Jesus Is Lord Over All: Devil & Demons

Introduction

I invite you to open your Bibles now to Mark chapter 5. Last week we finally moved out of chapter 4, where we saw that Jesus is sovereign over the natural world. Even the wind and the sea obey Him.

Today, we are looking at chapter 5 verses 1 to 20, where we see that Jesus is sovereign over the supernatural world. Even a legion of demons obey Him.

Listen to the Word of the Lord in Mark 5:1-20. I won’t display it on the screen, it would be too many slides! But, you can follow along in the pew Bible on page 994 if you need to.

Mark 5:1–20 ESV

1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. 14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

This passage illustrates what Satan can do to a man and what the Savior can do to, for, and through a man. Mark draws out the beautiful, sovereign, merciful, delivering power of Jesus Christ and what man should do in response to the Lord’s merciful deliverance.

If we ourselves have experienced the power of Jesus in our own lives then we should:

Theme: Proclaim to all that Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Lord, who mercifully delivers from great evil.

This passage provides a periscope of every believer’s conversion. Perhaps our testimonies aren’t as dramatic as this man’s in Mark 5! But broadly speaking, I think we can find the trajectory of this man’s conversion relatable.

John Calvin comments on this account writing:

“In the person of one man, Christ has exhibited to us a proof of His grace, which is extended to all mankind. Though we are not tortured by the devil, yet he holds us as his slaves, till the Son of God delivers us from his tyranny. Naked, torn, and disfigured, we wander about, till He restores us to soundness of mind. It remains that, in magnifying His grace, we testify our gratitude.”

[Calvin, J., & Pringle, W. (2010). Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke (Vol. 1, p. 436). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.]

So, we are going to trace this demoniac’s conversion this morning in three stages. What he was like before Jesus; what happened to him when he met Jesus; and what he did after meeting Jesus. May his story convince us of the Lord’s power and mercy, even for the worst of the worst.

1. A grave condition (v. 1-5)

Let’s start off by observing what this man was like before he met the Lord. Primarily, we see that this man was in a grave condition. Yes, pun intended! Three times in verses 2 to 5, Mark repeats that this man was among the tombs. And most likely, this man was dwelling among the dead because he was an outcast. His family and society have banished him and branded him a menace. Much like the dead bodies in these tombs, this demoniac was considered as good as dead. Not to mention, these tombs illustrated his own spiritual condition!

There are really three details that Mark brings out, which highlight how grave this man’s condition was.

Defiled

Detail number one, this man was defiled. From a Jewish perspective, he was 4 times defiled and unclean. 1) The region of the Gerasenes, or the Decapolis, is a Gentile territory with Greek, pagan culture, ideals, and polytheistic religion. This made him unclean. 2) This man also dwelt among the tombs, putting him in close proximity to the dead and thus rendering him ceremonially unclean according to the Old Testament Law. 3) Apparently, there was a massive pig farm nearby, which also would have made this man unclean and defiled. And 4) he was possessed by unclean spirits. And not just one or two spirits, but a whole legion of demons. He was indwelt by an army of thousands of unclean spirits.

To a Jew, there was no one more unclean in human history, perhaps, than this man! Imagine how scandalous it would have been for Jesus to even set foot on shore, let alone approach and speak with such a person! Touching a leper and eating with sinners and tax collectors pales in comparison to this. This demoniac is marked as condemned and to be avoided.

Demonized

Detail number two, this man was demonized. Obviously! This is an inescapable fact. Mark mentions that this man was a man “with an unclean spirit” and his name is “Legion” and he was a “demon-possessed man”, literally, “a demonized man”. Mark does all he can to explain how enslaved this man was to the devil. Everything this man did was determined and controlled by this army of demons within him. He is a citizen of Satan’s dark domain, held captive to do the enemy’s bidding.

Destructive

And that leads to the third detail about this man. He was destructive. This man was a danger to others and a danger to himself. Because of the demons possessing him, he was an unstoppable force.

