Mark 6:30-34

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30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him about all the things they had done and taught. 31 Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.” 32 So they went in a boat by themselves to a lonely place. 33 But many people saw them leave and recognized them. So from all the towns they ran to the place where Jesus was going, and they got there before him. 34 When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. ~ Mark 6:30-34

Today, we return to our study of Mark 6 where the Lord Jesus has been training the disciples in His ways. In addition, the Lord Jesus has been preaching the Gospel and healing the sick. The disciples had just returned from their overnight witnessing excursions into the nearby towns and villages, and, they were eager to tell the Lord Jesus about their ministry. They were also in great need of rest. 

In v.30-32 of today's passage we read, "30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him about all the things they had done and taught. 31 Crowds of people were coming and going so that Jesus and his followers did not even have time to eat. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves, and we will go to a lonely place to get some rest.” 32 So they went in a boat by themselves to a lonely place."

All of mankind's problems emerge out of the rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden which resulted in mankind being separated from a personal relationship with God. Returning to God is the key to all of life. When Adam and Eve rebelled, they were separated from the very source of life, truth, purpose and meaning. The enemy would lead us to believe the Lord has cast us off due to our sinfulness and subsequent brokenness. This is not so. 

God desired to provide for us a personal relationship with Himself so much that He sent His Son to pay the debt created by our rebellion and sinfulness. This, of course, is not for His benefit, for He is holy and lacking nothing. He desires this for our benefit. And, like the disciples, we do nothing of real value until we return to the Lord Jesus.

Believe it or not, the greatest risk for falling or stumbling for the Christian is right after experiencing great success in something. When we are successful there is the danger and tendency to believe that the success came from our own efforts and not from God. When we see great accomplishments in and through our lives we tend to start relying on ourselves and not on God. This, as a result, robs glory from God because ultimately everything that happens in our lives is the result of His loving and sovereign care over us.  

It is clear the Lord Jesus recognized this as a period of great danger for the disciples. This is why He hurried them away from their successes. Our greatest threat is not found in defeat but from victory. In defeat, at least we’re humbled and forced to look to God and depend upon Him. Success makes us look in the mirror at self, but our struggles are more likely to make us look to God. When we have success, we can easily over-inflate or overestimate ourselves. When we do this, we subtly go the way of the enemy without even knowing it.

In addition, the Lord knew the disciples needed to eat and to get some much needed rest, so that they could process what had happened in and through them. In all of this, the Lord was training them to become learners. The word "disciple" means "learner." We cannot be disciples of Christ without learning of and from Him. All leaders must first be disciples. The moment we stop learning, is the moment we stop leading. 

The Lord Jesus sent out these low educated men who did not by any means understand the fullness of the message they were preaching, and, who really had no idea of what they were doing. In spite of this, the Lord Jesus sent them out and the message made them a success. 

In v.33-34 of today's passage we read, "33 But many people saw them leave and recognized them. So from all the towns they ran to the place where Jesus was going, and they got there before him. 34 When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things."

 
The people were so hungry they ran eight miles around the northern end of the lake to get to the Lord Jesus. In fact, they ran so fast that they arrived at the other side before He and His disciples got there, even though He had taken a boat to make the four mile trip across the lake. Sadly, most of the people were they hungry for the wrong thing. This is our deliberation each and every day. We must be careful that we are hungering for the Lord and His culture which is largely discovered in His Word. But the process of developing this hunger for the Lord is not so easy. It involves a lot of patience, time and pain.

Our appetites dictate the direction of our lives. However, we most often do not recognize what it means to hunger for the Lord. Our hunger for Him is missed because it comes in that empty feeling that we all know. When we learn, through this sense of longing, to reach out to Him, it is then that we are learning what it means to hunger for Him. 

The problem comes when we frantically start looking to the wrong things to fill up this emptiness. When we do so, we sadly discover we have missed a golden opportunity to refine our ability to hunger for Him. But, this does not have to be the end of the story. 

Resisting the desire to free ourselves from the emptiness and the loneliness, and through the emptiness and loneliness we learn to cry out to Him for His presence in our lives is the first step in growing in this way. And, the more we do it, the more of a habit that it will become. And then, we will discover what it means to hunger for Him.

Mark 6:17-29

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17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him. 21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!” 24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!” 26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. ~ Mark 6:17-29

Today, we return to Mark 6:17-29 where we read about the story of John the Baptist's death. Herod Antipas put John in jail because John identified him as an adulterer for marrying his brother's wife Herodias. 

In v.17-20 of today's passage we read, "17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, 'It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.' 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him."

Herod Antipas had John the Baptist placed in a prison which was located down in the desert by the Dead Sea. Herod owned several palaces throughout his province and this was just one of them.

It was Herod's birthday, but, for the Jews of that time, birthdays were not all that important. However, for the Romans, birthdays were a huge deal. And so, the Jew, Herod, wanted a big birthday party which turned out to be a huge men's night out in the fullest sense of the word. It was a bunch of men together, and you can only imagine what the setting was like for this celebration.

In v.21-25 of today's passage we read, "21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. 'Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.' 23 He even vowed, 'I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!' 24 She went out and asked her mother, 'What should I ask for?' Her mother told her, 'Ask for the head of John the Baptist!' 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, 'I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!'"

 

The daughter of Herodias, according to Josephus the Jewish historian, was a girl named Herodias Salome. She was the almost seventeen year old daughter of Herodias and Herod Philip. While at Herod Antipas' birthday party, Salome danced before Herod and his guests. She so pleased the drunk "King" that he vowed to give her up to half his kingdom for her dancing. In response, after consulting her mother who obviously held a grudge, Salome asked for John the Baptist’s death. 

In v.26-29 of today's text we read, "26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb."

