(Mark 5:1-20) "There met him out of the tombs a man..."
In this passage we find one of the most remarkable stories in the New Testament.
Three of the gospel writers mention this story.
This is not a fairy-tale, it is an actual event witnessed by the disciples.
In this story we find a man experiencing FOUR conditions:
1. POSSESSED by satan.
2. REJECTED by Society.
3. TRAUMATIZED by Self.
4. And, DELIVERED by the Savior.
We find that there are few that can really help a man.
AND EVEN FEWER THAT WANT TO HELP A MAN.
The devil wants to destroy man because man is loved by God.
Society wants to take all it can from man, and therefore will never help man.
EVEN SELF is out to destroy ITSELF!
> Man is self-deceiving, self-effacing, and self-destructive!
Mankind has but ONE TRUE FRIEND!
That’s why the songwriter wrote:
There’s not a FRIEND like the lowly Jesus, No Not One; No Not One!
It doesn’t take a genius to see that mankind is in trouble!
We have grown exponentially Scientifically; Medically; and Technologically...
> And yet we need more jails than ever before...
> We have more mental problems than ever before...
> And crime has increased 300-400 percent.
Why is it that Science, Medicine, and Technology have not been able to solve mankind’s most basic needs?
> Because mankind’s most basic needs are spiritual...
> But he is to Scientifically Stupid to realize it!
The world is going to hell in a handbasket and doesn’t even see it happening.
The average person is too caught up with this world to even see that he is being slowing destroyed by it!
> Like the proverbial frog being boiled one degree at a time...
(v. 2) "there met him out of the tombs a man..."
THERE MET HIM A MAN...
I. A Miserable Man.
A. His Plentiful Pain.
1. The Inward Struggle of satanic Possession (v. 2-5).
> He had trouble sensing how much was him and how much was satan.
> No doubt he struggled to regain control of his life.
> Many struggle with control of their life and emotions...
> Few of us even consider what kind of oppression we might be under.
2. The Outward Sorrow of Physical Oppression.
> satan had caused this man much physical sorrow.
> he had caused him to injure himself...
B. His Evil master. What does satan have to offer a man...
1. A preoccupation with death.
> Suicidal tendencies among people.
> Songs and depictions are about death.
> Why so many school shootings...?
2. A preoccupation with nakedness.
> Luke tells as that he "ware no clothes..."
3. A preoccupation with piercing and cuttings.
> Tattoo parlors all over most major cities.
> Piercing most body parts.
> Hanging from hooks to get a euphoric high!
4. It left him very UNHAPPY (v. 5).
> "And ALWAYS, NIGHT AND DAY, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, CRYING..."
> The devil is going to promise you so much fun and happiness...
> BUT HE IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF LIES!
5. You serve the devil so vigorously, and you think you will have fun and be happy...
> But, the devil will never do one good thing for you, that he doesn’t expect 1000 times more in return!
> "AND ALWAYS, NIGHT AND DAY, he was CRYING!"
C. His Terrible Condition.
1. Unclean (v. 2).
> Impure, Foul, Filthy...
> His nakedness, and dwelling among the tombs made him an object of abhorrence.
> His family had forsaken him; No one wanted to be his friend.
2. Unsettled (v. 3).
> Incapable of making a living and fending for himself.
> He was an outcast of society.
3. Uncontrollable (v. 4).
> "No man could tame him."
> He was OUT OF CONTROL.
4. Unhappy (v. 5).
> This is a sad statement.
> This man was some mother’s son.
> He was someone’s brother.
> How can we not have compassion on this tormented man?
5. Unstable (v.6).
> There was a possibility that he could hurt himself or someone else.
> There was a wild man living in the neighborhood.
6. Unclothed (v. 15).
> Nakedness, pornography, lust and immorality are the BANE of society.
> Everywhere you look nakedness is the common dress of the world.
> WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY POSSESSED OF THE DEVIL!
BUT LET US NOT FORGET THAT THIS WAS NOT A MONSTER; THIS WAS A MAN!
There Met Him a Man!
II. A Friendless Man.
A. Society did not care for this man.
1. They bound him (v. 4a).
> They tried to help him by physically binding him with chains.
> The world does not want you to be well and healthy...
> They just want you to stay out of the way.
2. They tried to tame him (v. 4b).
> They treated him like an animal.
> You train with punishment...
3. They DIDN’T clothe him!
> They didn’t try anything useful.
> They didn’t take him away from the tombs.
4. Society doesn’t try to help people stop sinning.
> Society doesn’t tell teens to abstain from sex.
> It tells them to use precautions.
B. When they could not reform the man, they avoided him.
1. They denied any responsibility for him.
> "Do we simply turn our heads, and look the other way?"
> Do we avoid uncomfortable situations?
> AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?
2. They couldn’t help him, so they avoided him.
> This is the way of the world.
> This is how society treats its unfortunate.
3. Society created a monster, now it doesn’t know what to do with him.
> We have 3rd and 4th generation welfare families.
> We have conditioned people to believe that they should receive free money from the government.
> We have given people a handout until they don’t know how to take care of themselves.
Didn’t need no welfare state; Everybody pulled his weight; Gee our old Lasalle rand great...
Those were the days!
And, you knew who you were then; Girls were girls, and Men were men...
Those were the days!
BUT, THOSE DAYS ARE GONE!
Mankind’s troubles are worse than ever!
The Bible says, "There Met Him a Man."
A MISERABLE MAN; A FRIENDLESS MAN...
III. A Deceived Man.
A. It IS possible to deceive Yourself
1. [Gal 6:3] "For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, HE DECEIVETH HIMSELF.
2. [James 1:26] "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, BUT DECEIVETH HIS OWN HEART, this man’s religion is vain."
