Mark Pt 22: More Than A Makeover
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Back into Marks Gospel this morning folks, and if you remember the title of our series through Mark was “The Matchless Power of the Mighty Miracle Worker” and we have seen Christ power indeed displayed, have we not? Only last week we saw his power over nature, as he calmed the storm on the sea of Galilee.
Now things are going to pick as we have some quick-fire demonstrations of power from the Lord, this morning and the coming weeks we will see the Lord demonstrate his power over demons, disease and death, as he delivers a Man, a woman and a child from the grip these things.
Let’s read..
Mark 5:1-21
Introduction
Daytime television is filled with programmes that show the renovation of homes, there are plenty of flavours of this type of programme, from people buying homes in disrepair with a view to renovating, to those which have the tradesmen come into a existing home to give it a makeover.
Illustration: Often when Clare and I are driving we would see an old run down house and say - look there’s a fixer upper!
What are we saying? We are effectively saying that the Building has a low value now but with a bit of work, or TLC, a makeover the building could be worth something, it could be fit for purpose, nice to look at and live in.
This morning we are looking at the account of the Demoniac of Gadara, and we will will find what stakes place in the life of this man is much more than a makeover, it is indeed a miracle, as the Mighty Miracle worker, Jesus, rescues this man from the grip of the enemy and changes his life forever.
We want to look at this man and see how wonderful his rescue was was, firstly let’s look together at..
The Desperate Man vs 1-5
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
He was Unclean vs 2-3a
Jesus and his disciples have crossed over and they have come into the country of the Gadarenes
Expand on location briefly
Gentiles
Decapolis
Immediately - They are confronted by a man who was unclean
unclean inside - unclean spirit
And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
unclean outside - dwelling among the tombs
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
He was Unclothed (Luke 8:27)
This man was naked
And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.
No clothes to cover himself
sin had stripped him bare
sin had left him shameless
He was Uncontainable vs3
Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
No Man could bind him!!
They had tried, this man was a terror to society, to the locals
Chains wouldn't do it
No matter how tight or how strong the leash this man broke loose
He was Uncontrollable vs 4
Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
Not only uncontainable but uncontrollable
no man could tame him
important language to note
no man could tame him
they tried but they failed each time
This menace was feral, wild and unstoppable
He was Unconsolable v 5
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
crying - literally howling
such was this mans torment
his desperation and torment
cutting himself with stones
self harming
nothing new under the sun
So we have a picture of this maniac, this wild man that nobody could tame, that no shackle could hold, the mere look of this man would have you running for the hills, and society had no hope or help for this man, they couldn't do anything do anything,
what a picture of the lost sinner this man is, there is nothing the world can do to save your soul, nothing, its a hopeless state outside of having a personal relationship with Christ.
The world couldn't help this man because this mans problem wasn’t physical it was spiritual
which leads us to
The Demonic Man vs 6-13
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
The Recognition of Christ vs 6-9
But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
Picture the scene - the disciples look at scene this madman running at them, no doubt screaming, long haired, dirty, naked - can you imagine
He ran and worshipped
He fell prostate
whatever intention he might have had to do harm was quashed in the presence of the almighty
No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Notice how the demon knew exactly who Jesus was
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Jesus sent shockwave through the demonic realm wherever he went
Son of the most high God
The demons acknowledge Christ but they dont bend the knee, for they serve another master
Challenge - I wonder are you here this morning and you acknowledge Christ as the son of God, but you have never surrender to him?
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
the truth is your in no better place than the demons themselves! acknowledgement is not enough folks, he has to be Lord of your life
So the demon knew Jesus’s name, but what about the demons name
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
Jesus commands the name of the demon that is possessing the man
Legion for we are many
A roman legion could be up to 6-7 thousand soilders
think of the depth of this mans tormeng
think of far he gone into the clutches of the devil
The Request to Christ vs 10-12
this demonic force within the man recognises that there is trouble brewing
And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
a request is made to be allowed to enter into the pigs
Response from Christ v 13
how does Jesus respond?
And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
he permits
Jesus didn't send them
he allowed them
Lesson taking place here
We have got to the root of the issue this man is totally controlled and influence by the devil, he is demon possessed and that is the cause of his torment, now in the western world in our society we would label this man as having mental health problems
Illustration - paramedic programme - the devil talks to me
we have seen the desperate man, and indeed the cause in the demonic man, now we will see the cure in the delivered man
The Delivered Man vs 14-21
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
He was now Clean v 15
He was now Clothed v 15
He was now Contained v 15
He was now Controlled v15
He was now Commanded v 19
Conclusion
What had taken place in the life of this man was nothing short of a miracle, it had to be seen to be believed, and those that knew this man who had been tormented so by the demons of hell, who had been out of his mind was now a new man,
Illustration: David & Hazel, moved house to one that needs work, I said you should take before and after pictures, to really show the difference
Illustration: Before and after picture of me
London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty for months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.
As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.
"Forget about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site."
Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's, the old life is over
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Its not a patch up job God wants to do in our lives, its a complete rebuild
Its much more than a makeover, the Lord is willing, and indeed able to do in your life, no matter the state of your life now, the lesson we take from the demoniac of Gadara is that God wants to do more than a makeover in your life, if we would but surrender to him and let him work according to his purposes and will.