We Need To talk! I want to chat with you from the subject “The Charge of the Church.” The Scripture upon which I base my argument is penned by John Mark in his Gospel Narrative: Mark 5:17-20.
In that second stanza of Charles Wesley’s hymn “A Charge to Keep I Have,” he wrote: “To serve the present age, My calling to fulfill…” I submit to us that the Calling the Church must fulfill is “To serve the present age.” There is no need of you looking back in nostalgia to yesterday; that age has gone. There is no need of you looking forward in expectancy to tomorrow; that age has not yet arrived. Your Calling is to serve the present age. And Wesley saw the awesomeness of that task and he added: “O may it all my powers engage To do my Master’s will!” And I believe one reason why Wesley pleaded that all his powers would be engaged to do his Master’s will was because he realized that there was a Boogie Man Factor involved in the equation!
Wesley recognized that WE ALL HAVE PHOBIAS, FEARS, APPREHENSIONS: SOMETHING OR SOMEONE OF WHOM WE ARE AFRAID. And if we don’t deal with that Fear, we will be Hindered from Fulfilling Our Calling! And so, I submit to us that WE ALL HAVE A BOOGIE MAN! All of us have something or someone that Spooks Us! That causes the nappy hair on our heads to stand up straight and our bad feet to run! I suggest that ALL OF US HAVE A BOOGIE MAN!
For the most part, all of us at some point shall have to face some fear or phobia. We all have our Boogie Man who would stupefy us into a terrified panic-stricken rage. Something in life will almost scare you to death. It might be just a visit to the doctor’s office and some tests run. And the time you wait for the results to come back can scare you to death, especially if they are looking for something that can be terminal. Or it could be the shut down of corporations in downsizing and your job is at stake, and you got the house note, the car note and children are in college and you need the job badly. And the news comes down that your company has been bought by a mega company, and they are going to lay off employees, and you might be on their hit list; it can scare you to death!
I remember when my older son, Norris II, was younger that he was afraid of the dark. Something had spooked him at night that caused him to want to sleep with the light on. He had seen or heard something outside his window at night which had given him a fear of the dark. Even though sometimes I would stand outside his door until he had fallen asleep and had tried to show him there was nothing to fear, his fear was still not dispelled.
Some of us are dealing with a Boogie Man outside the window of our mind. He spooks us! Now, you might as well come clean up in here and confess that you have a Boogie Man! You might as well own up to the fact that something or someone still scares you! I know what you are thinking. You are saying that God has not given us the spirit of fear. And you would be correct. But, as long as you live in the flesh, it is also true that you are subject to Fear, to some Phobia, to some Boogie Man.
And the reason why I sat that all of us have a Boogie Man is because of what is contained within the context of our Text. There was a man who was dealing with some serious issues: he was demonized. He was battling with over 6,000 demons at one time. And more often than not, he would lose the fight and come under the control of this legion of Boogie Men.
They frightened, even terrified him to the point in which he developed suicidal and homicidal tendencies. For John Mark records in verse 5 that night and day he experienced bouts of depression in which he spent time crying, even cutting himself with stones. He was spooked into trying to commit suicide. And so, in order to keep him from doing harm to others, the town folk chained him.
(And let me add here parenthetically that if the church isn’t careful, it will result to carnal means trying to deal with a spiritual problem. Sometimes, we result to physical force and violence trying to combat and control demonic activity. We lay hands on folk, render blows and “throw down” as a reaction to satanic activity, not realizing that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against demonic powers and satanic influence. And so, the Charge of the Church is to use Supernatural Means in dealing with our Boogie Man!!) This man was spooked into living in the mountains and hanging out among the tombs of the dead.
