Daily Bread 2011 - Mark 5
Daily Bread 2011 – Wednesday February 16th, 2011 Mark 5
Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
What Does This Mean?
As we mentioned in the first chapter, Mark’s gospel is often called the “power gospel”. Nowhere is the power of Jesus shown more clearly than in his healing of the “Gerasene demoniac”. As we see this man is not possessed by just one demon but many. This is why the demon is called “legion”.
We see that this man was powerful, as not even the chains could keep him at bay. And yet sadly, he was the man among the tombs. Night and day he would cry out for deliverance, but no one could help him. When this man saw Jesus, clearly the spiritual forces inside of him became quickly aware of who Jesus was. They recognized Jesus’ authority and power, and immediately began to plead with Jesus that he be merciful to them.
Ironically Jesus listens to their pleading and allows them to go into a huge herd of pigs (2,000 of them) and rush into the water to drown. Another irony in this story was though the man was completely healed, the members of the community were more concerned about the loss of their livestock, than that this man was completely healed of his horrible condition.
What Does This Mean For Us?
Have you ever met a guy like this? A man or woman among the tombs? Maybe you have not met them literally, but figuratively there are people in our society all the time that suffer a similar condition. Whether they are possessed by literal demons or demons they have brought on by their bad choices or genetic disposition, Jesus calls us to use our power to help deliver people from the demons they face.
Maybe it is alcoholism, or an abusive relationship, or another debilitating emotional or physical disease. God calls us to reach out to the people who are hanging out in the tombs of life and who cry out day and night with no relief for their condition. It is to these people Jesus reached out in power and authority and he calls us to do the same today to show He cares about them and can heal them.
Jesus we know there are many in our world who are like the man among the tombs. Help us to reach out in your power and love that they might be delivered from their demons and so they might be dressed and in their right mind. Amen.
Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
What Does This Mean?
As we mentioned in the first chapter, Mark’s gospel is often called the “power gospel”. Nowhere is the power of Jesus shown more clearly than in his healing of the “Gerasene demoniac”. As we see this man is not possessed by just one demon but many. This is why the demon is called “legion”.
We see that this man was powerful, as not even the chains could keep him at bay. And yet sadly, he was the man among the tombs. Night and day he would cry out for deliverance, but no one could help him. When this man saw Jesus, clearly the spiritual forces inside of him became quickly aware of who Jesus was. They recognized Jesus’ authority and power, and immediately began to plead with Jesus that he be merciful to them.
Ironically Jesus listens to their pleading and allows them to go into a huge herd of pigs (2,000 of them) and rush into the water to drown. Another irony in this story was though the man was completely healed, the members of the community were more concerned about the loss of their livestock, than that this man was completely healed of his horrible condition.
What Does This Mean For Us?
Have you ever met a guy like this? A man or woman among the tombs? Maybe you have not met them literally, but figuratively there are people in our society all the time that suffer a similar condition. Whether they are possessed by literal demons or demons they have brought on by their bad choices or genetic disposition, Jesus calls us to use our power to help deliver people from the demons they face.
Maybe it is alcoholism, or an abusive relationship, or another debilitating emotional or physical disease. God calls us to reach out to the people who are hanging out in the tombs of life and who cry out day and night with no relief for their condition. It is to these people Jesus reached out in power and authority and he calls us to do the same today to show He cares about them and can heal them.
Jesus we know there are many in our world who are like the man among the tombs. Help us to reach out in your power and love that they might be delivered from their demons and so they might be dressed and in their right mind. Amen.
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