Jesus: Lord of Freedom
The Gospel of Mark • Sermon • Submitted
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Good Morning, it is a blessing to be in the house of the Lord this morning, turn with me in your Bibles this morning to Marks gospel we will be in chapter 5.
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 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. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 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.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 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.
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Mark 5:1-
We are continuing a series in the gospel of Mark learning about the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been watching as Jesus is demonstrating who He is and is there was one phrase that would sum up all that Mark is saying in this gospel it would be this simple 3 word sentence.
We are continuing a series in the gospel of Mark learning about the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been watching as Jesus is demonstrating who He is and is there was one phrase that would sum up all that Mark is saying in this gospel it would be this simple 3 word sentence.
JESUS IS LORD
We have seen Jesus is Lord over Satan as He overcame him in the wilderness
We have seen that Jesus is Lord over people in that when He called the disciples they dropped everything without knowing anything and followed Him.
We saw that Jesus is Lord over demons as He healed a man with an unclean Spirit.
We saw that Jesus is Lord over sickness as HE is the only One who has ever been able to simply touch someone ill and heal them. We saw that not only was He able to heal but He was willing to heal those who were sick.
He is able to heal the paralytic.
We saw that He was Lord over all the religious man made rules over the Sabbath
Over and over again we see Jesus showing Himself to be in control.
At the end of Chapter 5 we witness something else entirely, Jesus has been teaching on faith with His disciples and then He decides it is time for some hands on training. So He sends them into a storm.
The disciples were panicked and they were afraid they were going to die, but Jesus was asleep on the stern, and they cried out to Jesus to rescue them, and Jesus stood up and simply said peace be still and the storms stopped its raging.
He said to them, WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID? HAVE YOU STILL NO FAITH?
What I believe the Lord is trying to convey to us in this story and the one we will look at today is that JESUS IS LORD OVER FEAR!
JESUS IS LORD OVER FEAR
As we walk through this text today I just wanna draw your attention to a couple parts.
Jesus Encounters The Demon Possessed Man
Jesus Encounters The Demon Possessed Man
So now let’s think Jesus is trying to convey the message to His disciples that when storms come you shouldn’t fear the storm but the One who has authority over the storm, and now as Jesus and His disciples climb out of the boat they encounter a man with an unclean spirit.
This is another way to say a demon, this man was demon possessed. So the description the text gives of this man is frightening, it says he lived among the tombs, it seems he preferred the company of dead bodies to the company of living people, it says this dude had super human strength he was so strogn that they would try to bind him with chains and shackles but he just borke them over and over again. it says he was constantly screaming and crying out.
it says he was bruising himself and cutting himself, this man that the text describes is disturbed. ITs kind of for us in our day to think about this kind of demonic torment, one because alot of us dont believe in the supernatural life that is mentioned in the Bible, people think its a little too wierd.
Others of us its not that we have just never really seen it before so we dont really know how to respond to it. But our response when we see somthing in the scriptures that we have never seen before should not be “well Ive never seen this before so it cant be true Lord.
Instead our response should be Lord its here in your word I know its true so help me understand how I should think about it. Now try to use your imagination and think about this. What if you saw a man like this?
What if you were driving down the street and you look up at a red light and you notice this man in a grave yard and he was screaming and he was crying out and he was cutting himself…
I dont know about you but if it were me I would probably call the authorities I would think well heres a man who needs some help, he is going to harm himself or others.
The people here in the land of the Garesenes didn’t know what to do with him either so they tried to subdue him with chains but he just broke through the chains and I am sure they were scared out of their minds dont you?
Even though its hard for us to imagine, there are people like this in our day. Who are literally tormented like this man, who have voices in their heads who are violently hurting themselves, who are cutting themselves.
People today normally just classify this as just insanity or severe depression, but I am sure in many of these cases not all but many of these cases this is demonic oppression. Similar to the towns people in the story we do the same thing they did we try to subdue them, but we have more modern ways to do it, like padded rooms and straight jackets, and medicines.
But this gu doesnt have some screws loose this guys body is inhabited by demonic powers. Surely he doesnt want to live this way, He is imprisoned in his own body He is being tortured by these demons against his will. Guys I dont want you to be deceived demons are real, they are evil spiritual beings fallen angels.
They were angels God created but the Bible tells us in Isaiah that when Lucifer was cast down out of Heaven he took 1/3 of the hosts of HEaven with Him, they became fallen and now do the bidding of Satan. If you refuse to believe this you have to deny the word of God and Satan already has victory over you.
In the gospel of Mark more than any of the other gospels we see Mark encounter these demons or evil forces face to face. In every instance you see these evil beings they are trying to destroy humanity, I mean in this story they are trying to dehumanize this man, they want him to act like a beast, they want to strip the image of God off of this man.
This is what demons do they try to hinder Gods plan for peoples lives. But I also don’t want you to be decieved and think that this is the only way demons work is by demon possesion there are many other ways that demons work. Cause we could be deceived and think that we as believers can never be possessed by a demon, so we really shouldn’t think about them or have any concern for them because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we are possesed by God.