The demonic possession got to the point where it caused him to act as the Boogie Man. For every time a passer-by would come by the graveyard, he would rush out and scare them. He reminds me of certain folk who, are themselves dealing with some serious issues of demonic activity and as a result, are compelled to Act as the Boogie Man Around the Church. They scare folk into doing what they want done. They spook folk into yielding to their foolishness by the satanic activity that is happening in their lives. Yes, it seems like every local congregation has its resident Boogie Man. It seems like everyone is afraid of them. Afraid to face them. Afraid to withstand them. Afraid to disarm them in the name of Jesus. And so, they scare folk!
But a strange thing happened one night. The Boogie Man Got Spooked! For Jesus and the apostolic interns came to his turf. And out of habit, he rushed them to spook them. But before the demons could restrain the man, he had charged Jesus. Mark says in verse 2 that when Jesus was come out of the ship, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit.
I contend that it was not the demons’ idea for this man to charge Jesus. You see, Jesus is the Boogie Man of the Demons! I suggest to us that in verse 6, it was the man’s idea to rush Jesus when he saw Him afar off and not the demons. The demons knew who Jesus was! I also suggest to us that it was the demons’ idea and not the man’s to worship Jesus. They knew who He was!
And so, if you are going to fulfill your Calling, then I suggest that:
I. FIRST of all, You Must Be Aware Of GOD’S PROVIDED POWER.
When you are in the dark facing your Boogie Man, you’ve got to Be Aware Of God’s Provided Power. When it looks like your Boogie Man is going to rush you to eat up your flesh, you’ve got to realize that because of God’s Provided Power, he will stumble and fall! Will fall down and worship the Lord.
You must reckon on the fact that the Lord is your Refuge and Strength and a Very Present Help in time of trouble. He will not allow the Boogie Man to destroy you as you fulfill your calling. He will CALL OUT THE BOOGIE MAN-verse 8. You must know that He is able to take care of you.
God can always make a Move. He is never so boxed in where He can’t make a move. Sometimes while playing checkers, we can box our opponent in where they can’t make a move. But God is not boxed in by circumstances, situations, people or demonic power: HE CAN ALWAYS MAKE A MOVE! HE WILL CALL OUT THE BOOGIE MAN!!! When you know the Lord is always on your side, you’re dealing with the God who can always Make A Move. And when He Moves, no man or power can hinder Him - The Demons Had To Flee!
Not only will the Lord Call the Boogie Man Out, He will also Restore You to A Right Relationship. For in verse 15, the man was SITTING, CLOTHED and IN HIS RIGHT MIND.
And so, the First Thing this Text suggest is that If we are going to Carry Out our Charge, We Must be Aware Of God’s Provided Power. And if the Church is going to fulfill our calling then:
II. SECONDLY, We Must be Aware Of GOD’S PROTECTIVE PRESENCE.
And that is significant because it looks like Jesus is abandoning this delivered man. For in verse 18 this man’s only request is that he might be with Jesus for the rest of his natural life. But the response of Jesus in verse 19 seems a bit odd and peculiar. Jesus tells him to Go Home to his Family. But before you reach a preconceived misconception of what is actually taking place here, let’s do a quick grammatical analysis of the Greek Text.
The tense of the Greek verb translated “prayed-parekalei” in verse 18 is the Imperfect of Repeated Action. Which means that this man kept on asking Jesus to allow him to be with Him. But the enlightenment comes in the tense of the verb translated “Go Home-hupage” in verse 19. It is a Present Imperative. Which means action that is already in progress at the time. So the significance is this: At the same time this man kept on asking Jesus to let him be with Him, he was already in progress of going in the direction of home!
It’s as if he already knew the answer to his prayer. It’s as if is he already knew that he was going in the Protective Presence of the Lord. He realized he had been delivered from his Boogie Man. He had sat down in the presence of Jesus and been taught. He was no longer naked but clothed in the righteousness of Christ. He was in his right man and had gained self-control thru the Provided Power of God; and so now, it’s as if he’s saying as he is going in the direction of home, “I’m not afraid of the Boogie Man anymore!” And the reason he makes that move from fear to confidence is because he is assured of God’s Protective Presence. If the Lord tells us to Keep Going in the direction in which we are headed, we can be assured that he Will Be With Us!
