Go Home And Tell

Go Home And Tell Thy Friends

Mark 5:19, Mark 5:1-20

“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.”

Intro.

Homecoming, here was a man told to go home to his friends and to tell them of the wonderful works of the Lord. I don’t think there is another incident where Jesus said, “go home, and tell thy friends what the Lord has done.” Certainly this is what homecoming is all about. I’m sure that this was how it started, of course today; we meet with old friends to talk about sister Mary or brother John and how everything is going back home or to family members.

Most of what we share with one another is not so earth shattering but just news about those we know. But this man was going to share some things that would get everyone’s attention and then some. He would probably begin with how he had lived in the cemetary amongst the tombstones and would have those uncontrolled desires to scare and even hurt those that came into the area.

I. The Man:

As I have already said Mark keeps everything rolling, he doesn’t always give us the little things that occur but he’s right in their with the important stuff. Jesus stepped off the boat, he had just crossed the Sea of Galilee.He has just spoken the word that caused the sea and the wind to quieten down. And a naked violent man immediately confronts him. The men nearby had tried at different times to capture him. He had broken free of the chains they had tried to bind him with.

They probably considered him to be insane, they were now afraid of him. The Bible says he had an unclean spirit in him. One of the gospels said he was possessed by devils for a long time. What a sight he must have presented, the average man would probably have bolted and ran.

Generally when we read this portion of scripture we give little thought to this man we have come to know as Legion. We think in our minds this man was inhabited and controlled by Satan.

Paul in the book of Ephesians that you and I were a lot like this man.

Eph 2:1-3, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

It says that this man was in this condition for many years; his friends had long ago crossed him off their social calender. I would imagine that even his family had ceased to try to visit. He was of no use to society and they had accounted him as dead. They did not consider him as redeemable.

He was assuredly dead in trespasses and sins, just as you and I are.

The Bible says we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. (Satan) In other words, Satan controlled us before we met Jesus. He is even an evil influence after we are converted.

Many of us can remember when our families and friends wondered if we were worth the trouble to be around. Others say well I don’t think I was so bad. The word says we were infected from head to foot, look at Rom 3:10-18

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Someone has to say, “I just can’t believe that that is speaking about me.” However bad you think you are, I can say on the authority of God’s word. You are worse than you think. Even now after God has cleaned you up and made you a new creature you are still sinning and loving every moment of it.