WHEN JESUS COMES

Mark 5:1-20
Purpose:	To help my people see their need to tell others of Jesus’ work in their lives.
Introduction:
1.	How uneventful are the words “When Jesus got out of the boat” (2).
2.	But from that moment until He stepped into the boat again---things happened and 	quickly.	
3.	Immediately a man came out of the graveyard—caves dug in rock cliffs.
4.	His reputation would have frightened most, but not Jesus.
5.	The man was unmanageable.										a. They tried to lock him up, but he broke the chains.					b. He ran day and night through the cliffs and in and out of the tombs screaming and 	crying. 												c. He cut himself with stones.
6.	This man’s story shows the depth to which sin can take a person.					a. Sin is public enemy number 1; it is not merely an option some choose.				b. Sin moves people toward self-destruction.
7.	Amid his insanity the demon-possessed man knew who Jesus was.
8.	Instantly he fell down at Jesus’ feet and began to worship Him.
9.	The demon in the man cried out, “What are you going to do to us?”				a. “What do you want us to do?”									b. “Please, do not torment us.”
10.	Jesus replied, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit.”
11.	Jesus asked:  “What is your name?”									a. Getting the name of the adversary was thought to be the first step in seizing control 	over him.												b. His name was “legion.” 									c. There were 4,000-6,000 troops in a Roman legion.
12.	The man was overwhelmed by a “conglomeration of evil forces.”
13.	Jesus then cast the evil spirits out of the man into some pigs on a hillside – they 	stampeded into a lake and were drowned.
14.	Two reactions to this event—reactions that take place wherever Jesus goes.
I.	The Gerasenes wanted Jesus to leave.
	A.	They hated having the routine disrupted.
		1.	Before Jesus came things were peaceful.
		2.	Life was going smoothly---Jesus disturbed the calmness and 					their contentment.
		3.	People hate Jesus because He disturbs.
		4.	We are happier if we can do the things we want to do without being 				bothered.
		5.	This ruffles our feathers.
		6.	We don’t like it if somebody bugs us.
		7.	Jesus bugs us.
		8.	Jesus said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. 				I did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34).
		9.	Jesus is going to slice some of our ropes of security.
		10.	He is going to cut into the middle of daily living.
		11.	He is going to shake us up:  That is what He did to the Gerasenes.
		12.	Jesus speaking in our time would say:									a. “You are going to have to break that habit.”							b. “You must change the direction of your life.”							c. “Stop treating people the way you do.”								d. “Why did you lie to that person?”									e. “You will have to make that right with that person.”
		13.	We do not like it, but Jesus interrupts our way of life.
		14.	We might say what others have said:  “Go away, Jesus, and let us live in 				peace.”
	B.	They loved their pigs more than the demonic man.
		1.	One of the downfalls of our time may be we like things more than 					people.											2.  	The same principle occurs in our lives, “We demand our ease and 					comfort, even if it means someone who is tired has to serve us.”
		3.	They wanted Jesus to leave---He did leave.  He does not stay where He is 				not welcome.
II.	The cured man wanted to follow Jesus.
	A.	The cured man wanted to go with Jesus.
		1.	We can understand why.  If we were delivered from the demons that 				sent him screaming, crying, and cutting himself with stones, we would 				want to follow the person who freed us.
		2.	Obviously the Gerasenes were not interested in the possessed man.				a. They were crying over the loss of their pigs.							b. They shifted their attention to their well-being.
		3.	The cured man knew he mattered to God.
	B.	Jesus sent the cured man home.
		1.	Jesus gave this word of instruction:  “Go home to your friends, and tell 				them what great things the Lord has done for you, and has had 					compassion on you” (19).
		2.	“He was to be a living, walking, vivid unanswerable demonstration of 				what Christ can do for a man.” --William Barclay
		3.	When Jesus says, “Go,” our grateful response is, “Yes.”
		4.	You may say, “Well, what do I tell people?”  								a. Jesus said, “Tell them what God has done for you.”						b. In gratitude we witness to Christ’s ministry to us.
Conclusion:
# Rick and I met in a cafeteria.  We struck up a conversation about his school.  Our talk turned to spiritual things.  In the cafeteria, Rick bowed his head and prayed to God for forgiveness of sin.  Jesus Christ came into his life.  The next evening I visited Rick in his home.  Within five minutes of our conversion and his prayer, he had told a friend what God had done in his life.
Would you go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you?