Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.
These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
I have had the privilege of being in many countries around the world, I have seen some of the things we read him calling the disciples to do in today’s pssage, including casting out demons.
Yet many, including Christians, are skeptical about demons.
If you struggle with this idea of demons perhaps C. S. Lewis’ perspective on this area might be helpful for you.
“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors…” The Screwtape Letters
I bring this up because this passage is where Jesus calls his disciples.
Yes, I know, some texts call these men apostles, and we are not apostles. Yet, the way of becoming a follower, a disciple, and the task we are given is very similar to what we read here in Mark's Gospel. One of those tasks is being empowered to cast out demons.
Before we deal with demons, let me remind us of what this passage describes as steps in becoming a follower of Jesus.
- One is to separate. Jesus goes up on a mountain and calls his followers To join Jesus in mission to, and for, and in this world, means that you cannot be of this world. It raises the question of how we engage and are engaged by the world. The things of this world must grow strangely dim for us. If not, then we will always be torn as we seek to follow him.
- Two is Jesus’ call. He says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you”. He said this to the twelve, and he says it to all who follow him.
- Three is our response. The disciples came that day, and so must all who follow him. We must come.
To put it succinctly.
- You have to hear his voice. He is the initiator.
- Then you have to move. You cannot follow Jesus without moving. The Greek word for "repent" means to "turn around". You will notice when you move to him, you are moving away from this world.
- You are either with and for Jesus, or against him and siding with the demons and their leader.
Mark records Jesus as describing what we are called to this way:
- to be with Jesus,
- to proclaim the Good News,
- and to cast out demons.
Being with Jesus, proclaiming him, and casting out demons or challenging evil in his name, is not easy. Most successful demons don’t want you to know they are around.
We do not do this alone. We must be with him.
The challenge here is that we “go”. Too often his followers “go to church” or “go to Bible Study”, but do not “go into the world baptizing…”
So what is this casting out demons.
- Casting out evil is not just exorcisms.
- Evil is everywhere.
- It is in corrupt business dealing.
- It is in the lies that surround us.
- It is in the systems of evil in our world
- It is a disease that is constantly seeking to infect every aspect of our person and our world.
Let me quote C.S. Lewis again"
“One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament seriously was that it talked so much about a Dark Power in the universe a mighty evil spirit who was held to be the Power behind death and disease, and sin. The difference is that Christianity thinks this Dark Power was created by God, and was good when he was created, and went wrong. Christianity agrees with Dualism that this universe is at war. But it does not think this is a war between independent powers. It thinks it is a civil war, a rebellion, and that we are living part of the universe occupied by the rebel. Enemy-occupied territory that is what this world is. Christianity is the story of how the rightful king has landed, you might say landed in disguise, and is calling us all to take part in a great campaign of sabotage. When you go to church you are really listening-in to the secret wireless from our friends: that is why the enemy is so anxious to prevent us from going.”
This holding together of both sharing the Good News and confronting evil is a missionary perspective. It will require we understand the perspective of those who do not yet believe. We do not see them as evil, but as captured by the enemy, in need of being set free.
- To challenge evil makes us vulnerable.
- It means we must first look at ourselves.
It will take courage to stand against evil. Yet when we do, we will begin to grasp the extent and the power of the message we proclaim, the authority it carries, and the depth of love which God has for all of His creation—for all of us.
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