Herod Antipas deeply regretted the drunkened vow he made that evening to Herodias Salome. For it, John the Baptist paid with his life. This came as the result of holding this supposed leader to account for his sin of adultery. When we speak the truth to people, they have a choice to receive the truth and be made better by it, or, to reject it and suffer the consequences of a life more defined by sin. Sin will always take us to places we later regret. Sin, also, will always take us further down that road of wretchedness than we could have ever imagined or desired.

In 2 Corinthians 7:10 we read, "For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death." 

There's a huge difference between worldly and godly sorrow. Worldly sorrow results in remorse, but, godly sorrow results in repentance. Worldly sorrow ushers us close to the wisdom of God and then dashes us against the rocks, whereas, Godly sorrow invites wisdom over for our remaining days on this earth. 

Worldly sorrow is so deceiving. We have all experienced those moments when we were so sorry that we got caught in our choice to entertain a certain sin. But, we weren't sorry before we got caught. There was no remorse at all in our lives before the gavel dropped and we had to pay the court. This is the difference between remorse or regret, and repentance.

There is a contrast here between the way of "king" Herod and the real King, the Lord Jesus Christ. The real King serves others, not Himself. The real King saves the willing of heart not by arming them, as many would have wished, but by letting the rulers of this world do their worst to Him. He didn’t slaughter His enemies; He allowed them to slaughter Him.

The prison house where John the Baptist was held before his death is still there to this day. The fortress was named after the Greek word machaera, which means a sword. It was the fortress of the sword, the place where John the Baptist was beheaded with a sword. This is what unnerves us about being sold out to the Lord. We somehow think there should be nothing bad that happens to us. But, think of it, how often have we quoted John down through the years? "Less of me and more of Him."

John the Baptist's followers buried John, because, they knew, a burial is a statement of faith in a resurrection. The idea of placing a body in the ground illustrates the victory Christ has gained over sin and death. We can not have the resurrection without embracing the reality of death.

In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 we read, "42 It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies." 

The word "cemetery" means "resting place." The picture is that of the seed resting. When the seed is put in the seed bed, it is done so as a statement of faith that we believe in the resurrection that is soon to happen at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian's faith. This event, which occurred almost two thousand years ago, is the best attested fact in human history. It was predicted in the Old Testament and by Christ Himself. During the forty days following His resurrection, the Lord Jesus showed Himself to be alive from the dead by "many infallible proofs." He appeared at various times and places to many people who told others what they had seen. On the basis of this fact, we have much to look forward to in the future.

Mark 6:14-16

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14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.” 16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.” ~ Mark 6:14-16 

Today we return to our study of Mark 6 where the message of the gospel is the main theme. There are two reasons the disciples had success in their overnight ministry trips: the gospel was front and center, and, Herod was preoccupied with his fear. This is the way God always works. Opposition to the Gospel in one place serves to advance it in another.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, 'This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.'"

Herod Antipas was a "tetrarch" which means "a ruler of a fourth." Herod was the king or ruler of Galilee and Perea, which is that country just east of the Jordan River. It is known as present-day Jordan all the way down to the Dead Sea. 

Herod Antipas wanted to be recognized as king, but Augustus, the Roman ruler, refused him the title. Herod’s father, Herod the Great, was the king who was ruling when the Lord Jesus was born. When Herod the Great died, the Roman emperor divided his kingdom into four parts. One part was given to Herod Antipas.  

Herod Antipas actually thought the Lord Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead. But the Scriptures tell us that John the Baptist did no miracles!  And, Herod was a Sadducee and they did not believe in miracles. Herod had really bad theology because he was not known for reading the Old Testament Scriptures in order to be defined by them.

In order to be defined by the God of the Bible, we must be in the Word regularly. This means that we not only need to read it, but, we must be read by it, as well. And, when we are read by the Word, we will be defined by God as we give way for His will to be done in and through our lives. This is not what saves us, but, it may be used of God in the lives of others that may end up saved themselves.

Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded, because John the Baptist spoke convicting words to him. Herod Antipas was already married, but, he took a liking, while he was in Rome, to his half brother Philip's wife Herodias, and seduced her away from her husband. Herodias was the daughter of his half brother Aristobulus, so, she was actually his niece that he married. And, since John the Baptist told Herod he was guilty of adultery, Herod had John beheaded.

As a result, Herod Antipas was haunted by what he had done. Whenever a man does an evil thing, everyone becomes his enemy. Inwardly, his thoughts return to the wicked thing that he had done. Inwardly, he was guilt-ridden, and outwardly, he lived in the fear that he will be found out.

Herod did demand, however, that his subjects call him “king”. He ruled from 4 A.D. to 39 A.D. He was run off to what is now known as France by the Roman emperor for demanding to be made a king in 39 A.D.

Mark refers to Herod as king, but, Herod falls woefully short of what would be expected of the Jewish king.  Herod, an insecure ruler, was always on the alert for any threats to his rule. This underscores mankind's deepest problem: insecurity. Granted, sin is our deepest problem, but sin's lack will always lead us to be insecure and to make insecure and immature decisions.

It is the holiness of the Lord Jesus that addresses this problem that all mankind shares. The Greek word for "holy" means "complete" or "whole." Holiness means wholeness, lacking nothing. God desires for us that we live a life of wholeness. The Lord Jesus came to this sin-filled world in order to make broken people whole. His calling on us is the application of His life to ours.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Others said, 'He’s the prophet Elijah.' Still others said, 'He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.'"

Some thought the Lord Jesus to be the Old Testament prophet, Elijah, because of the prophecy in Malachi 4:5, which reads, "Before the coming of the day of the Lord, God will send Elijah the prophet." That is the very reason to this day at Passover, Jews keep their door open and an empty chair in case Elijah would come back to their Passover meal.

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead."

