“And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, ‘What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.'” – Mark 1:27¹

Back in my soccer days I as able to travel all over the world.. I have been to virtually every country in Europe, but such truth can be deceiving. Weeks spent training and playing in these countries meant that we became familiar with their landscape and culture, but rarely got to experience that landscape and culture. Our lives were eat, sleep, and play soccer. Familiarity didn’t lead to experience.

And we need to understand that it is easy for us to fall into the same trap when encountering Jesus. We can be familiar with the gospel stories and teachings of Jesus, but never experience who He really is. Familiarity is necessary, but not equal, to experiencing Jesus. Mark 1:21-34 is in our Bible to show us not only the kingdom’s advance, but also the absolute uniqueness of its King. Mark is in pain for us to see this one simple truth about Jesus: This Savior is unlike anyone you have ever heard or seen. In many ways, every gospel writer recounts the life and ministry of Jesus so that everyone would get that truth. You could make it the main point of almost every gospel passage. But is clearly is the main point of Mark 1:21-34. The people are amazed and astonished, bringing all the sick and demon possessed to him, because He has an authority they have never experienced before. In order that we see the utter uniqueness of Jesus, I want to give you three things from this text that you cannot afford to miss.

Don’t miss the aim of Jesus. The “whole city” gathers at Jesus’ door, not because they recognized that He is God’s Son and Savior, but because it is rumored that a miracle worker has come in their midst. Jesus had come to preach repentance and the nearness of the kingdom, but the people think only of relief from pain and affliction. They failed to see that the healings and deliverances were windows into who Jesus was, the true Son of God. You are not supposed to stare at windows, but stare through windows. The people should not have stared at the miracles, but through the miracles, for the miracles attest to the identity of Jesus. See the miracles of Christ and look through them to the One performing them.

There is something important for the church in this passage.  Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “The authentic task of the church is not primarily to make people happy; it is not to make people healthy; and it is not even to make people good. The church, of course, is concerned about making people good, and that they should be happy; yes, but that is not her primary function . . . Her essential task is to restore men to the right relationship with God.” It wasn’t Jesus’ primary aim to make people happy and healthy, it was to restore them to a right relationship with God. So, firstly, don’t miss the aim of Jesus, secondly . . .

Don’t miss the assault on Jesus. He shows up in the synagogue, teaching with authority, and quite literally, all hell breaks loose. There is no more dangerous place in town that where the truth of Christ meets dead, devilish religion. Never forget that the world is not friendly to the authoritative truth of Christ. If you are under assault for loving the truth of Christ, you have a friend in Christ. The devils of this world and dead religions of this world assault the authority of this Savior. By dead religion, I want you to see the religious leaders there in the background of the synagogue, leaders who will soon come to the forefront in the opposition of Christ. Men, who knew their Scriptures, but did not know God. They were dead in religion and couldn’t handle the truth, so they wage war against it. This text calls us to remember that one can know the truth and yet be unconverted. Might you be familiar with Jesus and yet still not know Him as your Savior? I invite you to examine your heart before Him and see if you have truly placed your faith in the one who is the Savior for sinners. He didn’t come for us to be merely familiar with Him, which leads to the final thing we cannot miss . . .

Don’t miss the astonishment at Jesus. Jesus’ authority astonished and amazed the people who encountered Him for the first time; He “blew their minds.” To behold this Jesus is to be struck with the holy mixture of fear and wonder. When was the last time you beheld Jesus and were astonished? Amazed? Left in holy fear?

Jesus’ is establishing God’s kingdom, and in the process we see that He is the teacher, deliverer, and healer. Let us not miss the aim of Jesus, the assault on Jesus, and the astonishment at Jesus. For this Savior is unlike anyone you have ever heard or seen.