We’re not told what harm he brought to others, but we can speculate. His condition has probably hurt and broken his family. If he had a wife, she is now left without a source of income and left to fend for herself. If he had children, they were being raised without a father. Perhaps his parents were still alive. Imagine the heartbreak as their son, once healthy and clear minded, spiraled into uncontrollable fits of rage and went about shrieking and shouting in the streets.

And we know for certain that he was harming himself. This may have been the primary reason he needed to be bound by shackles and chains. He kept cutting himself with stones, perhaps to keep himself rooted in the physical and out of his own head and escape from spiritual anguish. Perhaps he was trying to end his own life and release himself from Satan’s grip. Or maybe the demons that possessed him were making him do this.

Whatever the case was, notice how uncontrollable and unstoppable this man was. Mark depicts this man as a hopeless case, a lost cause. He was beyond help. Everyone had given up on helping him and he most certainly could not help himself.

We get the sense that Mark is setting the stage for Jesus to do the impossible once again. Who could subdue such a man with hulk-like strength? No one had proven themselves capable thus far. But, as we’ve already read in Mark chapter 3, Jesus is the one who has come to bind the strong man and plunder his goods. The reason He came was to destroy the works of the devil. He has the power even to subdue the forces of nature. And that is the power this man needed to subdue his demons and free him from Satan’s claws.

Unrelatable?

We may be tempted to think that this man’s condition is totally unrelatable. Surely none of us were that bad off before coming to Christ! But, just think carefully for a moment. At the very least, we should be able to recognize that we had the same themes defining our lives that Mark brings out in this man.

Powerful Effects of Sin & Satan

These themes are the powerful effects of sin and Satan upon all mankind.

Defiled, Dead Sinners

Firstly, because of our sin, we were all defiled and stood condemned before a Holy God. We were unclean. Just like this demoniac, we had a grave condition! Spiritually, “we were dead in our trespasses and sins in which we once walked” (Eph. 2:1-2). We were unclean, dead sinners living among other unclean, dead sinners. The image of God was tainted, distorted, disfigured, and defiled because of our sin.

Demonized, in the Dominion of the Devil

Secondly, the Bible tells us that sinners belong to the kingdom of Satan and are under his influence and rule. We may not have been demonized in the way this demoniac was, but without question we were controlled and captive to the devil. Paul wrote:

Ephesians 2:1–2 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

In other words, we were on the highway to hell. We might not have believed we were following the devil, but in reality when people rebel against God that is exactly what they are doing. Some of us did so more conspicuously than others. Some of us may have been “good ol’ boys and girls”, camouflaged by good works and words. But nevertheless, underneath the facade we put on we were just as wretched in God’s sight as Legion.

Destructive, Destined for Destruction

And thirdly, because we were defiled sinners in the domain of Satan, we were destructive and destined for destruction. Sin and Satan are the most destructive forces in the universe. Sin destroys our relationships. It tears apart marriages and families. It ruins societies and razes nations to the ground.

Sin causes us to be self-destructive. It chains us to harmful addictions; forms within us horrible attitudes; and produces hurtful actions. It spreads like cancer and chokes out life and light.

Ultimately, if sin is not dealt with and we are not rescued from Satan’s kingdom, we will share his end; cast into the lake of fire, tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:10).

Helpless and Hopeless

Mark is careful to emphasize that this demoniac’s case is helpless and hopeless. No one had the strength or wisdom to cure him. He could not free himself or save himself.

Maybe that is how you feel this morning. There is a sin you can’t free yourself from; a destructive habit you can’t break; a lifestyle that is ruining your relationships. You feel isolated, alone, and afraid. Your heart is as disturbed as this man, although you might not show it. You’re not sure what’s left for you to do and nothing and no one has thus far been able to solve what’s wrong with you.

