JCSLK: #34 Jesus and The Delivered Demoniac Mark 5:1-20

 

JCSLK: #34 Jesus and The Delivered Demoniac

Text: Mark 5:1-20

Background

Mark chapter 5 takes place at the end of the “busy day” we spoke of last week. the day begins with a demon possessed man who is blind and mute and it ends with a man so possessed by demons that he is mad, living like a wild, dangerous animal. Between these two demon deliverances, Jesus deals with the Pharisees who accused him of being empowered by Satan, thus committing the unpardonable sin. Those Pharisees, who say the miracles and knew Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit and knowingly lied to retain their own power, could never be saved, never have a hope of heaven.

Later as he is teaching in a house surrounded by throngs of people, his mother and brothers come to take Him away, fearing for Him safety or sanity, he responds by saying Matthew 12:49-50 … 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Jesus moves to the seashore because of the growing crowd and teaches the Kingdom of Heaven parables. The parable instructed disciples on what kind of reception the Gospel would have during the interadvent, church age. The parables also separated the true disciples from the hypocrites and opportunists.

When it was late that night, he told the disciples to sail westward across the Sea of Galilee. Jesus is so tired he falls asleep and even a raging storm does not wake him. When the frightened disciples wake Jesus Mark 4:39-40 39 he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

They land on the west side of the Sea probably around midnight and we begin Mark chapter 5 as the ships carrying Jesus and the disciples ground on the beach in the Gentile region called Gadara by Mark and Gerasene by Matthew. We now know there were two cities in close proximity to this area, one was Gasara and the other larger city was Gadara. Matthew chose Gasara, Mark, who was probably told the story by Peter, his uncle, chose Gadara. Both are right it was simply a matter of personal choice since the event took place outside of both cities.

Mark and Luke mention one demoniac, while Matthew mentions two, but neither is this a contradiction, just as in the case of blind Bartimaeus, two are present but one does the speaking.

Introduction

Alexander McClaren was a well-known Baptist pastor. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland on February 11, 1826, and died in Manchester, England on May 5, 1910. When he was approached by the church in Manchester to be their new pastor. He was told some of the duties that would be expected of him, this included visiting the members on a regular weekly basis. He replied, Do you want my head or my feet? You can have one or the other, not both. I can run around doing this and that and drinking tea if you wish me to, but then don’t expect me to bring something in my messages that will shake this city?

They decided to shake the city and while he was pastor in Manchester, the church built a 1500 seat auditorium and McClaren’s expositor sermons filled it every Sunday. In a biography of McClaren it stated, “He lived more than almost any of the great preachers of his time between his study, his pulpit, his pen.”

Let me read McClaren description of the demoniac of Gadara, “He lives up in the rock-hewn tombs which overhang the beach; for all that belongs to corruption and death is congenial to the subjects of that dark kingdom of evil. He has superhuman strength, and has known no gentle efforts to reclaim, but only savage attempts to ‘tame’ by force, as if he were a beast. Fetters and manacles have been snapped like rushes by him. Restless, sleepless, hating men, he has made the night hideous with his wild shrieks, and fled, swift as the wind, from place to place among the lonely hills. Insensible to pain, and deriving some dreadful satisfaction from his own wounds, he has gashed himself with splinters of rock, and howled, in a delirium of pain and pleasure, at the sight of his own blood. His sharpened eyesight sees Jesus from afar, and, with the disordered haste and preternatural agility which marked all his movements, he runs towards Him - Alexander MacLaren.

The Hopeless Maniac - Mark 5:1-13

And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, …  

A Midnight Confrontation

It is probably around midnight when the boats hit the shore and the disciples drag them up out of the surf. It is dark, the only lights, torches and starlight. As they disembark from the boats they hear a howling, screaming, unnatural cry coming from the dark hills above the shore. As they look they can see something running toward them, screaming and looking as though it will attack them. As it gets closer they can see it is two men with one leading the charge. Matthew 8:28 here met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.

The more fierce of the two is described by Mark, Mark 5:3-6 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

What may have began as an attack by this particular demon-controlled man we call, the Demoniac of Gadara, grinds to a halt at the sight and recognition of Jesus, instead of attacking, the demoniac falls to his knees. The man calls out, pleading with Jesus who they recognized as God and their creator, Mark 5:7-13 What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. 9 And he (Jesus) asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. (Just as one man of the two spoke, now one demon of a legion speaks) 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. 11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave.

(Matthew says it this way, Matthew 8:32 And he said unto them, Go!” And at Jesus’ command that legion of demons fled.) And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.

The legion of demons recognized Jesus as “the Son of the most high God.” Yes, that’s right the demons were more spiritual than the Pharisees. They know Jesus and they ask their creator, “What have I to do with you? (Literally - What to me and to you? An idiom meaning what is this to you and me? How does this concern the two of us?) We adjure you by God. (We ask you in the name of God) to not torment us. When we read Luke’s account we understand what they were asking Jesus not to do. Luke 8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. This is the Greek word, ἄβυσσος abyssos; a bottomless pit. They were begging the Lord not to send them into the abyss, where the worst and most powerful demons were being held in unbreakable chains until the time of the tribulation.

Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. This legion of demons, fallen angels, did not want to be sent to the abyss and bound there in darkness until the day of judgment. So they beg Jesus to be allowed into the herd of pigs.

The word legion here is used metaphorically, not to give an exact number but to show there was a multitude of demons controlling these men. But consider this, a Roman legion consisted of 6000 men and if that actually had been the number of the demons then that meant that each of those 2000 pigs had 3 demons. No wonder they committed SUIcide.

Jesus spoke a single word of command, Go! And a legion of demons that could be bound or controlled were reduced to whimpering, simpering begging spirits just wanted to get away by hitching a ride inside a pig.

Some think Jesus was wrong to kill those pigs, since they weren’t His but keep in mind, it was the demons they drove the pigs into the sea. Also pigs were unclean animal to the Jews but most importantly understand that to Jesus the worth of one human soul is worth a whole lot more than the market value of 2,000 pigs. And I’m sure the Gentiles of Decapolis loved bacon as much as we do.

The Hapless Fools - Mark 5:14-17

And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray (beseech, call for) him to depart out of their coasts.

Swine or Savior?

Of all the incredible things in this story, isn’t this the most incredible? They townspeople heard the story, they run to the shore, there they see the men who had been like wild, raving animals sitting, clothed and in their right minds and what do they do? Do they praise the Lord, do they fall at Jesus feet? Even the demon possessed men had done this? No they ask Jesus, “Will you please leave? We would rather not have you here doing these things on this side of the Sea. We don’t need you disrupting our business.”

That is the hardest part of this story to believe and accept. They know the truth of what Jesus can do and they don’t want Him to stay. Alexander McClaren said, “They had rather have their swine than their Saviour, - Alexander MacLaren,

Don’t you wish that kind of attitude had been confined to the coast of Gadara? But this world, this country and even this town is filled with people who would rather have the stinking, filthy swine of this world than the love and forgiveness of the Savior.

The Bible over and over again challenges us to make a choice, make the right choice, make the eternally right choice.

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

Proverbs 1:24-32 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

This morning If you are choosing anything in this world rather than Jesus, then you are choosing the stench, filth and putrefaction of death, instead of the blessings, joy and hope that come with from the Creator of the Universe and Savior of your soul.

Demons Detailed

Let me talk just a moment about demons as the scriptures detail them.

Demons are often called unclean spirits, our best understanding is that they are fallen angels expelled from heaven when they followed Lucifer in his rebellion against God. Some of these fallen angels are confined in the abyss, the deepest pit of Hell until the tribulation when they will be released for a short time to torment mankind.  Other demons, we would assume lesser demons, are allowed to be among men in this time, but one day all of these fallen spirits will be judged and cast into the lake of Fire.

Some demons possess humans. This happens only when men seek it out and permit it. It is not like the movies. Demon possession can only happen when people play games with spiritual forces and open themselves to demonic influence and demonic possession. You don’t play with things like Ouija boards, Tarot cards, seances, Buddhist or Hindu meditation. Those things as well as delving into witchcraft or the occult are open invitations to demonic possession or at least demonic influence.

Don’t believe it? Just take a look at faces of the TicTok lunatics who are cheering the murder of innocent babies, the assignation of good people like Charlie Kirk or mutilating their bodies in order to not be as God created them. Not all are possessed but only a fool would dare say none are possessed.  

Now understand this above all else. Christians, children of God, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God and no true believer can ever, ever be possessed. You cannot lose your salvation and Satan cannot take over your life with a demon. Satan cannot take possession of one who belongs to God, purchased and redeemed by the blood of Jesus.

Finally, something else the movies and the Catholic church gets wrong. When Jesus or the apostles cast out demons it was instantaneous. Jesus said, Go and an army of demons fled. There is no need for elaborate rituals, fancy robes, holy water and certainly not a vulgar crucifix that shames the Risen Savior. Those things are derived of paganism and are play into demons power, rather than overcome it.

One day all the Demons of the underworld and the abyss will possess the leaders of the nations led by the Anti-Christ whose power comes from Satan. Under that demonic possession and influence those nations will march against Jerusalem, God’s Holy City. When it seems there is no hope, Israel as a nation will call out to Jesus, the one they pierced, the captain of the Lord’s host, and Jesus, their Messiah, will slay all the assembled hosts of all the worlds armies with the sword of His mouth. One single word will make the blood of all those who came against God’s chosen, run as deep as a horses bridle. Then all the demons will be bound into Hell along with Satan to await the final judgement of God.

Just as Legion feared, all the demons will be cast into the abyss to wait for Jesus’ judgment.

In the meantime, we must remember what Jesus promised, John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The demons may abound in this world, but grace doth much more abound and we are delivered by that grace.