But if you feel as though you are never to consider what the Bible says about demons or if you think you have nothing to worry about then you are decieved because there are other ways demons work on our lives.
I mean these demons can tempt us to sin, or 1 timothy 4 talks about false teaching, it calls false teachings the doctrine of demons. Theres one way Satan would love to influence our churches is to let false teaching slip in, and if you look around our country it looks as though it is already happening quite a bit.
demons are behind much of the evil that happens in our world.
I have told people before if we could see the invisible realm right now in this room, you would see demonic forces at work right here right now in this building. You would see the ones whispering in your ear to question everything I am saying, you would see the one who causes you to look around the room for others who you can judge, you would see the ones who are whispering in your ears or in your neighbors ear telling them to worry about everything that o=couls happen this week.
BECAUSE ANYTHING SATAN CAN DO TO GET YOU MIND OFF CHRIST AND ONTO SOMETHING ELSE HE WILL DO, BECAUSE SATAN AND THOSE WHO WORK FOR HIM DESIRE TO STEAL GLORY FROM GOD AND DONT THINK FOR ONE MINUTE THAT IT DOESN’T HAPPEN BECAUSE IT HEAPPENS QUITE REGULARLY.
But now let’s think about this man he is living among the dead, he doesnt want to be around living people but when he sees Jesus what does he do?
Mark 5:
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.
Heres where the text is deceiving because when the man sees Jesus he runs toward Jesus and text would have us think that the demons ran toward him but I can assure you as afraid as they were of JEsus they wouldn’t have run towards him, they would have fled knowing that Jesus had power over them to do whatever He pleased so I think the man is in control for this brief moment and he runs to Jesus, i think he sees JEsus and he knows this is his opportunity to be delivered from these demons tormenting him.
I think he sees Jesus and he says this is my chance....
We can learn something from the demon possesed man here because he didnt know how he could be delivered from the demons tormenting him but somehow he knew WHO COULD DO IT FOR HIM.
Somehow he knew that JEsus was the one to deliver him. We can learn something from him here. Some of us need to stop clinging to our will power and start running to Jesus. Some of us need to stop clinging to our financial security and we need to run to JEsus. Some of us need to stop running to our friends or idols and we need to just run to Jesus.
We may not be sure how we can be delivered but WE MUST BE CERTAIN OF WHO CAN DELIVER US.
HIS NAME IS JESUS
It is the same issue for anyone who struggles with mental issues or depressions we shouldn’t just stigmatize them or send them away to a padded room, we should have compassion on them. Some of you in this very room think you need counseling but no matter how much counseling you get or how many perscriptions they put you on deep inside you still have the same problem YOU NEED REDEMPTION NOT A PRESCRIPTION!
Some struggle with suicidal thoughts let me tell you something, if you could see the invisible spiritual realm which exists whether you believe it or not you would see who whispers those thoughts within your mind.
You will never be free until you run to Jesus.
YOU NEED TO BE DELIVERED
But let me say something this man was bound and if I may, this is a physical representation of a deeper spiritual reality. Men, I wonder how many men are in bondage and oppression this morning.
You want to be the man God called you to be you want to lead Bible studies in your home or pray with your wife, deep within your heart you want to be a good man, but more than that a Godly man, but when you leave with good intentions this circumstance happens and that, your job overwhelms you and thoughts of inadequacy fill your mind.
You think to yourself I could never open the Bible with my children, they have seen me fail to often, my wife wouldnt want to study the Bible with me its too late for that..... Even though this is who God commanded you to be in your home.
Were just too far past this if I try to do this now, I will get laughed at it will be uncomfortable…
ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS REEK OF THE SMELL OF THE LIES OF THE DEVIL, BECAUSE HE KNOWS IF HE CAN KEEP THE MAN OF THE HOUSE BOUND THE FAMILY WILL NEVER GIVE GOD THE GLORY THEY COULD IF HE WOULD STEP FORWARD AND BE COUNTED AND FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH.
So men settle for the status quo and just hope to have a nice “normal” peaceful life. But men of God that is not what the Lord desires for you, HE DESIRES FOR YOU TO BE FREE UNCHAINED UNHINDERED WALKING WITH HIM AND LEADING YOUR FAMILY IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD!
LEADING THIS CHURCH TOWARD HOLINESS AND GODLINESS. I AM TELLING YOU THERE IS SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW NEEDING TO HEAR THIS! RUN TO JESUS!
You may not see how you can be set free but you must know who it is who can set you free!
Let me draw your attention to another part of the scene
THE DEMONS SPEAK
THE DEMONS SPEAK
So as the man runs and he falls before JEsus and the demon speak
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.”
Why did he cry this out because Jesus was already talking to the unclean spirit
For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
So we have already seen how demons and Jesus are not on the same side they oppose Him. So as Jesus was saying come out of the man you unclean spirit the demon cried out in a loud voice “WHAT HAVE YOU TO DO WITH ME SON OF THE MOST HIGH” I BEGG YOU BY GOD, DO NOT TORMENT ME.”