2. A great transformation (v. 6-17)

It might not feel like it, but this is the perfect place to be. It is when we are hopeless and helpless that the Lord shows Himself to be our hope and help. This demoniac’s hopelessness invited the Lord’s helpfulness. And it is here that Mark points out a great transformation. We’ve seen what Satan and sin can do to a life. Now let’s see what the Sovereign Savior can do.

Mark 5:6–8 ESV

6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

Once again, we have an instance in Mark’s Gospel where demons recognize Jesus’ divine identity and His divine mission. This is a very similar encounter to the one we saw in the synagogue of Capernaum back in Mark chapter 1. Both cases bear similar patterns in the demons’ dialogue with the Lord. Both asked what Jesus’ kingdom business had to do with their kingdom business. Both recognized Jesus’ deity. And both knew what Jesus had come to do to their demonic kingdom.

Legion’s remarks to Jesus is flush with irony. Firstly, observe that he calls on the name of God for some level of protection. And secondly, Legion does not want the Lord to torment him, yet that is what he has been doing to this man, for who knows how long! Matthew and Luke’s accounts help us see what Legion meant by “torment”.

In Matthew’s version we read:

Matthew 8:29 ESV

And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

The key phrase there is “before the time”. Before what time? Well, look at Luke’s account:

Luke 8:31 ESV

And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.

Put together, Matthew, Mark, and Luke give us a little demonology eschatology. That is, all demons will one day be cast into hell forever. You can read all about that in Revelation chapter 20. Fascinatingly, demons know God’s plan for them in the end. Sadly, demons know better than most people who Jesus is and what their final destiny is for rebelling against Him as God and King. But Legion knows that that day has not yet come, which is why Legion requested Jesus’ permission to remain in the region.

Mark 5:10–13 ESV

And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

This is a further testimony to Jesus’ divine, sovereign authority. These demons dare not do anything without first consulting the Lord. And once He gives the word, they enter into some 2,000 pigs, which quickly go mad and plunge to their deaths in lemming like fashion!

Again this provides a picture of how powerful and destructive these demons were. At the very least, this man had about 2,000 unclean spirits possessing him. We do not meet anyone else in Scripture who was more demon possessed than this man. Mary Magdalene was said to only have seven unclean spirits, when the Lord freed her. But here is the test of Jesus’ true power. While no one else had the strength to subdue these demons, Jesus did.

And there were a number of witnesses to this tremendous display of power. The herdsmen, probably wondering what had gotten into their pigs, realized what Jesus had done. Immediately they scurry off to tell everyone the news. Within the day, this news has spread throughout the region like wild fire, gathering many more people out to the tombs to see what Jesus had done for this man that resulted in the pigs’ demise.

Mark 5:15 ESV

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

When everyone arrived, they were amazed, actually terribly frightened at the sight of this man. Everyone probably knew this man or at least heard about him. This was the man parents warned their children about. This was the man children would use in their scary stories and dares.

But look at what the Lord did to transform him.

First, he has been rescued from his demons. He has been set free from their influence and power. No longer is he on the fast track to destruction. No longer is he flailing about and shrieking. He is actually sitting, calm and at peace.

Second, we read that he is clothed. Luke’s account tells us that this man, when he was possessed by the demons, apparently went around naked. But when Jesus casts out his demons, the man is given a set of clothes to cover himself.

And third, the man is back in his right mind. For the first time in a long time, he in control of his own thoughts. His mind is quiet and he can hear himself think! He now has control of his own actions. All is as it should be for this man.

Powerful Effects of Sovereign Savior

Just as we could relate, in a general way, to the man’s grave condition, so we who are believers can relate to his great transformation.

This is the powerful effect of the Sovereign Savior that all His saints experience.

Just as Jesus rescued and freed this man from his demons, so any of us who believe have been rescued and freed from Satan’s clutches and control. No longer are we on the highway to hell and eternal destruction. “God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). Our great enemies: the devil and our flesh, have been defeated, conquered, and crucified on the cross with our Lord. And in Him we now have life through His resurrection power.

