Ray Yates writes:
Mark 5.1-20 Legion
First of all to state the obvious, this is a shocking story, we can fail to allow the Bible to shock us! What a terrible picture this story presents of this poor demonised man:
This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
It would seem that all this man’s humanity was lost to all but Jesus.
When Jesus asks: “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” His human name is lost! This poor man!
This passage points to an amazing truth - no one is too far gone for Jesus’ help. Jesus can see our real potential, beyond all the mess and sin in our lives… We shouldn’t write any one off….
What a transformation we see in Legion, Jesus breaking the grip of evil: sitting there, dressed and in his right mind, a man at peace after torment! Jesus can do that! Jesus wants to do that, Jesus does that. Many people are tormented by their own demons… Jesus can bring us peace…
We come now to the best part of the passage for me:
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell those in his home towns how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
The healed man wants to go with Jesus but he is sent to his own people. This is a tough call. Our mission field is often in front of us: family, friends, local area, and this is often the toughest mission field.
That’s where Jesus sent Legion…That’s where Jesus often sends us…
It couldn’t have been easy to go back, with all that had gone on.
It seems his enthusiasm knew no limits, rather than stay at home he went to the ten towns (Decapolis).
Jesus sends this man to those who asked Him to leave, not only that, these towns were known to be a bit rough!
What qualification did this man have to be one of the first Christian missionaries? In one sense he didn’t know much about Jesus, but in another sense he knew so much about Jesus. The healed man had this in abundance. He had a life changing Jesus Encounter.
The man could do more than talk about freedom (or quote Bible verses about it), he’d found it in Jesus. It is not just learning we should desire but Encounter. Encounter with Jesus should always make us want to learn more about Him..
And all the people were amazed! I am constantly amazed at what Jesus can do!
Reverend Ray Yates