May I suggest to us that the One Place in which we really need God’s Protective Presence Is when We Are Going Home and Get Home! For oft-times our Family becomes our Foe and our Friends act like our Enemies. I wonder, can you relate?
It was Esau’s brother ho tricked him out of the blessing of the eldest son. It was Jacob’s brother who had plotted to kill him. It was David’s son who plotted to overthrow his father from the throne. It was Joseph’s brothers who sold him into slavery. It was Moses’ kinfolk who murmured, complained and rebelled against him in the wilderness. It was the mother and brothers of Jesus who decided He was beside Himself with madness and decided to come take Him home. It was Jesus’ familiar friend, Judas, who betrayed Him with a kiss. Even Jesus came unto His own people and they rejected Him!
Said the Prophet Micah: “Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.” Therefore Micah concluded: “I ill look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”
And Jesus, Himself, made this startling pronouncement: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
I tell you, we need the Protective Presence of God At Home! For oftentimes it is our family, friends and fellow church members who do us the most harm and cause us the greatest damage. We must be Aware of God’s Protective Presence if our Calling we are to Fulfill! He offers us a secret place of dwelling under the shadow of His wings. He promises protective covering under His feathers. In the time of trouble, the Lord provides a hiding place in His pavilion and a secret place in His tabernacle. He provides Anti-Ballistic Spiritual Missiles. For He said: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.” We must be aware of God’s Protective Presence. But if the church is going to carry out its charge then:
III. THIRDLY, You Must Recall GOD’S PAST PERFORMANCE.
Obviously this man felt that God could handle anything he faced in the Present because of what He had done in the Past. The Lord had exorcized his demons. He had Spooked his Boogie Man. He had given him back his mind, clothed his nakedness, domesticated his manners and given him a new nature. Now since the Lord had done all of that for him in the Past, He certainly could handle anything he might face in his Present. So in verse 20, the man sets out and begins to Publish, to Proclaim as a Herald the Great Things Jesus HAD DONE for him in the Past.
If you are going to Carry Out your Charge, You Must Be Aware Of GOD’S PERFORMANCE IN THE PAST. I think I need to tell you that GOD RUNS INTERFERENCE FOR US. When you football fans see the running back making his cuts and speeding into the end zone, you know he didn’t get there because he was a good running back. The fact of
the matter is, he’s got some fellas opening some holes for him. I was watching the Dallas Cowboys several years ago when they were in their hey-day. And Troy Aikman was attempting to throw a pass but a defensive tackle had decided that he was going to shack Troy. But what that defensive tackle didn’t realize was that Emmit Smith was more than a running back. And Emmit threw a block on the man that caused him to fly head-over-heels in the air.
Well, that’s what God does: He Throws Blocks For Us. He blocks the progress of Boogie Men. He blocks and stops the mouths of our enemies. He runs interference for us. He opens holes for us. He makes ways for us. And when we are in a tight spot, we need to remember what he Has Done in the Past.
We must learn to focus on the incredible events in the past which only God could handle. There are some things in life we can handle ourselves. And there are some other things that some other people can help us handle. But then there are some things in life that Only God Can Handle. And I feel sorry for the man/woman who has never been brought into a situation where they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that only God could save them. Because you really can’t have real faith in God until you absolutely know you know what God Can Do!
In fact, you can’t have a Testimony until after you have had a Test! You might make a talk, but it ain’t a testimony! A Testimony comes from a Test. In fact, you spell it t-e-s-t before you get to the i-m-o-n-y. You’ve got to go thru something before you can really talk about it!
Remember what He did for you on yesterday or yesteryear. And I feel sorry for that individual who has not had an experience where he/she learned that only God could raise them up. When they know it was not the financial institution. When they know it was not the medical doctor. When they know it was not pulling the right strings. When they know it was God who brought them out. Because when you go thru an experience like that, then you can base your Present Faith Upon His Past Performance.
