Lord’s Day, Vol. 11 No. 9
Tell of the Lord
Mark 5:19 (KJV) Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
The Lord graciously beckoned the man healed from demon possession to declare how great things the Lord has done for him and had compassion on him.
The man was dwelling among the tombs, plagued with an unclean spirit that tormented him. He possessed great strength, for no man could bind him, not even with chains. He would pluck asunder the chains. It most pitiable sight! Until he met the Lord, there was no cure for his ailment.
Mark 5:1-5 (KJV) And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 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. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
Life was miserable and daily torture without Christ, sorely in bondage and helplessly harassed. The Lord knew of his predicament and has come to save him. It was a glorious day when he would be delivered from his misery.
It is interesting to observe that when he knew that the Lord Jesus was near, he ran and worshipped Him. It was the demons in him that had taken control of his physical being and the spirit in him. Knowing who Jesus is, the demons came to give obeisance, in great fear!
Mark 5:7 (KJV) And cried with a loud voice, and said, 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.
The demons, being fallen angels, understood the power of God in the spiritual realm. They acknowledged His deity, that Jesus is the very God from heaven.
Romans 1:20 (KJV) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
There is none on earth that could save this man from his misery. No human power could overcome the demons. This is the miserable estate of man after the fall.
Titus 2:11 (KJV) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.
Indeed, the grace of God in the Person of the God-Man, Jesus Christ entered human history and this is the record!
As God, Jesus represented God to reach and save sinful men and as Man He represented men before God.
1 Timothy 2:5 (KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
It was Jesus who saved and delivered man from the power of demons.
Mark 5:8 (KJV) For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
The demons that possessed the man pleaded with the Lord for clemency that Jesus would not banish them immediately from the land.
Mark 5:9-13 (KJV) And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. 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.
Legion left the man and all the devils were sent into the swine and the possessed herd of two thousand swine ran headlong and perished in the sea. What great things the Lord has done for this man. God, Himself has to descend from heaven to free this man!
John 20:31 (KJV) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
The healing of this man was clearly seen by all.
Mark 5:16 (KJV) And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and alsoconcerning the swine.
It is an undeniable fact that Jesus, the unassuming carpenter from Nazareth possessed great powers even the demons were subdued by him. The people wondered who is He? How possess He such great powers?
Mark 5:17 (KJV) And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
The gospel writer Mark highlighted the compassion of the Lord upon this man to make the journey to the tomb area to save this man. It was a deliberate effort on the Lord’s part. And the healing of the man was recorded as a witness to what Christ did for this man. He was so grateful that he consecrated himself to follow the Lord henceforth. It was indeed his reasonable service.
Mark 5:18-20 (KJV) And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
The Lord showed the man how he can express his gratitude for the salvation received. Be a witness for the Lord! The power of God to save is still available today. And this power is unleashed when the gospel is preached. The Apostle Paul attested to it when he declared in 2 Timothy 1:10 (KJV) But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee