Maniac to Missionary

Introduction: The Apostle Mark main goal in his accounts of Jesus’s life was to make sure the reader would see that Jesus was the Savior of the World.

Jesus walked the Earth with the Authority of his heavenly father. Power and Authority over disease, and in these next verses power and authority over the principlaites and powers of the dark world. Jesus has just finished teaching on the parable of the sower, the growing seed and the mustard seed.

Earlier in Mark 2:17 Jesus says it’s not the healthy that need a doctor but the sick. Jesus came for those who needed him and as he demonstrates how humanity needs a savior in many different ways as he preforms miracles like the one we are about to read.

Jesus takes those in bondage to being blessed.

Hurting to Healing, Turmoil to truth, And the forgotten to the the found. The Maniac to a Missionary.

1. Jesus seeks the forgotten

Mark 5:1–20 NKJV

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us to the swine, that we may enter them.” And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

a. There is no place too deep and dark that Jesus won’t come find you

Everything in this whole scene is unclean for a Jew. They are in a Gentile country in cemetery among the tombs with dead things, with a bunch of pigs considered and unclean animal. A country of pagans it was not lawful for Jews to associate with other nations.

Very unclean for a Jew. Yet Jesus was not afraid of the unclean.

Everything God deems unclean in the law Jesus goes into for this one forgotten man,

This gentile man was forgotten in a place that no Jew would venture to go, but Jesus went.

Jesus can clean up any mess.

There is no place you can go that God will not venture into get you. You can be in the deepest darkest pit and as we will see he can heal you from anything.

There is no one too dirty that Jesus can’t clean up.

Jesus is coming in to this country across the sea to Clean. That’s the nature of God he is a cleaner.

1 John 1:9 NKJV

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Isaiah 1:18 NKJV

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

Acts 10:15 NKJV

And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

In this vision in Acts God is speaking to Peter and when he says what God cleansed you must not call common. I wonder if at this point this scene that Peter would have witnessed would have been brought back to his mind. Before God told him in this vision how

Acts 10:28 NKJV

Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.

God showed him that every man was to be redeemed and cleansed when he cast out the demons who possessed this man.

How many times in our deepest pain and sorrow that we are just innate designed just to run to God even in the midst of his demonic possession this man he runs to worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ the demons know he is the lord and the man runs to worship him. Is it possible he hopes he can help him?

This man does not go into detail about how he got in this predicament,

Then the demons cry out to Jesus and ask what he is doing there.. notice Jesus does not have a conversation with the demons. He cast them out. The only things Jesus asks is What is your name? Legion- a legion of that time would have been about 6,000 men

b. Stop talking to it cast it out.

How many times do we spend entertaining conversations with the enemy instead of calling him out for who he is and casting him out?

James 4:7 NKJV

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

What things do we entertain that are just in our flesh that we don’t call out and cast out it’s not always a attack of the enemy sometimes its the attack of the inner me.

Every negative thought we have that would keep us from the purposes and the plans God has for us is not of God

I’m not good enough, yet you have been chosen by God and the bible says you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

I don’t have any gift or talents yet the word says we have been given gifts and talents.

I’m not smart. I have dyslexia, adhd, depression anxiety and high functioning autism. If i can over come my limitations you can too. If God can use me he can use you. He will take your weakness and get the glory. God is all powerful he will use you in spite of you.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I’m ugly, no your not, you are God’s masterpiece. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and God is the beholder.

Genesis 1:27 NKJV

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

We were created in God’s Image if we are ugly so is God.

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

I’m poor, it’s not about what you have and what you don’t have

James 2:5 NKJV

Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

Store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.

I’ve messed it up so bad you don’t know the things of done. This man was living in a grave yard and cutting himself naked and Jesus crossed the sea of Galilee 13 miles just to set him free. This man was dangerous. The towns people tried to chain him and lock him away to keep him away from them. They couldn’t heal him, clothe him so they tried to chain him. In fact Jesus crossed over just for this man. As soon as he had cast out the legion. They crossed back to the other side.

He went for one man how much more is he looking for you. One is that important. Jesus even talks about this concept in his teachings when the Sheppard leaves the 99 to find the 1 sheep here Jesus does just that. He was surrounded by crowds of people and he leaves and crosses over for one man.

