Introduction

Good morning, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I am so glad to see each and every one of you here today. I am filled with joy and gratitude that we are all gathered here in the house of the Lord, ready to receive His word and His blessings. Today, we are going to embark on a journey through the Scriptures, specifically focusing on a passage from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 5, verses 1 through 6.

Before we begin, let us bow our heads in prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day, for your love, and for your mercy. We thank you for the opportunity to gather here in your house to study your word. We ask that you open our hearts and minds to receive your message today. We pray that you guide us, teach us, and help us to understand your word. We ask all this in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Now, let us turn our Bibles to Mark 5:1-6. Allow me to read the passage for us:

1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.

This passage, my friends, is a vivid depiction of a man who was in desperate need of help. He was possessed by an impure spirit, living among the tombs, isolated from society. He was in a state of constant torment, unable to find peace or relief. But when he saw Jesus, he ran to Him and fell on his knees.

This man, despite his circumstances, recognized Jesus and knew that only He could deliver him from his torment. This is a clear demonstration of faith. He had faith in Jesus' ability to heal him, to deliver him from his torment. And it was this faith that led to his deliverance.

Now, I want you to imagine a tree. A tree that is firmly planted by the water, its roots reaching deep into the ground. This tree is strong and sturdy, able to withstand the storms that come its way. It continues to grow and bear fruit, even in the harshest of conditions. Why? Because it is rooted in a source of life, a source of nourishment.

Our faith, my dear brothers and sisters, should be like this tree. It should be firmly rooted in Jesus Christ, our source of life and nourishment. Our faith should be visible, it should be evident in our lives. It should be strong and sturdy, able to withstand the storms of life. And just like the tree, our faith should lead to growth and fruitfulness in our lives.

But how do we cultivate such a faith? How do we ensure that our faith is visible, that it is evident in our lives? This is the question that we will be addressing today. We will be looking at practical ways to cultivate a faith that can be seen, a faith that leads to blessings.

So, I invite you to join me on this journey. Let us learn together, let us grow together. Let us cultivate a faith that can be seen, a faith that leads to blessings. And may God guide us and bless us as we do so. Amen.

Recognizing the Desperate Condition (Mark 5:1-6)

Friends, let's take a moment to look at the man in Mark 5:1-6. This man was in a desperate condition. He was possessed by demons, living among the tombs, isolated from society. But, there's something remarkable about this man. Despite his affliction, he recognized his need for deliverance. He saw Jesus and ran towards Him. This man, in his desperate condition, had faith.

Now, let's talk about faith. Faith is not just believing in God. It's trusting in Him completely. It's running towards Him, even when we're in our most desperate condition. It's knowing that He is our only hope.

The man in Mark 5 had this kind of faith. He was desperate, yes, but he was also hopeful. He knew that Jesus could deliver him. He didn't just believe in Jesus, he trusted Him. He ran towards Him. He fell at His feet.

This is the kind of faith that can be seen. It's not a passive faith. It's an active faith. It's a faith that moves us to action. It's a faith that drives us to Jesus, no matter what.

Now, let's look at the word "faith" in the original Greek. The word is "pistis", which means "trust", "confidence", "assurance". It's not just a mental agreement. It's a deep, personal trust. It's a confidence in God's goodness, His power, His promises.

The great theologian, Martin Luther, once said, "Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times." This is the kind of faith we're talking about. A faith that can be seen. A faith that stakes its life on God's grace.

But, how do we develop this kind of faith?

First, we need to recognize our desperate condition. We need to acknowledge our spiritual poverty. We need to admit that we need God's intervention. We can't do it on our own. We need Him.

Second, we need to run towards Jesus. We need to trust Him completely. We need to fall at His feet. We need to surrender our lives to Him.

Friends, this is the kind of faith that can be seen. This is the kind of faith that receives blessings. This is the kind of faith that brings deliverance. This is the kind of faith that we need.

So, let's recognize our desperate condition. Let's run towards Jesus. Let's have a faith that can be seen. Let's stake our lives on God's grace. Let's trust Him completely. Let's receive our blessings. Let's be delivered. Let's have faith.

Stepping Out in Faith (Mark 5:6-8)

Friends, let's turn our hearts to the story of the man possessed by an evil spirit in Mark 5:1-6. This man, tormented and isolated, lived among the tombs. But when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshipped Him. This man, despite his afflictions, had faith. He had faith that Jesus could change his circumstances. And that's our first lesson today.

Faith is not passive. It's active. It's a verb. It's a doing word. It's not just believing in God but also believing that God will act. It's stepping out, like the man in Mark 5, and running towards Jesus, even when everything else tells you to run away.

Let's look at another story that mirrors this theme. In Matthew 9:20-22, we read about a woman who had been suffering from a bleeding disorder for twelve years. She had spent all she had on doctors, but her condition only worsened. When she heard about Jesus, she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." She reached out and touched the hem of His garment, and immediately, her bleeding stopped.

This woman, like the man in Mark 5, stepped out in faith. She didn't sit back and wait for her miracle to come to her. She went out and grabbed it. She believed that Jesus could heal her, and she acted on that belief.

Now, let's bring this back to our lives. We all have our tombs, our places of isolation and despair. We all have our bleeding disorders, our long-standing issues that seem impossible to resolve. But we also all have access to Jesus. We can all step out in faith and reach out to Him.

But how do we do this? How do we step out in faith?

Firstly, we must acknowledge our need for Jesus. The man in Mark 5 knew he was possessed. The woman in Matthew 9 knew she was sick. They both knew they needed help, and they knew that Jesus could provide that help. We must do the same. We must acknowledge our need for Jesus and believe that He can meet that need.

