Sermon Tone Analysis

Scripture Introduction

Good morning!

I appreciate the opportunity to be with you this morning, and to have the privilege of looking at God’s Word with you.

I have enjoyed the time I have been able to spend with your lead pastor, and I encourage you all to be praying for his refreshment as he and his wife are away this morning.

Please turn with me in your bibles to Mark 5. Pastor Jim has been walking you all through the book of Mark, encouraging Bellevue to journey with the disciples in discovering who Jesus is and what He has done, in seeing that we too are His disciples, and to gain some on-the-job training for what we are to do in His kingdom.

Last week you all were in the last part of Mark 4. Jesus showed His authority over the wind and the sea.

When Jesus spoke, He spoke as the Creator of the wind and sea, and they recognized the authority in His voice, so they obeyed.

This left the disciples asking the question that you and I are supposed to ask along with the disciples: “Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

There is no more important question!

And by design, this question is still ringing in our ears as we look to Mark 5.

Here, we find an immediate answer to this question through the story of an outcast Gentile man with an unclean spirit.

Read with me in Mark 5:1–8

Mark 5:1–8 (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!”

Let’s pause here and pray.

Heavenly Father

· Thank you for writing us a book, that we may know You.

· Open our eyes this morning to hear the truth about Jesus, and embrace Him.

· Help us to believe this gospel more deeply

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Sermon Introduction

Chaos, and darkness.

What do these words make you think of?

What pictures come to mind?

With today being Halloween, you might be thinking about what it will look like for many walking around tonight in costumes and collecting candy.

Some of us have experienced life in large or small portions as chaos, and darkness.

This experience comes about for a variety of reasons.

Our sin.

The sin of others.

The fallen nature of the world because of Adam and Eve’s sin.

Sickness

death

... on and on we could go.

In these desperate situations, God’s purpose is to help us recognize our need for God’s intervention.

He desires to turn our hearts to our Father in Heaven, and He is glad to come to us.

But Satan, as the enemy of our souls, wants to influence us in the other direction, to drive us away from God.

He would prefer anything else, just so long as we are not submitting to and following the Lord Jesus.

So, if I was to summarize what we see in this passage for us today in one sentence, it would be this:

Because Jesus is the good and true Lord, we should turn from darkness, confess Him as Lord, submit our whole being to Him, and spread the news of what He has done.

[repeat]

So I have entitled the message “Jesus, the Lord Over All”.

Now, I really want to draw your attention to these verses we just read.

There we see that Jesus invades this dark place, reaching this man who is in such a desperate place.

So ….

I. Jesus invades our darkness (5:1-13)

What do I mean?

Notice that he enters…

A. He enters the territory of the dead (5:1-8)

[

Mark 5:1–5 (ESV)

5 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 tombsand on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himselfwith stones.

]

Notice:

1. (1) The Geresesnes were Gentile territory.

And they were considered outsiders, not in God’s family.

2. (2, 3, 5) Lived among the tombs (repeated)

3. (2, 4) Unclean spirit (demon), giving strength that people could not subdue

4. (4, 5) Bound with shackles and chains, not free.

Outcast, and demons were destroying the image of God in the man, for he was in agony, crying out and cutting himself.

Get the picture –

Jesus, the Creator steps onto the land, and man is it a dark place!

Darkness, death and destruction are all around

And a man whom some would envy for his worldly power and strength is there (but he is not to be envied)

The power is destructive, and Satan’s intent is to steal, kill, and destroy the man

Yet, this dominant force in the area runs to Jesus and bows down…

…knowing who has just invaded the darkness.

Read vv.6-8 again with me.

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!”

Do you see?

Jesus has come into the territory where this unclean spirit had its way, but now it knows the good and true Lord is on the scene!

Even out of this vile mouth came true words: “Jesus, Son of the Most High God.

And it can’t help but try something, claiming that the Son of the Most High God really has no business with demons in this area of the world.

But the King, the Son of God, is Lord over all, even here in the territory of the dead.

What will Jesus do now that He is there?

He subdues the dominant power.

B. He subdues the dominant power (5:9-10)

Mark 5:9–10 (ESV)

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.

Wow, so not just one, but an army of demons is present, and begging Jesus.

They know that with a word Jesus could doom them to the eternal darkness of the abyss.

Or, He could send them to an unfamiliar place where they have less of a stronghold.

But, even an army of demons does not match the power of the good and true Lord, the Son of God, the One through whom all things were created.

So the demons

(6-7b) Bow and confess Jesus is the Son of God