Come as you are – Stay as you weren’t
Mark 5:1-13
It is said that the only animal that when cleaned that then goes back into the filth and muck is a pig. You can take them out wash them up, show them off and they will go back to living in the muddy pit they are used to. In reality – the pig isn’t the only animal that does that – humans tend to do the same thing.
MARK 5:1-13 -
As you turn there – know this is scripture initially not a pretty site - The picture that this miracle paints is ugly. We see a life that is tormented, where evil has drug this man into a horrible existence. This pictures an ugly reality that society has tried to downplay… we make “demons” look cute and cuddly – even fun.
But they are anything but “cuddly and fun”. (read)
This man is constantly consumed by a demon named “legion” – a legion in those days would have been around 6000 Roman soldiers, 726 horsemen and assorted aides… and this man may have felt that his life was one that was overrun with sin and sorrow, with hate and hurt, with grief and groaning… evil had consumed him, living with the dead, cutting himself with rocks…
This demon possession was not sickness or insanity (later Mark would speak about someone with a medical condition & Luke was a doctor and would have known the difference) this was a desperate evil attempt to distort and destroy God’s image in man.
Just had shown who He was in the storm – now they would learn something more…
Jesus gave vivid proof that Satan is a DESTROYER (John 10:10a – read)
This man’s physical characteristics reflect the deeper image of what had happened to him on the inside due to his relationship with evil. This man did not get this way on his own…
Some where in his past, evil had taken up residence in his life – Satan doesn’t care about people but he seeks to destroy lives that were made in the image of God. By this dramatic miracle, Jesus made it clear that Satan will take a pig or a man; and if he gets a man, he will turn him into an pig!
Jesus demonstrated that the DEMONS were real –
It is an interesting that, as the demons spoke through the man, they confessed what they really believed. Demons believe, and even tremble (James 2:19 - read); but their belief can’t save them.
Demons believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He has authority over them. They believe in the judgment and that one day they will be cast into hell (see Matt. 8:29). This is more than many so called Christians believe today!
Just as Jesus had shown His power over nature – Jesus demonstrates something more
His power over evil and that DELIVERANCE was real. (John 10:10b – read)
He had shown that He is God when controlling the water and wind; here He shows His power in God by destroying evil! Satan tried to destroy this man, but Jesus came to deliver him. By the power of His Word, He cast out the demons and set this man free.
Jesus didn’t pull away from the man, He didn’t deny that evil existed - He took control of it. This man charged Jesus with words that were meant to control Him but Jesus turned the tables and commands the evil in this man to give up his name and his possession.
The people of that area avoided the demoniac, tried to chain him down like something from an old Frankentstein movie, yet here is Jesus actually treating the man (not the evil) with love and respect. WHY?
Because Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10 –read). Later it says He got back in the boat / to the other side, He had traveled across the sea just for this man!
Think of this man, once a life torn, and naked, ashamed, guilt ridden and unable to cleanse himself of the mental pain - now free from the hell he was living. This man had come running toward Jesus covered in filth, inside and out – but was radically changed when Jesus gave the Word.
That is the kind of life that Jesus wants for you! You may be sitting there saying – “but I’m not possessed; I’m not a filthy, madman yelling and screaming all the time…
You maybe are saying to yourself – “I’m not like that wild man, I don’t have thousands of demons in me…” Maybe so, but do you have one? You may still say “no” but think about it… could it be one of hatred, addiction, selfishness, unrighteous anger, immorality, a sin that is setting you up for evil to take a foothold in your life - the list could go on. Maybe you don’t have the outer trappings of it but what does the inside look like.
Are you just good at hiding it so people wont “reject” you?
LISTEN – there is no sin, there is no CONDITION, and there is no LIFE SITUATION that Jesus CANNOT CHANGE. You can’t clean up the sins and addictions on your own; you may have even tried and know that you can’t.
But Jesus – with ONE WORD can CHANGE your LIFE. But when He does you then take the step of being a disciple, of shunning evil and living for Him. He has shown you that you can approach Him as you are and He alone has the power to cure the evil within…
SO - Come as you are - Give Your LIFE To The SAVIOR – I am one that tends to believe that it wasn’t the evil spirit that ran to Jesus – it was the little part of the man that was left that ran too Him and was crying out too Him.
Verse 7 says that the first thing this man did was cry “out with a loud voice” that scholars say would have been a groan from deep with in him… and then the evil spirits spoke. I like to think that first the man was crying out to Jesus wanting to be relieved from the torrent of evil that dwelled within him.
What did Jesus Christ do for this man?
To begin with, He graciously came to him in love, and even went through a storm to do it.
If you come to Jesus what will He do?
The same thing He did for this man possessed with evil – He comes to you in grace and love, He went through the cross to do it. He wants you to come to Him as you are… But then stay as you weren’t.
BUT - Stay as you weren’t… This man didn’t go back to the ugly life he had been living and neither should you!!! - Don’t GIVE In To SIN – Stay with the one who delivered you. We are not told how the demons entered this man and took control, but possibly it was the result of his yielding to sin.
Demons are “unclean spirits” and can easily get a foothold in the lives of people who cultivate and continue sinful practices.
Because this man gave into the sins that would ultimately torment him he lost his friends and his family, he lost his self-discipline and decency. He lost his peace and his purpose for living. Once Jesus changes you and your life it is time to get in your right mind and truly become His disciple.
When Jesus changes you He gives you a desire to be with Him - if your relationship with Christ hasn’t created a desire to be with him, you are trying to be spiritual without the Spirit.
And it is as true today – Satan doesn’t care about what happens to you –
Jesus died to prove that He does, and with a Word He can set you free from sin and death.
This exorcism in Mark 5 shows us something real –
that Jesus is ALWAYS victorious over evil...
And He is still VICTORIOUS TODAY!
Lets pray...
