A man called legions

A man called legions!

Scripture: Mark 5:1-20

I.    The condition.  Mark 5:1-5

II.   The encounter.  :6-13

III.  The reporting committee. :14-17

IV.  The natural response :18

V.   The commission. : 19

VI.  The Testimony. :20

VII. The application.

VIII.    When God turns your trials into testimony

In this biblical story we are about to read, the man has not given his real name.

The only name that is given, is a name that identifies his condition.

Just as Saul became Paul, and Simon became Peter, I think this man was also given another name. probably his own real name, or perhaps a new one. But since we don’t find  that information given, we will identify him simply as legions.

I. the condition.

Mar 5:1  And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

Mar 5:2  And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

Mar 5:3  Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

Mar 5:4  Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

Mar 5:5  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Luk 8:27  And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs.

In the scriptural story above, we start out with a man who is severely possessed.  While the scripture doesn’t tell us in this story directly, how he came to be in this condition, other verses make it very plain. Jesus said in Mat 12:43  When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 

Mat 12:44  Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 

Mat 12:45  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. 

Here we discover the road that led to this mans destruction. He had God at one time. but his walk with God was a roller coaster ride of up and down.  Without him knowing it, each cycle of up and down, left him in far greater state of darkness. Each rise left him clean, each fall left him 7 times worse. The cycle continues, until we find the man, covered in hair, naked, eating off the dead bodies in the tombs, cutting himself, biting himself, and wailing in the pain. But he could not stop. He was attacking others who came anywhere near to his domain.  The last ride of up and down, left him in this state of multiplied possessions.

The most dangerous spiritual condition anyone can find themselves in is: being unsettled with God.  Those who find God and soar like the eagles, will also soar with the angles! But those who think they can still sin and be a Christian, will forever be on a roller coaster ride of ups and downs, until they crash at the bottom of the tombs! The bible is very clear that God and Christ are completely without sin. Anyone who thinks they can be like Jesus and still sin, are in great danger of eternal judgment. No sin will ever be allowed to enter heaven. and anyone who sins is a sinner. And sinners don’t go to heaven.  and yet the backslidden churches of today, will proclaim their deceitful doctrine of sin now  and salvation later!

Sin separates us from God. A man can get saved and be made clean by the cleansing blood of Jesus. But if that man continues to sin, he will grieve the spirit of God, and God will leave him alone. Eventually, when he realizes he isn’t saved anymore, he repeats the cycle. Until his name is becomes legions.

When a person gets saved, he gets saved from sin! (Romans chapter 6). He must stop sinning!

2 cor 6:14-18.  Then he soars with the eagles! Free from sin! But if he gets it in his head, that he can’t stop sinning,(Satan is good at teaching damnable heresy) then he backslides. The end of that man is worse than at the beginning!

It really to bad “the man called legions” couldn’t  come back and preach a great revival in our day!  He would send those sinning religions running for cover! Probably hiding among the tombs!

II.  The encounter.  :6-9

Mar 5:6  But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,

Mar 5:7  And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

Mar 5:8  For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

Mar 5:9  And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.

One of the amazing things about the presence of God and Jesus, is the glory of their presence! Anyone who has ever met Jesus, will never forget the encounter!  The presence of the magnificent Christ, sends all doubts, fears, compromises, sin and shame, into terror, as they flee from his presence!

 In this story above, the man called legions, saw the ship Jesus was in, and recognized that God was somehow on that ship! The area of the tombs was higher than the sea shore, so spotting the ship out to sea, would have been a normal thing. But in this case, God was on that Ship and he had a divine appointment with the man living in those tombs.

Nobody had to tell him that God was out there, and the ship was coming to shore! Here is a remarkable incident of Gods grace and mercy. That man had a will.  He had surrendered that will to darkness many times. Until the darkness had total control of him.  But here we see the mercy of God! Nobody had to tell Jesus who was waiting in the tombs. Nobody had to teach Jesus how the man got that way. nobody had to show Jesus the rejection from legion. Legion had rejected god many times and embraced the darkness. But God! Is not willing that any should perish! And Jesus set sail across the sea, for a divine appointment!

 Satan also knew who was in that boat! Backing up in the scripture, you will find a most terrible storm had suddenly come up. Threatening to sink the ship and drown everyone on board! Satan DID NOT WANT THAT SHIP TO REACH SHORE! He knew what was going to happen. Again we see the power of the majestic Christ as he rebukes the sea and the wind! And the “surprise storm”, stopped instantly! Jesus knew who was behind that storm. And he knew why! Nothing can stop the divine appointments of God!

The bible doesn’t record the spiritual battle that was raging as legions made his way down the hill, to reach the shore.  The spirits inside of him were having an all-out war to stop legion.

