Text: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (Series B. 4th Sunday after Epiphany) Ps. 111 Mark 1:21-28
Jesus and his disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach. The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.
(Mark 1:21-28)
Her name was Mrs. Thompson.
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath, and Teddy could be unpleasant. Reviewing each child's past records, but she put Teddy's off until last. When she came around to review his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote; "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around."
His second grade teacher wrote; "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote; "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father does not show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps are not taken, soon."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote; "Teddy is withdrawn and does not show much interest in school. He does not have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class." By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself.
She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.
Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.
But she scolded the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say……" Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets." Teddy went on in school doing real well and then to another school.
A couple of years later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he had stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and then another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer, the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. There was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. That his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if .......... Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the Mother of the Groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did, and guess what?
She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. She made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, Thank You Mrs. Thompson for believing in me.
Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference" Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I did not know how to teach until I met you."
Remember that wherever we go, whatever we do, we will have the opportunity to touch and or change a person's outlook. Today is the tomorrow you and I were worried about yesterday. Was it worth it? Friends are Angels, who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
Today, we heard of Jesus entering the synagogue at Capernaum and beginning to teach. Mark tells us that all who heard his teaching "were amazed" because "he taught them as one having authority." A little later Mark repeats how amazed everyone was, saying, "The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, "What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching?"
Mark doesn’t tell us what Jesus taught that day. Rather, he tells us firstly, how he taught—with authority. He spoke as someone who knew what he was on about. He explained what the Scriptures said with confidence and when asked a question he knew how to answer. He spoke with authority.
Here is a story I heard years ago about a pastor who told his congregation over the years that certain part of the Scripture is either fiction, or totally irrelevant for today’s society. He is known for saying: “ This is not relevant today, it is for them of the past.”
One day while making his usual rounds in hospital visiting parishioners, he came upon one of his deacons. After visit short the Pastor asked if they should have a brief devotion. Reaching out to the night table by the side of the patient’s bed.
To the Pastor’s surprise, he noticed several pages were missing or crossed out. The Pastor was curious, so he asked: What happened to the pages that are missing?
The deacon replied: “Well, over the years, any time you preached that this or that portion of Scripture is irrelevant for us today, I crossed them out or totally cut it out”
There are Christians who might not mutilate the Scripture with scissors, but do so with their mind and attitude. Their faith is based on which Scripture to accept and reject. In other words the creature becomes the judge over the Creator. St. Augustine once said: “ If we pick and chose what to believe in Scripture, it is no longer the Scripture we believe, but ourselves.”
He spoke with authority, according to Apostle Mark. What does authority mean? The word Authority used twice in this particular passage is translated from the Greek word as “Exorsia” meaning “Right, or Out of being”
When Jesus challenged Satan and cast out demons, he spoke with authority. When he spoke to the wild forces of nature, he spoke with authority. Without any exaggeration, those who heard him would never be the same again.
He taught his disciples and all who would listen using stories and the Scriptures; he spoke with authority words of forgiveness; he spoke with authority to the man on the cross beside him; he spoke with authority as he ascended and promised he would be with us always.
Words alone are not good enough. The must be accompanied by action if they are to have authority. Certainly the words of Jesus were accompanied by action. Jesus ‘talk de talk’ and ‘walk de walk’ all the way to the cross.
And evil people engaged in the world said: ‘Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God’… Our Saviour stayed on the cross and took all the forces of evil into his pain-racked-body. Then he shouted from the cross those victorious words:
“It is finished! It is finished”
The gates of hell burst open, sin, death, and permanent power of evil were destroyed. For in that shout from the cross, there came a voice more ringing and more authentic than any voice in the world. They are words of authority, because they were spoken by him who not only talked, but also died taken into the depths all the power, the forces of evil could muster. That is why we sing that famous hymn………..
“In the cross of Christ I Glory, Towering over the wrecks of time,
All the light of sacred story, Gathers round its head sublime.
When the woes of life over take me, Hope deceive, and fear annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me; Lo it glows with peace and joy.”
We are called into a relationship with the shepherd - he empowers us to speak and act - as he himself spoke and acted.
When God's Word and God's ways are taught and spoken about with authority,
we will see with amazement God's love for us through his Son Jesus
Amen.
Rev. Samuel King-Kabu
February 1, 2009