Mosaic Teaching Guide
1 February 09
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Our Mission
Our mission is to gather and equip a diverse community in Washington DC to know, love, and serve God in the way of Jesus as His Spirit enables us.

Mark 1.21-28
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “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.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

1. Questions for Everyone: Have you ever worked for a person who liked their authority just a little too much?  What happened?  How do you tend to relate to persons in authority? If you are a younger person, have you ever had a teacher who was a little too “bossy?”  What did you think of them?
2. Epiphany
1. Mark Answers the Epiphany question.
2. Everyone is “amazed” after encountering Jesus. 
3. Jesus Teaches with Authority
1. Given the brevity of Mark, the references to Jesus as teacher are more frequent than in Matthew or Luke.
4. The Demons Speak
1. I’ve never been one to think or teach about demons or the devil too much. Never wanted to give the devil too much air time! 
2. Scott Peck on Demons
5. Authority
6. The Authority of Jesus

 

Mosaic Study Guide
A Guide for Personal Study or Smaller Group Encounters

Questions for Everyone: Have you ever worked for a person who liked their authority just a little too much?  What happened?  How do you tend to relate to persons in authority?

During the Sundays of Epiphany Jesus has been revealed as King of the Jews, Son of God, Lamb of God, Messiah, and Preacher.  This past Sunday Jesus is revealed as one who teaches with authority and exorcizes demons with this same authority.  It was stated that the gospel writers encourage the church to have a very high Christology.  That is, it is impossible to think to highly of Jesus and His role in healing the world. 

Question: How might you develop a higher Christology?  This question may be difficult, but it is certainly worth our time.  How might we as a community exalt Jesus with greater passion and authenticity?  How might a higher Christology make us better followers of Jesus?

Obviously authority is at the center of this passage.  The crowds witness Jesus ability to exorcize demons but what causes them amazement is his authoritative teachings. 

Questions: Why, do you suppose, Mark is so concerned that the church understands Jesus as one who has such vast authority?  How is Jesus’ authority different from the authority often in display in the work place, educational institutions, or even churches?

So demons are in the midst of this story. Actually it is the demon who reveals the nature of Jesus.  Fred Craddock wryly observed that most folk don’t believe in demons, but that has hardly eradicated evil in this world.

Question: What do you think about personified evil?  How much can we blame demonic forces for the evil apparent in our world?

 

 

 

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