Mark 5_1_20 outline Legion

Text: Mark 5:1-20

Title: Miraculous Salvation

Intro: John Dyer, a Welsh poet and pastor from the 1700s once wrote, “A man may go to Heaven without health, without riches, without honors, without learning, without friends; but he can never go there without Christ.” Today our world is filled with people who are seeking some other way to God than the one found in the blood of Jesus and His precious name, but all such efforts are doomed to failure. Jesus is the only Way to Heaven.

Mark 5 Jesus meets 3 people with incurable afflictions a demonic man, a diseased woman, and a dead child. However, no one is hopeless with Jesus He is more than adequate to bring hope to the hopeless. Jesus had just calmed a great storm on the Sea now He is going to calm a great storm in a soul.

CPS: Jesus does what man can’t do for himself, saves their souls and in the process bringing a great change in life.

The Miserable Soul Vs. 1-5

Jesus met a soul demented by fallen angels who want to thwart God’s rule and destroy anything that He loves. Did you know mankind is God most special creation? Nothing else in creation was carved from His image. The Bible says Satan is a ravenous lion who seeks to kill and destroy what God loves, he is a powerful being but he is not omnipotent! Neither is he omniscient, neither is he omnipresent. It may seem so, but Satan has limitations but demons extend his powers and activity greatly.

He is demented

Vs. 2 unclean spirit (11) impure Akathrotos – demon possessed – COMPLETELY CONTROLED BY The Evil Spirits that invaded his Body.

Because of his demon possession he had SUPERHUMAN Strength

Vs. 3. No man could bind him.

Vs. 4 Often Bound with Shackles and Chains – Chains were plucked asunder – Torn apart/snapped - Shackles (fetters) – broken in pieces smashed/shattered

neither could man tame him -

Illustration: incredible hulk – Avg. size 5ft 5 inches perhaps 140 lbs

Self-destructive behavior

vs. 5 Always – Night and Day implies the man never slept

In the tombs – crying and cutting himself with stones

He is dead

Dead to himself

Demons are fallen angels with no hope of redemption, destined to fiery pit of hell where they will be destroyed by Jesus

By possession the man is full – sin riddled filthy beings who despise God – when they enter something they seek to destroy it. - Swine

His sin is multiplied and he is living in great sin every moment of every day – no interlude/ break from it/ can’t even get away from it by sleeping.

Miserably sinful

Dead to others

5:3 who lived among the tombs Indicates that the man was socially ostracized because of his demonic possession.

living among the tombs – 1st century tombs were places people believed demons dwelled

People tried to bind him in chains and shackles – HE WAS OF NO VALUE TO HUMANITY

Dead in His Trespasses

He is defeated

Possessed individuals are not capable of severing themselves from the control of the demon. He had no say in what he does

In need of a savior

This still happens

Illustration: Charlie Goodman – experience with little girl – smashing her head against concrete/ Charlie telling her the word of God - saved

Transition: This miserable soul needed a mighty savior and he is about to meet Him.

The Mighty Savior Vs. 6-12

The Miserable soul has a divine encounter with the Mighty Savior

The Demons perception

When the demons saw Jesus they knew Who He was!

They fell at His feet – bowed down - Philippians 2:9

Cried with a loud voice (krazo) “scream” ear piercing

Called Him Jesus, Son of the most high God

Does this mean the demons worshiped Jesus – Focus/Respond in obedience – no! they worship only themselves – Satan fell because he wanted to be God – but this is a great reminder that Jesus is so holy and powerful that the demon recognized Him and fell before Him.

The demons understand they are subject to Jesus and a time will come for them to be tormented.

Accuser – Vs. 7c Accuse Jesus of coming to torment him. Mark 1 “Have you come to destroy me before the appointed time?” - always accuses Jesus of acting toward them in a way that is against His holy nature – acting independently from the Father

Jesus’ Power

When the demoniac saw Jesus, he first acted respectfully, then complained bitterly

Jesus said “Come out of the man” then asked him his name

“Legion” for we are many - Unknown number – Roman legion between 4000 and 6000 soldiers - 2000 swine - great many – this man was in bad shape possessed with thousands of demons.

Vs. 10 These many demons begged Jesus not to send them out of the country - Mark 3:27 Strong man vs. STRONGER MAN BINDS HIM!

Begged Him to send them into the swine.

Demons are supernatural beings but they have met their match with Jesus. They are permissive and can only do what He allows.

NB) notice the begging

Picture this

Illustration: Jetsons – George would get in trouble with Mr. Spacely and would grovel at his feet begging to keep his job begging for mercy - (on knees)

The demons perceived it was God in the flesh and asked to be spared from His great power.

Transition: What happens when a miserable soul meets Jesus?

The Miraculous Salvation Vs. 13-20

When the Miserable soul met the mighty Savior there was a miraculous salvation.

Changes people

The man was no longer possessed by demons

Gave them leave and they left – swine

The sin was removed from the man – Ps. 103:12 He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west

In His right mind sitting, clothed, talking with Jesus

Vs. 18 Desires to follow Jesus – True salvation does that – discipleship!

Controls people

What man couldn’t do with shackles and chains –Jesus does with Love.

2 Cor.5:14 – For the love of Christ controls us.

In his right mind, seating with Jesus

Challenges people

Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee Mk 5:19.

Tells the man to go be a missionary

Tell friends and family about Jesus (Who He is)

Tell friends about the mercy and compassion He showed

The man is obedient and becomes the first gentile missionary

And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel. Mk 5:20.

Conclusion: Jesus did what no man could do brought peace to the Miserable Soul.

The man himself couldn’t do it, only Jesus

Others didn’t care about him, they only cared about how he was affecting them. Matthew 8 says the demons were violent and let no one pass by that way.

Chains and shackles couldn’t hold only the love of Jesus!

Jesus is our only hope and He didn’t start by putting clothes on the man; He started by saving him.

Jesus changes the heart. Salvation is an inside job.

The greatest evidence of salvation is a changed life.

What changes are evident in your life?

Does the love of Christ control you?

Have you rose up to the challenge of Jesus?

Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee