Authority over Demons (Part 3). Mark 5:14-20.
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 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. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 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.
Dear Body of Christ,
People see the work of God from different perspectives, depending on what is dear to their hearts.
Report (v. 14). The herdsmen fled in bewilderment, having lost the whole herd of pigs, and reported the happenings in the city and the surrounding areas. It could be that they were overwhelmed and went blurting out what they had seen, or they could have spread a negative opinion on Jesus. Their focus would have been their loss, not the deliverance of the demoniac.
Release (vv. 15-16). The demoniac was sitting calmly, not crying out, not cutting himself, not resisting anyone and clothing. A great wonder had just happened here. It was evident that the man was free from the demons that had tormented him.
Reaction (v. 17). The people responded with fear and begged Jesus to leave their region. The value system of these people was contrary to what Jesus had demonstrated. One human life was more precious than thousands of pigs worth millions. Later, Jesus will pose the question, “What can a man give in return for his soul?” (8:37). Jesus valued our lives enough to sacrifice his own life for us. But the “cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things” (4:19) have stood in the way of the salvation of many, hence Jesus’ statement, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). We must never allow money, wealth, or property to take center stage in our lives. To do so would be to make it an idol.
Retelling (vv. 18-20). But the demoniac’s response was quite different. He begged to be with Jesus. Surprisingly, Jesus did not let him! He sent him instead to go and tell his friends what God had done for him. It is wonderful to be with Jesus, but Jesus desires that we spread the good news all around us. Let us not just sit and rejoice in our salvation. There are souls out there that need Jesus. Let us go out and tell them about him.
Your Loving Pastor Chris.