1. The man with the unclean spirit sees Jesus from afar and immediately comes up to Jesus…only to ask “What do you want with me? (Mark 5.7)
Jesus barely has time to get out of the boat before this man shows up right in front of him and proceeds to ask Jesus what He wants from him. So Crazy. I can’t imagine someone running up to me and asking me “What do you want with me?” Uh, nothing! I don’t even know you….
Truth#1 God’s Spirit beckons. You can be across the sea, chained, oucast, and among the dead. God will FIND you FREE you and REEDEM you!
2. The people who saw Jesus and the healed man were AFRAID. (Mark 5.15)
The guy was demon possessed. He couldn’t be chained. Yet, now they see him HEALED, they see the pigs drowned, they see Jesus and NOW are afraid. So backwards.
Truth #2 Jesus came for the man not the crowd. He ALWAYS comes for the one.
3. The Healed man asked Jesus to go with Him and Jesus said NO. v.18-19
How could he not want to go with Jesus. The whole crowd was completely terrified and probably would still be outcast from the city. What’s the deal?
Truth #3 Jesus will never leave a city without someONE with a Testimony.
just a couple thoughts from yesterday….
Andy
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Matthew 3:9
Another pharisee-ism stopped me dead tonight.
Here they are thinking that because of their past, because of their credentials, because they come from a line of… they are a “leg up” on this repentance thing.
In essence they are thinking that because of yesterday everythings fine today.
The only thing that is fine today is that Jesus allows us to answer his call.
Two verses earlier John the Baptist says bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Just because I bore fruit yesterday doesn’t mean it is good enough today. Because I bore fruit yesterday, doesn’t mean I will always be just fine. NO! I must renew by colors and cling to the call of God as I walk in the same direction day after day as God allows.
But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. -James 1:25
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Hebrews 3:15
God appointed us to bear fruit that will last!
Today was great. Tomorrow I have to choose.
Andy
