Jesus Sets the Demonic Free

Jesus Calls Us Called from the Margins of Society Jesus Overpowers Legion Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5) Mark 5:1-13 The Voice For most of Jesus’ miracles, the disciples are observers: they watch Him healing the sick, raising dead bodies, and casting demons out of strangers. This time, however, it is the disciples—and even Jesus Himself—who are in danger. Maybe that’s why they are having such a hard time trusting that His power is greater than their situation. They have seen Him cast out demons. They know He has powers that are not of natural origin. But they have never seen—or even heard of—anything like this. It’s one thing to heal human sickness or even to order demons around. But to order the waves and the wind? To command the sea and the storm? That’s a miracle of an entirely different order. 5 They traveled across the sea to the land of Gerasa[a] in Galilee. 2-3 When Jesus came ashore there, He was immediately met by a man who was tortured by an evil spirit. This man lived in the cemeteries, and no one could control him—not even those who tried to tie him up or chain him. 4 He had often been bound in chains, but his strength was so great that he could break the chains and tear the irons loose from his feet and hands. No one and nothing could subdue him. 5 Day and night, he lurked among the tombs or ran mad in the hills, and the darkness made him scream or cut himself with sharp-edged stones. 6 When this man saw Jesus coming in the distance, he ran to Him and fell to his knees in front of Him. 7-8 Jesus started commanding the unclean spirit. Jesus: Come out of that man, you wicked spirit! Unclean Spirit (shouting): What’s this all about, Jesus, Son of the Most High? In the name of God, I beg You—don’t torture me! Jesus: 9 What is your name? Unclean Spirit: They call me “Legion,” for there are thousands of us in this body. 10 And then Legion begged Jesus again to leave them alone, not to send them out of the country. 11 Since the Gerasenes were not Jews (who considered pigs to be unclean), there happened to be a large herd of swine, some 2,000 of them, feeding on the hill nearby. Unclean Spirit (begging): 12 Send us into those pigs if You have to, so that we may enter into them. 13 Jesus granted the request. The darkness swept up out of the man and into the herd of pigs. And then they thundered down the hill into the water; and there they drowned, all 2,000 of them. For Reflection "They have seen Him cast out demons. They know He has powers that are not of natural origin. But they have never seen—or even heard of—anything like this. It’s one thing to heal human sickness or even to order demons around. But to order the waves and the wind? To command the sea and the storm? That’s a miracle of an entirely different order."* The demonic goes by many different names: In the Old Testament;      adversary, devil, destroyer, dragon, enemy, evil spirit, great, dragon, Lucifer, Satan, serpent, son of the morning, son of, wickedness, spoiler, and tempter. In the New Testament;       Abaddon, accuser, adversary, angel of the bottomless pit, antichrist, Apollyon, beast, Beelzebub, chief of the devils, destroyer, devil, Devil, dragon, enemy, great dragon, great red dragon, man of sin, murderer from the beginning, Satan, old serpent, prince of the devils, prince of the power of the air, prince of this world, son of perdition, spirit of antichrist, tempter, and the wicked one. How can you understand and accept the concept of evil? One way is to personify it. To accept the demonic as a force is difficult to see and even more difficult to discuss. But whatever we call the demonic we know it, like the Holy Spirit, can occupy our souls. It is the constant battle between good and evil. Both are powerful forces in our lives. Prayer is the most effective counter to the demonic. *Embedded commentary in The Voice  Pray Pray that you will be able to discern the difference between the call of the demonic and the call of the Holy Spirit. Then, pray to choose the righteous path that leads to grace and forgiveness. Forward to a friend Sign up for our mailing list!