Amen. Our scripture this morning again is taken from the gospel of Mark. We'll look at chapter 5 verses 18 through 20. The gospel of Saint Mark and the 5th chapter verses 18 through 20.
And when he got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged him that he might be with him. However, Jesus did not permit him but said to him, go home to your friends and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he has had compassion on you. And he departed and began to proclaim in decapolis all that Jesus had done for him and all marveled. May God richly bless both the reading and the hearing of his holy word. Before we look at the text that is before us in these few verses here in Mark chapter 5, the opening of verse 18 where it speaks of the demon possess man or the man who had been possessed of demons requires a little preliminary overview or preliminary input here concerning the very topic of demons. A few things that we want to note or observe before we look at this particular passage and relative to demons. One, we know that demons are considered fallen angels. They are created spirits. They shared in the rebellion of Satan and so therefore what is spoken of as demons are those who have participated, those created being spirit beings who participated in Satan's revolt against God, his rebellion against God. If one believes in the Bible, one certainly has to believe in the reality of demons because it's recorded. It's maintained in the scriptures that they exist. Now here's the problem. I think it was Francis Schaeffer that said the hardest thing for man to maintain since the fall is balance and the absence of balance is never more clear when it comes to the issue of demons. It's almost difficult for Christians to sound like country bumpkins or snake handlers when it comes to talking about demons in the modern world for two reasons. One is because on the one hand there is skepticism on the part of some unbelievers and even some who profess to be religious or spiritual concerning spiritual forces and spiritual beings. They're skepticism. They're it is in philosophical thought, those who are materialists. Materialists not just those who believe in money but materialism as a philosophical discipline are those who only believe in the seen material world. They only believe in that which can be seen and since demons can't be seen they therefore dismiss them. So there are some who view the discussion of demons and spirit beings or spiritual beings and spiritual power, they would dismiss it out of skepticism because they do not believe that anything exists beyond that which we can see. So for that reason in our generation there is a difficulty of having a balanced and a well thought out discussion on these matters because skeptics don't believe demons exist on the other hand and this is the other extreme and I know there are variations in between but on the other hand there is silly superstitious spirituality that also causes people to not believe in demons. In other words there are those who believe that they do believe that demons exist unlike the skeptics but they are superstitious in thinking that demons are all over the place. They demons in this and demons in that I've heard it in Christian broadcasting circles I've heard it and by that I simply mean those who broadcast in the name of Christianity. We hear of demons of poverty and demons of diseases and demons that have been assigned places and positions and power that the Bible simply does not know. So in an unbelieving world on the one hand or an immature church world on the other given those two extremes it's hard to have a fruitful healthy balanced biblical discussion on demons because on the one hand some say they don't exist and on the other hand they exist all over the place and so he's like well what does the Bible really say and certainly we know that the skeptics are wrong the skeptics are wrong because the Bible says demons exist but we also know that the silly superstitious spiritualists are also wrong. Let me just tell you this that as believers you can never be possessed by a demon and understand this or once you come to faith you can never be possessed by a demon because as believers you are in dwelt by the Holy Spirit and being in dwelt by the Holy Spirit is equivalent to being in dwelt by God himself. Demons go a lot of places but they don't go in God's they steer clear of that which God has claimed for himself. So wherever the issue or the discussions on demons lie it certainly doesn't we are not to believe the skeptics because the Bible says otherwise and we're not to believe the silly superstitious because the Bible also undermines their position on demons there are not demons over this and demons over that if if if it's a Christian service no Christian service should be highlighted by characterized by or even have included in its liturgy anything relegated to demons we don't need a demon casting out service there is no demon casting out portion of a crystal centric worship service why because they they they have no power they have no power over the saints they they can influence Satan is a roaring lion but he is a roaring lion he's not a roaring lion in you he's a roaring lion that influences so so we we need some kind of sanity and clarity on the issue of demons I it would be wrong to say because we are you know and rightly so maybe either a little ticked off or a little embarrassed by some of the weird things that people say about demons you have a demon in you and she's got a demon I do wonder sometimes if they might be right but but we know that demons are not responsible for all of the madness that we see in the world they they are here they are here that and so we need to be to understand that the skeptics are wrong because they deny that demons exist and the Bible says they do but also the silly superstitious they're also wrong well intended well intended but they're wrong also because they undermine the biblical logic about