Think back on people that have had the greatest impact in your life.
Your parents.
Your brothers or sisters.
The person you married.
Your children.
It is usually those closest to us that shape our lives the most.
How do you get close enough to Jesus so that he has the greatest impact in your life?
Already I’m finding that memorizing Mark’s gospel is having an impact on me. It is as if I’m getting to know the Lord all over again and in a more personal way. I’m excited about what he will do to me through this experience and I’d love it if all of you could have this same blessing.
In just these first five chapters of Mark, we get an insight into the Lord Jesus that shows his character in clear terms.
Jesus was a man who attracted men and women to himself from all walks of life. He was a man with authority in word and deed. He demonstrated power to forgive sin, power to heal the sick, power to cast out demons, power to read the hearts of men, power over the wind and waves, and power over death itself.
Jesus’ authority was seen in his actions and heard in his teachings.
His enemies accuse him of getting his power from the devil.
His family thought he was out of his mind.
The multitudes see him as a healer and answer to their needs.
The tax collectors and sinners find him to be a friend.
The disciples see him as their Lord and Master.
Jesus is causing a stir. Everywhere he goes he attracts crowds. Everything he says and does only brings him either into deeper trouble with his enemies or greater acclaim from his followers. As he teaches in parables he is sifting out the hearts of men as the word is sown. Jesus is looking for good soil, fruit bearing soil, where good honest hearts hear and heed the word of God. Jesus came to change us. Not just to teach us, but to make disciples of us. Not just to save us, but to put us to work in the kingdom of God.
Here in chapter 5 we find three people who’s lives are impacted by meeting and falling down before Jesus.
The demoniac with the legion, Jairus, the synagogue ruler and the woman with the issue of blood… each of these experienced great life changing power. And in all three cases, each one bowed down before Jesus.
What is it about Jesus that made them bow? What is it about him that makes us bow and submit to him today?
Well, you say, “It’s his authority, because he’s the Son of God!” That’s right! Jesus is the Son of God! Even the demons recognized that about him. Mark has told us that over and over, hasn’t he? But the demons don’t change when they bow. Oh, they holler out who Jesus is and they cringe in his presence, but they remain demons. Jesus relocates them as he evicts them from those they indwell, but they go out searching for another home, and maybe they come back to check on the one they left.
Jesus once told about a person from whom a demon was cast out in Luke 11: 24 "When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ’I will return to my house from which I came.’
25 "And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order.
26 "Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first."
Is this true? Is this just theoretical or was Jesus referring to a real case here?
Listen, when Jesus cleanses evil from your life you’d better fill it up with good things of God or you may find yourself worse off than before!
Peter said, 2 Pet. 2:20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
Coming to Christ for salvation from sin is wonderful, but when a person who has bowed before Jesus and received his blessings and forgiveness does not continue to walk in his will, that person can become worse off than if they had never known the way of righteousness!
There are those who bow before Jesus at some time in their lives and think their eternity is all sowed up, as if walking in Christ in submission to him is optional! Nothing could be farther from the truth. Jesus is not the Savior of those who will not follow him as Lord. But he is the Lord and Savior of anyone who will submit to him in faith and walk with him in obedient submission to his authority.
Jesus has a job for you. He didn’t save you so that you could live like the devil. Jesus saved you to look like him and live like him in this world and bear fruit for the kingdom of God.
Chapter 5 introduces us to three people who bowed to Jesus and received blessings from him. There is only one that Mark reveals what happened afterward. Look at the demon possessed man again.
After Jesus cast out the unclean spirits from him and the locals want Jesus to leave town, he wants to leave town with Jesus too. But instead, Jesus gives him a job. Go back to your own and tell them all the great things God has done for you and how he had mercy on you.
Think about what this involves. The people of this town have often put him in chains and shackles, remember? I’m sure he still wears the scars from where he gashed himself with stones. What risks does this assignment involve?
Might he be opposed and rejected?
Who will listen to him?
Where will he live and how will he survive?
Think of the challenge that lay before him. But then think of the simplicity of his job. Jesus didn’t require him to answer all the objections or questions. He didn’t have to get a degree in biblical theology. When you think about it, how much about Jesus does he even know?
He knows this. He was filled with demons and his life was a living nightmare. Then he met Jesus. Now, because of Jesus, he is free since God has had great mercy upon him.
His story is simple. This is what I used to be before I met Jesus. This is how Jesus delivered me from the legion of demons. This is what he has called me to do. His submission to Jesus’ authority continued as he obeyed Jesus’ commission to go tell the great things God has done for him.
Does this sound vaguely familiar? Is this not what Jesus has told me and you today too?
Have you come to Jesus and submitted to his authority and received his grace and mercy?
