We pick up our devotional from yesterday where Jesus and his 12 disciples went through a fierce hurricane-like storm (at night time) while traveling on their boat. They were unscathed because of the care and love Jesus has for our well-being, as well as his great power, ability, and authority over the laws of nature. Chapters 4 and 5 are seamless in time, it’s a continuance from the last event in chapter 4. The disciples are probably soaked and tired, and you can imagine they probably want to dry out, build a fire and get some rest.
Let’s pick up our reading in Mark 5 beginning at verse 1. They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. (Where did the boat land? They landed in the last place you’d probably want to be at night, the graveyard/cemetery. Now it’s bad enough to arrive at a graveyard at night under these conditions. But it’s even worse when there’s someone who lives in the graveyard. Now if you know someone lives in a graveyard, you can estimate that something is not right with that person, right?
How is this man described in verse 3? “He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.” How do think the townspeople feel about this man?
Let’s continue the reading in verse 5. “Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains, he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.” What does this man potentially look like? If he’s cutting himself, he most likely has scabs, scars, and sores. What is he doing in the graveyard? He is running through the hills. Question, do you run in the hills? No, you walk because you have to be careful. This man does not care about being careful because of the pain he feels on the inside, he is trying to kill himself. Interestingly, the gospel of Luke chapter 8:27 says the man wore no clothes (in other words he was naked). So, let’s recap: The disciples are wet, tired and sleepy. They land in the graveyard, and out of nowhere you hear painful screams and then a bleeding wild-eyed, scary naked man comes running at Jesus. What would you have done? (Run?!)
6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
What did Jesus do? Cast the demons into the swine.
1. What can man do with a demon-possessed guy? – (Chain him up, isolate him, etc. in the end,
nothing.)
2. What can Jesus do? – (Conquer the demon, restore the man.)
3. Who then is Jesus, that even the demons obey him? Jesus did something that no one else could do.
If Jesus can do what no man can do, he must be more than a man, he must be the Son of God.
Devotional Application:
If Jesus could cast out those demons, then he can conquer the influences the devil has in our lives today. Whether you have addictions, negative habits, and other lifestyle choices against the will of God that leave one with guilt and shame, and ultimately can sear one’s conscience as with a hot iron, Jesus is able to help you to make it through. There is the hope of a brighter day! Friends, the good news is that when nobody else can help you, Jesus can. What’s the good news? Jesus can help. That’s good news, my friends.