Someone Stronger
Prairie Baptist Church – 11/15/09
A.M. Service
Text: Mark 5:1-20
Key verse: Mark 5:19 - However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.”
Premise: No one can break the power of Satan in their lives without the power of Jesus. He is the only one that can overcome the darkness to bring seeking men into the light.
The Introduction
In one of his meetings, D.L. Moody was explaining to his audience the truth that we cannot bring about spiritual changes in our lives by our own strength. He demonstrated the principal like this: “Tell me,” he said to his audience, “how can I get the air out of the tumbler I have in my hand?” One man said, “Suck it out with a pump.” But Moody replied, “That would create a vacuum and shatter it.” Finally after many suggestions, he picked up a pitcher and quietly filled the glass with water. “There,” he said, “all the air is now removed.” He then explained that victory for the child of God does not come by working hard to eliminate sinful habits, but rather by allowing Christ to take full possession.
I am the man of the house, and as the man of the house, I am good for many things, such as, getting the lids off of pickle jars. It seems that daddy is stronger and more capable of getting those pesky, vacuum sealed monsters off of the jar than anybody else is. When there is danger, who does everybody run to? Daddy!
Here, in this story, is a man with a different problem than most. It is likely that none of you, hopefully, have ever had his problem. He was demon possessed.
• Demon possession was common in those days
• It was manifested in different ways
• This man was so far into it that he had thousands of demons residing in him.
• He is like so many today.
• Without Christ, all are under the direction of the devil – Ephesians 2:1-3 - 1And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
o This does not mean everyone who is not a Christian is demon-possessed.
o It means they are directed in their unsaved condition of the thought and influence of the devil.
Life cannot be handled well without Jesus Christ
Do you ever have things in your life you knew you couldn’t handle?
Have you ever had a feeling of lack of control over a circumstance, situation, illness, or event?
Can we avert the passing of a loved one?
Can we control the loss of a job or quiet a storm on our own?
Can we turn back a wayward child or friend?
Than we need Jesus and His power to lead us through
This life is overwhelming and there are many forces more powerful than we are. We need the Supernatural power of Jesus in our lives.
Body
1. Jesus’ Power Cannot Be Diverted – 4:35-5:1
A. It is football season, and if you notice when a play is called and executed, almost without fail, the offence tries to create some kind of diversion to the defense’s eye of the ball. When a diversion is created and works, the ball can be advanced down the field further because the opposing team was not watching carefully.
B. As they crossed the sea of Galilee a great storm came out of nowhere:
i. The disciples feared for their lives
ii. Jesus slept soundly
iii. Jesus rebuked the waves and the disciples.
C. The enemy uses a lot of weapons to divert our attention
i. The storms of life
ii. Money
iii. The influence of friends and family
iv. The allure of something better (power, prestige, paycheck)
v. John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
D. Jesus is still the all-powerful God:
i. He is the creator and sustainer - Col. 1:15-17 – 15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
ii. He is the author of salvation - Heb 5:9 - And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
iii. He is the coming conqueror – Rev. 19:11-16 - 11Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
iv. With all that power, there is nothing that can hold the Son of God back nor divert His course.
2. Jesus’ Presence Can Be a Positive Distraction – 5-6
A. A man bought a new hunting dog. Eager to see how he would perform, he took him out to track a bear. No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the dog picked up the trail. Suddenly he stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a new direction. He had caught the scent of a deer that had crossed the bear’s path. A few moments later he halted again, this time smelling a rabbit that had crossed the path of the deer. And so, on and on it went until finally the breathless hunter caught up with his dog, only to find him barking triumphantly down the hole of a field mouse. In this case Jesus was a positive distraction and a help and hope for what the man was looking for.
B. Here is a man whose full-time occupation is living in graves and tombs and hurting himself.
i. He is tormented beyond belief
ii. Possibly, he is possessed of thousands of demons
iii. There is one prominent demon who is the spokesman for the rest
iv. His name is Legion, (Roman legions were 6,000 men)
C. There is no one like Jesus that can create such a range of emotions:
i. To the demons, we was to be feared
ii. To the man, he was a source of relief. He realized that there is “no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
iii. Speak the names of Buddha, Confucius, or Allah, and they will think of great philosophers or religious thinkers and leaders. Start talking about Jesus, and it gets personal.
iv. He brings a joy and a hope to those who trust in Him – 1st Thess. 2:19 - For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?
3. Jesus’ Prominence Reveals His Dominion – 7-14
A. Astronaut James Erwin is one of but a few men to walk on the moon. As he stood upon the lunar landscape and looked up at the earth, he prayed for the first time in his life. He thought about the strife among nations, poverty, hunger, and rampant evil; and he thought to himself: "What is more important than man walking on the moon is that God should walk on earth." Jesus is God come to earth and He rules both in heaven and earth
B. Jesus had control and command in every respect:
i. The recognition of His deity by the demons through the man (7)
ii. The submission of the demons to His authority (8)
iii. The answer of the demons to His question (9)
iv. The demons seeking Jesus permission (12)
v. The demons’ immediate obedience to Jesus’ command to go into the swine (13)
C. Jesus authority knows no limits:
i. Over death – John 11:25 - Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
ii. Over the grave – 1st Cor. 15:50-54 – 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
iii. Over sin - Romans 5:20-21 20Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And, 1st Peter 2:24 - who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.
iv. He rules and reigns everywhere and is seated on the right hand of God (Mark 16:19; Luke 22:69; Rom. 8:34; Col. 3:1; Heb. 10:12; 12:2; 1st Pet. 3:22)
v. He is sovereign in our lives as well.
4. Jesus’ Priority Is Providing Deliverance – 15-20
A. John Paton was a missionary in the New Hebrides Islands. One night hostile natives surrounded the mission station, intent on burning out the Patons and killing them. Paton and his wife prayed during that terror-filled night that God would deliver them. When daylight came they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. Remembering what had happened, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no men were present—but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station.
B. This deliverance had several effects:
i. The man was dressed and acting and speaking sanely (15)
a. Notice, the people were afraid
b. They were afraid of him when he was possessed and they were afraid of him when he was sane
ii. The people of the region were astonished and word spread
iii. Business was ruined and they asked Jesus to leave
iv. Jesus gained not only a follower but a vocal witness of God’s compassion
C. Jesus:
i. Changed a man
a. From crazy to calm
b. From possessed to peaceful
c. 2nd Cor. 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
ii. Changed a mission – not to follow Him but to proclaim Him to others (19-20)
a. To friends
b. To family
c. To that region where he resided
d. He became an evangelist for Jesus Christ
e. The word “proclaim” is the same greek word used to describe what the disciples were to do when Jesus sent them out (Luke 9:1-6)
Conclusion:
You cannot handle everything in this life and without Jesus Christ as Savior you will definitely not be able to handle what is to come.
Christian, what have you been trying to handle with Him?
Are you giving it all to Jesus?
Are you proclaiming the one who gave you freedom and life?