All of this brings us back to Herod's mistaken understanding of the Lord Jesus. A faulty understanding of the meaning of things comes from our lack of an understanding that is defined by the Lord. This is why it is so important for us to be defined by the Word of God, the written and the living Word of God. It is not about obedience so much as it is about being defined by God. When we have His culture growing in us, we will see things as they are. Most lack a proper understanding of the nature of things, and, are therefore, deceived due to the fact that they are not being defined by God. 

We were created by God who knew each one of us even before we were in our mother’s womb. Our true identity corresponds with how He created and defined us to be. When sin entered into the picture, we were thwarted from living out of a God-given identity. To live the abundant life the Lord Jesus died to give us, we must be defined God. He has been known to re-write our narrative after all of our trauma, loss, and hurt. This only happens as we allow Him to do so. 

Today, we do well, to read God's Word, asking Him to define us by His way of thinking. This will not mean we will become sinless. It does mean God will begin healing the hole in our souls that causes us to seek validation from the wrong sources. When we allow Him to define us, we will grow in the confidence that is not circumstantial. We will grow in the wholeness that ushers us to Him who unfailingly gives meaning and purpose to the willing soul.

Mark 6:7-13

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7 And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits. 8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes. 10 “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town. 11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” 12 So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God. 13 And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. ~ Mark 6:7-13

Today, we continue our study of Mark 6 where the emphasis is on the message of Christ. This chapter divides into three sections: the first is found in v.1-20, the second in v.21-34, and the third is in v.35-43. The emphasis on this first section is on the fact that the unbelief of the people limited the work the Lord Jesus could do in that area.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits."

The Lord Jesus sent out the disciples in twos, partly for the accountability. But, also, as the Scriptures have established, it is by the mouth of two witnesses that every word is established. The Lord Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. So two witnesses were enough to substantiate the message. The disciples were there to witness the event and supply the name and the power of God and their mutual testimony to the people of that place. 

The disciples knew, based on what the Lord Jesus has told them in Mark 4:15, that "Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching" from some. However, in Mark 3:27, they had also heard the Lord Jesus say that He had bound the "strong person," meaning Satan himself. They had watched the Lord Jesus preach, cast out demons, heal the sick, and even raise the dead. By teaching them, while using His parables, the Lord Jesus had taught them to expect rejection but to believe that the kingdom of God is moving into the hearts of men, regardless of how things might appear.

Putting up an image or the appearance that we have it all together is dangerous. As believers in the Lord Jesus, we are often tempted to put up the image that everything is good, and, choose not to be real. It is dangerous to lead people to think that we have no troubles. In fact, I have discovered that my troubles advance the gospel. Especially, if I walk with Him each day. And, when I do not walk with Him, those opportunities are often missed.  

The Lord Jesus orchestrated the disciples’ transition from being spectators to being participants. Based on the parables and on the rejection the Lord Jesus received in some places, the disciples had been prepared to expect the worst. Some would "hear the word and accept it," while others would "not receive" or "listen" to the disciples. 

In v.8-9 of today's passage we read, "8 He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money. 9 He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes."

Without provisions, the disciples would be dependent on the hospitality of the people in the villages they visited. The Lord Jesus’ instructions forced them to believe in Him to open doors.  Often, God chooses leanness for us, so that we will not mistake the origin of His provision. We must be careful to recognize His curriculum for our lives.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 'Wherever you go,' he said, 'stay in the same house until you leave town. 11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.'"

Hospitality was huge in biblical days. A traveler back then, didn't have to look for a hotel when he arrived in a town. It was the responsibility of the town to show hospitality and to give what was necessary for those who were traveling. A stranger was always invited into the people's homes for a night of two. 

To "shake the dust off of their feet" meant if the people refused the free gift of salvation, the disciples were to make a statement of what will happen to those who refuse to believe in the grace of the God of the Bible. As the Lord Jesus would later say in John 3:17-18, "17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son."

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God."

Now, when the disciples went out, they went out with the gospel to inform the people; "Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus will not be separated from God for eternity, but, will have everlasting life." That was the message these disciples took to these towns around Galilee. And, their trips were only overnighters, so they did not need any supplies. They were to trust the Lord as they went. As a result, they saw the Lord open doors, and they walked through those opened doors, and, they shared the message of the gospel with the people who were receptive to them and the gospel. It was a message of God's love and salvation. It also included telling the people to repent or to change their mind about salvation, that it was a free gift for those who had long tried to earn God's favor. This enabled them to enter into that which God had in mind all along, a personal relationship with Him.

 
The seeming ineffectiveness of the Lord Jesus in His hometown was overshadowed by the disciples’ effectiveness in the surrounding villages. Sometimes, embracing the Lord Jesus involves facing the rejection of people we love. If we follow Him, however, rejection always has the ability to turn into an opportunity. He orchestrates our transition from being spectators to being participants, sharing His mission with us, sending us into a resistant but needy world.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil."

Miracles accompanied the gospel message in order to authenticate the message. Also, in the Old Testament, olive oil was a symbol of God’s presence. When someone of note was anointed, they were anointed with oil which was symbolic of God's blessing and presence. This was a reminder to all present that they weren’t the source of the power, they were just the channel of it. And by that simple symbol, they, in a familiar way, passed the glory back to the Lord. 

Mark 6:1-6

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"1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. 4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief." ~ Mark 6:1-6

Today, we transition into Mark 6 which has as its emphasis the message of Christ. This chapter divides into three sections: the first is found in v.1-20, the second in v.21-34, and the third is in v.35-43. The emphasis on this first section is on the fact that the unbelief of the people limited the work the Lord Jesus could do in that area.

After healing the woman with the twelve year issue of blood, and, raising from the dead the twelve year old daughter of the synagogue ruler, the Lord Jesus has traveled back home to Nazareth, from the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee which was about 22 miles away. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?"

