How Do We Know?
Mark 5:1-20 (NIrV)
They went across the Sea of Galilee to the area of the Gerasenes. Jesus got out of the boat. A man controlled by an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. The man lived in the tombs. No one could keep him tied up anymore. Not even a chain could hold him. His hands and feet had often been chained. But he tore the chains apart. And he broke the iron cuffs on his ankles. No one was strong enough to control him. Night and day he screamed among the tombs and in the hills. He cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran to him. He fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? Swear to God that you won’t hurt me!” This was because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”
Then Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied. “There are many of us.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Let us go into them.” Jesus allowed it. The evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. There were about 2,000 pigs in the herd. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.
Those who were tending the pigs ran off. They told the people in the town and countryside what had happened. The people went out to see for themselves. Then they came to Jesus. They saw the man who had been controlled by many demons. He was sitting there. He was now dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid. Those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man. They told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area.
Jesus was getting into the boat. The man who had been controlled by demons begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him. He said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Tell them how kind he has been to you.” So the man went away. In the area known as the Ten Cities, he began to tell how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Reflection
Could you imagine the scene? This guy filled with demons…screaming, yelling, cutting himself. You would want to stay far away from Him. He was the town outcast, the one no one wanted around. Then, in walks Jesus. The demons know Him by name. Jesus casts the evil spirits out. When the demons left the man, He was forever changed. He was peaceful, calm, and fully clothed. When the people saw him, instead of rejoicing, they feared he was still the same possessed man. They refused to recognize THE MIRACLE Jesus had done. Even worse, the townspeople asked Jesus to leave because they feared Him as well. They wanted nothing to do with Him.
The shame and scrutiny from the world must have still been heavy on the heart of the outcast man, and he wanted to go away with Jesus. Instead, Jesus had another plan for his life. Jesus told him to stay and tell the people how much God loved him. The changed man chose to stay in the town. He was full of peace and hope for his future, and started telling everyone what God had done for Him. When people heard what happened, they were amazed.
How often do we say, “They will never change” about people in our lives? Then, God walks into their lives, and they are radically changed. In those moments, we have a choice: to be amazed by what God has done, or to reject the miracle. People can change; none of us are who we once were. There is God’s grace for everyone! I hope we can choose to see how God’s love has changed people we know, that we can see they are full of peace because they know Jesus.
Action Steps
1. Is there someone in your life who you keep saying God will never change? Take a step of faith today to pray for them and ask God to change them.
2. Is there someone you have heard has changed, but you don’t believe it? Give it back to God and ask Him to change your heart so you can see them with new eyes.
3. Thank God for what He has changed in your life. Write it down, then tell someone about it today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me despite my faults and failures. No matter what I do in my life, You are ready to welcome me back into relationship with You. When I start to judge people for the way they used to be, help me to see them through Your eyes. I love You! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
They went across the Sea of Galilee to the area of the Gerasenes. Jesus got out of the boat. A man controlled by an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. The man lived in the tombs. No one could keep him tied up anymore. Not even a chain could hold him. His hands and feet had often been chained. But he tore the chains apart. And he broke the iron cuffs on his ankles. No one was strong enough to control him. Night and day he screamed among the tombs and in the hills. He cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus a long way off, he ran to him. He fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “Jesus, Son of the Most High God, what do you want with me? Swear to God that you won’t hurt me!” This was because Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”
Then Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied. “There are many of us.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Let us go into them.” Jesus allowed it. The evil spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs. There were about 2,000 pigs in the herd. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank. They ran into the lake and drowned.
Those who were tending the pigs ran off. They told the people in the town and countryside what had happened. The people went out to see for themselves. Then they came to Jesus. They saw the man who had been controlled by many demons. He was sitting there. He was now dressed and thinking clearly. All this made the people afraid. Those who had seen it told them what had happened to the man. They told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area.
Jesus was getting into the boat. The man who had been controlled by demons begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him. He said, “Go home to your own people. Tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Tell them how kind he has been to you.” So the man went away. In the area known as the Ten Cities, he began to tell how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Reflection
Could you imagine the scene? This guy filled with demons…screaming, yelling, cutting himself. You would want to stay far away from Him. He was the town outcast, the one no one wanted around. Then, in walks Jesus. The demons know Him by name. Jesus casts the evil spirits out. When the demons left the man, He was forever changed. He was peaceful, calm, and fully clothed. When the people saw him, instead of rejoicing, they feared he was still the same possessed man. They refused to recognize THE MIRACLE Jesus had done. Even worse, the townspeople asked Jesus to leave because they feared Him as well. They wanted nothing to do with Him.
The shame and scrutiny from the world must have still been heavy on the heart of the outcast man, and he wanted to go away with Jesus. Instead, Jesus had another plan for his life. Jesus told him to stay and tell the people how much God loved him. The changed man chose to stay in the town. He was full of peace and hope for his future, and started telling everyone what God had done for Him. When people heard what happened, they were amazed.
How often do we say, “They will never change” about people in our lives? Then, God walks into their lives, and they are radically changed. In those moments, we have a choice: to be amazed by what God has done, or to reject the miracle. People can change; none of us are who we once were. There is God’s grace for everyone! I hope we can choose to see how God’s love has changed people we know, that we can see they are full of peace because they know Jesus.
Action Steps
1. Is there someone in your life who you keep saying God will never change? Take a step of faith today to pray for them and ask God to change them.
2. Is there someone you have heard has changed, but you don’t believe it? Give it back to God and ask Him to change your heart so you can see them with new eyes.
3. Thank God for what He has changed in your life. Write it down, then tell someone about it today.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me despite my faults and failures. No matter what I do in my life, You are ready to welcome me back into relationship with You. When I start to judge people for the way they used to be, help me to see them through Your eyes. I love You! In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
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