- [Narrator] How powerful is Jesus?
Number one, Jesus versus the strong man.
"But no one can enter the strong man's house
"and plunder his property
"unless he first ties up the strong man
"and then he will plunder his house."
Mark 3:27.
The Gospels are relevant
as they showcase the victory that Jesus Christ won
on our behalf through his lifelong obedience.
His victory back then has cosmic
and personal consequences that affect us right now.
Most people think Satan
and Jesus are equally matched, but this is false.
In Mark 3, Jesus' mission is under attack.
After announcing the coming of God's kingdom,
He begins to heal the sick, cast out demons,
teach with authority, cool disciples, and even forgive sins.
But not everyone is happy with Him.
In Mark 3:22-30, "the scribes challenge the source
"of Jesus's authority claiming it comes from Beelzebub,
"the prince of demons, Satan."
The scribe did not think he was insane.
He was accused of casting out demons
by the power of Beelzebub.
Beelzebub means Lord of Dung Flies or Lord of Filth.
This was an utterly blasphemous accusation.
After refuting it, Jesus condemned those who made it.
If he were casting our demons by Beelzebub,
then Satan would be working against himself,
frustrating his own purpose.
His aim is to control men through demons,
not to free them from demons.
A kingdom, a house,
or a person divided against itself cannot endure.
Continued survival depends
upon internal cooperation, not antagonism.
Mark 3:23-27.
"And so He called them to Himself
"and began speaking to them in parables.
"How can Satan cast out Satan?
"And if a kingdom is divided against itself
"that kingdom cannot stand.
"And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided,
"he cannot stand, but he is finished.
"But no one can enter
"the strong man's house and plunder his property
"unless he first ties up the strong man
"and then he will plunder his house."
The scribes' accusation was therefore preposterous.
In fact, the Lord Jesus was doing the very opposite
of what they said.
His miracles signified the downfall of Satan
rather than his prowess.
That is what the Savior meant when he said,
"No one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods
"unless he first binds the strong man
"and then he will plunder his house."
Satan is the strong man.
The house is his dominion.
He is the God of his age.
His goods are the people over whom he holds sway.
Jesus is the one who binds Satan and plunders his house.
At Christ's Second Advent,
Satan will be bound
and cast into the bottomless pit for 1000 years.
The Savior's casting out demons
during his ministry on earth was a forecast
of his eventual binding of the devil.
In response, Jesus points out that the accusation
that he is collaborating with Satan is false.
Jesus asserts that he came to tie the strong man
which refers to Satan,
so that he himself
as the stronger man might plunder Satan's house.
This is Jesus' explanation
of the events we encounter in Mark 1-3.
Satan is the strong man who guards what belongs to him.
Jesus' ministry was defeating this strong man
both in the case
of casting the demons out of the man who was mute
and in the broader sense.
Jesus looked at every life delivered
from Satan's domination and said.
"I'm plundering the kingdom of Satan one life at a time.
"There is nothing in our life
"that must stay under Satan's domination.
"The one who binds the strong man
"and will plunder his house is our risen Lord."
Satan is strong and he guards his possessions jealously.
Jesus, however, is stronger than the strong man.
Only he can bind the strong man and rescue us from his grip.
John 12:31, "New American Standard Bible."
"Now judgment is called upon this world.
"Now the ruler of this world will be cast out."
Jesus came to crush the devil.
First, Jesus came to defeat the devil.
We can lose sight
of this point since the Gospels contain many stories.
Ultimately, the Gospels are about Jesus' victory over Satan.
Number two, "All power is given unto me
"in heaven and in earth.
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
Matthew 28:18.
This was the risen Jesus.
"Jesus here instructs his disciples regardless of their duty
"after his departure,
"and Jesus came and spoke to them saying,
"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
"Go therefore and make disciples
"of all the nations, baptizing them
"in the name of the Father and of the Son
"and of the Holy Spirit,
"teaching them to observe all things
"that I have commanded you
"And Lo, I am with you always,
"even to the end of the age, amen."
We read, "All authority has been given
"to me in heaven and on earth.
"This commission that follows is given
"in light of the authority of Jesus.
"This shows that this is an authoritative command,
"not a proposition.
"This is the same idea as a private being reminded
"of his rank by an officer
"because he has this authority.
"He can send whomever he wills
to do whatever he pleases.
All dominates."