There is one last part of this story that Marks wants us to know it is about…

The Hope Filled Preacher - Mark 5:18-20

And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

The apostle to Decapolis

When Jesus gets back in the boat, the once demon possessed man want to go with Him. The word is the same word that Mark used of the townspeople asking Jesus to leave. They prayed for him to go, this man is praying, let me go with you.

Is it any wonder? For years he has been living in the caves, hills and tombs carved into those hills. He wore no clothes, he was tormented by a horde of demons, making him howl like a dog, picking up sharp rocks and cutting his arms, attacking anyone who came near him.

Now he can be the man God made him to be, and he wants to go with the One that even the demons were forced to call, the Son of the most high God. Of course he wants to go. Who would want to try and pick up the pieces of a such a shattered life.

But Jesus says, no. He won’t allow him to come, Mark 5:19 Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Instead, Jesus tells him to return to his friends, the Greek word implies family and friends. Jesus gives this man, who only a few minutes ago had been charging down a hill to attack anyone who dared to come near, but now Jesus gives him a commission of compassion. “Tell them how much and what great things the Lord has done for you. And had compassion on you.”

When Mark wrote his account of this event, it was years later and he adds the fulfillment of this compassion commission to the story.

Mark 5:20 And he departed and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Decapolis was a region of 10, mostly Greek and Gentile towns that stretched for miles on the east side of the Sea of Galilee and down the Jordan valley. Today they would be in the modern nation Jordan.  

Mark tells us that this man went up and down through those cities telling people what great things Jesus had down for him. He told them Jesus had pity, mercy, love compassion on me when I was nothing but a raving lunatic living like an animal.

I imagine he was very successful because they knew him, he was the Demoniac of Gadara. But now look at him. What changed him from a dangerous deranged derelict to a man with a mission from the Messiah? It was the mercy of Jesus that delivered him; the power of the Savior that changed him and now faith in His Lord sustains him on his mission.

Using the word generically you could call him the “Apostle toDecapolis” The sent one of Decapolis.

The Sent Saints of Calvary Baptist to Athens, Texas

The word apostle literally means one sent. There are no more and never will be any more of “The Apostles of Jesus.” There is no succession of apostleships, only a succession of churches and the truth they carry. Jesus did not promise the apostles they would never die, but he did promise the church, “The gates of hell shall not prevail.”

Though there are no more Apostles with a capital A there should be many apostles with a small a. There should be many saved saints sent by the Lord, just as this man was sent.

We as the church are commissioned by the Lord in Matthew 28:18-20 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen

The man who wanted to go with Jesus was left behind and given a mission to go to the family and friends of Decapolis and tell them about the great thing Jesus did for him.

The same power that delivered and sent him now sends us. Our commission is greater, it encompasses the whole world but it still consists of the same elements. “Go and tell the world the great things Jesus has done for you. Go and tell your family and friend about the compassion God had for you.”

We have been sent to Athens, Texas, to our family and friends, coworkers, acquaintances and even strangers at the community market, gas stations, Brookshires or Walmart. And our message could not be clearer or simpler. “Jesus has done great things for me. His mercy delivered me; His power changed me and now faith in Him sustains me!”

This made me think of a song, we haven’t sung for awhile. Probably not in our books, but the man of Gadara could have sung this song and our testimony should contain that same joy and power of this song because al the great things He has done for me.

Song: He Is Able To Deliver Thee.

'Tis the grandest theme thro' the ages rung;
'Tis the grandest theme for a mortal tongue;
'Tis the grandest theme that the world e'er sung:
Our God is able to deliver thee.

'Tis the grandest theme, let the tidings roll
To the guilty heart, to the sinful soul;
Look to God in faith, He will make thee whole:
Our God is able to deliver thee. [Refrain]

Refrain: He is able to deliver thee,
He is able to deliver thee;
Tho' by sin opprest, Go to Him for rest;
Our God is able to deliver thee.

Conclusion:

Two Things Touched My Soul from Mark 5:1-20

First the power of Jesus to deliver even the most worthless soul from sin and Satan. Second the power of Jesus to send us. He had power over demons, power over sin, power to save, power to restore and now in that same power He sends us.

I would hate to believe there is anyone here who like the people of Gadara would choose the swine of this world over the Savior of this world. Yet I know there are always some who will. Some will choose the grave instead of grace. Some will choose demons instead of deliverance. Some will choose Lucifer instead of the Lord.

You may not see it that way, but God’s word says it is exactly that way. Remember what Jesus said, For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. If you’re not putting your soul, your most precious treasure in Jesus care then all this world can offer you is rust, decay and corruption. You have chosen the swine instead of the Savior.

Secondly, just as the now preacher of Gadara was no longer a Demoniac but now a saved and sent saint, we are as well. We’ve been delivered from death, saved by grace and sent to walk this world in faith and tell everyone what great things Jesus has done for you.