THE SCANDAL OF JESUS’ MESSAGE

SALT CHURCH IN GREATER MANCHESTER

Part of the series “The Secret Message of Jesus”
This message will be further explored in your small group this week
When evening came, many who were demon-
possessed were brought to him, and he drove out
the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
Matt 8:15-17 (NIV)
“If it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons,
then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”
Luke 11:20
 Jesus tackled not just personal
evil/demons, but also corporate
ones.

Why was Jesus so provocative to

the spiritual and political rulers of
his time?
 For Jesus’ secret message of the
kingdom to be realised, it must fist
expose the evil of all alternative
kingdom or regimes or systems or
ideologies. And for that evil to be
exposed, it must be drawn out of the
shadows, where it hides in secret.
 Jesus dealing with personal evil (like
possessions) was very straightforward.
However his strongest opposition was
against the dirty systems of power and
violence operating in powerful people.
Government (The Roman Empire)
Political movements (Zealots and Herodians)
Religious parties (Pharisees and Sadducees)
Religious structures and hierarchies (chief priests)
Professions (scribes)
Family structures
His own disciples (“Get behind me, Satan!”)
Jesus’ confrontation with demonic forces draw us
right back to his secret message: a new force, a
new spirit is in the world – not a demonic spirit,
but the Holy Spirit. Just as sick, destructive spirits
can take possession of groups, this new Spirit is
entering people and forming them into a healthy,
creative, and new kind of community or society –
the kingdom of God.
The Scandal of the Message of Jesus:
When its message of love, peace, justice and
truth meets the principalities and powers of
government and religion armed with spears
and swords and crosses, they unleash their
hate, force and manipulation and the
resistance movement known as the kingdom of
God is crushed.
Now that same day two of them were going to a
village called Emmaus, about seven miles from
Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about
everything that had happened. As they talked and
discussed these things with each other, Jesus
himself came up and walked along with them; but
they were kept from recognizing him.  He asked
them, "What are you discussing together as you
walk along?"
   They stood still, their faces downcast. One of
them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a
visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that
have happened there in these days?"
"What things?" he asked.
   "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a
prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and
all the people. The chief priests and our rulers
handed him over to be sentenced to death, and
they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was
the one who was going to redeem Israel.
Luke 24.19-21 (NIV)
The kingdom of God requires disappointment to expand
 ”but we had hoped that he was the one who was
going to redeem Israel.”
Luke 24.19-21 (NIV)
You don’t overcome oppression and evil by giving back
oppression and evil
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy
the devil's work.
1 John 3.8b
The kingdom of God requires disappointment to expand

You don’t overcome oppression and evil by giving back

oppression and evil

The kingdom of God expands by death and resurrection

and not by empire-building
“Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter
into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of
wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains
alone. But its death will produce many new kernels
—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love
their life in this world will lose it. Those who care
nothing for their life in this world will keep it for
eternity. “
John 12.23-25(NLT)
Would you like to see more of signs
and wonders around you?
For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some
spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that
is, that I may be encouraged together with you by
the mutual faith both of you and me.
Rom 1:8-12 (New King James Version)
 Two are better than one,
       because they have a good return for their work:
 If one falls down,
       his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
       and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
       But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
       two can defend themselves.
       A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecc 4.9-12 (NIV)

"Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree
about anything you ask for, it will be done for you
by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three come together in my name,
there am I with them."
Matthew 18.19-20 (NIV)
Signs and wonders happen as a result of faith
We all have little faith
We can multiply our faith by putting them together – mutual faith
Jesus sent the disciples 2 by 2 and they came back reporting wonders
Even Jesus himself asked the disciples to pray for him
before crucifixion