PIGS OR PEOPLE; SWINE OR SOULS
Jerry Watts
Mark 5:6-20
* Chapter 5 is very interesting. It contains 43 verses with 2 major stories. Each of these stories, as we’ll come to see, has a ‘story in a story’. It is the kind of narrative which escapes the casual or superficial reader. Certainly the healing of the demoniac was a miracle of major proportions. Yet, Jesus still got into trouble with society because, like most, His work didn’t fit their desires.
* Taking this ‘story within the story’, we cut away the fat and go for the jugular of reality. Because Mark has reveals or exposes the things many desire to hide. As I read this text, my mind always runs to one question, “Pigs or People, which one are we more interested in?” Swine or souls?
* This message comes down to one word; focus or even ‘priority.’ Our focus or priority is revealed by what it is that we protect, that we promote, and that we preserve. For instance, the focus of many lives concerned their making of money & protecting that money for retirement. And they’ll do that at all cost. For others they protect their leisure time. In 1990, George Barna released the book “The Frog in the Kettle” which has a complete chapter telling us (churches) to not try to mess with the leisure time of America because they had a high price tag on it.
* You can name what it is that you focus on: (Activities, hobbies, vocation, avocation, etc)
* To unpack this story & lesson is to admit that Christ has one focus and the culture has another, But the question really is: Which one to we honestly align with?
1) THE Focus of the Christ – This is easy, Jesus was, is, and always will be focused on the souls of men. Rarely does He allow anything to distract His focus. He came with the purpose of seeking & saving the lost. He began His ministry with this thought, lived His life with this thought, & died because this was His thought, purpose, priority, and focus.
* You can take any situation which Jesus faced, and His focus always prevailed. The woman at the well, the woman caught in adultery, or the woman who anointed Jesus feet are all examples of Jesus looking beyond the niceties of culture and see their soul. When He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion because it was obvious to Him that these people had no relationship with the Father and thus had no sense of direction toward eternity. He saw Jerusalem and wept over the entire city like a ‘mother hen’ weeps for her young. Everywhere He went and every person He met, He viewed in eternal terms. Their status in society mattered little – the rich young rule, Nicodemus, and Zacheeus all were given the same treatment from Jesus, yet 2 of the three walked away. (And Jesus let them go because they loved the world more than they loved God. As an aside, He bore witness to the deep commitment of the widow.
* In our story, stepping off the boat on the ‘other side’, Jesus was immediately face to face with an evil, demon possessed man who lived in the graveyard & slept nightly on the rotting flesh of the dead. This man was controlled by demons, he had the stench of death on him, his clothes were likely ripped, torn, and filthy. He wasn’t approachable or presentable. But our Loving Lord Jesus did see this man like he was. He didn’t focus on the odor, the dress, or even the offensive manner which he had. Jesus saw this man as created in the image of the Father, in fact, this man was a part of the Father’s Crown Creation. Yes realistically, he was full of the devil, but Jesus saw him as one who could be redeemed. (NOTE: Jesus was even compassionate to the demons as he honored their wishes) Jesus didn’t see this man as he was, but what he could be.
* How easy would it have been for Jesus to see that man as too far gone for redemption & grace? Jesus is in the cleansing business, that is what He does & yes He was & is willing to sacrifice pigs for a person. The demons asked to go into the pigs. The power of demons? 1000 demons versus 2000 pigs equal ½ demons per pigs. Yet all the pigs died. What does that say?
* The focus of Jesus remained on the man and not the animal. Think about it & compare:
2) THE Focus of the Crowd– Now the story gets interesting & revealing. The demon-possessed man is now “FREE!” The demons are gone, the man is healed, and he is sitting with Jesus. WOW!! That is glorious! Right! Everyone is happy right? Well, not so fast.
* It seems that eye witnesses went and told what they had seen. Think about it, these folks had seen a miracle, a work of God, & Jesus helping a needy man; their report had to be good one, right? So the people from town (possibly the owners) came a distance to verify the story. Could it really be that this man who had been so evil & wild for so long, could it be that this Jesus had helped & healed him? So they came, looked, saw, and then turned to the eye-witnesses and said, “Would you tells us ONE MORE TIME exactly what happened?” And verse 16 tells us that they did, in fact repeat the story. Here’s the deal: Animals were hurt in the making of this man!
* In fairness, it was tragic that the owners had lost a capital investment of 2000 head of pigs? But it was also a triumph that a man, who had long suffered from demon-possession, had been set free! Under the control of demons he could break the chains of man, under the control of Jesus; he broke free of the eternal chains of Satan. What was the bigger concern? The Pigs or Person?
* All of a sudden, the cost was too high for this man’s soul; so they ‘begged Jesus to leave.’ They were so focused on the pigs that the miracle in the life of this man was all but dismissed.
* Have you ever considered what the pigs in this story could represent in today’s culture? What is it that we tend to focus on more than a person’s eternal destiny or worth? Do you think one of those pigs could be named “traditions?” Traditions are established because at one time they worked to accomplish a goal & they have come to mean something to us. They only become a problem when they become our focus.
* Could one of those pigs be named ‘money?’ In these United States of America, MONEY has become our God. Our attitudes, opinions, & our votes are almost always based on money. And today, we are reaping from the seed we have sown. I ask, “What is the price of a man’s soul, $20, $200, or $2000?” Here’s a caveat: What are more concerned about, the money we do or don’t have or the people we do or don’t reach with the saving gospel of Jesus.
* Could one of those pigs carry the name of ‘my favorite ministry’ (name some)? It matters not what name it carries, the ministries of today’s church are, in large measure man-made. They were designed by men who wanted them to become ‘tools’ to lead people to a walk with Christ & sadly in many cases, our tools have replaced God in our lives.
* In the early 90’s I interviewed with a church for their Senior Pastor’s position. During the course of the interview I asked this question, “Suppose you surveyed your community to discover that people were truly interested in attending this church. However, you discovered that they would be more likely to attend if the service times were different. What would be your respond? What would you do?” Five committee members sat looking at each other until one young mom said, “That would depend on how it affected me.” So I ask, “Could one of those pigs be named, MY SCHEDULE, MY CONVENIENCE, or even MY DESIRE?” If so, would that mean that I am asking or begging Jesus to leave my region? One ministry application: Has it dawned on you the real opportunity which we have with our ‘Wednesday Night ministry?”
3) THE Focus of the Converted – In other words, where is YOUR focus? Pigs or People? It’s a personal choice. In my notes, I outlined 3 choices which I called, “Ignorant, Informed, or Impacting choices.” But right now, please focus on the last one, “IMPACTING CHOICES.” To read verses 19-20 is to decide that “THIS” is where I want to focus. Being a part of a changed life which helps to change lives is my heart’s prayer. How about YOU? Pigs or people, Swine or Souls, time or eternity, selfish or selfless; what does God want from us?
