Sermon Tone Analysis

Back into Marks Gospel this morning folks, and if you remember the title of our series through Mark was “The Matchless Power of the Mighty Miracle Worker” and we have seen Christ power indeed displayed, have we not?

Only last week we saw his power over nature, as he calmed the storm on the sea of Galilee.

Now things are going to pick as we have some quick-fire demonstrations of power from the Lord, this morning and the coming weeks we will see the Lord demonstrate his power over demons, disease and death, as he delivers a Man, a woman and a child from the grip these things.

Let’s read..

Mark 5:1-21

Introduction

Daytime television is filled with programmes that show the renovation of homes, there are plenty of flavours of this type of programme, from people buying homes in disrepair with a view to renovating, to those which have the tradesmen come into a existing home to give it a makeover.

Illustration: Often when Clare and I are driving we would see an old run down house and say - look there’s a fixer upper!

What are we saying?

We are effectively saying that the Building has a low value now but with a bit of work, or TLC, a makeover the building could be worth something, it could be fit for purpose, nice to look at and live in.

This morning we are looking at the account of the Demoniac of Gadara, and we will will find what stakes place in the life of this man is much more than a makeover, it is indeed a miracle, as the Mighty Miracle worker, Jesus, rescues this man from the grip of the enemy and changes his life forever.

We want to look at this man and see how wonderful his rescue was was, firstly let’s look together at..

The Desperate Man vs 1-5

He was Unclean vs 2-3a

Jesus and his disciples have crossed over and they have come into the country of the Gadarenes

Expand on location briefly

Gentiles

Decapolis

Immediately - They are confronted by a man who was unclean

unclean inside - unclean spirit

unclean outside - dwelling among the tombs

He was Unclothed (Luke 8:27)

This man was naked

No clothes to cover himself

sin had stripped him bare

sin had left him shameless

He was Uncontainable vs3

No Man could bind him!!

They had tried, this man was a terror to society, to the locals

Chains wouldn't do it

No matter how tight or how strong the leash this man broke loose

He was Uncontrollable vs 4

Not only uncontainable but uncontrollable

no man could tame him

important language to note

no man could tame him

they tried but they failed each time

This menace was feral, wild and unstoppable

He was Unconsolable v 5

crying - literally howling

such was this mans torment

his desperation and torment

cutting himself with stones

self harming

nothing new under the sun

So we have a picture of this maniac, this wild man that nobody could tame, that no shackle could hold, the mere look of this man would have you running for the hills, and society had no hope or help for this man, they couldn't do anything do anything,

what a picture of the lost sinner this man is, there is nothing the world can do to save your soul, nothing, its a hopeless state outside of having a personal relationship with Christ.

The world couldn't help this man because this mans problem wasn’t physical it was spiritual

which leads us to

The Demonic Man vs 6-13

The Recognition of Christ vs 6-9

Picture the scene - the disciples look at scene this madman running at them, no doubt screaming, long haired, dirty, naked - can you imagine

He ran and worshipped

He fell prostate

whatever intention he might have had to do harm was quashed in the presence of the almighty

Notice how the demon knew exactly who Jesus was

Jesus sent shockwave through the demonic realm wherever he went

Son of the most high God

The demons acknowledge Christ but they dont bend the knee, for they serve another master

Challenge - I wonder are you here this morning and you acknowledge Christ as the son of God, but you have never surrender to him?

the truth is your in no better place than the demons themselves!

acknowledgement is not enough folks, he has to be Lord of your life

So the demon knew Jesus’s name, but what about the demons name

Jesus commands the name of the demon that is possessing the man

Legion for we are many

A roman legion could be up to 6-7 thousand soilders

think of the depth of this mans tormeng

think of far he gone into the clutches of the devil

The Request to Christ vs 10-12

this demonic force within the man recognises that there is trouble brewing

a request is made to be allowed to enter into the pigs

Response from Christ v 13

how does Jesus respond?

he permits

Jesus didn't send them

he allowed them

Lesson taking place here

We have got to the root of the issue this man is totally controlled and influence by the devil, he is demon possessed and that is the cause of his torment, now in the western world in our society we would label this man as having mental health problems

Illustration - paramedic programme - the devil talks to me

we have seen the desperate man, and indeed the cause in the demonic man, now we will see the cure in the delivered man

The Delivered Man vs 14-21

He was now Clean v 15

He was now Clothed v 15

He was now Contained v 15

He was now Controlled v15

He was now Commanded v 19

Conclusion

What had taken place in the life of this man was nothing short of a miracle, it had to be seen to be believed, and those that knew this man who had been tormented so by the demons of hell, who had been out of his mind was now a new man,

Illustration: David & Hazel, moved house to one that needs work, I said you should take before and after pictures, to really show the difference

Illustration: Before and after picture of me

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling.

The building had been empty for months and needed repairs.

Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.

As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and clean out the garbage.

"Forget about the repairs," the buyer said.

"When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different.

I don't want the building; I want the site."

Compared with the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball.

When we become God's, the old life is over

Its not a patch up job God wants to do in our lives, its a complete rebuild