Responses To The Lord Jesus Christ

RESPONSES TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

MARK 5:1-20

Jesus and His disciples got into a boat and headed across the Sea of Galilee. A great storm blew in and the boat was being tossed around. The disciples were terrified, but Jesus was sleeping through it. They awakened Jesus and cried out “Carest thou not that we are perishing?”

Jesus rebukes the wind and waves to be still and they obeyed. The disciples asked among themselves, “Who is this that even the wind and the waves obey Him?” They will shortly be more amazed when they encounter a demon possessed man in the tombs along the shore.

A. THE MAN POSSESSED.

Mk 5:1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes.

This land is opposite Judea on the eastern side of the sea. The region is called Decapolis (10 cities) from Greek times. The capital city, Gerasa, was about 30 miles from the shore and a small town, Gadara, only 6 miles from the shore. The area around Gerasa was called “The Gerasenes.” This was a gentile land.

MK 5:2-5 2 When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him, 3 and he had his dwelling among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him anymore, even with a chain; 4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.

This man’s life is a wreck. His torment was constant. Day and night he cried out. Each day Satan’s influence drove himself further into a spiritual prison and destructive behavior. I am sure he wanted a different life, but his situation was absolutely hopeless.

He needs to be rescued.

He needs someone to do for him what he can’t do for himself.

He needs someone who can reach farther down than he can reach up.

In his misery, he has lost all hope.

But Hope is on the way.

Mk 5:6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him;

A boat lands and a group of people get out. One of them is special. Power and Purity emanates from one of them. Jesus is passing by. And he has a choice to make. He can continue to live in the miserable prison his life has become or he can come to Jesus. He runs to Jesus and he throws himself down before the Lord.

* Notice. Jesus came across the sea to save this one man. Jesus only spent a few hours there and then He got back on the boat and sailed home. When Jesus came near to him, he had to decide how he would respond to Him. So he ran to Jesus and threw himself down at His feet and worshiped Him. call upon Jesus while He is near.

B. THE DEMONS.

Now the demons were controlling this possessed man and his speech.

Mk 5:7-8 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8 For He had been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

The Demons cry out revealing facts that they are fully aware of.

1. His Name. They recognize Jesus. They’ve seen Him before in Heaven.

2. His Position. Son of the Most High God. He is their Undefeatable Heavenly Foe.

3. His Power. Another dark demonic realm is being overtaken by the Light of the World and they are helpless to fight against Him.

* Knowing Jesus to be the Messiah and God in the flesh, but rejecting and hating Him is demonic. These demons are trembling with fear. And all those who reject Jesus will likewise suffer the same fate.

4. Their fate.

Luke 8:31 reveals that they know their ultimate fate.

Lk 8:31 They were imploring Him not to command them to go away into the abyss.

The Abyss- A bottomless pit where Hell is. It is the prison where many demons have been Imprisoned and where the remaining will be cast into when Jesus returns and sets up His Kingdom on earth.

Mk 5:9-13 9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 And he began to implore Him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now there was a large herd of swine feeding nearby on the mountain. 12 The demons implored Him, saying, “Send us into the swine so that we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.