The Life of "New Life"
Notes
Transcript
The Life of "New Life"
The Life of "New Life"
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.
What an exciting time for the demoniac of Gaderra… This man has had an experience with the Lord Jesus Christ that has transformed not only his eternal destiny, but his entire future is on a new trajectory.
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
talk about a new creature...
a new creation...
This man who was not only dead in trespasses and sins, he was physically possessed and controlled by a legion of demons...
according to historians & Britanica- a legion was 5,200 infantry + 120 auxilary personel - 5,320… A legion was the largest military unit of the Roman army… (This was from 27BC to 476AD)
So when the Lord asked the manic what his name was...
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
That was an understatement… we are many...
We don’t know the breakdown of Satan’s army, but this demon used a military term as he was communicating w/ the Savior...
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Imagine the brokenness of this mans life...
He didn’t start out as a demon possessed individual...
influences
actions he took
path that he was on that led him to be possessed of the devil.
Every path has a destination - desirable or undesirable
back in the early 90’s I was asked to transport a man from a care home to a va hospital every week… This took up several hours each week - getting him picked up, transported and then waiting an hour for his weekly appointment at the VA - This man’s name was Bob...
Bob was a disheveled man who had allowed his life to be destroyed from Alcohol...
He had been baptized into the church of Satan and had been a vessel controlled and possessed by satan… he later was saved, got out of the church of satan - Got his life back on track, but the destruction and brokenness from the wages of sin - later claimed his life and Bob would never regain his independence...
This morning, I would like to unpack the life of the person who goes from being a child of the devil to a child of God...
The great blessings and opportunities that are afforded us...
The Life of "New Life"
The Life of "New Life"
Pray:
Imagine with me, this demon possessed man - Legion...
saved and spared from the power and penalty of sin - is now in the very presence of the Messiah - the Christ - the incarnation and manifestation of God to mankind.
He was saved...
Glory...
gone gone gone gone, yes my sins are gone… buried in the deepest sea, yes that good enough for me - I shall live eternally - Praise God, my sins are gone...
What would like be like - for this demon possessed man?
He who was an outcast of society
He who brought fear and terror into the lives of those he met
He who was an adversary of justice, judgement and a civil society...
He was banished to the tombs - the place of the dead...
Every bridge had been burned...
family
friends
He a son...
a brother, nephew, uncle
grandchild - one who was the focal point of a mommy and daddy, a nana & papa - but somewhere along the line - this boy, teenager, young man got around the wrong people…
Had the wrong friends -
Lost touch with those who were trying to steer him in the right way...
Satan got ahold of him…
“Sin will take you farther than you were willing to go… Keep you longer than you were willing to stay… And cost you more than you were willing to pay...”
The Life of "New Life"
The Life of "New Life"
New life brings a whole new life...
Relationship with the Lord
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.
Savior
Deliverance
Satanic control
Sinful status - dead in trespasses and sins
The Savior makes a difference in the life of the saved...
The life of “New Life”
Relationship...
b. Servant / Friend
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
relationship that you and I have with the Lord -
a relationship that get’s sweeter and sweeter as the days go by!!!
Illustr:
dating Deb - we were young - but I loved her
Engaged - that love grew
Married - young couple - just kids as I look back at it - but the love continued to grow...
1st year
5 years
10, 20, 30 and now 33 years later - that love has grown deeper than I could have ever imagined - at 16, 18, 25, I thought my love was deep and developed - but the relationship keeps getting sweeter and the love gets deeper...
I cannot imagine - nor do I want to imagine life without her
Our relationship with the Lord should be that way -
the love, understanding, knowledge, commitment should get deeper and stronger - not weaker...
The Life of “New Life”
Relationship
Restoration
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.
Go home to thy friends
Tell them...
They knew his condition
They did not know the compassion of the Lord...
People who get saved should bring other people to Christ -
Those who know you best
Those who know who you were
Those who know how you were...
Life of “New Life” - new life brings:
excitement
joy
people want to experience a part of new life...
When our ladies have a new baby, it is amazing how many other mom’s want a baby - anther baby...
Life brings anticipation of more new life...
But it also has a way of bringing people together...
relationships that have been strained and distanced -
new life can bring them back - it doesn’t remove the injury - but gives a place for a new start
This Maniac of Gaderra -
Lot’s of failures
Lot’s of injuries
Lot’s of injustices
Lot’s of people left in the aftermath of his path of destructive behaviors...
But those were the very people he was to return to...
The Life of “New Life”
Relationship
Restoration
Reconciliation
Reconciliation between God and man...
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.
The man who was delivered from the power of Satan went a published… testified, witnessed, told everyone - What the Lord had done for him...
Results:
31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.
1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
others lives were transformed - Why?
Because “life brings “New Life”
You don’t have to have a plan of salvation memorized to tell people about Jesus -
You don’t have to know a lot of scripture
You don’t have to be able to answer every question that they will have...
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.
Your testimony...
Your story...
do you have a story of what Jesus has done in your life?
I’m not talking about general knowledge -
Is there a redemptive story
is there a salvation story
is there a transformational story?
If not - Come to Jesus today!!!