God in his wisdom, didn’t record everything that happened to legion, as he fought his way down the hill. But God in his love clearly recorded what happened when Jesus stepped out of the boat!  When God sees a hurting broken soul, that is crying out to him for help, all the devils and spirits of hell have no power to stop him!

We know the miraculous power of God’s forgiveness and deliverance! Legions found out “first hand”! we also know God has never changed! His ear is still tunned to hear the faintest whisper for help, to any broken and repentant sinner!

III. The reporting committee. :14-17.

Mar 5:14  And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

Mar 5:15  And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

Mar 5:16  And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

Mar 5:17  And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

       Luk 8:34  When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country.

       Luk 8:37  Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about

This scripture is like the ten spies of the Israelites. They spied out the land, and came back giving an evil report, that turned the hearts of the people away from the promises God had for them.

Even so, the pig keepers, ran off into town and alarmed everyone about legions and the death of the swine. The townspeople came out in great fear and fearfully asked Jesus to leave!

Their knee jerk reaction was very normal, considering the events that had just happened. But Jesus wasn’t surprised at any of it, for he already knew what he was going to do. Jesus didn’t fault them for their fears. But inwardly, he must have desired to do a lot more for them.

But again,  Gods plans are not stopped by man’s obstacles! Jesus was going to send them a very unusual missionary preacher! Later we find, when Jesus returned to that same shore, the people came out in great masses, to welcome him and seek his help! The missionary had done his job well!

IV.  The natural response :18

Mar 5:18  And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

Here we see our disappointments, are Gods divine appointments! Anyone who has ever been in the presence of Jesus, will never want to leave it! Legions was no exception! But again, Gods divine appointment, was to send legions back into town, preaching “Jesus- the son of God, the Savior of the world, the messiah! “

 I love this verse!  Notice there were no church boards to evaluate this man’s credentials? No tithing record to scrutinize. No church authorized course of study, to fill his head with a bunch of nonsense and religious theologies? THERE WAS NONE!

This man had found God, in his most desperate needs. God had delivered him, set him free, washed away all his sins, and planted a miraculous joy and happiness inside of him! And nothing in this world could take it away or explain it!  The man didn’t need a degree, he needed a holy fire from heaven, and he found it! A fire that would spread all over that coast! From the tombs to the temple, God’s holy fire was spreading! And the most uncouth, untrained, unprepared, uneducated, man was spreading it! Legions!

V.   The commission. : 19

Mar 5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Going home to thy friends!

The homecoming

I wonder what it was like when legions went home.

I doubt he walked right in. I suppose there would have been a lot of reflecting on his way back home.

It’s not hard to imagine the strife and the anguish in the home as he pursued his downward course that made him, what he had become. With all the regrets and horrid memories, there would have been a lot of reasons for his wife to have left him, including safety.. There would have been many solid reasons for his kids to have hated him. There would be no expectations of a warm welcoming back. The house would have been as dark as his own heart once was, and just as empty and cold.

 I don’t think he just walked in. my guess is he stood back down the street watching to see who was there, anyone he might have recognized. It would take a lot of courage to knock on that door. He would have to wade through a lot of shame and disgrace to reach the door he once called home.

 I can see a trembling bony hand knocking ever so lightly on the well worn door.

It would have been a very difficult and emotional hour.

  The door opens and inside stands the little lady he once called his wife. I suppose there would have been a moment of question as she asked “can I help you”?  But he cannot control his emotions. He’s bawling and heaving, just trying to speak. She suddenly realizes who it is and screams in fear NOOOOO! And instinctively jumps back.   Her eyes filled with fear. The children come running to see what’s going on. There stands Legions in the door!  It’s back, it’s here! Run! Run! Run!

   He cries out stop! Its OK.!!!  

I suppose the spirit of God who commissioned him to “go and tell”  was working right then in their hearts and minds. Giving them the grace to notice his voice was not one of terror, but hope.

I can see them all huddled in the corner with the children crying and mama pushing them behind her as she faces this enemy.

 He enters just a step and says look at me. I’m not legions anymore. See my clothes, can you hear my voice, I’m clean and walking upright. I’m talking normal, not heinous screams anymore.

 Please don’t be afraid. I want to tell you what Jesus did for me!  Even me!

   The silence in the room would have been profound. The glory shining on his face would have been like a beckon in the night. The peace of God would have flooded that room and brought stability with it.

  They are looking at him and he’s looking back at them. In the silence, somewhere deep in side, a star of hope is being born. Could it be? Could it really truly be? 

  We know the story, because we have read the back of the book. We already know the answer. YES it is all true.

