When God appears silent, a miracle may be happening. When storms are raging prepare to witness the power above all storms. The only requirement is to ensure Christ is in the boat with us. He will take us through.
Overview
Matt 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39;
- Objectives
- Satan’s Destruction
- Christ’s Liberation
- People’s Repulsion
- Disciple’s Compulsion
- Recap
- Discussion
- Reflection
Objectives
To understand:
- The powerful forces influencing our lives
- The true meaning of freedom
- The implications of deliverance
Satan's Destruction -Bible Passage
Mark 5:5 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 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.
Satan's Destruction - Bible Passage (Cont'd)
5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 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.” 8 For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
Satan’s Destruction
D isconnects from God – breaks shackles
E ntraps in impure surroundings
M anipulates into injuring themselves
O ne in purpose, all forces united
N umerous
S trong
Christ’s Liberation - Bible passage
Mark 5:10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 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.
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. 15 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.
Christ’s Liberation
Jesus travelled over the sea, through storm to deliver just those 1-2 men. He:
- L eaves his comfort zone
- O verpowers storm
- R eleases captives
- D efeats Satan
People’s Repulsion
Mark 5:16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.
They:
F led, feared loss of possessions
A Accused (Mt 9:32-34)
R esisted Jesus
People’s Repulsion
They were influenced by Satan and therefore:
D isconnected from God
E ntrapped in their possessions
M anipulated into hardening themselves
O ne in purpose, all forces united against Jesus
N umerous evil powers in territory
S trong agents of Satan
Disciple’s Compulsion - bible passage
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. 19 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.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Disciple’s compulsion
He was called to emulate Christ and:
- L eave his comfort zone
- O verpower storms
- R elease captives
- D efeat Satan in Christ’s name
Discussion
1.Compare and contrast this incident with the incident in Mt 9:32-34.
2.Why did Jesus listen to the legion – allow them do destroy the pigs? And let them loose in the region?
Matt 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Mt 9:32-34
A Revival?
Christ drew to himself the whole city
When he sent the swine into the sea
What was their response?
After the initial rejection, many turn to Jesus. In Mark 8:1,2 4000 are listening to Jesus without food and Jesus feeds the 4000 in this same region
Christ never gives up. He left an evangelist in the city.