God’s Authority Always Wins
Mark 5:1-20
Introduction
- Jesus is demonstrated in this book as a “servant”
-- Key verse: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
- Last time we tackled one of the most difficult chapters of Mark
-- The direction he takes is revealing to us what Jesus’ call to us is
-- Not only the call, but the importance of our obedience to Him alone!
-- It is clear from Mark 4:20 what Jesus tells us what we MUST realize (read)
- Today we see continue to see Jesus teaching to those who’ve come to Him
-- The application of what Christ calls us to do is APPLY what we’ve HEARD
- Let’s take a look at the power of Christ in this message today
-- Keep in mind … something MUST happen when we encounter His authority
-- This is the key to remember and what Mark conveys to us
- Read Mark 5:1-20
∆ Point 1 – Encountering the Demonic (1-10)
- Again Jesus and the disciples are traveling to a new region
-- Constantly going, evangelizing, and showing people the Kingdom (Mark 1:15)
- When Jesus encounters this man (v2) it is obvious he has some real issues
-- We see that those who he’d already encountered dealt with him harshly
-- He has been shunned and put away from their sight
-- He has become such an outcast that he is even violent to others
- v3-5 really shows the state that this man is in and why he is this way
-- He lives in a graveyard on the outskirts of town away from humanity
-- He has a demon possession - (Is demonic possession real? Absolutely!)
-- He has injured himself repeatedly with the stones
-- He has broken his physical chains and is running rampant
-- He is naked and literally, running around outside his mind
-- APP: If there is ever a soul that needed Jesus, this is one of them!
- What this man does when he encounters Jesus (v6) is SPECTACULAR!
-- He falls down to the ground and worships Him
-- His acknowledgement of Jesus is something we need to learn from
- The demon within him knew exactly who he was confronting and how to respond
-- Why? Phil 2:10, “… that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth …”
- The authority we see demonstrated here is a lesson for us all
-- When you encounter Christ, your attitude ought to be the same as well
-- FACT: Jesus has come to undo what the devil has taken from mankind
-- 1 John 3:8, “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.”
This demon though, even though in a state of submission, tests Jesus
-- How? V7: He tries to get Jesus to commit to doing something (sway Him)
-- He invokes the name of God and then tries to get Jesus to go along with it
-- APP: This would be the WRONG way to sway the Lord in your favor
- (v9) So Jesus asks him point blank, “Identify yourself!”
-- Why I find spectacular here is there is no argument, no hidden games
-- When Jesus calls on someone to respond, there is an instant reaction
-- Jesus forces this demon to confess itself, to admit what it is
-- IMP: Confession releases the shame of an act; brings it to light (Mark 4:22)
- Mark Cole writes, “In the Bible, (the word) name stands for ‘nature’; so the man was virtually asked to confess the nature of the powers of evil to which he was enslaved. His reply is not only a confession of human impotence, but a vivid expression of the might and destructive force of the demonic powers by which he was gripped.”
- The demon that possessed him used the name ‘Legion’
-- Simply meaning this man was SO troubled that many demons lived within him
-- The spokesman identifies themselves as ‘many’ … by using the name Legion
-- And (v10) he begs Jesus to NOT send them away, to not destroy them
TRANS: Now, watch what happens when Jesus gets a hold of this …
∆ Point 2 – God’s Authority Always Wins (11-20)
- Before the power of Jesus, they beg Him to send them into a heard of pigs
-- Two things happen here that we can take careful note of:
-- 1) They were not able to enter the pigs of their own will (no real power)
-- 2) They had to ask for Jesus’ permission (shows His authority)
-- APP: Jesus is their superior and they know it; no sense in us denying it either
--- James 2:19, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that -- and shudder.”
- Now, let’s imagine for a moment you are a disciple watching this
-- If this is not the coolest thing you have seen that day I have no idea what is
-- Recap: deranged man, naked and terrifying; demonic encounter; Jesus wins
Now, something critical happens here that doesn’t endear Jesus to the town
-- See it? He just killed off 2,000 pigs, 2,000 forms of income/food
-- He just removed the livelihood of several farmers and it isn’t a good thing
-- But, rather than focusing on that, Mark sees the Kingdom result
- The townspeople come to the scene and they are shocked and amazed! (v15)
-- Here is this same man, dressed in clothes, in his right mind, sitting with Jesus’
- What happens is a great transformation of this man’s life
-- Clothing represents dignity, and he has his back
-- Right behavior represents upbringing, and he is acting properly
-- Conversation with others (as a non-outcast) shows he is acceptable to society
-- APP: The same thing happens when Jesus comes into your life, doesn’t it?
- Then in (v17), Mark gets to the response by the crowd (reveals their heart)
-- Basically they are saying, “Look Jesus, you gotta go … now.”
-- No real way to tell if they are mad about the pigs, or fearful of His power
-- His departure from them is not however, without a parting shot to all
- This man knows what He has just been given
-- It is his entire life back, his entire being, even his dignity is restored
-- Look at this man’s response (v18), “Take me with you!”
-- IMP: When Jesus rocks your world, you want to spend more time with Him
--- No change in your life after encountering Jesus? Check your salvation!!
TRANS: Our big idea comes from the end of this tremendous story
∆ Big Ideas
- Mark 5:19, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
-- To this man, the Lord (or God) has healed him and he now knows it
-- Only the power of the Holy Spirit causes this kind of realization in a man
-- 1 Corinthians 12:3, “Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.”
- Bottom line: When Jesus encountered a man who needed compassion, He was there to provide it without asking first for an offering or something in return.
- Jesus is there for us in the same way, IF we will seek Him out
- Pray
