Give Me Jesus: Jesus As Excorcist: Mark 5:1-20

I. The Demoniac vs. 1-5

A. Gerasenes was a place where Jews and Greek Gentiles lived together. The Jews were predominately secularized (Hellenized). This plays a very important part later on.

B. Demon possession is very real, and was more prominent in Jesus’ day and the apostles day, due to the miraculous signs that were taking place. Demon possession still happens, but you will see more demonic oppression, than possession. (Drug addiction, worldly philosophies, religion, and lackadaisical view on Jesus).

C. This demon possessed man had unusual strength, but he also lived in the tombs that were in the caves. According to Matthew there was another man with him, who was also demon possessed. Yet he was alone, mutilating himself. Either, the demons were trying to mutilate the image of God, or the man was in such emotional anguish that he was trying to feel something. When someone goes numb, cutting is a way of release, and a way to feel anything even pain is preferable to numb when your in that state.

D. The screaming would have been from the torment.

II. Jesus’ Encounter with the Demoniac vs. 6-13

A. Jesus has just calmed a storm, and now He will calm the storm in that man’s soul. You don’t have to be demon possessed to have a storm going on in your soul.

B. Remember, for someone to address you by your name and proper title, they thought that they had control over you, but these demons soon realized that Jesus held all the power.

C. Legion means many. A Roman legion had 6,000 foot soldiers, and 120 horsemen, and technical personnel. That’s a lot of demons.

D. The demons begged not to be tormented which would mean that Jesus banished them in the abyss, which is what happened to them, once the pigs drowned in the sea.

1 Peter 3:18–19 NASB95

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison,

III. Jesus’ Encounter With the Secular Citizens vs. 14-20

A. The pig farmers (which were Greeks or secularized Jews) see what happens and in losing 2,000 pigs lose over a year’s salary. On todays market if all the pigs were average weight would be $3 million.

B. They see the demon possessed man, who hadn’t worn clothes in years. They were scared of what this meant. Why? Considering that the Jews here were the polar opposite kind of sinner than the religious leaders we’ve seen thus far. Jesus would totally change their way of life. They would lose a whole lot of money in the process. Jesus doesn’t want partial obedience, but sold out radical obedience. The total man, nothing else will do.

Luke 8:27 NASB95

And when He came out onto the land, He was met by a man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs.

C. They begged Jesus to leave as a result. They cared more for swine than souls, more for money than morals, and more for pigs than Jesus’ presence.

D. The man wanted to go with Jesus naturally, but Jesus commanded him to be the first Gentile missionary.

E. Who do we know are either demon possessed or oppressed? Who do we know is like the citizens, who just want to be left alone to live their life without Jesus? Let’s go to them in love, and with the gospel.