The people of Jesus’ hometown naturally had difficulty with this "hometown" boy. In fact, on that first Sabbath the Lord Jesus had returned home, the townsfolk let Him know what they thought about Him. Literally, they were perplexed by the Lord Jesus for they had always known Him to be a lowly carpenter. They had no idea that He could be the Savior of the world.

Interestingly, the church going folks should have recognized the Lord Jesus for who He was since there are so many passages in the Old Testament that tells us about Him. Yet, the people there in Nazareth were not in the habit of looking for God through the Scriptures. Thus, when the Lord Jesus began His ministry, they mislabeled Him as a lowly educated person. 

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him."

The Greek word translated "carpenter" literally means a craftsman. This was typically somebody who was a blue-collar worker. In ancient times a carpenter was somebody who could build anything from a chicken coop to a home. Since most of the buildings were made of stone, it is believed the Lord Jesus was primarily a stonemason. 

The hometown folk did not see the Lord Jesus as a Rabbi,  for He did not jump through the hoops of their system. The people saw Him as a man who worked with his hands. After all, He got His hands dirty. They thought He could not be the Messiah because He did not fit their definition of Messiah. And, they had been "deeply offended" just a few weeks earlier when He subtly claimed to be the Messiah after His reading in the synagogue.

 

The Lord Jesus refused to allow the flawed perception of sinful man to define Him. He set a real good precedent here for you and me. Sadly, most people are defined too much by what others think rather than what God thinks. The Lord Jesus illustrated for us well what it looks like to be defined by the Father in heaven. We are best defined by Him when we obey His word.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."

Whereas the people in the hometown of the Lord Jesus were astonished by His teaching, they remained in their unbelief regarding His identity. And, although faith in the God of the Bible is tremendously powerful, unbelief is equally as powerful. The power of unbelief was and is so great that it cast all humankind into a separated state with reference to God. And, its impact will also extend throughout all eternity for those who resist the luring of God to believe in Him.

In v.5-6 of today's passage we read, "5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief."

In this moment, the Lord Jesus accentuated the people’s inability to believe. It was unbelief in the God of the Bible that brought the curse upon all of humanity. And, it is unbelief in the Son of God that catapults people into eternal hell. When we are defined by our unbelief in the God of the Bible, we will be defined by something else. Most are most often defined by their fallen understanding of life.

The Lord Jesus could not work any miracles in Nazareth because the people lacked faith in Him. There is a very serious relationship between His work in this world and our faith in Him. Indicated here is the idea that the Lord Jesus desired and would have done much more, but the people's lack of belief in Him prevented it. In fact, "He was totally blown away by their unbelief."

In the same way that faith is contagious, unbelief is contagious. 

Adam and Eve failed to enter into God's promise because of their unbelief. The world at large failed at the preaching of Noah, only eight people got into that boat. The results of the Flood was an incredible example of the power of unbelief. Pharaoh hardened his heart against God in unbelief and the firstborn of his household died. When our view of the Lord Jesus fails to bring us to our knees, we painstakingly fall short of His power.

Mark 5:35-43

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35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, “Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.” 36 But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38 When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and crying loudly. 39 Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you crying and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. So, after throwing them out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was. 41 Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means, “Young girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42 At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat. ~ Mark 5:35-43

Today, we return to our study of Mark 5 where the Lord Jesus has just healed the lady with the twelve year old bleeding problem. She had waited twelve years, whereas, Jairus' only waited for a short while, but, for Jairus, the waiting felt like a lifetime. 

In v.35-36 of today's passage we read, "35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of the synagogue leader. They said, 'Your daughter is dead. There is no need to bother the teacher anymore.' 36 But Jesus paid no attention to what they said. He told the synagogue leader, 'Don’t be afraid; just believe.'"

While the Lord Jesus was healing the lady with the issue of blood, news reached Jairus that his daughter had died. The delay had proven deadly. And, at that moment Jairus was advised to not trouble the Lord Jesus anymore. However, the Lord Jesus encouraged Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe." Literally, the Lord Jesus said to Jairus, "Stop fearing; keep on believing." That is to say, "You came with faith, you trusted that I could do this, stop your fearing. Maintain that level of faith that you had. Keep believing."

At this point, the words of Psalm 55:4-5 best described Jairus. It reads, "My heart is in anguish within me. Horror has overwhelmed me. Fear and trembling come upon me. The terrors of death have fallen upon me." 

No doubt, Jairus went numb, and, his greatest fear was his present reality. The cure for our fears is faith in the God of the Bible. When we are devastated like Jairus was that day, it is because we lack faith in the God of the Bible. But, when we exercise our faith in Him, our fears are kept in check. 

We can only imagine what the remaining walk was like for Jairus as they approached his house. I am sure he thought to himself, "Could it be that a miracle can still happen?" Real faith entertains such. It doesn't guarantee the Lord will do what we want, but real faith entertains it, especially when the Lord specifically promises it.

In v.37-38 of today's passage we read, "37 Jesus let only Peter, James, and John the brother of James go with him. 38 When they came to the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus found many people there making lots of noise and crying loudly."

This is the first time in Mark's Gospel the Lord Jesus revealed He had an inner circle. He allowed Peter, James, and John to join Him as He went into the little girls room, along with her parents. But, before He entered the house, the Lord Jesus encountered the people mourning the death of this little girl. Middle Eastern funerals were loud events with lots of wailing and screaming. Because they buried their dead very quickly, they only had a short opportunity to show how much they really loved her.

In v.39-40 of today's passage we read, "39 Jesus entered the house and said to them, “Why are you crying and making so much noise? The child is not dead, only asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. So, after throwing them out of the house, Jesus took the child’s father and mother and his three followers into the room where the child was."

The contrast was so very evident between the hopelessness of the mourners and the hopefulness of the Lord Jesus. Faith in the God of the Bible is the greatest antidote to our fears. But, when we are in the middle of the intense pain, it is hard to navigate in the arena of hope. But, believing that God is sovereign and that He works in every detail of our lives is the only correct way to navigate our lives in this world, whether He chooses to perform a miracle or not.

