… not too long ago The Geldarts

… we think he’s awesome Benjamin Geldart

Mark 5:1-20 HCSB 1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 As soon as He got out of the boat, a man with an unclean spirit came out of the tombs and met Him. 3 He lived in the tombs. No one was able to restrain him anymore — even with chains — 4 because he often had been bound with shackles and chains, but had snapped off the chains and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 And always, night and day, he was crying out among the tombs and in the mountains and cutting himself with stones.

Mark 5:1-20 HCSB 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice, “What do You have to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God, don’t torment me!” 8 For He had told him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 “What is your name?” He asked him. “My name is Legion,” he answered Him, “because we are many.” 10 And he kept begging Him not to send them out of the region.

Mark 5:1-20 HCSB 11 Now a large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. 12 The demons begged Him, “Send us to the pigs, so we may enter them.” 13 And He gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned there. 14 The men who tended them ran off and reported it in the town and the countryside, and people went to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who had been demon-possessed by the legion, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were

Mark 5:1-20 HCSB afraid. 16 The eyewitnesses described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and told about the pigs. 17 Then they began to beg Him to leave their region. 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. 19 But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” 20 So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.

Perceptions of Reality NATURALISM SPIRITISM “Demons don’t exist” THE WEST Only the Physical is real The Spiritual is an illusion We are essentially only biological beings All things are explainable within the natural order “Demons are everywhere” THE EAST Only the Spiritual is real The Physical is an illusion We are essentially only spiritual beings All things are explainable as the actions of spiritual beings MATERIALISM

What Does the Bible Say?  BOTH the Physical & Spiritual are real; REALITY  Satan’s goal is to keep people deceived from the truth and plugged into this world’s fallen system of living (the KOSMOS)  He can do this many different ways! Blind materialism can be just as effective as demon possession in achieving his ultimate goal  In the West: He is more stealthy; materialism  In the East: He is more overt, open displays of power and demonic possession

What Does the Bible Say?  There are other spiritual beings in the universe (besides us)  And they are not neutral

What Does the Bible Say?  There are other spiritual beings in the universe (besides us)  And they are not neutral Rev 12:3-4,7-9  3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. … 7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

What Does the Bible Say?  There are other spiritual beings in the universe (besides us)  And they are not neutral Rev 12:3-4,7-9  3 Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. … 7 Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. 8 And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. 9 This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Eph 6:12  “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

What Does the Bible Say?  There are other spiritual beings in the universe (besides us)  And they are not neutral  Demon Possession ≠ mental or physical illness  The Bible is quite clear and (surprisingly) unanarchic  The Israelites understood the difference  Matthew 4:24 HCSB : Then the news about Him spread throughout Syria. So they brought to Him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics. And He healed them.

Coming to the Text  “What would it look like to be influenced and controlled by pure evil?”  “What would you do with someone who could actually free you from that evil?” JESUS gives us freedom from evil …at infinite cost to Himself

Putting Ourselves In the Story  Jesus has just calmed a hurricane!  The disciples are terrified  They land on “the other side”  Then, the demoniac runs up to them  Lives in cemetery  Buck naked  Crazy screams  Terrible pain  Progressive decline  Isolation  Possessed by THOUSANDS of demons

Spiritual Bondage Can take many different forms  Raw demonic power & possession  Subtle Naturalism / Materialism  Individualism  Entertainment / Amusement  TV, movies, video games, music, internet, shopping, …  Addictions  alcohol, drugs, porn, sex, control, money, …

Back to the Disciples  Dominated by Fear  Unclean  Ethnocentrism / bigotry toward gentiles  They don’t want to move toward this man  This is a TEACHABLE MOMENT for the disciples!  Would they hold to their fear, or move toward this man out of love?  They were S L O W learners

Jesus Frees the Man from Evil  Casts the demons out into the pigs  Restores the man on all levels  Jesus has ultimate authority  Jesus has authority over storms outside and inside us  Mark WANTS us to make this connection!

What’s the Deal with the Pigs?  Demons are hell-bent on destruction  Jesus ultimately values every human life  Restoration & freedom comes at a cost  Powerful reminder to the man  Foreshadows the Cross

The Man Goes Back Home  Jesus wanted more for him than he wanted for himself  Go tell everyone what Jesus has done for you  The demoniac becomes GOOD SOIL  Genuine encounters with Christ make missionaries  Stay IN your culture & group of friends as a witness for Christ  No one can argue with changed lives

The Man Goes Back Home  Jesus wanted more for him than he wanted for himself  Go tell everyone what Jesus has done for you  The demoniac becomes GOOD SOIL  Genuine encounters with Christ make missionaries  Stay IN your culture & group of friends as a witness for Christ  No one can argue with changed lives Do people see the unarguable marks of God in OUR changed lives?

The Gospel is Here  The terrible irony: Jesus trades places with the demoniac!  It’s “Good News!”  Jesus trades places with US! He takes YOUR place So you can take HIS  Jesus does for us what we could never do for ourselves Freedom for us, free of charge, at infinite cost to Himself

Conclusions  How will you respond to Jesus?  Are you moved to share about how He’s changed your life?  Do people see the unarguable marks of God in your changed life?  Have you forgotten what He’s done for you?  See the Jesus of this story – maybe for the first time

Conclusions  What evil are you in bondage to?  Materialism  Individualism  Entertainment / amusement TV, movies, video games, internet, shopping, …  Addictions alcohol, drugs, porn, sex, control, money, …  Sin  guilt and shame  Jesus can free you from evil