Matthew 28.18-20,
"And ties these verses together.
"All authority, all nations, all things, all the days."
Carson.
Popular preacher Charles Spurgeon says,
"Power in the hands of some people is dangerous
"but power in the hands of Christ is blessed.
"Oh, let Him have all the power.
"Let Him do what He will with it,
"for he cannot will anything but that which is right
"and just and true and good.
"We believe in this power and we rest in it.
"We do not seek any other power.
"We defy every other power.
"We know our powerlessness will not hinder
"the progress of his kingdom.
"We give all our power unto him..
Number three, he holds the keys of death and Hades.
"I am the living one.
"I was dead, and now look.
"I am alive forever and ever.
"And I hold the keys of death and Hades."
Revelation 118.
It is Jesus who says this to John.
This conversation is essential
as this is the last personal meeting
with Jesus recorded in the Bible.
By possessing the keys of death,
the risen Christ has control and authority over death.
When Jesus died
he did so at his own timing when he gave up his spirit
the news that Jesus was already dead surprised Pilate.
Having authority over death,
Jesus was able to rise from the dead
after giving up his spirit.
Moreover, he has the power to release his followers
from death in order that they may be with him forever.
Hell is a horrible territory
where powers of evil and terror hold their high court
and dread assembly,
but Hell shutters at the sight of the Lord
and there is a throne more elevated than the throne of evil.
Not only does he have dominion over all sheep and oxen
as well as all birds of the air, fish of the water
and anything else that travels along the course of the sea.
But he also has authority over death and Hades.
This is because the glorified man
has been given this authority.
"So that at the name of Jesus,
"every niche shall bow in submission
"of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth
"and A every tongue will confess and openly acknowledge
"that Jesus Christ is Lord, sovereign God
"to the glory of God the father."
Philippians 2:10-11.
Popular preacher S.M. Lockridge remarked,
"The Pharisees couldn't stand him
"but they found out they couldn't stop him.
"Pilate couldn't find any fault in him.
"The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree.
"Herod couldn't kill him.
"Death couldn't handle him
"and the grave couldn't hold him."
In everyday life, the key is a symbol
of real ownership and power.
When the tenant gives the key back to the landlord
the owner once again has control
over the possession of the house.
Our Lord Jesus Christ still remains supreme.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first time
in human history that someone has risen
from the dead and will never again experience death.
Some of those who are resurrected later succumbed
to death a second time.
"Christ conquered death because he was sinless.
"The curse upon mankind in the Garden of Eden brought
"about by sin was plainly stated."
Genesis 2:17.
"But only from the tree of the knowledge,
"recognition of good and evil,
"you shall not eat.
"Otherwise on the day that you eat from it,
"You shall most certainly die because of your disobedience."
Christ has conquered death
and the consequences for us are eternal.
It is Christ's victory
over death that underpins the good news of the Gospel.
Without the resurrection, there is no Gospel.
Indeed, there is no hope for us at all.
1 Corinthians 15:17.
"And if Christ has not been raised,
"your faith is worthless and powerless.
"Mere delusion.
"You are still in your sins
"and under the control and penalty of sin."
Overseers filled the people of God with yearning
that Lord would one day abolish death.
Isaiah 25:8.
"He will swallow up death and abolish it for all time.
"And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces
"and he will take away the disgrace of his people
"from all the earth.
"For the Lord has spoken."
Death was the devil's most powerful,
terrifying weapon against us.
Believers are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
Christ has conquered death.
And believers stand firm on Jesus's words.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.
"Whoever believes in, adheres to, trusts in,
"relies on me as Savior will live even if he dies.
"And everyone who lives and believes
"in me as Savior will never die.
"Do you believe this?"
John 11:25-26.
It is imperative that we do not forget
that the Father is the one who bestowed
upon Jesus Christ the right to occupy this exalted position
of authority and dignity as a reward for what he has done.
Look what he has gotten in return
for the humiliation he suffered at the hands of man.
He was the servant of servants
but now he is the king of kings and Lord of lords.
He stoops lower than the lowest
and he has risen higher than the highest.
He wore the crown of thorns
but now he wears the crown of heaven.
He was the servant of servants,
but now he is the Lord of Lords,
and the king of kings.
Let us worship Him.
Let our hearts as we ponder these simple
but priceless truths,
and spread their treasures
at his feet and let us enthrone him as Lord over everything.