what God possesses and the ability of the one who has been defeated in Jesus victory on the cross so so the truth lies somewhere in between but here's something else that that needs to be said and in a preliminary way as we look at this particular passage relative to demons and that is some have wondered why isn't that we see more demon activity in the gospels than any other portion of the New Testament or the Bible why isn't that that demons we don't see we do see evidence of demons in the Old Testament and demon possession in the Old Testament but it's really in the ministry of Jesus that we see this heightened sense of demonic activity and some this is called some again to say that maybe what the Bible has called demon possession is really psychological disorders that this was before we had psychology and so therefore much of what they call in the New Testament is not really demon possession it's just people who are mentally and emotionally unbalanced and and there this is before therapy so they just called the demon possession that would be nice if it were true but it's not true and this is a good example because the Bible clearly says that at least if anybody else thought this man's case was a matter of demon possession Jesus did Jesus doesn't say then Jesus I love what John says that he knows what's in men's hearts and Jesus doesn't say this man is just unbalanced Jesus says he's got a demon problem so therefore I and one would say well why is it then why is it that in particularly the earthly ministry of Jesus that we see a heightened activity on the part of demons is it because that it's we we can dismiss that it's because they were just calling every every you know psychopath and everyone that was emotionally and psychologically disturbed demon because that's not true why is it then that we see this activity so much in the presence of Jesus and I think the reason for it is this it's similar to what we see in the book of Revelation that as John sees the the approaching of Jesus coming there is going to be a heightened hostility on the part of Satan as the time grows near there will be a heightened hostility on the part of Satan against the saints there will be an increase as it were of certain satanic influence and interference that's what the Bible says and so I think that one of the reasons we see more demon possession in the earthly ministry of Jesus is because Jesus is the commencement of the kingdom of God in other words we'll see it again we'll see a heightened sense maybe of I don't know of demon possession on the part of unbelievers but certainly a heightened sense of satanic involvement in the affairs and things of this world his his antagonism against the church directly and indirectly that's that's the message really of the book of Revelation so I think part of what we see during the earthly ministry of Jesus is that Jesus very presence is a threat to the kingdom of darkness and so there is a heightened activity in the coming of the Messiah the first advent of the Messiah means a greater activity of spiritual darkness and it's partly to to confirm that the Messiah has come so it's going to be antagonism against the Messiah but also coupled with that is they provide the backdrop by which the Messiah will show himself and so I think it's because of this special point in redemptive history in the very physical presence of Christ that when he comes the first time that that satan is all the more outraged and and those that have been given and by the way demons and Satan himself are still under the sovereign rule and authority of God it can't be otherwise or else our future is in debate and dispute but our future is not in dispute nor is it in debate because we know that God is greater than all so therefore we I believe that one of the reasons we see not a and a disappearance of demonic activity but we see a dissipating of demonic activity because in the presence of Christ the devil and all of his minions are trying to mash out in fact the way it's described by John in the 12th chapter of Revelation is that he is trying to keep Jesus from accomplishing his goal he tries to kill the baby we see this in Matthew's gospel that after the birth of Jesus that Heric tried to have all the babies that were born in Bethlehem killed because he didn't want any anyone that would you serve his throne and so there is going to be that kind of hostility and there is a resistance on the part of the prince of darkness in the very presence of Christ the apostle Paul addresses this also in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 when he says that if our gospel is hidden it's hidden by to those whose mind has been veiled or darkened by the God of this world and why is it because the God of this world knows that he's defeated he knows that he has a shelf life he knows that he has an expiration date but he's kicking and screaming to the very end and so in the very presence of light in the presence of the kingdom of light in the king of light he is going to kick until the very end and you know what when the judgment comes he'll be kicking still they're they're not going to all of a sudden become docile Satan and all of his demons they're not going to become docile in the presence of Christ in the 2nd Advent they will still be entrenched in their hatred of God even as they are tormented for all of eternity because of their hatred so here's what we see by way of preliminary before we look at this particular passage demons do exist demons exist and we should not allow the skeptics nor the silly superstitious ones direct and shape our understanding of demons demons do exist they do exist and they exist they are soon more in a more plentiful form during the earthly ministry of Jesus because the earthly ministry of Jesus is a transitional point in redemptive history and usually when God is moving in a progressive way in revealing his his his his kingdom and his gift of salvation there is a greater outpour of