Death is not what it appears when faith in the God of the Bible is present. Death is merely temporary, and, is nothing more serious than going to sleep. It is only on this side of the curtain that is death our enemy. Just beyond the curtain, the monster turns out to be our friend. The label death is still on the bottle, but the contents are eternal life. Death is our friend because it reminds us that heaven is as near as a heartbeat. 

In v.41-43 of today's passage we read, "41 Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!” (This means, “Young girl, I tell you to stand up!”) 42 At once the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed. 43 Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell people about this. Then he told them to give the girl something to eat."

It was at this point that the Lord Jesus went into the room where the dead little girl was, alone with her parents, Peter, James and John. And from this moment on, Peter's account of this episode is woven throughout Mark's account. Even the very language the Lord Jesus employed at the bedside of the little girl is repeated, for Peter never forgot those words. 

In v.41, we read, "Taking hold of the girl’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha, koum!." 

According to Numbers 19, a dead body was considered unclean. Like the woman before, the Lord Jesus came into contact with the dead, and by doing so, He availed Himself to death. Of course, this would not be the only time He did this. Then, He commanded the twelve year old to stand on her feet. Like the woman before, in that moment He restored the little girl to community. It was His touch that raised her to life. Death departs in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

According to v.42, "... the girl stood right up and began walking. (She was twelve years old.) Everyone was completely amazed."

This little girl not only had life, she had all the normal strength of a twelve-year-old. This is the way it is in every single of the miracles the Lord Jesus ever performed. Every one of His miracles were complete miracles.

The Lord Jesus could have healed this little girl from afar. But, had He, His personal touch of compassion would be missing in this story. And, it is obvious this is one element that He accentuates in this chapter. And, to underscore the fact that she was alive, the Lord Jesus told the people to get her something to eat.

The two main characters in this narrative belong together, yet they were as far apart as they could have been. Jairus would have had nothing to do with a woman whose condition excluded her from the synagogue. Yet, they are brought together in this story by their suffering, their desperation, and, by their faith in the God of the Bible. It is good to be desperate, because when we are desperate, we are more willing to throw ourselves at the feet of the Lord Jesus, begging Him to bring His kingdom to bare in our lives.

Mark 5:30-34

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30 At once Jesus felt power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His followers said, “Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him. 33 The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth. 34 Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed of your disease.” ~ Mark 5:30-34

Today, we return to the presentation of Mark of the Lord Jesus and His earthly ministry. We find ourselves in Galilee and the Lord Jesus is interacting with a crowd of people there, helping the sick and delivering the message of forgiveness from God.

In v.30 of today's passage we read, "At once Jesus felt power go out from him. So he turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'"

There were many there that day in the crowd pressing against the Lord Jesus. And, this woman had been watching the Lord Jesus touch people all day, and whenever He touched them, the people got better. So, naturally, she thought, "If he can touch people and they get better, I bet it'll work in reverse. If I touched him, I'll be better."

So, she set as the point of contact the very edge of His robe. And, when she touched it, her faith in Him activated the possibility into fact. She was healed. And, she and the Lord Jesus felt it, immediately. The Lord Jesus always notices our touch of faith. 

In v.31 of today's passage we read, "His followers said, 'Look at how many people are pushing against you! And you ask, ‘Who touched me?’"

Unaware that this woman had been healed, the disciples were baffled by this question of the Lord Jesus. Since they lacked full understanding of the events of that day, the disciples were clueless. This is what gets us into trouble most of the time: our lack of knowledge and understanding. In fact, throughout the Scriptures we see this played out over and over again. This is why faith in the God of the Bible is so crucial.

Our daily lives are like a puzzle. Many of the pieces that are put into place are done so painstakingly. The fruits of the Spirit are of utter necessity for us to see the unfolding of His daily plan in our lives. One of the fruits of the Spirit that is most important during our times of trial is patience.

According to Proverbs 14:29,"Patient people have great understanding." I have discovered that my impatience stems from my lack of understanding. Patience always hitches a ride with understanding. Patience is a fruit of His Spirit, and, it hangs from the tree of Galatians 5:22. 

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to wait. The key to patience is deep faith in the sovereign control of God in this world. Whether we are waiting for that special person or that dream job, when we take our small mustard seed of faith and wait around for God to place another piece on our puzzle, we will begin to notice the tapestry that will come forth. This has happened in my life so often, and sadly, I have failed at waiting far more than I have succeeded at being patient.

In v.32 of today's passage we read, "But Jesus continued looking around to see who had touched him."

The Lord Jesus looked around to see this woman. He is relentless, and His pursuit of the heart made alive to Him is dogged. For so long, the only reason anyone ever looked for this lady was to avoid her. But, on that day, the Lord Jesus was different from those who lacked understanding.

In v.33 of today's passage we read, "The woman, knowing that she was healed, came and fell at Jesus’ feet. Shaking with fear, she told him the whole truth."

Like Jairus, this ailing woman fell down before the Lord Jesus, and proceeded to identify herself to Him and to tell Him her story. In Isaiah 10:4 we read, "Without Me they shall bow down among the prisoners, and they shall fall among the slain." This was her story, up until she met the Lord Jesus. And now, she was bowing before the God of all creation. We can not stand before our foes until we have learned to bow before our God.

Worship is not something we do one hour on Sunday. Worship is a product of the frustration of not knowing what will happen next in our lives, and, waiting on the Lord to act in our lives. When we get to this point, we discover that we are being defined by the Lord, and in essence, we find ourselves worshipping Him because we are being defined by Him.

In v.34 of today's passage we read, "Jesus said to her, “Dear woman, you are made well because you believed. Go in peace; be healed of your disease."