No doubt this delivered man knew no fear of the Boogie Man again. No doubt he had no fear of demons, death, desertion or depression again. It was not because he was not afraid, but because of his bold faith in Jesus Christ. After Jesus had delivered him from demon possession, he had no fear of demons or demon possession because he knew that Jesus could deal with any demon.
If you’re going to carry out your charge, you must Recall God’s Past Performance. I believe that’s what Newton had in mind when he wrote: “Thru many dangers, toils and snares I have already come. Grace brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me on.” What he was really saying is: What God has already done for me is a Testimony of what He Can Do for me. And so, my brothers/sisters, Recall God’s Past Performance. Don’t get so caught up looking at the present and at the future that you altogether forget about His Past Performance. In fact, before we ask God for anything in prayer, we ought to thank Him for what He has already done. Before I ask Him for bread tomorrow, I need to thank Him for supplying my bread today. But Finally, if you’re going to carry out your charge to this present age, then:
IV. FOURTH You Must Rely On GOD’S FUTURE PROVISION.
I suggest to us that GOD WANTS THE MASSES TO MARVEL AT HIS MARVELOUS MERCY. For as a result of the man’s testimony Mark says in verse 20 that “all men did marvel.”
In Your Future, the Lord Has Made Provisions for the Masses to Marvel. You see, God’s Mercy is adapted to meet our Misery. It is His Mercy that relieves our Misery. And when Misery has been Relieved, Men Marvel. God Has Made Future Provision for Abundant Mercy.
When you minister to the misery of the drug addicts, the masses will marvel.
When you minister to the misery of the emotionally wounded, the masses will marvel.
When you minister to the misery of the miserable, the masses will marvel.
When you minister to the misery of the abused, the masses will marvel.
When you minister to the misery of the miserable, the masses will marvel.
Perhaps that’s what David had in mind when he wrote: “Surely goodness and Mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” He speaks of God’s Future Provision.
Perhaps the prophet Jeremiah was alluding to the same when he wrote: “It is of the Lord Mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion fail not. They are new every morning; great is Thy Faithfulness.”
When we remember what God has done for us in the past, we can have faith in what He ill do for us in the future. If God has done it once, He can do it again, and again, and again.
So I challenge you to BE AWARE OF GOD’S PROVIDED POWER, BE AWARE OF GOD’S PROTECTIVE PRESENCE, RECALL GOD’S PAST PERFORMANCE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S FUTURE PROVISION AND YOUR CALLING YOU SHALL FULFILL.
FOR THESE MANY YEARS, YOU HAVE FACED THE BOOGIE MAN.
FOR THESE MANY YEARS, YOU HAVE HEARD THE CRIES OF THE PEOPLE.
FOR THESE MANY YEARS, YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED PEOPLE WITH SUICIDAL AND HOMICIDAL TENDENCIES.
FOR THESE MANY YEARS, YOU HAVE WEATHERED THE STORMS.
FOR THESE MANY YEARS, GOD HAS PROVEN HIMSELF FAITHFUL.
NOW I CHARGE YOU, FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.
I CAHRGE YOU, PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD.
I CHARGE YOU, ARM YOURSELVES WITH ZEALOUS CARE.
I CHARGE YOU, WAIT UPON THE LORD.
MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES.
RUN AND DON’T GET WEARY.
WALK AND DO NOT FAINT.
I CHARGE YOU, TO LAY ASIDE ALL MALICE, AND ALL GUILE, AND HYPOCRISIES, AND ENVIES, AND ALL EVIL SPEAKING, AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD THAT YOU MAY GOW THEREBY.
A CHARGE TO KEEP YOU HAVE,
A GOD TO GLORIFY,
WHO GAVE HIS SON YOUR SOUL TO SAVE,
AND FIT IT FOR THE SKY.