Secondly, we must act on our faith. Faith is not just a feeling or a belief. It's an action. The man in Mark 5 ran to Jesus. The woman in Matthew 9 reached out to touch His cloak. They didn't just believe in Jesus; they acted on that belief. We must do the same. We must act on our faith and reach out to Jesus.

So, friends, let's step out in faith. Let's acknowledge our need for Jesus and act on our faith. Let's run to Jesus, reach out to Him, and receive the blessings He has for us. Because a faith that can be seen is a faith that can move mountains.

Receiving the Blessing (Mark 5:9-13)

The story of the man possessed by a legion of demons, as told in Mark 5:1-6, is a vivid illustration of the transformative power of faith. This man, once tormented and ostracized, was restored to his right mind through his encounter with Jesus. His faith, though unspoken, was evident in his actions and his response to Jesus. This is a lesson for us all. Our faith is not just about what we say, but also about what we do and how we respond to Jesus.

The first point to consider is the man's initial state. He was possessed by a legion of demons, living among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. He was a man in desperate need of help. This is a picture of the human condition without God. We are all, in one way or another, possessed by our own demons – our sins, our fears, our insecurities, our past mistakes. We are all in need of help, in need of a Savior.

But the man did not remain in his desperate state. He saw Jesus from afar, ran and fell down before Him. This is a picture of faith in action. He recognized Jesus, ran to Him, and submitted himself to Him. This is what faith looks like. It is recognizing Jesus for who He is – our Savior, our Deliverer, our Healer – and running to Him, falling down before Him, submitting ourselves to Him.

A.W. Tozer once said, "Faith is seeing the invisible, but not the nonexistent." This man saw the invisible – he saw Jesus, not just as a man, but as the Son of God. He saw beyond the physical and recognized the spiritual. He saw beyond the present and believed in the promise of a better future. He saw beyond his own desperate condition and believed in the possibility of transformation.

The second point to consider is the man's transformation. Jesus cast out the demons and the man was restored to his right mind. This is a picture of the transformative power of faith. When we have faith in Jesus, we are transformed. Our sins are forgiven, our fears are calmed, our insecurities are replaced with confidence, our past mistakes are redeemed. We are restored to our right mind, to the person God created us to be.

But this transformation does not happen automatically. It requires faith. It requires us to recognize Jesus, to run to Him, to fall down before Him, to submit ourselves to Him. It requires us to see the invisible, to believe in the promise of a better future, to trust in the possibility of transformation.

The third point to consider is the man's response to his transformation. He wanted to follow Jesus, but Jesus told him to go home to his friends and tell them how much the Lord had done for him, and how He had had mercy on him. This is a picture of the responsibility that comes with faith. When we have faith in Jesus, when we are transformed by Him, we have a responsibility to share our story, to tell others about what Jesus has done for us.

This is not just about sharing our testimony in church or at a Bible study. It is about sharing our story with our friends, our family, our colleagues, our neighbors. It is about living out our faith in our everyday lives, in our words and our actions. It is about being a living testimony of the transformative power of faith in Jesus.

So, let us learn from the man possessed by a legion of demons. Let us recognize Jesus, run to Him, fall down before Him, submit ourselves to Him. Let us see the invisible, believe in the promise of a better future, trust in the possibility of transformation. Let us be transformed by our faith in Jesus. And let us share our story, tell others about what Jesus has done for us. Let us be a living testimony of the transformative power of faith in Jesus.

Conclusion

As we draw to a close on our sermon today, let's take a moment to reflect on the message we've received. We've been talking about "A Faith That Can Be Seen," a faith that is not just spoken about but is evident in our actions, our choices, and our lives. We've been learning from the story of the possessed man in Mark 5:1-6, a story that shows us how faith can lead to deliverance and blessings.

This man, possessed and tormented, was in a desperate condition. But when he saw Jesus, he ran to Him. He didn't hesitate. He didn't doubt. He ran with all his might, fell at Jesus' feet, and in that act, he demonstrated a faith that can be seen. His faith was visible, tangible, and it led to his deliverance.

So, what does this mean for us? How does this apply to our lives today? It's simple. We too are in a desperate condition. We too need Jesus. We too must run to Him, fall at His feet, and demonstrate a faith that can be seen. We must show our faith in our actions, in our choices, in the way we live our lives.

In the coming week, let's strive to be more like Jesus. Let's strive to show our faith in the way we live our lives. Let's strive to be a light in the world, a beacon of hope for those who are lost. Let's strive to show love, kindness, and compassion to everyone we meet. Let's strive to be patient, to be understanding, to be forgiving. Let's strive to be humble, to be selfless, to put others before ourselves. Let's strive to be like Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the message we've received today. We thank You for showing us the importance of having a faith that can be seen. We pray that You would help us to apply this message to our lives. Help us to show our faith in our actions, in our choices, in the way we live our lives. Help us to be more like Jesus. Help us to be a light in the world, a beacon of hope for those who are lost. Help us to show love, kindness, and compassion to everyone we meet. Help us to be patient, to be understanding, to be forgiving. Help us to be humble, to be selfless, to put others before ourselves. We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.

May the God of all grace and mercy bless you abundantly as you strive to show your faith in your actions, in your choices, in the way you live your lives. May your lives be a testament to God's love and power. May you be a light in the world, a beacon of hope for those who are lost. May you show love, kindness, and compassion to everyone you meet. May you be patient, understanding, forgiving, humble, and selfless. May you be more like Jesus. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Get the Full Sermon

• Sermon Notes
• Midweek Discussion Questions