David Bahn – Reflections

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, ² and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. ⁴ And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” ⁶ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. ⁷ They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. – Luke 5:1-11 [ESV]

“My, ‘Yes,’ is on the table.” That was his way of saying that when God spoke to him, he and his wife would automatically default to saying yes. They did that with their finances and giving. They did that with their recreational pursuits. They did that with the invitations from their church to volunteer for ministry. They said yes.

Sometimes they ended up getting in over their heads. Think junior high and high school youth mission trips, or Sunday School Christmas party. Then they looked for others who had a yes on their table as well. They looked for other people who had an inclination to say yes to helping out. They realized that their “yes” wasn’t a call to be a solo act. It was a call to be a part of something bigger – and better- then themselves. 

Sometimes we mistake our yes to be a solo performance that we alone are singing. And sometimes we act like we think it’s easier that way. If we do it all ourselves we don’t have to rub shoulders with those who are wired differently than we are, and do things differently than we do, and require more relational capital than just pure work we ourselves do. And besides that, we can do it better ourselves, right?

Perhaps Peter thought that from time to time. But for now, his “Yes” was in his boat and he did what Jesus asked. There was no other reason given than, “because you say so.” And Jesus did say so. And Peter did so. And a giant harvest of fish was gathered. And he had to call for help. 

Next time you are asked to do something for the sake of God’s kingdom. Put your “Yes” on the table. Open yourself up to the possibilities of doing a thing for the sake of God’s kingdom. And look for others to come along side you in the adventure of amazing harvest and ventures of faithful following. 

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, ² and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. ⁴ And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” ⁶ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. ⁷ They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. – Luke 5:1-11 [ESV]

Author Frederick Buechner defines vocation as “the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” That’s the reason for the asterisk in the title: I wanted to give him credit for the phrase. Certainly for a follower of Jesus this is true. Our deep gladness is grounded in Jesus’ love and grace, his powerful combination of grace and truth which both anchors our souls and gives flight to our hearts.

What a combination that is! A soul anchor and a joyful heart. The anchor holds us fast against the waves, winds, and uncertainties of life in this fallen world. But we need also to fly. We need to see that which will one day be. We need to look over the horizon – not to discern the future, but to get a glimpse of that which we hope for. Isn’t it interesting that hope is an anchor for the soul according to Hebrews 6:19?

My personal motivation for serving is two-fold. It is grounded in the grace of God and a strong sense of God’s faithfulness, love, and ultimate importance. Without that, I would never have thought of serving as a pastor of a Christian congregation for 40 plus years. God is the ultimate authority, the most important consideration of life, the highest good. And he is also full of grace, love and faithfulness. He is a worthy master and Lord.

He is also my Redeemer. And I’d have to say he redeemed my life from the pit. Prior to giving in to his call to pursue pastoral ministry, my life was truly aimless. I had the idea that being a decent and faithful real estate broker was a good calling. And it would have been. But it did not capture my attention and provide the focus and energy necessary for a life-long vocation. But when I saw the path to serving as a pastor my world opened up. I had purpose. I had something to give. I had a calling that captured me in much the same way Jesus captured Peter. I didn’t have nets to leave, but I did have new paths to walk. New study habits. New focus for education. 

We know that Peter and the others didn’t get it right all the time. Neither would I. But just as Jesus never gave up on Peter, neither has he given up on me. For that I’m thankful. So today I want to celebrate two major things.

1. I have something to live for. I have a godly purpose. I have a high calling. And so do all who have been called into faith of Jesus. We have the high calling to follow Jesus and to invite others to join us in that trek. It provides incredible meaning and purpose in life. There is great reward in taking Jesus’ word seriously: “Whoever gains life will lose it. But whoever loses life for my sake and the gospel will gain it.” A life lived in devotion and service to Jesus is rich in so many ways. 
2. All this is by the grace of God. God’s grace calls us to faith. God’s grace sustains us in faith. God’s grace receives us when we fall and turn back to him in repentance. God’s grace motivates us to continue in service to Christ in his kingdom. And in the end there will be a grand celebration of God’s grace that will never end. 