opposition by by the enemies of God and so I think that's one of the reasons we see a greater demonic activity now does that mean that there are no more demon possessions I'd never say that I do believe that people can be and are demon possessed I don't think a Christian can be demon possessed but I think we live in a world where Satan who is still bound is still active and he's active in fact Paul tells us that that the the sons of are those who are the children of unbelief are under the influence of the God of this world and of the the spirits of this world so we do understand that demons exist but we understand that they exist and and and there is a it's not as many demon possessions that we're made conscious I mean you know what let me just say this that it's a good thing that we don't have to deal with everything else that we have to deal with as Christians individually and as churches collectively it's a good thing that we don't have to make room for demon casting out services it's hard enough for us to try to worship Christ in spirit and in truth let alone when we are distracted by trying to talk to demons I I hear brothers all the time you know and then they're praying to God they're praying to God again there is no safer commodity on earth than a prayer of the same nothing more say nothing more safe you can send that thing in red letters nobody's going to touch you it is the reason it can't be interfered with by the spirits of the air or the fallen one is because it is guaranteed delivery by the Holy Spirit now he's going to fix it before it gets to the Father but it'll get to the Father it'll never be intercepted it'll never be interfered with but I hear brothers all the time all in they're praying to God I I bind you Satan why are we talking to Satan when we're talking to God why on earth would you waste any any airtime any breath on talking to someone who's been defeated already when you're talking to your father my father would consider it rude if I'm talking to him and then I just break out start talking to some other person who are you talking to God says that we talk to him Jesus says when we pray we say Father and that's an A and B conversation and Satan has to see himself out of it he's not a part of that conversation so so we don't have to pray and then say you know start in the middle of the prayer we bind what what do we mean we bond Jesus defeated him so so we understand that so so understand that demons are read and the reason there is more demon activity in the ministry of Jesus and in the life of Jesus is because Jesus represents a transitional point in redemptive history Satan knows the cross is near and he's doing everything that he can to discourage people from the knowledge of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ now with that let's look at the passage that's before us and here we need to consider two things before we get to verses 18 through 20 the first thing is this demon man that is mentioned here in verse 18 let me say this about the demon man that or the demon possessed man that this demon possessed man really epitomizes the fallen human condition he epitomizes the fallen human condition there are three things that you can observe about him in the early verses of this chapter we see in the first place that he was anti social he's anti social he's he's anti social and probably two respects one we see that he is relegated from the rest of the community in fact in Matthew's recording of this he's event it indicates that there was more than one it was at least two of these men but we are told that they lived away from the people in fact it says always night and day in verse five that he was in the mountains and he was in the tombs now part of the reason for this is that he was exiled he was exiled from his community because he is anti social and we see that he's anti social because it there seems to be an attempt in verse four to keep him bound in shackles and chains so he is he's anti social and and certainly one of the conditions one of the effects of the fallen condition is on the as our horizontal relationships that that an alienation and an anti social behavior on the part of individuals it manifests itself differently in different context it doesn't mean that every individual who is fallen is just pulls away and becomes a hermit but what it does mean is that we insulate ourselves against everyone else except for on our terms so therefore we have circles of of of connectedness but that circle is not the way that it should be we are told that that the responsibility of the image bearer of God is to live in community and to live in harmony and to love our neighbors so this man is he is he's anti social he's he's a danger to others and not only is he a danger to others but he's isolated from others he's living in the mountains and and it's nothing sane or right about living in a graveyard so so this man is certainly anti social but not only is he is he anti social we also see that he's self-destructive and isn't that what fallen man is we are we're cut off from one another but we're also self-destructive this man is self-destructive in a physical way he's self-destructive in that he takes stones and he cuts his own body and in fact that's the way it's described here that he has shackles on him and then in verse 5 it says that in all ways night and day he was in the mountains and in the tombs crying out and cutting himself with stones so he's anti social he is self-destructive and that is what sin does it may not cause you to cut yourself with stones but our fallen sinful condition causes us to do those things that are detrimental to us as well as to others we inflict pain on others and we also bring great harm to ourselves that's what sin does sin sin is not it doesn't cause you to protect it causes you to destroy and so so this man epitomizes the fallen human condition because he's cast out from society but we also see him being self-destructive but we also see a