The Lord Jesus commends this worn out lady's “faith”. In healing her, the Lord Jesus restored her to the community. That day, the Lord Jesus saw not an outcast but a daughter. He saw not her uncleanness but her faith. Many people in her world didn’t have the time for her, but the Lord Jesus held off an urgent mission and an important man in order to look for her. This lady chose to believe that His power to heal her was greater than the people's ability to alienate her. 

Like this unnamed woman, we often discover that our sorrow erupts from a deep place inside us. Most of our lives we’ve been excluded by others, but not so with the Lord Jesus. He has always included us in on His work in this world. There have been times when we have ached deeply for acceptance. He is the only One who is aware of such aches and He accepts us just as we are. He loves us too much to allow us to remain as we are, but make no mistake, He loves us just as we are. He calls us sons and daughters. He sees what others do not. He sees in us the quality He values most ... He sees vulnerable faith, and, when He sees it, He is pleased. 

Mark 5:25-29

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25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse. 27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his coat. 28 She thought, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Instantly her bleeding stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed from her disease. ~ Mark 5:25-29 

Today, we return to Mark 5 where the Lord Jesus has been going from town to town, healing the sick and preaching the Good News about the forgiveness of sin. On this particular day, we note the change of heart in the people who lived in the area where the man possessed by as many as 6000 demons lived. The tremendous change in the hearts of the people was due to the changed life of the former demonic man. It is obvious that he went throughout the area telling his story to whomever would listen.

In v.25-26 of today's text we read, "25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered very much from many doctors and had spent all the money she had, but instead of improving, she was getting worse."

Mark interrupts the story of the desperate leader of the synagogue and his twelve year old daughter with the story of a woman who had an issue with bleeding for twelve years. The bleeding this woman was experiencing made her unclean and unfit for worship in the synagogue over which Jairus presided. According to the Law of Moses, if she had touched anyone in her condition, they also would have been pronounced unclean. But, like Jairus, she was desperate. She had spent her life’s savings on physicians to no avail.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "...but instead of improving, she was getting worse." 

This lady's condition had not only made her socially poor, it also made her economically poor. However, through her poverty she was being made rich, spiritually. Had she not gotten worse, she would not have come to experience the touch of the Lord Jesus. When our trials increase, we must find our way to worship God through them, because God will deepen us with Him through those hard times if we are receptive to that deepening. 

This condition this lady had was bigger than anything in her life. And, her encounter with God was to teach her how to see that God is bigger than her biggest problems. This is the point of all of our problems: to discover that He is bigger than any of them. And, He always uses them to enable us to see Him with our hearts as He is, and, to bring about His biggest purposes in our lives.

God did not create evil, but He did create the potential for evil. The Bible says God is good and only does good things, He does not commit evil acts. But, He created the possibility of evil by giving people free choice. There could not be a world where there is genuine freedom and thus the ultimate value, which is love, unless there were human choice. We can not have human choice unless we give people an actual choice between the highest good or the highest evil. 

So, if people do certain activities, take certain substances, incur certain consequences, that's because God has allowed free choice. And, God had to allow free choice because there could not be genuine love, which is the highest value, unless there were absolute freedom of choice. 

God desires for us the response of Jairus and this woman with this issue with bleeding. He desires for us worship. They both bowed down before Him. He desires this not for His benefit but for ours. You see, He knows that what we worship will define us. The problem is our pain either moves us to God or moves us away from God. At the end of it all, it is our choice.

In v.27-28 of today's text we read, "27 When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his coat. 28 She thought, 'If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.'"

 
In v.23 Jairus wanted the Lord Jesus to touch his daughter. In v.27 the woman wanted to touch the Lord Jesus. Jairus risked his position by associating with the Lord Jesus, while this woman risked being thrown out of the city by touching the Lord Jesus. They knew that this was the risk they had to take, for they had run out of options. And, after touching the Lord Jesus, the woman was healed.

Mark 5:21-25

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21 When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. 22 A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and fell at his feet. 23 He begged Jesus, saying again and again, “My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. ~ Mark 5:21-25

Today, we return to our study of Mark 5 where the Lord Jesus delivered a man of demon possession. As a result, the Lord Jesus gave this once out of control man a life changing story that was useful in sharing the Gospel with others. The life changing story the Lord Jesus gave this formerly demon-possessed man screams at us that the Lord Jesus is not repelled by us, no matter how messy we are, and regardless of how messed up our lives are or have been. 

When we recognize that the Lord Jesus is not put out by our messed up condition, we are naturally moved deeply. This is largely what changes the hearts of all who encounter Him. Once we begin seeing that He is not turned off by our messiness, and, that He doggedly pursues us, no matter what, it is as if our eyes are seeing for the first time. Those to be pitied in this world are not the formerly demon-possessed, those to be pitied are those who have eyes that are yet closed to the wonderful person who chose to go through hell to be our Savior.

In v.21-23 of today's passage we read, "21 When Jesus went in the boat back to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him there. 22 A leader of the synagogue, named Jairus, came there, saw Jesus, and fell at his feet. 23 He begged Jesus, saying again and again, 'My daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so she will be healed and will live.'"

Jairus was the official in charge of the synagogue. In the first century, the ruler of the synagogue was the one who was in charge of maintaining the building and organizing the synagogue services. Jairus was the highest standing spiritual authority in the city of Capernaum. He was probably a Pharisee, and, they were not that fond of the Lord Jesus. So, it's interesting that a man of this stature and standing, came to the Lord Jesus to ask for his twelve year old daughter to be healed.

Jairus, given his position, had to overcome his prejudice toward the Lord Jesus. In order to do so, he had to overcome his pride. But, he was desperate because the life of his daughter was at stake. And when we are desperate, we are more prone to embrace the very valuable characteristic of humility. Suffering always involves a certain measure of desperation. And, it is out of such a context that we are most likely to look up to the Sovereign One. 