These two things are the world’s greatest need. Would that our joy would be found there: where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.

On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, ² and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. ³ Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. ⁴ And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” ⁶ And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. ⁷ They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸ But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” ⁹ For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, ¹⁰ and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” ¹¹ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. – Luke 5:1-11 [ESV]

I was speaking with a pastoral coach about ending well. Nearing retirement two years ago, I told him I wanted to “run through the tape, and end well.” He waited for a moment and asked, “What does that look like four months after you retire?” It was an insightful question. It also moved me to engage him to help me through that process of transition. In other words, there was a moment in which I decided to go with him as my pastoral transition coach – based on that perceptive and helpful question. It proved to be a catalyst for our ongoing relationship.

This is a catalyst moment for Peter, James, and John. Jesus uses Peter’s boat as an impromptu pulpit, teaches the people, and then tells Peter to go out into deep water and let down his nets. I can imagine Peter’s reaction – clearly revealed here: And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when he does that he reels in a massive catch of fish. Nets are breaking. Boats are nearly sinking. Brothers and partners are called to help. And Peter realizes that someone very holy is there. 

His response – initially very un-Peter-like – is to bow in humility and confession of his own sinfulness. Not a bad option when in the presence of the Holy God, the King of the Universe, the Creator of the Universe, and the One who fills their nets to bursting. This is a divine encounter of the totally-unique kind. And Peter does well to bow in humble obeisance and reverence. 

But wait! There’s more! For Jesus will take this moment and turn it into a life-changing calling. Peter will now follow Jesus. And his life will be forever changed. There may be a thousand nuances to his life situation that play into this moment. The Chosen (the most excellent video portrayal of Jesus I have ever seen) plays this out to be a financial windfall that helps Peter deal with a looming and ruinous tax debt. Maybe Peter had been on a very long stretch of meager catches or fishing failures. Maybe he was being relegated to well-known unproductive fishing spots. Maybe his boat was long due for major repairs. 

We do not have to conjecture about what happened and what Peter did when Jesus invited him to follow. The rest, as they say, is history. But not dead factoids of dates and places, but the history of a man called by Jesus, instructed, corrected, praised, and honored even to be one of Jesus’ three closest disciples. Jesus used Peter’s boat and changed his life that day. Maybe you have a story of Jesus’ intervention in your life. Maybe it is yet to come. But that’s what Jesus does. He changes lives.

For your personal meditation and reflection on this Lord’s Day.

Colleague and friend, Pastor Doyle Theimer (Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kingwood, Texas) posted this today. It’s a thoughtful and touching prayer honoring Christ and seeking his mercy for the people torn by war.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

God, you appointed your Son, Jesus, to be the rightful King (Christ/Messiah) of Israel and Supreme Ruler of all peoples. As the overseer of human governments, He supports their divinely established purposes of justice and protection. As the head of the Church, he rules in individual hearts through mercy, forgiveness and embodied love. His purpose is to redeem our human affairs and convert them to an eternal, supernatural kingdom from which evil will have been eliminated.

Therefore, my first prayer is for the Gospel of his Kingdom to be a source of hope and comfort for all who witness Putin’s invasion, and especially the victims.

May the established churches of Ukraine, Russia, and surrounding countries “seek first the Kingdom of God.” May they renounce false values and subordinate their nationalistic loyalties to the Kingdom of God. May they get a fresh awakening of faith and a renewal of hope and the inspiration to love as they read the Bible in their services. Pour out upon them the fullness of your Holy Spirit. May they resonate with the Lord’s commands to love their enemies, to disciple the nations, and to preach the forgiveness of sins to the ends of the earth.

I pray for the refugees, the pinned down, the wounded, the grieving. May their immediate needs be met—physical, relational, and spiritual. May they receive compassionate personal attention and support from relief agencies and volunteers. Enable the oppressed to come together in human solidarity. May they turn to Christ in repentance and faith.

I pray against the invaders.

May the militant heads of state, their war council, and their military commanders experience mental confusion, miscommunication, internecine conflict, breakdowns of discipline and increasing hatred of the situation for which they are responsible. May they turn to Christ in repentance and faith.

