Episode 3: Mark 5

God I come to you right now knowing that there are stories in my life that I need to share with the people around me. Father, I know that you have been faithful over and over again in my life and in the lives of my friends.

And I pray, Father, that you give us the boldness and the wisdom to know when to share those stories and when to speak up. Father, so that more people will know you. I thank you, Lord, for this opportunity to share your word.

And I pray, Father, that it changes the hearts of the people listening today. We love you and we thank you in Jesus name. Amen.

So, I was reading Mark chapter five today from my Bible study, and I want to share the story with you. It’s 20 verses, so it’s going to take just a minute here. It’s a really cool story that you’ve probably heard before.

Chapter 5, verse 1 says they arrived at the other side of the lake in the region of Gerasenes. When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him. This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with the chain. Whenever he was put into chains and shackles, as he often was.

He snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Day and night, he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones. I think he sounds like a really scary man. When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him with a shriek.

He screamed. Why are you interfering with me? Jesus, son of the most high God in the name of God. I beg you, don’t torture me, for Jesus had already said to the spirit, Come out of the man, you evil spirit.

Then Jesus demanded, What is your name? And he replied, My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man. Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distance place. There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby. Send us into those pigs! The spirits begged. Let us enter them. So Jesus gave them permission.

The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pig, and the entire herd of about two thousand pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. It must have been such a frightening sight. Two thousand pigs. The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus and they saw the man who had been possessed by the Legion of Demons.

He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon possessed man and the pigs, and the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. But Jesus said no.

Go home to your family and tell them everything the Lord has done for you, and how merciful he has been. So the man started off to visit the ten towns of that region, and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed at what he told them. I love this story, and it had me thinking about the people who saw it happen firsthand.

Compared to the people who were told this powerful story by the man, the people that saw this powerful story firsthand were afraid. They were scared at what they had seen and because of that, they just could not accept Jesus. In contrast, when the demon possessed man, that was healed went around and told his story, the people were amazed by it. This is why I want to encourage you today to share your story of what God has done in your life.

I think there are times in people’s lives where they might hear some preaching, they might hear some strong words from Jesus or they may even have experienced a miracle from Jesus personally in their lives and it scares them.

It just scares them. These people need you and I to tell our stories of what Jesus has done in our lives so that they will be amazed. I just want to encourage you today based on Mark chapter five verses one through 20 to tell your story to the people around you.

Make sure that you let everyone know how Jesus has healed you, how he has restored relationships, how he has changed your heart, how he has forgiven you of your sins, how he’s freed you from any guilt in your life. All the things, any of the things that Jesus has done in your life. I encourage you to share those with someone today, tomorrow and any chance you get.

 It will amaze people. I am sure of it. Have a great day.