third characteristic of the fallen condition in that he is spiritually conflicted he spiritually conflicted because we it says that in verse 6 when he saw Jesus and it's interesting here because at various points in the dialogue associated with this man we don't know where he begins and the dean or where he stops and the demons begin but in verse 6 it says when he saw Jesus from afar he ran in worshiped him so so he sees Jesus perhaps for who he is and he worships him that's what gives you an indication that that there is some sense of God in this man there even in his demonically possessed state there is some sense of God but then in the very next statement in verse 7 we see that and he cried out with the loud voice and said what have I to do with you Jesus now we know that's the demon speaking because the demons don't want to have anything to do with Jesus and so here we see this conflict we see on the one hand that this man that's why Paul can say that if our gospel is veiled it's veiled to those who have whose minds have been darkened by the god of this age that he sees Jesus the son of God he sees him as a worthy object of worship and he goes to worship him and the demons they tremble at the name of Jesus but they don't worship him they will but they don't they will they will demons will worship him not not well not not not in the kind of ways that the redeemed will but they will worship him they will cry out that he is Lord they will give him his due honor but as until the day of the consummation of his kingdom they want nothing to do with him so we see this duality this conflict this man who was possessed by demons that he sees Jesus and and he worships him and the Bible doesn't give us anything to indicate that this isn't the man himself seeking to worship this is him he wants to worship Jesus then in verse 7 the demons speak through him and the one who wants to have something to do with Jesus possessed by these demons who want nothing to do with Jesus the man who wants to worship Jesus is hindered by the demons that have taken up residence in him so this man really epitomizes to fall in human condition in that he is anti-social in his behavior he is self-destructive and he is spiritually conflicted he may not have all of the truth all of the doctrinal truth that makes up the Christian faith but he recognizes Jesus as an object of worship and he therefore worships Jesus the second thing that we see before we get to the text is not just the man himself but it's interesting to look at Jesus and the demons in in verse 7 where the demons they see Jesus and they don't want anything to do with him here is Jesus here is here is that baby whose birth we celebrate it here is in our flesh as our champion here is Jesus he goes up they just see him coming they recognize who he is that's what probably what James is alluding to when he says the demons believe and tremble they see Jesus coming and they know who he is there is no better theology than demon theology at least they know who Jesus is they understand who he is they are not mistaken they're not debating on whether or not he was really this they know who he is if we could just get demon since at least to that degree we're over here debating and disputing over who Jesus is and whether or not he lived and whether or not he he actually spoke these words the demons know and they are convinced and so Jesus confronts the demons and and he recognizes that he speaks directly to the demons I love Jesus doesn't talk about the man what you doing out here he talks to the problem that's why he is coming to flesh because he sees what the real problem is and the problem with this man is that he has been resided in by not just one not just two not three four or five but legions Jesus says what's your name we are legions we not the royal we we are legions because we are many you notice what Jesus does he doesn't ask them I I like his his his definitive work he there's no water involved there's no oil there's no holy water no candles lit no incense he doesn't say turn down the lights he doesn't tell people to gather hands and we'll know Jesus says just come out of him he speaks isn't that's what he came for he came to go where we go he came to to face what we have to face and he goes straight to the enemy and he simply says come out of this man you unclean spirit Jesus speaks to the problem Jesus tells the demons to go out and I love this it's one of those those underrated moments in redemptive history the demons say but but don't send that where where are we going to go they they bargain with Jesus and and because the end isn't yet because the end isn't yet and by the way we see every indication that this is a gen time because because there's there was a peak farmer in the neighborhood and this if this were a Jewish settlement you might see a lot of things but the one thing you're not going to see is a peak farmer and so Jesus when when he tells them to come out they answer him and he says my name is Legion and also he begged he the man or the demons through the man begged that they would not be sent out of the country and I love this Jesus as you can stay but go to the pigs strange thing it's but our point is not really there it's it's not so much what takes place when the demons leave it's once the man is cleared out so here's what we see that that Jesus is sovereign this is even before his crucifixion Paul tells us in Colossians that in Jesus crucifixion that he made a public spectacle and triumphed over his enemies so this is even before the crucifixion but Jesus speaks authoritatively causes the demons to leave the man goes them to the pigs and the pigs go crazy now some have argued that's why I don't eat pork today five that's more for me those pigs are long gone but the demons remain the demons remain and so here's what we see we we see that Jesus Jesus has cast these demons out of this man and it causes chaos among this this peak farmer and his his stock but then we