The Three Tombs

THE THREE TOMBS

1 Cor 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? - Grave/Tomb = the place (state) of departed souls

As we gather to celebrate Easter Sunday – a day when the Christian faith recognizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ - let us share from the scripture about three tombs that Jesus visited in His ministry time on earth each of which reveals truth about the person of Jesus

THE TOMB OF LEGION

Mark 5:1-20 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me." For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!" Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains. So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them." And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea. So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region. And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

At this tomb Jesus was met by a man controlled and possessed by an evil spirit who lived amongst the tombs - an unclean spirit – we are told that as soon as Jesus got out of the boat this man who had an evil spirit comes running out of the to meet Him

An unclean spirit means he was morally dirty - an unclean spirit, or an evil spirit, simply means a demon that is morally filthy. The demon would make this man say and think things that were morally filthy - time after time, again and again, and day after day. It’s all he could think about. It’s all he could say. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

The word "legion" implies 6,000 soldiers – and no one was strong enough to subdue him because of these demons - not even with a chain for he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet – man had no power over this situation – but when he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of Him and shouted at the top of his voice, ’What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!’ For Jesus had said to him, ’Come of this man, you evil spirit!’"

The man falls down flat on his face before the Lord Jesus and he worships Jesus there. He worships Him both in his position and in his vocabulary. A man who couldn’t say anything that wasn’t morally reprehensible suddenly has fallen before the Lord Jesus confessing who He was and worshipping Him