May the rank-and-file Russian forces become disillusioned with their leaders. May they contemplate the humanity of the citizens whose country they are invading. May they experience grief and regret about the killing they engage in and the dying they witness. May they experience despair and hopelessness with regard to fulfilling their orders. May they resent this unprovoked invasion and desire to surrender. May they turn to Christ in repentance and faith.

May the citizens of Russia resolve to live in peace. May they elect leaders who protect and preserve the dignity of all of their people. May they turn to Christ in repentance and faith.

I pray for the defenders of Ukraine.

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And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! 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.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³ but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. – Luke 4:31-44 [ESV]

I’m reading two novels now; both in the mystery genre. It’s so interesting to see how the authors are weaving together disparate characters and story lines. I know somehow they will all come together. The flight attendant will either be found to be the culprit or not, and the other mysterious woman the same. The police chief’s wife will help save an unsuspecting man from impending danger or not. And somehow these may all come together at the end of each story line. Somehow there be a denouement.  

There is little hint of the path toward resolution in these initial encounters of Jesus with demons and disease. Demons are being cast out. Disease is being healed. The kingdom of God is being revealed. But where will this go? What is the ultimate outcome of this drama that begins here near Jesus’ home town? 

The hint is twofold. First that the demons are cast out, rebuked, and silenced, but not destroyed should help us realize that there will be more battles between Satan and Jesus. The devil will not strike out on the first pitch. He who is being silenced now will have a voice in the time to come. Jesus will again face him. Jesus clearly has power and authority over the demons here and now. He will not relinquish that power. But there are many demons. Satan has his claws in many people’s souls and in many places. We’re not done yet. There are more chapters to be written.

This is the second hint: Jesus clearly says that he has good news to preach in other towns “as well.” That is why he was sent. And he does so in the synagogues of the area. The good news is about the reign and rule of God. That is the denouement toward which all of Jesus’ mission and ministry marches. 

That will begin some three years later – after what appears to be the irredeemable loss of Jesus’ death on the cross. But then comes Jesus’ resurrection, and ascension. His Great Commission to his disciples. His promised return at the end of all time. What starts here will be fully and eternally expressed for all who believe in Jesus. This will end when the final battle with Satan is consummated and he is thrown into the pit of hell prepared for him and all his angels (cf. Matthew 25:41). This will resolve in the full and unfettered reign of health, freedom from oppression, life, release from captivity, and the favor of God. It is a reign of hope, joy, purpose, and comfort. It is a place of God’s presence in an atmosphere of glorious grace. 

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And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! 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.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. 

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³ but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. – Luke 4:31-37, 42-44 [ESV]

I’m pretty good at asking questions. That was true even back in my college days…before I got serious about studying and applying myself. I was actually considering a pre-med major and taking zoology. I had a good professor, but I just couldn’t remember all the terms, modalities, and manner in which certain characteristics show up in certain orders, classes, or families of animal life. As I was talking with my professor he allowed, “You ask good questions.” It still didn’t get me a good grade. But I ask good questions!

My question today is this: What does the reign and rule of God look like? Hint, hint. We see it here. It looks like Jesus in charge. It looks like evil stopped in its tracks. It looks like diseases rebuked and vanquished. It looks like demons put in their place. It looks like proper acknowledgement of Jesus’ true identity (no mockery here!). It looks awe-inspiring and truly astounding. It also looks like a place to which all kinds of people have been invited.

Jesus is obviously in charge here. He was obviously in charge when he rose from the dead. He was obviously in charge when he ascended into heaven. And when he returns he will be obviously in charge. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father. Every eye will see him – even those who put him to death (cf. Revelation 1:7). The rule and reign of God will be an experience of Jesus’ ultimate and uncompromised reign over all – together with the Father and the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus heals diseases on this occasion. All kinds of diseases. What good news it is to know that all disease will be banished in the reign and rule of God! No covid. No cancer. No congenital defects. No Alzheimers. No ALS. No leukemia. No disease. Health. Perfected bodies. Physical wellness writ large.

