Mk 1:27   The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."

   

With Jesus so many new things came. Today, looking back, we may see that he brought lots of new teaching through his ministry. Every day it seemed to the disciples new things were coming and they needed to ask him to explain what he meant. It was a time of constant challenge for them. Do we take God's word for granted or do we let it speak to us daily so that it is a challenge to us? Do we find ourselves praying, “Lord please will you explain this bit, for I don't understand”?

 

But the thing that really shook the people was the fact that “his teaching” was accompanied with power. When he began to teach in this synagogue, “The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” (v.22) But then a demon responds and he silences it and delivers the man. Wow, they think, this really is a new day! What's this? Our religious leaders don't do this sort of thing!

As Paul said later, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” (1 Cor 4:20 ) That's what made this a new day, the power of God was here, manifest through Jesus, to bring change to people. Is that how we see ‘church life'? Do we expect Jesus to come in power to bring actual changes to the lives of people we know, changes that bring total transformation by the power of God?