Its all so very real and true!

I suppose there would have been a crowd gathering outside in the yard. Many would have seen him coming.  They probably knew where he was going. The same neighbors that were taking care of this poor destitute woman, would have rallied to the cause. No doubt they were milling around in the yard wondering what to do. There was no sounds of fighting or screams of fear coming from inside. What should they do? It was silent inside. Not what they expected. No one wanted to go in,  not with him in there!

 I would like to have been an observer when legions, being clothed, washed, and normal. Having the glory of God on his face, with his family clinging to him as he walked outside that door.

 There was no doubt a unified gasp when they appeared. I suppose there was another moment of silence as everyone looked on and wondered what happened.

  If legions ever raised his voice he surely raised it now.  LOOK WHAT JESUS DID FOR ME.!

I don’t think he could stop proclaiming it! LOOK WHAT JESUS DID FOR ME!

VI.  The Testimony. :20

Mar 5:20  And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Mat 4:23  And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Mat 4:24  And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Mat 4:25  And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.

Why did they come from Decapolis? weren’t they the one who besought him to leave their coast.  They treated Jesus like some kind of villain. Afraid of him and wanted him to leave!  Now here they are, by the multitudes following him! What changed everything?

Answer: there was this man who had a testimony !”  Look what Jesus did for me!” he had a Holy fire burning in his spirit!

VII. The application

This is what Jesus did for me !

Mar 5:19  Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

Note; Others may tire of your testimony, but you will never tire of the deliverance AND THE CHANGE,

Try to understand what it must have been like for this man, as he wondered away from the tombs.

 Everyone knew his reputation as an animal/ man. His cannibalism, His debauchery, his vileness, his supernatural strength, the fear and dread of him.  His wild insanity ravings.  Yes, everyone knew all too well.

Let’s imagine what would have happened as he came down the road to some village or town.

 Word of his approach would have spread like wildfire. People would be running down the streets yelling of his coming. You can understand the terror it would have caused. See them gabbing their children and running to some hiding place. Or mounting some horse and racing away to safety.  You could understand many bandings together at some defendable position ready to fight till death to defend their families.

See the empty streets littered with discarded items, hear the silence, sense the urgency, feel the fear and dread.

It’s Coming! Legions is coming!

But now let’s look as this animal/man as he comes into our view.

Is that really him!

He’s clean, He’s clothed, he’s walking.  He’s weeping!  Is that him?

Is that really someone with him?  There are children with him! How could this be! Surly it’s not him!

He is shouting and Praising God!

Look! He’s hugging that woman, that’s his wife!   they are both weeping and praising God!

See him as he holds those little children; see how they cling so tightly to him! Daddy’s back!

Look! They are both standing there with his hands raised and praising God!

Clearly there has been some mistake! This is not he who dwells among the tombs!

Others say he looks like him. Let’s ask his parents If this is him.

Let’s get closer and hear what he is saying.  He said “look what Jesus did for me!  even me!”

VIII.    When God turns your Trials into testimony.

  Mar 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

If Job were here, he’d say today’s trials are tomorrow praises

The bible is filled from Genesis to Revelation with many who will tell you the same thing.

Today’s trials are tomorrows praises!

If you’d ask legions, he will tell you “At the time he was in the tombs, it didn’t look very promising.”

But Jesus had an appointment and Jesus had a mission, and Jesus never fails!

Your battles may not seem as dark and hopeless as legions, but the struggle is the same.

When Jesus makes you his divine appointment, turning your trials into testimony. You too will have the same testimony as legions’ “look what Jesus did for me”!

You may not think your testimony matters. God thinks it does. He even commands us to give it.

Our conditions will vary. But our testimony is the same. “Look what Jesus did for me!

 Don’t be so foolish as compare your experience to somebody else’s, that is very short sighted.

That’s like saying “I saw a Truck on the highway; therefore, my car can’t go there.”

That’s limiting God, its unbelief and it’s foolish.

 There are millions of people who are searching for something that’s real. When your testimony is real, you have what others are looking for. So, testify!

Tell them what Jesus did for you. That’s everyone testimony. But it will take your own personal experience to make the connection to others so they too will understand.

We all know there are those who have some amazing, mind bending, out of the ordinary experience, like legions.

But remember, for every unusual testimony, there are hundreds of people who still need to know of Gods everyday care, your testimony is just as important,

 I have discovered it’s the normal everyday” living in victory testimony” that matters the most.

God wants you to tell others what Jesus did for you.

  Those who are lost are not looking for some amazing story. (the news media provides plenty of that) They are looking for hope. Let’s give it to them, as God gave hope to you. Let’s pass that hope on to others!

Signed: A missionary named Legion.