People are amazed at Jesus’ teaching and healing. In the coming kingdom we will be continually amazed at the grace of God. We will rejoice in his glory. We will revel in his goodness. We will delight in his majesty. We will worship with our whole being. Without restraint. With fullness of joy. Relishing God’s love for us and all people.

And we will not be alone. Jesus will not just stay here in Capernaum and tend to these people here. He must go to other places so that more may hear of his reign and rule of grace. And just as he went on from there, ever since Jesus’ ascension, people have gone to far away places to tell them of Jesus’ grace and truth. People have gone to the highways and byways, and compelled others to come in. And just so we don’t miss it, in the very last book of the Bible, the very last chapter, and near the end of that chapter the invitation continues:

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. – Revelation 22:17

Jesus’ reign and rule is a glorious, inspiring, delightful place of grace, blessing, joy, and love. And you and I’ve been invited. Come, Lord Jesus! Bring me into the fullness of your reign and rule!

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And Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! 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.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. – Luke 4:31-37 [ESV]

“Shock and Awe.” That was the term Norman Schwarzkopf used to describe the manner in which United States forces were going to engage enemy troops in the first Persian Gulf War. War is an ugly business. I’m not in favor of it, but if you are going to go to war, you must go to win. And as far as the military battles were concerned Coalition forces totally owned that war. This is not an endorsement of war, but a comment on the nature of overwhelming an enemy and winning a battle. 

Jesus shows the surpassing power and complete dominance over his enemy in these few verses. It’s as though Jesus is showing up in a shock and awe manner to overwhelm and subjugate the devil and his evil angels. He is making a statement here. Establishing his complete dominance over the forces of evil, sickness, and the powers of darkness. Letting Satan know he was moving into the neighborhood and claiming that which was rightfully his. Reclaiming those who had been stolen from him. Bringing back life, health, and faith. This is like a western movie when the new sheriff shows up and kicks out the bad guys. 

Except it’s not. 

Jesus doesn’t use guns, bombs, tanks, or any implement of war. He uses simply his word. I love this. Jesus rebukes the demons and they flee. Jesus speaks and they’re history. He exercises authority and they obey. He commands the fever to leave and the patient suddenly recovers. 

I’ve experienced that one time in my life. I was very ill. I felt miserable. I had fever and chills. I had an upper respiratory infection. Sneezing, coughing, and congestion defined my existence. I asked Diane to pray for me. She did. Ten minutes later the fever broke. It was a delightful relief! She didn’t rebuke the fever. But you would have to say that she went to war for me. And I’m thankful for it!

Jesus lived this every day. And for now as he makes his presence known he is large and in charge. But this is not for his sake. And although it is a great blessing for those he heals, it’s not even just for them. He is doing these things as testimony against Satan and his reign of terror, and as a public display of what God’s reign and rule looks like (more on that tomorrow).

But there will come a time when God’s reign and rule looks very much different. The King of kings will be enthroned on a cross. He will be hailed by mockery. He will triumph by dying. It will look nothing like Jesus’ glorious moments of power and authority does here. But that is the secret of Jesus’ true power. His outward success doesn’t establish it. Jesus’ true power is the power of faith. His unwavering commitment to God’s ways no matter what gave him the moral authority to triumph over the demons.

That same commitment would lead him to the cross three years later. But it won’t stop there. It will go from the cross to the grave and from the grave to the glory and splendor of majesty at God’s right hand once again. And just as we have to believe that Jesus was reigning when he was being crucified, we must now believe he is reigning in the face of war, violence, injustice, disease, and even death. His is a word of life and grace for which I am deeply thankful. It’s very obvious when fever is lifted and evil is vanquished. I must remember that also in the dark times. How about you?

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Jesus rebuked the demon, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. – Luke 4:35-41 [ESV]

He came into my office and told me to my face, “I’m leaving my wife. I know it’s wrong, but I’m leaving and moving to Dallas.” That would have been a good time for a rebuke. But I’m not a rebuker. I’m not proud of that. I should have spoken up more strongly than I did. I’m sure I did to some extent. But It was not the “May your money perish with you!” kind of rebuke (cf. Acts 8:20). 

