Proper 4 (G)

Mark 1:21-28

²¹ And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. ²² And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴ “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.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ 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.” ²⁸ And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Have you ever wondered how many people sitting in Church are filled with demons? Have you ever looked around at a sporting event and thought of all the unclean spirits? I have! I have sat in church services and listened to unclean spirits crying out. I have sat in church services and felt the spirit within crying out, but clenched my mouth.

All of us are filled with unclean spirits. These spirits cry out within us to do evil things. They tell us these things are pleasurable or beneficial. These unclean spirits cry out within us. They seem like comforting voices and friends. They have learned very well how to trick and trap us.

These spirits are still unclean. All of us need to be washed daily. (I read somewhere that taking a shower every day can cause skin irritations over the lose of skin cells.) We need to be cleansed daily from our unclean spirits. Our spirits need to be washed in the blood of Christ. It is Jesus Christ who cleanses unclean spirits.