see this tender moment this tender moment where the man comes up to Jesus the man Jesus being the antidote to the possession and the man comes up to Jesus who he had cast all of these demons out of and you can imagine this is a rather tender moment on his part he looks at Jesus we're not told how long he had been gone and how long he had been living in the graveyard but we're told in verse 18 that that he makes this petition on the part of the Lord Lord let me go with you isn't that wonderful this man who has been away from his family this man who was a public spectacle had been possessed by demons and all of the watching world could see the destruction of the evil one on his flesh now he's been made clean now Jesus has cast the tormentor out of him and the man out of gratitude runs to Jesus and says Jesus let me go with you let me be and it's interesting here because Jesus we're told of others that Jesus invites to discipleship and and and you notice what happens well Lord I I come to follow you but you know I've got some I've got an investment I got to go check on and and another one says Lord I would come but but you know I've got some other things as soon as I get myself together then I'll follow you this man this man who had been alienated and ostracized from his community when the demons come out of him he makes no excuse Lord let me be with you I've often maintained that that praise worship and service are the reflex of the heart that's been overwhelmed by grace worship worship service that's that's that's and and and and and and giving glory and honor that's the reflex that's the reflex of those who whose heart has encountered divine grace this man makes a good request he does make a good request he he wants to go with Jesus he wants to go I I can't help but think of all of those when in in John's gospel when when all of the disciples began to turn away here is one who was willing to go but Jesus tells him no he says no no I I don't want you to come with me he doesn't deny him discipleship but he says no you this is not your department of discipleship I've got another assignment for you Jesus gives this man perhaps the toughest missionary assignment that any human being can get he says no go home you've been away perhaps he has children that have seen him act of fool perhaps he has seen he has children that own their way to school they've had to see their father as they pass by the graveyard they've had to see their father cutting himself perhaps his wife tired and an understanding willing to have him back she's used to a husband out there the talk of the town and for all the wrong reasons here's what Jesus says no you don't come with me you can be my disciple but I've got an assignment for you go home go home to the scene of the sin and I want you to let everyone know let them know everything that the Lord has done for you and the compassion that he has shown to you go home you know sometimes brothers and sisters it's easier to go to communist China than for us to go home with the missionary attitude sometimes people are willing to go to the other most parts of the world and make known to to those that have never even so much as heard of the gospel to make known to them everything that God has done and to make known to them the compassion of God some people are willing to put themselves in harm's way we're we're celebrating the missionary offering this month where where where people have gone into the other most parts of the world and face grave dangers for the cause of the gospel but here is the most difficult assignment of all not to go to a stranger but to go back home to the very ones that you've embarrassed go back home to the very ones that you have humiliated that you've abandoned now it's not going to be an easy task trust me it's going to be difficult first they may receive you with tears of joy and somewhere along the line they're going to remind you of what you used to be and here's what Jesus says but go home go home and serve me there go home and make somebody else know the goodness and the love and the mercy that you have received from me that's your assignment do you know this is really the first depending on the timing of this he or the Samaritan woman and you can call her sort of all most of the Jewish tradition he might be the first the first Gentile missionary because he goes home and he tells everybody who Jesus is we're not told of the ups and downs and everything that goes on and I know he had difficult days and there are some days where you would rather be in China you'd rather be in Africa than have to deal with the people who deal with your feet of clay but here's what Jesus says and I think this is the reminder for us brothers and sisters if God has been good to you if you know of his mercies and of his grace we do need foreign missionaries we need short-term missions if you look up Rafiki if anybody wants to become a short-term missionary for Rafiki foundation great we love to have you but before that if you know of God's forgiving love and grace and mercy before you go across the waters go across the hall go to the child that's been alienated go to the spouse that you show the ones under your roof the goodness of God's grace and of his mercies and make him known notice what it says that all marveled they marveled because they saw what he was but they could appreciate what he had become this man was possessed by demons regions of them but Jesus sent the demons away and sent him home my prayer for you brothers and sisters said if God's grace means anything to you take it home home to your physical address and home to your home church take it to the pew behind you if God is good if God is merciful if God is compassionate towards you then let that be known to those that God has placed around you and in doing so we pray that the gospel would be furthered and in doing so we pray that the God and the grace of the gospel would be glorified demons are real but Jesus is more real amen