I think also these days about the situation in Ukraine. Thankfully there are those who are loudly rebuking Putin in his latest quest. 

Jesus was not afraid to rebuke evil when he saw it. He was unafraid of the demons. He was unafraid of the religious power brokers of his day. He spoke straight and clear. But such talk is not for the faint of heart. He had the authority and power to speak thus. He was spiritually, emotionally, and morally uncompromised. No one could rightly accuse him of manipulating people. He was not some carnival barker or even a religious huckster. He spoke with uncommon authority – unlike any others in his day…or ours to be honest. 

Three times in these few verses Jesus rebukes evil spirits. Three times he will not let them testify to his identity. He knew they were only mocking him in their supposed confession. He knew their witness would be detrimental to his mission. Evil always has a goal – even if it lurks in orthodox-sounding confessions, or the wrappings of outward piety. Jesus knew that. He also knew and was totally committed to his mission to seek and save the lost. He was perfect in his knowledge of God’s will. He was without waver in his faith. He was wholly dedicated to doing the will of the Father. 

Those three form a powerful coalition. And to the extent we engage our faith, commitment to God’s reign and rule, and understanding of God’s will (think Romans 12:2), we too can be powerful in opposing Satan and his minions. We can even rebuke him. And as to our witness to Jesus’ identity and his reign and rule, we will never be perfect. But we certainly would not wish to discredit Jesus. We would never wish to mock him outright. So speak up! Confess Jesus is Lord. Let the world know who he is and how he has blessed you. 

Paul tells Timothy that God’s word is profitable for reproof (2 Timothy 3:16). This should never be taken lightly or used in a cavalier manner. Thank God that Jesus knew when to rebuke, and did it! I wonder whether I need to be a little more courageous whenever I see evil having its way. God give me courage to do so when the need arises. 

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And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, ³² and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. ³³ And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴ “Ha! 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.” ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. ³⁶ And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” ³⁷ And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

³⁸ And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. ³⁹ And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

⁴⁰ Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. ⁴¹ And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

⁴² And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, ⁴³ but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. – Luke 4:31-44 [ESV]

A delightful little lady (all of 5 feet tall…maybe) introduced herself to me recently at the church I was visiting. I was there to preach and to perform an official duty for the Texas District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Sadly, I do not recall her name. But she confessed to me that she would likely call me Honey. I was not offended. Apparently she calls everyone Honey. At least everyone there at that church. Knowing and using someone’s name leverages our relationship. If I call you by name, and claim to know you, I can claim something from you. To the extent that I am persistent I can hound you for help, or favor.

That’s all well and good, and even in regard to calling on Jesus’ name. When we call on Jesus’ name, we can claim certain things. And to some extent it is because we have Jesus’ name. We know who he is. We know what he has promised. We can even call him out if he doesn’t deliver. But careful now! It’s not like we can order Jesus around. That’s what the demon tries to do when Jesus comes into the synagogue. 

A man who had the spirit of an unclean demon cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! 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.” He wanted to call Jesus out and undercut Jesus’ work. Maybe he was being sarcastic, perhaps even defiant. This could have been a challenge to Jesus’ power and authority – as though Jesus really couldn’t do what he was about to do. 

But Jesus will have none of it. He rebuked the demon, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” He didn’t even call the demon by name. But he had authority and power over this unclean demon, and exercised it. 

But let’s go back to the idea of calling Jesus out on his promises. Using his name to demand that God would act in accord with his will. Moses did this: 

And Moses said to the LORD, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:15-16)

Others have done it as well. It is still a dangerous thing to do – even if you are certain that you are demanding that God keep his clear word and promise. You don’t put God’s arm up behind his back and perp walk him into submission. But we can rely on Jesus’ word and promise. We can call upon God’s name and expect him to be true to his word.

We may have to come as dogs getting the scraps from the master’s table. (Matthew 15:27) We may need to call out, “Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) But we must never be defiant. We dare not use Jesus’ name in vain. We know who he is and what he has done. And we look forward to seeing him again at the end of all days. We know who he is. He is the One who answers our prayers, died for our sins, rose for our justification. He deserves always to have his name used in prayer, praise, thanks, and blessing.