Until we are in these types of conditions, we typically live our lives looking inward or outward, but rarely upward. But when something happens like this, we are more prone to call upon the Lord. That's why C. S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasure, but he shouts to us in our pains."  

Obviously, Jairus had heard of the Lord Jesus and His power to heal, so he reached out to Him. Jairus risked his position, as the ruler of the synagogue, when he went to the Lord Jesus for help. According to v.22, Jairus bowed down before the Lord Jesus which was an act of worship. Jairus was the kind of Jew least likely to seek out the Lord Jesus for help, but he was desperate and he loved his daughter so much.

Undoubtedly, Jairus was thinking the Lord Jesus had healed others before, maybe He could heal my little girl. What a picture of a loving father who is most willing to do anything for the good of his daughter. In fact, according to v.23, Jairus came to the Lord Jesus "begging." There is that word again. How humiliating was this moment for this proud religious leader. And yet, he embraced it. God responds to such displays of humility. In James 4:6 we read, "... God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."

In this case, the request of this hurting father was specific. He requested that the Lord Jesus "come and put Hs hands on her so she would be healed and would live." Life, he desperately hoped, was to be found in the touch of the Lord Jesus. As we study the Gospels, we often see the Lord Jesus reaching out with his hand to touch people. In Matthew 8:14-15, He touched Peter’s wife’s mother and took away her fever. According to Matthew 9:27-31, He touched the eyes of two blind men and gave them sight. In Mark 7:31-35 we learn that He touched the ears and the tongue of a deaf mute and gave him the ability to hear and speak. And, according to Mark 1:40-42, He touched a leper and made him whole.

In v.24-25 of today's passage we read, "24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed Jesus and pushed very close around him. 25 Among them was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years."

The emphasis in this story which will be interrupted by a woman with a health issue of twelve years, is that of desperation. Here, we  find a fascinating contrast, and I believe it's here by design. Jairus had a twelve-year-old daughter, and, this woman had a twelve-year-old disease. For twelve years this daughter brought nothing but joy to Jairus, and, for twelve years this disease brought nothing but torment to this woman. 

These stories are our stories. We all, at various times, have been confronted with situations that made us desperate. It has been my experience that when I dig down deeper in my walk with the Lord that I discover real reality. It has been my experience that when, on the heels of some of the most desperate moments in my life, that I have learned to entertain the right questions. And, as a result, I have discovered that it is the Lord who has the right answers to those questions. 

When we are desperate for the Lord, we are in a good spot. Our desperation causes us to throw aside the dumb stuff in life that we tend to value more than we should. In the end, our desperation serves us, causing us to ask the right questions and to invest in the right kingdom ... His kingdom and His definitions for the life that we all long for.

Mark 5:18-20

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18 As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who was freed from the demons begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus would not let him. He said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man left and began to tell the people in the Ten Towns about what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed. ~ Mark 5:18-20

We return, today, to Mark 5, to the story of the man who was demon possessed with up to 6000 demons. Miraculously, after the townsfolk had tried for years to control this erratic man, the Lord Jesus delivered him from the control of the dark side which had tormented him incessantly. 

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who was freed from the demons begged to go with him."

Once this man had been delivered by the Lord Jesus, he did not want to live another day without having Him in his life. This is the way it works, once we have truly come into a personal relationship with the Lord, we want to hang out with Him all of the time. The once demon shackled man "begged" the Lord to allow him to go with Him. 

That word "begged" is a common word in Mark's gospel. The demons who were once in this man from the Gadarenes "begged" the Lord Jesus to let them go into the pigs. And, now the previously demon-possessed man "begged" Him to let him go with Him. This is what a tormented soul who has been made alive to God desires. For the first time in his life, he desired to be with the One who is wholly. 

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "But Jesus would not let him. He said, 'Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.'"

The Lord Jesus sent this guy to share his story with his people, but he had no witnessing training. If we have a story with the Lord, we need no other training. This man, by the way, is the first preacher the Lord Jesus ever sent out. He had not yet sent the apostles out to preach the gospel. This is the first person the Lord Jesus ever sent out to preach His name, and he is a Gentile who had a really messed up past. And when the Lord gave him a testimony, it was a heck of a story. And, it was powerful because he had been demon possessed for so long. And, the people knew his story. From the moment we were born again, we were given the desire to tell others the great things the Lord has done for us. This is one of the greatest signs that we have entered into a personal relationship with the Lord.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "So the man left and began to tell the people in the Ten Towns about what Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed."

The name of the region where this man lived was Decapolis which was a region of ten cities east of the Jordan River. This delivered man worked his way through those ten cities telling the people about his miraculous encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Mark 7:31-32 we read, "31 Then Jesus left the area around Tyre and went through Sidon to Lake Galilee, to the area of the Ten Towns. 32 While he was there, some people brought a man to him who was deaf and could not talk plainly. The people begged Jesus to put his hand on the man to heal him."

The once demon-possessed man had been sharing his story about how the Lord Jesus had delivered him from demon possession for months before the Lord Jesus returned to that area. As, a result, when the people learned that the Lord Jesus had returned to the area, they responded differently than they had before. They brought this deaf man to Him for healing. The once demon-possessed man was given a story by the Lord Jesus that enabled him to tell the whole region who the Lord Jesus was; and when He came back, the crowds were prepared to receive Him and His message.

"Everyone was amazed." There were amazed by the story of the once demon-possessed man. The Greek word used in Mark 5:20 translated "amazed" means "to admire with wonder." This was the first missionary the Lord Jesus ever sent out. And, his story with the Lord Jesus was a story about God's grace.

