Dear Christian friends:

A news reporter was interviewing a Buddhist monk from Ceylon. This monk knew well the teachings of both Buddha and Christ. The reporter asked the monk what he thought was the chief difference between the two religions. The monk replied, "There is much that is good in both religions. But I think the chief difference is that you Christians know what is right and you have the power to do it, while we Buddhists know what is right but have not any power to do it."

The Buddhist monk was impressed by the Christian's power to do what is right. What is the secret of a Christian's power? Why do Christians have more power and do more good than the members of other religions? We can learn the answer to that question from our text.

Our text shows that
When we Christian's hear Jesus' Word, we know it is true and authoritative.

We read in our text that Jesus and His disciples came to the city of Capernaum, and on the next worship day Jesus went into the Synagogue and began to teach the people. When Jesus finished teaching the people, they were amazed at His teaching, because Jesus did not teach like the Jewish law teachers, but He taught with authority." (verses 21-22)

Jesus did not teach like the Jewish law teachers. They did not teach with authority. Their teaching was weak and did not touch the people's hearts. The people could see that they were self-righteous hypocrites. Jesus by His teaching showed the people that the law teachers were hypocrites. Jesus taught with authority because He taught the truth about man, the sinner. Jesus showed the people how they failed to love God and their neighbor. Jesus helped the people to feel truly ashamed and sorry about their sins. Then He also preached to them the Good News that God loves sinners and shows mercy to them and forgives those who repent.

Jesus said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." (Mark 2:5) Jesus by His wisdom and miracles showed that God sent Him, yes, that He was the Son of God. When the law teachers questioned His right to forgive the paralytic, Jesus said to them: "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up, take up your mat and walk? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." Jesus said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. The people were surprised and amazed at Jesus' strong and beautiful teaching. His teaching touched their hearts.

Today, we also find Jesus' teaching strong and beautiful. His teaching that we read in the Bible touches our hearts and makes us believe in Him, love Him and serve Him. Jesus' word is our strength. His Word is true and has authority, the authority of God Himself.

Jesus' Word is the Christian's strength also because it frees him and gives him new life.

We read in our text that a man came into the synagogue and the man had an evil spirit in him. The evil spirit screamed to Jesus, "Leave us, Jesus of Nazareth. You have come to destroy us. I know You are God's Son." (verse 24) The evil spirit fully controlled the man's mind, speech and deeds. He can't think or speak or do himself. So Jesus felt sorry for the man, and Jesus commanded the evil spirit, "Shut-up! Come out of the man!" Then the evil spirit shook the man, and with a loud scream the evil spirit came out of him." (verses 25-26) Now the man was free from the evil spirit. He believed in Jesus and had the power to begin a new life of praise and service to God. Instead of an evil spirit ruling him, now God's Holy Spirit lived in him and ruled him.

So Jesus' mighty Word has power to make us free from sin's rule and Satan's rule. A demon may not fully control us, like this man, but the Bible teaches that we and all people are born under Satan's rule and influence, and that we must be born again. (John 3:3) One question the pastor asks a person before he receive baptism is this: "Do you give-up all the powers of evil, the devil and all his false promises?" Then the person who intends to receive baptism answers, "Yes!" If the person is a baby, a sponsor answers for the baby.

Water only cannot wash away sins and free us from Satan's power. Alone water can wash away dirt. That's all. But because Jesus has commanded us to receive baptism and because Jesus word and promises are joined with the water, baptism has wonderful power to forgive sins and to give new birth and new life, free from Satan's rule. Let us remember our baptism daily. Then we will have strength to do good.

On the first and third Sunday of each month we come to the Lord's Supper. We eat the bread and drink the wine. How can eating bread and drinking wine forgive sins and give new life? Alone it can't. Without Jesus' command and promise the eating and drinking is nothing! But, because Jesus commands us to eat and drink and because Jesus says the bread is His body and the wine is His blood given and shed for us for the forgiveness of sins, therefore the eating and drinking has power to forgive sins and to give new life.

Yes, Jesus' Word is the Christian's strength. Jesus! Word is the secret of why Christians know what is right and also have the power to do what is right. If we do not have power to do what is right, it is because we are not using God's Word faithfully. Let us use Jesus' Word faithfully!

Many years ago, when I was pastor of Faith Lutheran Church for the Deaf, Spokane, Washington we had a voters meeting after church one Sunday. I proposed to the voters that we in the future have the Lord's Supper once a month. At that time they had the Lord's Supper once every three months or four times during the year. One of the deaf members did not want to have Lord's Supper every month. I asked him, "Why?" He answered, "If we have Lord's Supper every month, we will have to be good." He didn't want to improve and be good.

He loved to sin and had pleasure in sin. But the other voters did not listen to him and they voted to have Lord's Supper every month. And I am happy to report that the members did improve and serve Jesus better by coming to the Lord's Supper more often. Same we, if we use Jesus' Word with honest heart and often, we will have power to do good and right better and better. Use His Word! You will see!

Amen.