Just as this man was wandering about naked and unclean, so were we once. As Isaiah records:

Isaiah 64:6–7 ESV

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. There is no one who calls upon your name, who rouses himself to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have made us melt in the hand of our iniquities.

We were like Adam and Eve once they bit into the forbidden fruit. Naked and ashamed. But, just as the LORD GOD provided them with skins to cover them, so the Lord Jesus clothes us in His righteousness. Again, Isaiah wrote:

Isaiah 61:10 ESV

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

The Church of Christ no longer wanders this earth before God’s sight in unclean rags of unrighteousness, ashamed and exposed. We are now decked with the beautiful wedding garments of Jesus’ righteousness, imputed to us by grace through faith.

And finally, just as this man was renewed to a right mind, so are Christ’s redeemed being renewed day by day until glory. No longer are we following the spirit at work in the sons of disobedience. Instead, we are indwelt and led by God’s Holy Spirit.

This is the great hope of the Lord for the helpless. In our hopelessness we may have His helpfulness. His sovereign, merciful, delivering power rescues us, robes us in His righteousness, and renews us until glory.

In this man’s meeting with Jesus, his grave condition is radically changed through a great transformation. But, this wasn’t the end of his story. We read:

Mark 5:18–20 ESV

As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

3. A grateful proclamation (v. 18-20)

This is the final piece in the trajectory of this man’s conversion. A grateful proclamation. Thus far, Jesus has been begged three times to do something. Legion begged the Lord not to send them out of the region. Then Legion begged to be sent into the pigs. And the Gerasenes begged Jesus to leave their region. And so far, Jesus has granted every request. But then the man He had just freed from the demons begged to go back to Galilee with Jesus and Jesus says, “No”.

You can imagine the disappointment, I’m sure. Why would the Lord deny such a request? Isn’t it a noble and commendable request to be with Him and serve with Him? Of course it is.

However, when it comes to being Jesus’ disciple, the first thing this man needed to learn was that Jesus sets the terms of what it means to serve Him. And in the Lord’s determination, it was more beneficial to His kingdom mission that this man remain in the Decapolis. He would be the first Gentile missionary for Jesus to his fellow Gentiles!

Surprisingly, the man doesn’t question the Lord’s commission, but instead he obeyed. And apparently his evangelism for the Lord was effective in the Decapolis, because by Mark chapter 7, Jesus returns and the people, instead of rejecting Him like they do here, receive Him and He performs more miracles in the region.

From this man we learn that those who experience Jesus’ sovereign, merciful, delivering power must go and proclaim it to others. But, how do we go about doing that? Most of us, myself included, probably feel inadequate when it comes to evangelism. We worry over what we would say or how others might react. We toss around excuses like, “I’m an introvert” or “I’m not an eloquent speaker” or “I don’t have the gift of evangelism. I’ll just leave it up to the missionaries or pastors!”

And yet, I think this man in Mark chapter 5 is a prime example that it doesn’t matter who you are, what sort of personality you have, how vast your vocabulary is, or whatever else. Anyone who has experienced Jesus’ mercy has the ability to tell others about it. Jesus’ commission and this man’s grateful proclamation present us with three very easy tips that will help us be effective in our evangelism. I’ll try my best to keep these brief.

Exhibit a Transformed Life

First and foremost, exhibit a transformed life. One of the most convincing arguments to this man’s evangelism in Mark chapter 5 was that people knew who he once was. He was a naked, wild, deranged, destructive, demonized man. But then all of a sudden they see him at peace, clothed, and in his right mind. Clearly they would have noticed that he wasn’t acting, but had really been changed. And that would open the door for him to explain how.

So, the first thing we need to do in order to be effective in our evangelism is to show others that Christ really has made a difference in our lives. There are a few ways we can do that.