> The Bible says a man can "Deceive Himself..."
> And, a man can "DECEIVE HIS OWN HEART..."
3. Many think that they are alright, when they are not!
> You don’t know how often I hear people tell me how much they are reading and praying...etc.
> It is as if they have to prove to me they are still right when we all know they are NOT!
> They actually think you can DISOBEY God, but still be right with God if you read and pray!
4. Some have said: "I worship in my own way..."
> No you don’t...
> You either worship God’s way or your not worshiping at all!
> Your just deceiving YOUR OWN HEART!
B. Self CAN never and WILL never be able to understand God.
1. Self is incapable of submitting to God.
> Self cannot Love God; It is too wrapped up in SELF.
> Self is ALWAYS delf-deceived.
2. That is why God didn’t say, "You must be reformed."
> That is why God DIDN’T say, "You must try harder..."
> That is why God didn’t say, "You must change your self..."
3. Self is incapable of change.
> You cannot reform self; Nor change self...
> YOU MUST BE BORN-AGAIN!
C. How does self treat his miserable self?
1. He CUTS himself (v. 5).
> He mutilates and mangles himself.
> He is self-destructive.
2. He CASTS himself.
> He constantly endangers himself.
> The man with the demon possessed son said:
> "Ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him..."
New teen fads...
> Choking until almost passing out!
> Inhaling Canned-Air... Deaths!
> Parking Lot jumping...
4. He Cries himself.
> Down deep in their heart, they know how empty and unhappy they are!
The Lord came unto the city and...
There Met Him a Man...
A Miserable Man... A Friendless Man...
A Deceived Man...
IV. A Loved Man (5:6-8).
A. Notice that the Lord immediately did something to help the man.
1. Jesus never met an invalid that didn’t walk away healed.
> Every time He came upon a lame man, that man WALKED away.
> Every time He came upon a blind man, that man SAW.
> Every time He came upon a deaf man, that man HEARD.
> Every time He came upon a mute man, that man SPOKE!
2. Jesus never went to a funeral, He didn’t entirely mess up!
> Every funeral He attended was ruined because He rose the dead!
3. When Jesus walked up to this devil possessed man, the demons KNEW what was about to happen.
> They KNEW that Jesus would NEVER leave this man the way he was.
> They KNEW that this man was about to be delivered.
B. It was LOVE that nailed Jesus to the cross.
1. It wasn’t soldiers that took him there...
> He told Peter, "THINKEST THOU THAT I CANNOT NOW PRAY TO MY FATHER, AND HE SHALL PRESENTLY GIVE ME MORE THAN TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS?"
2. It wasn’t nails that helm Him there...
> He could have come down off of the cross anytime He chose.
3. It wasn’t soldiers that took Him there...
> It wasn’t nails that held Him there
> IT WAS LOVE that nailed Him to the cross.
C. This miserable, friendless man, was a LOVED man.
1. Jesus Saw & Found Him...
> His Directed Look.
> "When I could not go to where He was, He came to me..."
2. Jesus Sought & Favored Him.
> His Displayed Love.
> Jesus went out of His way to show love to a man rejected by society
3. Jesus Saved & Freed Him.
> His Declared Liberty.
> Chains could not hold him, and men could not free him...
> (v. 6) BUT WHEN HE SAW JESUS...
4. Jesus Settled & Fulfilled Him.
> His Deepened Life.
> He not only released him from bondage, but He gave him a new life.
There Met Him a Man...
A Miserable Man... A Friendless Man...
A Deceived Man... A Loved Man...
V. A Changed Man.
A. His Home Changed.
1. He lived in the tombs.
> He had a headstone for a pillow.
> He made his bed with the worms.
2. One of the SUREST signs that Jesus has come into your life is a CHANGED HOME!
> Rolloff: "If it doesn’t go home, you didn’t get anything!"
B. His Heart Changed.
1. He hated the things of God, now all he wanted was to be with Jesus (v. 18).
> He didn’t say, "I want to serve you..."
> He didn’t say, "I need more help or training..."
> He said: "I WANT TO BE WITH YOU!"
2. A distinctive mark of a man’s salvation is that he DESIRES to spend more time with the Lord.
> I don’t believe the man that says he is saved, and doesn’t desire to be in church.
> You had better check it out; If you have to endure church...
> If you have to make yourself go to church...
> YOU PROBABLY DON’T HAVE WHAT THIS DEMONIAC GOT!
C. His Habits Changed.
1. You may have loved tattoos and body piercing when you were lost...
> BUT NOT ANYMORE!
2. You may have dressed nakedly when you were lost...
> BUT NOT ANYMORE!
3. You may have been obsessed with death when you were lost...
> BUT NOW YOUR OBSESSED WITH LIFE!
4. You may have loved quija boards, astrology, and the occult when you were lost...
> BUT NOT ANYMORE!
5. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new..."
> IF YOUR HABITS HAVEN’T CHANGED, YOU DIDN’T GET SAVED!
D. His Human Contact Changed.
1. His friends used to be the bugs and animals of the night.
> His neighbors were the dead.
2. But, Now Jesus tells him who are to be his contacts.
> GO HOME...
> Start with your family!
> Go to thy FRIENDS...
> Tell your friends about Jesus.
3. TELL THEM WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU!
> Have you been saved from hell fire?
> Have you ever had a real need and didn’t have any hope; But the Lord miraculously answered?
> Have you ever been rescued from a near death situation?
> Since God did these things for you, how many people have you told about it?
4. Jesus calls this ingratitude (Luke 17:12-18).
> Why haven’t you told EVERYONE you know about what Jesus has done for you?
Are you a Changed person?
Who have you told about it?