"Lifestyle evangelism" is an evangelism strategy that focuses on our personal relationship with the Lord Jesus lived in the presence of those who have yet to enter into a personal relationship with Him. This is done with the goal of attracting them to the message and to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. According to Acts 5:13, Christians of the early church were known for their good works, being "highly regarded by the people." The combination of a vibrant personal relationship with the Lord and a vibrant sharing of that faith with those who know not the Lord around us is the most effective way to being a witness for the Lord Jesus. The key in all of this is that we have a daily and vibrant walk with the Lord Jesus. So, look to Him daily for the stories that He will give you so that you can be like the once demon-possessed man, telling others about what the Lord Jesus has done in your life.

Mark 5:11-17

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11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on a hill near there. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; let us go into them.” 13 So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the hill into the lake and were drowned. 14 The herdsmen ran away and went to the town and to the countryside, telling everyone about this. So people went out to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who used to have the many evil spirits, sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. And they were frightened. 16 The people who saw this told the others what had happened to the man who had the demons living in him, and they told about the pigs. 17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area. ~ Mark 5:11-17

Today, we return to our study of Mark 5 where the Lord Jesus and His disciples are on the eastside of the Sea of Galilee in a gentile area known as the area of the Gerasene people. Among the Gerasenes, faith in the God of the Bible was lacking. As a result, the demonic activity there was high because there was low impact of the truth. The people there had long rejected the truth, and so, the work of the enemy was heightened.

After arriving in this area, a demon possessed man ran down to meet the Lord Jesus and His disciples. After a short discussion the Lord Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. And, this is where we pick up the story.

In v.11-13 of today's passage we read, "11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on a hill near there. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us into the pigs; let us go into them.” 13 So Jesus allowed them to do this. The evil spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of pigs—about two thousand of them—rushed down the hill into the lake and were drowned." 

When the demons were cast out of this man, they entered into a large herd of pigs. And, all two thousand pigs rushed down the mountainside and drowned in the sea. Unable to destroy this man, the demons destroyed the pigs. The pigs' death was a testimony to this man and a to all who looked on that this once bound man had been freed from the demons. The Lord Jesus allowed the demons to overtake the pigs because it provided proof that they had left the man. The demons did not want to leave the man, but they had to because the Lord Jesus was there to bring deliverance to him. This was the Lord Jesus' way of making visible His ability to free a person from the stronghold of satanic deception.

In v.14-15 of today's passage we read, "14 The herdsmen ran away and went to the town and to the countryside, telling everyone about this. So people went out to see what had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and saw the man who used to have the many evil spirits, sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. And they were frightened."

All of the people of the area came to see what had happened that day. And, when they arrived on the scene of the miracle, they saw the man who was once uncontrollable and out of his mind, sitting with a sane mind at the feet of the Lord Jesus. These deceived people saw what the Lord could do in a person's life. It was obvious that the once bound man had been set free and the people had no more reason to fear him as they had before. 

But, all of this frightened the people of the Lord Jesus. They lacked the ability to recognize God in their midst. So trained were they by the deceptive powers of darkness, they could not see the light. Before, they were frightened by the demon-possessed man, but now, they are frightened of the Lord. This man who was so violent, was made obviously harmless, yet the people were frightened more by his deliverance than they were of his bondage. This story describes the trauma of holiness that we see throughout the Bible from those who come into the presence of God and are at odds to Him.

When the truth came to this people, they were so defined by error that they could not recognize the truth. We see this in Romans 1 where the Apostle Paul informs us that the God of the Bible who was invisible and unknowable to sinful man, made Himself visible and knowable. He has given us visible proof of His existence in the creation and through our conscience to apprehend His existence.

Sinful people who love their sin more than the truth deliberately refuse to acknowledge the revelation of God. As a result man's moral capacities are darkened and they turn off the revelation of God. Then they do something so detrimental to their souls, they cease to be thankful to God. All of this has a deadening effect upon our ability to respond to truth. This is the deceptive work of the enemy. Compounded deception is very hard to undo.

In Romans 1:21 we read, "Nor were they thankful but became futile or empty in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools." 

Those who reject knowledge of God end up as "fools."  As I am sure that you know, the temperature of the sun is 12,000 degrees Fahrenheit and the Earth is 93 million miles away from the sun giving us the temperatures that we enjoy on this earth. If the Earth were the slightest bit closer, we would all burn up. If we were the slightest bit farther away, we would freeze to death. And, add to that, the Earth spins on its axis 365 and 1/3 times as it makes its journey around the sun. As a result, we enjoy the four seasons that we have. Otherwise, life, as we know it, could not be sustained on this planet. The alternate freezing and burning would be too much. This is why the Earth is tilted on its axis 23 degrees, which contributes to the four seasons that we do enjoy.  

One would have to be a "fool" to say all of this is a product of time plus chance plus nothing. As described by the Apostle Paul further in Romans 1, the progressive nature of rejecting the truth leads to senselessness. This is the nature of Satan's way, degeneration.

In Mark 5:16-17 we read, "16 The people who saw this told the others what had happened to the man who had the demons living in him, and they told about the pigs. 17 Then the people began to beg Jesus to leave their area."

One would think that this kind of miracle would cause a revival in that whole area, but it sadly did not. The people begged the Lord Jesus to leave. Instead of wanting to hear more, they were motivated by their fear more than the potential birth of faith in the God of the Bible. These people were more afraid of God's presence in their lives than they were of the demons that once possessed the cave dwelling man. Rather than rejoicing over the deliverance of the man from demonic possession, the people begged the Lord Jesus to leave because they loved money more than the rule of God in their lives.

Here in Mark 5, we see the parables of Mark 4 being played out in the life of this once demon enslaved man. After meeting the Lord Jesus, his heart was now characterized by the good soil in the parables of the sower and of the seed. No longer was he enslaved to evil, now, he was enslaved to good, bearing good fruit a hundredfold. And the people in the town were the opposite, they remained dead to God because of their unforgiven sin.