I mean isn’t this strange? these are foes facing offthe demons oppose Christ, and Christ opposes the demons, but instead of their being a standoff the demons just begin begging Jesus not to torment them.
Just imagine one of the foreign nations holding some americans hostage, and they flaunt them all over television proud of the fact that they hold them hostage, until the US military shows up and the enemy nation spots the US troops positioning themselves on the outskirts of the city, and the enemy is like US soldiers what are yall doing here please dont hurt us, please dont bother us my bad....
This would be
Now this is an awkward response because it seems like if you are enemies shouldnt you be fighting or something? instead of begging them not to mess with you?
But thats exactly what the demons do here, they cry out what are you going to do with me why are you here? I think this shows that this is not a normal kind of war, so I want to look at 4 different things concerning the demons relationship to Jesus during this interaction.
THEY KNOW WHO JESUS IS.
The demons don’t have to ask who Jesus is when He steps on the scene and as soon as they see Him they recognize Him to be Jesus and they dont just say He’s Jesus, they say HE’S JESUS SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD! They know His position and status. This sounds like Peter’s confession when Jesus asks who do you say that I am and Peter says YOU ARE THE CHRIST THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD and Jesus calls him blessed because the father revealed that to him.
Well this sounds alot like that what we have here is demons actually proclaiming the truth of God they know who Jesus is. I think this shows us a frightening truth, you can kow exactly who Jesus is and still not be on His side. You can come to church, and read your Bible every single day you could be teaching a Bible study you can know alot about Jesus and still not know Him.
Knowing Him involves a deep intimate relationship interacting with Him, and trusting Him on a deep level.
You can say true things about God good job so can demons. says you believe that God is one you do well but even the demons believe and shudder if your relationship with God is only knowledge with no daily relationship then the Bible says your no better or different than the demons.
2. THEY KNOW JESUS CAME TO OPPOSE THEM
These demons are not under the allusion that Jesus came to be their friend they know that Jesus came to throw them out. I mean let’s think about this these demonic forces have been having there way in this mans life, doing whatever they want whenever they want, and no one has been able to subdue them.
But now they have cmoe into the PRESENCE OF THE KING OF KINGS AND THE LORD OF LORDS AND THEY COWER LIKE PUPPIES WHIMPERING FOR MERCY!
We need to understand this church GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN US THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD!! All the forces of darkness shudder at the sound of Jesus name, the greatest thing that could ever happen in your life is that you learn to see evil recognize it and then run to the One who that evil fears.
They know that Jesus has come to make all things new, and they know that making all things new includes their destruction.
3. THEY KNOW THAT HE IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THEM
Mark 5:9
And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
Now a Legion was around 5-6,000 roman soldiers now I think this is here to show us that there were alot of demons inside this man, maybe thousands of demons in him. That may be why he had this superhuman strength and it may be why the posession was so strong in this man, and yet they plead for mercy.
There is no fear in you if you know your more powerful than your opponent but I think they knew they didn’t stand a chance.
So what we see here is a weak defeated enemy begging for mercy....
4. THEY KNOW THAT JESUS RULES OVER THEM
They know that Jesus is their authority, they realize they have to ask Him for permission, to go into the pigs. You don’t ask permission from your equal, it just doesn’t happen. But look at how pitiful this monster has become just by seeing Jesus.
And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.”
Mark 5:10
They knew that Jesus had the right and power to do with them whatever He wanted to do. They begged Jesus to send them into the herd of swine that was nearby, and He granted their request.
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.
You see Jesus knew the end goal for this situation, He knew there would be witnesses, He knew there would be a once tormented man, who walks away healed. As HE gains victory over the demons he knows that it will bring His Father glory.
Mark 5:14
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
Do you see what has happened is the same thing that happened during the storm Jesus transformed their fear from the storm to causing them to fear Him, and now through the healing of the demon possessed man they went from fearing the demoniac to fearing Jesus.
I mean look at thier response...
Mark 5:16
And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.
We dont know who this man is but we are not worthy to be around someone as powerful as this…
JESUS COMMISSIONS THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN SET FREE
JESUS COMMISSIONS THE MAN WHO HAD BEEN SET FREE
Mark 5:18
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
This where we can all relate when the Lord has been good to you, when He has set you free then Jesus dont want you to keep it to yourself! HE WANTS THE GLORY AND HONOR AND IS WORTHY OF IT!
OH THAT THE MEN OF GOD WOULD BE KNOWN BY THEIR LOVE AND APPRECIATION OF JESUS RATHER THAN THEIR SUCCESS IN BUSINESS OR ANYTHING ELSE WE FIND OUR WORTH IN!
GO AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND TELL THEM HOW MUCH THE LORD HAS DONE FOR YOU!
Free men respond in obedience, bound men never can.
And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Mark