Go Home to Your Own People
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My favorite story in the NT is actually a series of stories, but one story in particular.
At the end of Mark 4 (this isn’t my favorite story), Jesus tells his disciples to get in the boat. “Let’s go over to the other side,” Jesus says.
They go across the lake to the Gentile region of the Gerasenes.
Furious storm, disciples freak out, wake Jesus, Jesus speaks, the storm stops, and the disciples freak out.
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE
Remember: Gentile territory, well out of Jesus’ normal environment, but Jesus is there intentionally.
Here’s the start of my very favorite story:
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
And then WITH THE SAME POWER THAT CALMED THE STORM ON THE SEA, Jesus commanded the demons to come out of the man, sends them into a herd of pigs, and released this man from his oppression.
No one had been able to do anything for this man. That is, until Jesus crosses to his side of the lake and sets him free.
We might wonder why?
Why cross the lake?
Why would Jesus help this man?
Why did Jesus even step foot in that territory?
Why did Jesus do these things?
Because Jesus love and compassion, His grace and mercy know no bounds.
John Gill writes that Jesus’ deliverance of this man is repeated in every Christian’s experience.
We all were, as Paul wrote, dead in our transgressions and sins.”
We, too need the grace and mercy and compassion that Jesus showed this man.
His story is our story, in more ways than one.
Back to the text
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
So, after the treacherous trip across the lake, Jesus has one interaction with one man, changes his life, SAVES his life, and then gets into the boat to head back across the lake.
Weird, right?
It gets a little weirder.
The formerly demon-possessed man wants to go with Jesus.
Makes sense.
But Jesus says, “No.”
Instead, Jesus gives him a task:
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 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.”
Go home. Report what happened here today. Go on home.
This was Jesus’ plan. And it worked out perfectly. It’s genius. It really is.
Jesus crosses the lake. Meets a man in need of help. Helps the man. Saves the man. Tells the man he can’t go with him. And tells the man to go home to tell them what Jesus had done for him.
20 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.
The man believed in Jesus.
The man had experienced Jesus’ power and mercy.
So the man obeys Jesus.
Jesus tells him to report to his own people.
Instead, the man goes around preaching, proclaiming.
This man went around the 10-city area, and all the people were amazed.
This man was the FIRST missionary to the Gentile territory.
The first missionary wasn’t one of the disciples.
Not one of the 72.
It wasn’t Peter or Paul.
It was this formerly demon-possessed, crazy man.
And this man did a pretty good job.
A few chapters later, Jesus comes to the region of the Decapolis (the 10-cities) again, and is crowded by people who have heard about Him.
People came to Jesus to be healed, and fed, and cared for.
It seems all these people heard about Jesus from this one, formerly demon-possessed crazy man.
Simply because he went and told them how much the Lord had done for him and how he had mercy upon him.
It’s really not that hard. It’s pretty simple, really.
Mark 5:19 (NIV)
“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.”
I don’t believe you have to persuade or convince anyone to believe in Jesus.
That’s not our job.
Our job is this:
Mark 5:19 (NIV)
“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.”
An entire community of Christ-rejecting pagans could—in Jesus’ opinion—best be impacted by one converted and changed man.
Jesus came to US and rescued US from our sin.
Jesus saved US by His death on the cross.
Now Jesus calls US to go and tell.
What has the Lord done for you?
How has He had mercy on you?
What’s your story?
Go home, to your friends, your family, your classmates.
Go and tell them that.
Mark 5:19 (NIV)
“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.”
Our friend, Austin, the head of this event, wants to come and do just that.