And anything else you are pronouncing on yourself that is not what God says about you or believes about you CAST IT OUT! Read the word of God and hear him speak life and purpose over you. The Bible is many things a living word, good for instruction, but it is also a book of love written about God’s beloved creation YOU!

c. Sooey here piggy piggy pig

The demons know exactly who Jesus is calling him in front of his disciples the son of the Most High God. Jesus had authority over them. They know that whatever Jesus say’s they will have to jump and ask how high. So they ask if they can not be cast back to hell but into a heard of piggies.

I have a pet pig named Loki, he is very smart. It makes you wonder why the pigs and not somewhere else. Pigs actually are closer to the genetic make up of humans more than monkeys that’s why in some cases pig skin and heart valves can be used in humans and there is research now in how to use pig organs to replace human ones.

So the demons want to be cast into the next closest thing to a human.

Another reason that the demons might have wanted to be cast into the pigs is in taking over that mans body they had done nothing but cause that village trouble and issues. It was a pig farm region and them taking over the pigs would be a huge loss to the community 2,000 pigs they could control.

The pigs run into the sea and drown. It doesn’t say why the pigs go crazy and run into the sea but if Jesus has authority over demons, authority of bodies to heal them it’s highly possible that he commanded them to the sea so that the legion would not be able to inflicted any more damage on the village or possess someone else .

d. Can I go with you?

The man being clothed and in his right mind set free begs Jesus to take him with him as Jesus is being thrown out of the village. They were not happy the man was in his right mind they were upset that their livestock had been killed and instead of seeing the miracle they focused on the loss.

Have we ever missed a miracle focusing on the wrong details ? Just a thought.

Jesus tells him to Go and testify to the things that the Lord had done for him.

He made him a missionary to his country. Jesus whole purpose was to save this man and make him a living testimony. Because everyone had seen him crazy naked living among dead things in dark places.

It would be undeniable even if they missed the miracle at first because of the agriculture loss that this man who could not be chained because of the supernatural strength of the legion and who had mutilated himself was now not maniac but a missionary.

Jesus says in the Great Commission “ Go make disciples of all nations” likewise here he tells this man to Go and share his testimony.

The darker the place he brings you out of the bigger the testimony that God is a Redeemer, a healer and a way maker.

Way Maker, Miracle worker, Promise Keeper Light in the Darkness my God that is who you are.

2. No matter the storm

Oh, but you know what i forgot to tell you about Jesus and what happened as they crossed over the sea just to get to that man.

There was a storm a wind storm.

How many of you guys are going through a storm right now? Coming out of one, Right in the middle of one, One just started.

Storms come up in life and they come and go unexpectedly.

The Sea of Galilee is known for these random wind storms that come out of nowhere and dissipate just as fast as they started

Along the western side of the Sea of Galilee is a mountain range whose crests are 2,000 feet above the sea. The wind storm would have been created because of the difference of air on tops of these mountains and the warm temperature of air at the lower elevation of the Sea of Galilee.

The Sea is known for unexpected wind storms on top of the normal storms that are created by rain clouds. The sea is 64 miles around and most of Jesus Ministry preached many sermons around this sea. The Jordan river flows through it. Heart shaped sea.

When the fisher men are nervous for their lives then it must of been a bad storm.

Mark 4:35–41 NKJV

On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

This is where Jesus decides to cross the sea to go save the man, but before he can get to the healing of this man they have to go through the storm.

Jesus rests as they travel no doubt because he knows the battle that is coming.

Could jesus have heard the man howling

Who can this be that even the wind and sea obey him. They will soon have their answer to that question out of an unclean man who has literally lost his mind to the dark.

3. The Storm is a sign that the Solution is coming from the Savior.

Don’t stop because of the storm. Sometimes we give up because of the wind and the waves and the rain.

If you don’t go through the storm you can’t get to the other side of the lake

And if you can’t get to the other side of the lake you cant’ get to the casting out.

If you can’t cast off the sin that entangles you you can’t move forward in the next steps that God has for you in your purpose.