The Gospel of Mark #13:

Mercy to All

Text: Mark 5:1-20

Thesis: To note that the Lord is willing to have mercy on all people.

Introduction:

(1)   After telling several parables to the crowd, Jesus and His disciples board a boat in order to cross over to the other side.

(a)    While they were crossing over, a storm arose and scared the disciples.

(b)   The disciples awoke Jesus from His sleep in order to have Him still the storm.

(2)   “Jesus came straight from his confrontation with the storm in nature to confront an equally violent storm in human nature” (Hughes 1:118).

Discussion:

I.                    The Story:

A.     “Jesus meets a man with an unclean spirit living among unclean tombs surrounded by people employed in unclean occupations, all in unclean Gentile territory” (Edwards 155).

1.      “This poor, naked man was a mass of bleeding lacerations, scabs, infections, and scar tissue, living in a delirium of pain and masochistic pleasure” (Hughes 1:119).

2.      “He is condemned to live out his days alone amid the decaying bones of the dead, with no one who loves him and no one to love” (Garland 203).

B.     The man ran to Jesus and fell down on his knees to cry out to Jesus not to torture him.

1.      Apparently, this was the voice of the demon(s).

2.      The demon(s) requested not to be tortured at this time.

C.     Jesus asked for the name of the demon(s).

1.      The demon(s) gave “legion” as a name.

a.       “A Roman legion consisted of 6,000 foot soldiers, as well as 120 horsemen and technical personnel” (Hughes 1:120).

b.      Obviously, there were several demons in this man.

2.      The demons begged Jesus to cast them into some nearby pigs.

D.     Jesus granted their request and cast them into the 2000 nearby pigs that then jumped into the lake and drowned.

E.      Word got out about the event and the business people want Jesus to leave.

F.      The man who had been demon-possessed requested to go with Jesus.

1.      Jesus did not allow the man to come with Him (possibly, because the man was a Gentile and this would have hindered His Jewish mission at this time).

2.      Instead, Jesus wanted the man to return to his home and declare what had taken place with Him by the mercy of God.

II.                 The Application:

A.     Jesus is the one with all authority.

B.     We can only be in our right mind with Jesus.

C.     Jesus extends His mercy to all people.

Conclusion:

- Will you run to Jesus and bow down before Him today?