The Shake Up

Sermon Prep Template:

1. TOPICAL --- Main Idea/Direction

Jesus has to mess up your life to transform your life to send you to share life

2. What truth do students need to hear most?

Jesus is more powerful than the forces of darkness.

Jesus can change your life.

Jesus has given you a testimony.

3. Three Supporting Ideas within the passage

a. What do you have to do with me? (v.7)

b. Transformation is Radical (v.15)

c. Our testimony is what God has done for us. (v.18-20)

4. Additional Scriptures for Cross Reference

Mark 8:35–36 NLT

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?

John 10:10 NLT

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

5. Background Info / People / Places

Decapolis is Gentile country

Roman Legion is 5400-6000

Gergesa vs. Gadera vs. Gerasa

Sermon Outline Template:

IMAGE:

Replacing something good with something better.

Getting rid of Nooks

NEED:

Often times in our life, the patterns of life that we are clinging to are not neutral, but actually deeply damaging. Often times we cling to things for security that are sinful and anti-God. Maybe you’re in here tonight and you’re clinging to a pattern of life that jesus wants to break.

SUBJECT:

Tonight we’re looking at a life-changing encounter with Jesus. And a lifestyle that Jesus breaks in order to set someone free.

BIG IDEA:

Jesus has to mess up your life so that he can transform your life so that he can send you to share life

TEXT ADDRESS:

Turn in your bibles to Mark 5:1-20

SET UP:

After Jesus got done teaching the crowds of people like we looked at last week in chapter 4, he and the disciples get into a boat and start sailing across the Sea of Galilee. But the Sea of Galilee is known for sudden and violent storms. The winds can whip up, the clouds can roll in, and a perfectly clear day can turn into a massive storm super suddenly. So this happens to Jesus and the disciples, but Jesus speaks a word over the waves, and the sea is calmed. The winds and the waves, the very forces of nature, obey Jesus.

This storm blows the boat to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee into a region called the Decapolis. Decapolis means “ten towns” it’s a group of 10 cities and on this side of the lake, we’re in Gentile country. Gentiles are non-Jews.

TEXT:

Read Mark 5:1-20

POINT 1:

Jesus Wants to Mess up Your Life

What Does It Mean?

When this man comes out of the graveyard, he’s living a life that needs some messing up. He is being controlled by a LEGION of demons. A legion of roman soldiers was anywhere from 5400 to 6000 soldiers. That’s a lot of demons possessing this man. They’re causing him to act crazy. He’s naked. He’s living in a graveyard. He’s cutting himself with stones. And this has been his lifestyle for a long time.

This crazy demon possessed man asks a question in verse 7. He asks, “what have you to do with me?” In the NLT it says, “Why are you interfering with me?”

And isn’t that the same thing we all do? He’s trapped in the lifestyle he’s been living, and whether its him talking or the demons talking, he doesn’t want to change.

He’s not living the fullness of humanity that he was created for, he’s living until the control of the enemy. And he can’t get free by himself. He needs someone to come along and mess up where his life is heading.

Why is This Important?

I need you to hear me really carefully tonight. I am NOT saying that Jesus wants to destroy your life and remove everything that brings you joy. I am NOT saying that a life with Jesus is this boring no-fun list of rules to follow lifestyle.

John 10:10 says that the THIEF, that’s our enemy Satan, he comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus has come to give us life to the fullest!

When I say that Jesus wants to mess up your life, what I mean is that some of you are living lives that need to be messed up.

Like this man, you’re clinging to behavior patterns that will destroy you of they are not destroyed first. You are using coping mechanisms that feel safe and comfortable but are slowly killing you.

This man introduces himself as LEGION, and one commentator writes:

“he seems unable to distinguish himself from the army that occupies his territory”

Are there sin patterns in your life that have become defining for you? Are there things that are almost impossible to image looking any different in your life?

What Can We Do About It?

So I think, for you, it’s time to step into freedom tonight. Freedom that is only found by the power of Jesus.

If there are habits that need breaking, what does Jesus need to do to break them?

I also want to acknowledge that it might not even be your fault. It probably wasn’t this guy’s direct fault that these demons were controlling him. It is not your fault that people close to you have hurt you. But the life that arises out of that place of deep hurt needs to change regardless of its cause.

Allow Jesus to interfere and mess up the way your life is heading.

Transition:

But Jesus doesn’t just stop at messing up your life and interfering with the destructive patterns, he wants to radically change your life.

POINT 2:

Jesus Wants to Transform Your Life

What Does It Mean?

Look at the outcome of this interaction with Jesus in this crazy guys’ life.

Mark 5:15 NLT

A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.

The result of an encounter with Jesus is a radical transformation.

He goes from out of his mind, animalistic, cutting himself, to sane, fully clothed, restored to the way God intended.

Why is This Important?

Jesus can do the same to you.

You might be thinking that your life doesn’t look as bad as the crazy guy and therefore you don’t need to transform anything.

But consider my own life. I can only tell you what Jesus has done for me.

I was self-obsessed, I was fearful, I was addicted, I was angry. I was unrepentant in my sin.

But Jesus did a transforming work in my life.

What Can We Do About It?

You have to let Jesus mess up your old life so that he can transform your life into a new way.

For you this means you have to give up control. Your plans might be the thing that’s killing you. God’s best for your life is better than your best for your life.

For you it means patience. Transformation doesn’t happen over night. You need to extend Grace to yourself because even when jesus begins to transform your life, there are gonna be pieces of the old you that pop back up.

Transition:

Jesus wants to mess up your, he wants to transform your life, and we see at the end of this passage, that he wants to send you to share life

POINT 3:

Jesus Wants to Send You To Share Life

What Does It Mean?

Read Mark 5:18-20

I was so confused when I first read this. Jesus radically transforms the life of this man and his response seems so good! He’s like, now that I’m healed, now that my life is different, I want to go with you Jesus! Let me please go with you!

But Jesus says no.

At this point in Jesus’ ministry, he hasn’t sent out the disciples to do any kind of ministry yet. They aren’t ready to go out on their own.

But Jesus sends this man back home to share life with the people in his village and in his area.

Why is This Important?

This man has had his life messed up. He’s had his life transformed. And now he has a testimony to share.

And so do you.

Jesus tells him to make sure he covers two things when he shares his story:

report to them how much God has done for you

how God has had mercy on you

If you can do those two things, you can impact your world for the sake of Jesus.

What Can We Do About It?

This man goes home. He doesn’t go overseas to another country. He doesn’t sign up for a missions trip. He doesn’t wait for a Friday night at covert ops. He goes to his people.

And he shares a simple testimony of transformation. And you can do that.

Transition:

This messed up and transformed life becomes a vehicle to share life.

SUMMARY:

Jesus wants to mess up your life.

Jesus wants to transform your life.

Jesus wants to Send You to Share life.

BIG IDEA:

CLOSER:

I hope you know that you can have an impact just by sharing your story.

Jesus and the disciples only go back to this region called Decapolis one other time in the bible.

In Mark 7:31, they go back and there to greet them when they return are people who are waiting for Jesus. People waiting to be healed, people waiting to hear Jesus teach.

I have to beleive that the only reason they are ready to hear from Jesus is because one guy with a messed up transformed life when to share life with them.