Today's Devotion
Sermon: Wittenberg Academy – Tuesday of Easter 2, April 29, 2025 - Luke 4:31-44
In the name of + Jesus. Amen.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Our Lord’s “teaching” in the synagogue is not like that of the other rabbis. And the people “were astonished” because “His words possessed authority.” The word “authority” means that the one bearing authority is using power that He is authorized to use. Every other rabbi was merely a teacher, but Jesus is also a preacher, that is, one who issues proclamations. Jesus speaks words that are not only true, but He also proclaims words that become true by virtue of His command.
Anybody can claim to be an authority. Anybody can call himself or herself a teacher or preacher or expert on this or that. This is especially true today, as anyone can have a social media account or a website, a podcast or a YouTube channel, and can just say anything. In fact, today (just as in the days of our Lord’s ministry in Galilee), there are frauds and charlatans – people who claim to be authorities, but are really just grifters and scammers. Can they prove their supposed authority?
Jesus proves His authority by using it. We see this in our Lord’s miracles – and especially those miracles involving demons. Demons are unclean spirits who possess and imprison people’s bodies and minds. Jesus casts them out by His own command, by His own authority. The demons submit unwillingly to Jesus’ authority. In this case, when the demon expresses fear of Jesus, “Have you come to destroy us?” and saying, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God,” our Lord responds with an authoritarian and powerful command: “Be silent and come out of him!” The demon has no choice but to obey.
Again, the people had seen their rabbis perform exorcisms. But the way Jesus exorcizes is different. The people “were all amazed,” saying, “What is this Word? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” Jesus exercises both power (of His own) and authority (delegated from the Father). And He carries out His authority by means of His Word.
And our Lord gives authority to His church to likewise cast out demons, to forgive sins, and to proclaim with authority that the kingdom of God has come, that Jesus is our King, and that Satan and his demons have been defeated at the cross. Jesus not only taught, but preached. He declared the Good News that amazed the people and drove out the devils. This is what it means to preach “with authority.”
Dear friends, when the preacher – bearing the Word of God – declares your sins forgiven, he is doing so with the authority of Jesus, who authorized him to do so in his office. When the pastor proclaims the Gospel, he is making use of the very same Word that amazed the people and sent the demons scurrying. Preachers have the authority to proclaim, and hearers have the authority to believe. The preaching of Jesus creates faith, and faith believes the preaching of Jesus. And so, by the men whom He calls, Jesus is still amazing us with His power and authority, and the Word continues to scatter evil spirits. Let us “not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”
Amen.
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.