Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends on this Wednesday,
Have you ever seen a situation where people turn down or refuse or take advantage of help offered in a dire situation? In our world disasters happen frequently and good hearted, compassionate, generous people and organizations like Samaritan’s Purse rush to help those in crisis.
It’s a wonderful thing to watch or even be part of, but it’s sad when it turns dark as corruption or pride or selfishness defiles the beauty of generosity. Let’s watch today Jesus deals with that problem.
I left you yesterday standing with Jesus as a demon possessed man, who had been living among the tombs of a Gerasenes cemetery and cutting himself with stones, was being delivered from those demons by the authority and power of Jesus Christ, God the Son! This remarkable story is found in Mark 5 & Luke 8 and today let’s see how Jesus draws it all to a remarkable conclusion.
You’ll recall the legion of demons fled out of the man and entered into a huge herd of pigs grazing nearby. (Mark 5:13) The pigs suddenly rushed down the hillside into the lake! But pigs can’t swim and so they drowned and those tending them ran to the town to report what they’d seen. Very soon people came out to investigate and were shocked to see the demonized man dressed and in his right mind! (Mark 5:14,15)
Mark writes this very disturbing response from the Gerasenes people: “They were afraid… Then the people began to plead with Jesus to LEAVE their region.” (Mark 5:17) Luke describes it this way: “The people of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear…” (Luke 8:37) Isn’t that fascinating? A man horrifically harassed by a legion of demons is set free by the power of Jesus and a herd of pigs drown themselves and the people ask Jesus to leave their area!
Historians tell us this region of the Gerasenes is the southeastern shoreline of the Sea of Galilee and was a Gentile area, thus the herd of pigs, for as you know swine are unclean animals in Jewish society. Now pause and contrast what we have seen in how the Samaritans responded to Jesus’ visit in Sychar (John 4) and how these Gerasenes are responding to Jesus’ deliverance of this demon possessed man.
For the Samaritans the woman Jesus met simply said “this man told me everything I ever did…” (John 4:29), for these Gerasenes, they see with their own eyes the power of Jesus’ deliverance. Both groups of people were amazed but one group invited Jesus to stay with them a few days, the other group asked Jesus to leave as quickly as possible!
In both cases Jesus accommodated the people’s request. Now, watch that my friends. Jesus will NEVER impose Himself upon a person, a marriage, a family, a town, a nation. Satan will ALWAYS seek to impose his will on people, families, towns and nations. Mark tells us the delivered man, watching Jesus and His disciples getting into their boats and pushing off from shore, “…begged to go with Jesus. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:18,19)
May I ask what you see happening here my friends? Like you and me, this man had a story to tell… his story, a great story! And nowhere will his story be more powerful than among the people who have known his troubled past. Think about that as it relates to YOUR story my friends.
Mark concludes this remarkable story with these words: “So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.” (Mark 5:20) This is nothing short of remarkable. This unnamed man became the first Jesus sent missionary to the Gentiles living east of the Sea of Galilee. You know the area, don’t you?
Today it’s called the Golan Heights of Syria to the northeast and Jordan to the east and southeast of the Sea of Galilee. This man could have simply gone home to his family, found a job and settled down, but his gratitude for being delivered by Jesus needed much more.
That gratitude needed to be spilled out and I imagine each time he told his story he got better at painting a very clear picture of the horrific demonic bondage which terrorized him, and the total and profound deliverance Jesus accomplished in him, driving out the demons.
I wonder what questions you would want to ask the “Walking with Jesus” audience as you contemplate this story in Mark 5 & Luke 8. How about these questions for starters:
1. What could possibly move a person, a family or a group of people to refuse Jesus’ help and ask Jesus to leave them alone, even leave their area?
2. How do you describe the deliverance and total transformation of this man, rescued by Jesus? Has Jesus done anything even remotely similar in your life?
3. What confidence does this give you that no power or strategy of the dark kingdom could ever take control of you as long as you are living with Jesus as your Savior and King in your life?
Again, some wonderful “lessons learned” notes are at the link just below to help you continue thinking deeply about what God is showing us here, and a great worship song follows. And of course I’ll be here ready to meet with you tomorrow.
Take a moment and thank Jesus for His victorious power over the dark kingdom!
Today’s Scripture: Mark 5:14-20 & Luke 8:35-39.
Choose below to read or listen.
Mark 5:14-20
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Luke 8:35-39
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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