Knowing and Responding Mark 5 1:20 Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon
Our Focus The Gospel of Mark 1. Know WHO Jesus was v.1.1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2. Teach and encourage people on how to RESPOND to Jesus
Addressing a Few Issues The Gospel of Mark Address some issues: English standard Version (ESV) Demon Possession Interest in the Spiritual world Tension in the Gospels, Matthew and Luke
Demon Possession The Gospel of Mark NASB says The Gerasene Demoniac NIV says demon possessed man ESV says Jesus Heals a man with a demon Wayne Grudem Systematic Theology An unfortunate term that has found its way into some English translations of the Bible but it s not really reflected in the original Greek text Implies one can no longer exercise their will
Interest in the Spiritual World The Gospel of Mark Two dangerous positions we tend to take regarding Satan he said, we either take him and his demons too serious or we totally dismiss them C.S. Lewis speaks about this in his book The Screwtape Letters A healthy respect for the spiritual world, but we need not overly consume ourselves with it. We place our trust in Jesus!
Tension in the Gospels The Gospel of Mark Consensus that all were describing the same event In Matthew s account there are two men with demons Gospels refer to different towns or regions These tensions are secondary issues Scholarly debate
Setting the Stage Mark 4 Chapter 4, v.35 let us go to the other side The gospels offer no explanation for why Jesus desired to go the other side of the sea of Galilea They began their crossing in the evening At it s widest point, the sea is 8 miles across They get caught in a storm
Setting the Stage Mark 4 The severe storm caused the disciples to panic and in their fear wake Jesus up v.38 - But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? The had a new fear when they saw the storm stop at Jesus command v.41 - And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
The Encounter the Man Mark 5:1-5 v.2 We read; And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. This spirit, we ll soon see has rendered the man into a state of hopelessness and helplessness
The Encounter the Man Mark 5:1-5 v.3-5 - we learn that he lived among the dead. The demons in him drove him away from the living and he spent his life in the tombs. The description of the demoniac: Lived in the tombs with the dead He wore no clothes No one could successfully control him, not even with chains Day and night, crying out and cutting himself
The Encounter the Man Mark 5:1-5 These verses actually reveal many forms of suffering: Psychological, Social and Spiritual The term tomb is repeated three times Being an outcast does give a feeling of being dead Disowned by family and friends The whole town probably care if he passed away The effects of exclusion Dignity and respect has been lost
The Encounter the Man Mark 5:1-5 Genesis 1:27 - Created in the Image of God So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
The Encounter - Knowing Mark 5:6-8 Everyone in the region feared this man, but Jesus shows another way Love and compassion - Jesus sees people with a different set of eyes than we do! We tend to see their sins, He sees what He can make of their lives!
The Encounter - Knowing Mark 5:6-8 The demon who drove this man away from all human relationships drove him to the feet of Jesus. Why? v. 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. The demon KNOWS!
The Encounter - Knowing Mark 5:6-8 v.8 - For he was saying to him, Come out of the man, you unclean spirit! Handling for and was saying Did Jesus HAVE to repeat himself?
The Negotiation - Knowing Mark 5:9-10 The one who is more powerful! While the demons tried to show strength, we can see both here and back in v.7 that the tormentor was now the tormented v.10 begged him earnestly and v.7 by God not to send them out of the country??? What is that referring to?
The Negotiation - Knowing Mark 5:11-13 The demons are seeking a exit strategy No, not the poor Pigs! Avoiding the Abyss Jesus demonstrates His authority in this situation As Christians, we can take comfort in the knowledge that the forces of the enemy are under the complete control of God and can only act in ways He allows
The Negotiation - Knowing Mark 5:11-13 So then we might ask what happened to the demons next? Eternal torment, Revelation 20 v.10 The appointed time Matthew 8,v.49, Col. 2 v.15 Depravity and capacity for Evil Every effort of the man s community failed Everything he tried to keep his own sanity failed Jesus is able to release him! That is the glory of salvation! Man can try with all his might, but will ultimately fail without Jesus.
The Response the People Mark 5:14-16 Panic breaks out and the herdsmen are telling! A question? A transformation revealed Changed, John 3 v.3 Clothed, Matthew 12 v.35 Calmed
The Response the People Mark 5:17 Saddest verse in the story v.17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. This is the only case in our Lord s ministry in which his miracles operated against him in this way, and maybe it s to be accounted for by the strange element in this case, the mixture of gain and loss in the result. Expected reaction?
The Response the People Mark 5:17 John explains what may have happened here And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. John 3:19
The Response the People Mark 5:17 Primary motivation fear, greed, anger? In the Greek text, Mark uses the same word in both Ch 4 v:41 and Ch 5 v.15 Ephobēthēsan (Root transliteration: phobeó) Mark 4:41 - Disciples during the storm Mark 5:15 - Townspeople begging Jesus to leave Definition: to fear, be afraid, alarmed, in some contexts an impediment to faith and love; to reverence, respect, worship, in other contexts a proper fear for God, a deep reverence and awe
The Response the People Mark 5:17 In both cases the commonality that the people, (the disciples and the townspeople), feared was Jesus Fear of the Lord will always lead in one of two directions: surrendering ourselves to His lordship, or (as with the townspeople) wanting to disassociate ourselves from him as completely as possible.
The Response the Man Mark 5:18-20 Jesus doesn t stay where He isn t wanted The man becomes a light to others Decapolis means Ten Cities on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilea settled by Greek soldiers after Alexander the Great mainly Hellenistic pagan Was this man might have been the 1st Missionary to the Gentiles? Was he effective?
Closing Thoughts Mark 5:1-20 Everyone has to face the question of who is Jesus? Everyone has to face the question of how they will respond to Jesus in light of knowing Him Respond like the demons and obey only when you must? Respond like the townspeople and send Him away? Respond like the man and be radically changed with a desire to yield your will to His
Almost finished I promise! Mark 5:1-20 Manifestations of Satan The Holy Spirit
esus Heals a Man with a Demon ark 5:1-20 Let s pray