Mark 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 impure spirits and they obey him.”
Do you obey speed limits? Quite frankly, I find I am usually at least 5 mph if not 10 mph over what is posted. Very often I have someone right up behind me impatiently acting like I am going too slow even then. If you go 55 mph on an interstate you will have cars flying by you though that may be the top legal speed. Of course, if a police car is in the traffic everyone complies. No one wants a ticket. But when the police car goes away everyone resumes their former pace. Sometimes it seems we only respect authority when it is in a position to punish us. Interestingly, Jesus does not destroy this “impure spirit.” He just sends it away. He has the power and authority to inflict punishment but he uses it to bring healing. Maybe there is a lesson in this. How do you experience and react to the authority of God in your life?
Logan Memorial Presbyterian Church 