For starters, our attitudes should look different. Instead of grumbling and complaining during times of difficulty, we have joyful and thankful hearts. That doesn’t mean we go around with a cheesy fake smile on our faces all the time. It just means we handle suffering, sorrow, and stormy situations with an attitude of hope and peace in the Lord.

Next, our speech should sound different. Instead of tearing others down, gossiping, or slandering, we encourage and build other up in love. Our speech is not littered with foul language but with purity.

One more way to exhibit a transformed life is through your behavior. No longer do we do anything from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility we count others more significant than ourselves. We look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others. We sacrificially serve others just as Christ has done.

Express Your Testimony

Second, express your testimony. As people see your transformed life, chances are they will wonder what’s gotten into you! Notice how natural the Lord makes evangelism here.

Mark 5:19 ESV

And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

In other words, go first to those who know you the best. It’s amazing how simple this is. The typical model of evangelism in the New Testament was not for the converted to immediately go to foreign nations and peoples, but to start with your own circle of influence. Before His ascension, Jesus commanded His apostles to be His witnesses beginning in Jerusalem and then they would work their way out to the ends of the earth. Likewise, Jesus tells this former demoniac to go home and to his friends!

And what was he supposed to say? Surely there was some complex message he was directed to communicate?!? Actually, no! “Tell them how much the Lord has done for you.” How easy is that?!

So, tell them your testimony. Share with your family and friends who you were before Christ. Tell them how you came to know Jesus, what people or ministry introduced you to the Savior. Tell them how He has transformed your life from top to bottom.

Explain the Gospel, Emphasizing the Lord’s Mercy

And that brings me to the third easy tip for effective evangelism. It’s great that you show others that Jesus changed your life; your attitude, speech, behavior, and lifestyle. And it’s awesome to tell others your own personal testimony about what the Lord has done for you. But, that needs to be followed up with the gospel message. Explain the gospel, and be especially careful to emphasize the Lord’s mercy. That’s what Jesus commanded this man to do.

There are dozens and dozens of ways to present the gospel. Personally, if you haven’t noticed, I like the “Bad News Good News” approach. It’s a simple four point outline that you can put on a 3x5 notecard to carry around or put on your phone to pull out at the appropriate time. Here’s the outline:

Bad News

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)

The wages of sin according to God is death and eternal punishment in hell (Rom. 6:23)

Good News

3. While we were still sinners, dead in our sins, God, being rich in mercy, sent His only, eternal Son Jesus Christ to save sinners by dying in our place on the cross, bearing the punishment for sin that we deserved (Romans 3:25; 5:6-11)

4. All who repent of their sins and believe on the name of Jesus Christ alone will never perish but will have eternal life (John 3:14-16; Acts 4:12; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:4-8)

Be sure to emphasize the Lord’s grace and mercy. Every other religion in the world is fundamentally a works based religion. But, Christianity is inherently the least self-righteous religion in the world. And that’s because we aren’t saved by our righteousness. We are saved by works to be sure, but not our works! We are saved by the work of Jesus Christ alone.

And this is something we do not deserve at all. What we deserve is condemnation. But by God’s mercy, we don’t get what we deserve. By God’s grace, there is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Instead, Jesus got what we deserved so that we could receive what He deserved. Apart from anything we have ever done, we are saved and are debtors to Jesus’ mercy and grace.

And that is why we, like this man in Mark 5, gratefully proclaim the Savior’s name and gospel.

Conclusion

Christian, to the extent that you have experienced the transforming power of Jesus Christ and His merciful deliverance, exhibit it, express it, and explain it to others who need that power and mercy as well.

Friends, are you in need of the Lord’s merciful deliverance today? Do you feel as if you are helpless and hopeless to change your life, your ways, and experience true freedom? Then do as this demoniac did. See Jesus Christ, run to Him, and fall at His feet in all humility and worship. Turn to Him as the Son of the Most High God, the Sovereign Lord over all, and He will mercifully deliver you from great evil.

He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor Our sins they are many, His mercy is more