and those demon-possessed and heals them. The whole town gathered at the door. It didn’t matter the type of disease, Jesus was healing it. Like the account from last week, Jesus, when casting out demons, commanded them not to speak, because he did not need or want their witness about him (demons are not good witnesses as they are known liars). They knew who he was.

Jesus has the authority and power to heal people of their illnesses and to free them from their demons. Now some may ask, “Since Jesus has the authority and power to do this, why doesn’t he do it for everyone immediately.” Well, our God allows us to get sick and oppressed because of our sinfulness, to repentance over our sins and sinfulness. If Jesus is nowhere in sight and they were suddenly healed, why would they repent and how would they have faith in him? Jesus was healing the sick so they would know who he is, their Savior and Redeemer, the promised Prophet, King David’s heir.

Jesus through his disciples today still casts out demons and free people from their sins and their bondage to sin and the fear of death by his name, by baptism, by the good news of his works for them. Jesus still has authority and power of them and has given that power to his church and its members. Thanks be to God, when the pastor says, “your sins are forgiven you,” they are indeed forgiven. When the demons here the voice of one speaking by the command and stead of Jesus, they must listen to him and depart from the person. When and where it pleases God to witness to the name of his Son Jesus, God still even heals us through our prayers in his name. Ultimately, we look forward to the day of Jesus’ revelation to the world when he raises us from the dead and makes us whole, immortal and give us imperishable bodies like his risen body.

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, free us from our sins and all demonic oppression so we may give witness and glory to the name of Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

Comments (2)

  1. Great meditation.

    1. Thank you.

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