#22: From Madman To Missionary Series

#22: From Madman to Missionary

Series: Acts

Chuck Sligh

July 12, 2020

NOTE: PowerPoint or ProPresenter presentations are available for this sermon by request at chucksligh@hotmail.com. Please mention the title of the sermon and the Bible text to help me find the sermon in my archives

TEXT: Mark 5:1-20 – "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. 14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 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. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. 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. "

INTRODUCTION

In Mark, chapter 5, we will see Jesus dealing with demons, disease and death—the three great horrors of humanity. In turn, He delivered a man, a woman and a child. By the end of the chapter, we’ll see clearly Mark’s single-minded purpose—to prove through Jesus’ works, words and character that Jesus is the Son of God—God Himself in human form—and that therefore we should trust Him as our Savior.

Today we’re going to hear a harrowing story of a deeply demonized man in verses 1-20. Now we need to be careful when talking about demonology. There are two extremes about demons that pleases Satan greatly. Many dismiss them out of hand and attribute any aberration of human nature to psychological explanations. On the other hand, some have an inordinate interest in the devil and his dark dominion and think they see him everywhere.

In the preface to his famous Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis wrote: “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist and a magician with the same delight.”

I have seen many good Christians develop an unwholesome interest in demons, and it always seems to lead to unnecessary fear and even serious consequences. I have seen churches where their people start to see demons behind every bush. I have seen Christians even fear being demon-possessed themselves, a belief that I feel is clearly unbiblical. Satan loves to be the center of our attention instead of our focus being on Jesus and our Gospel mission.