Who Is This?
Notes
Transcript
1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.
2 And when he had stepped out of the boat, immediately a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit met him.
3 He lived among the tombs; and no one could restrain him any more, even with a chain;
4 for he had often been restrained with shackles and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the shackles he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always howling and bruising himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down before him;
7 and he shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”
8 For he had said to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”
10 He begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
11 Now there on the hillside a great herd of swine was feeding;
12 and the unclean spirits begged him, “Send us into the swine; let us enter them.”
13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.
14 The swineherds ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came to see what it was that had happened.
15 They came to Jesus and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.
16 Those who had seen what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine reported it.
17 Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.
18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by demons begged him that he might be with him.
19 But Jesus refused, and said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy he has shown you.”
20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
INTRODUCTION
Everything that happens in life, happens within a context, and that, of course is true of these stories told to us by the gospel writers. The last story of chapter 4 is deeply connected to this story that we read from chapter 5. Directly before this story, Mark tells us about a time that Jesus was sleeping in the boat while a storm was raging until the terrified disciples woke Him up and He commanded the wind and the waves, saying: “Quiet! Be still!” With those words, the storm subsides immediately! The storm was over, but the disciples were still terrified. It’s just that they had been terrified of the storm - they woke Jesus up because they thought He needed to help them bale water or something, but instead, He shouts a command and the wind and waves obey - so now, they are terrified of Jesus! and they asked the question: Who Is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!”
Within that context the question is fresh on our minds when we read the passage that I read earlier. It’s the most important question in the Gospel story. Mark started His Gospel by telling us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God - In his gospel he describes how others come to this conclusion as well. Who is this? It’s an important question - it was important for the disciples, and it is important for us as well.
Jesus and the disciples come to shore in a Gentile land, and with the question still fresh on the minds of the disciples and Mark’s readers, we are told about this man that was possessed by demons, living in tombs. He had wounds that were self-inflicted, and He immediately answers the question that the disciples were asking. The question, who is this? The answer is shouted by the demon possessed man: “what do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”
Who is this? This is Jesus, Son of the Most High God.
BODY
1) Jesus and his disciples enter a gentile land.
1) Jesus and his disciples enter a gentile land.
a) Mark notes that they enter the region of the Gerasenes. There is some question about exactly where this location is, but there is widespread agreement that it was an area that was filled with Gentiles.
b) There are several clues within the context of this story to tell us that it was an area that had plenty of Gentiles - for example, there was a herd of pigs - that wouldn’t happen in a Jewish area. Mark wants to make it clear that Jesus’s mission is clearly expanding to those outside Judaism.
2) The demon possessed man is described in great detail, to the dismay of Jewish listeners.
2) The demon possessed man is described in great detail, to the dismay of Jewish listeners.
a) He lives in the tombs. It was commonly believed at the time that demons were the spirits of the dead, so a Jewish audience hearing about someone described as living in the tombs would understand he was demon-possessed. The tombs detail would also trigger thoughts of uncleanness to Jewish ears—because Jews weren’t supposed to touch dead bodies.
b) He cuts himself with stones. Leviticus 19:28 forbids “cutting your bodies for the dead.” In the Old Testament story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal on the mountain, the prophets of Baal cut themselves as a form of worship of their false god. Self-injury was often a sign of worship in pagan religions. A Jewish audience would hear that he cut himself and that fact, again, would underline that he was unclean.
c) There are pigs. As I alluded to earlier, the fact that there was a herd of pigs would have been despicable to the Jews, because pigs were considered an unclean animal. They may have appreciated that the pigs were drowned, but pigs themselves were an unclean animal, and now they were dead pigs. This scene shouts “unclean” to the Jewish listeners. In addition:
d) He may be naked. When others are called to see what has happened, they find the man “dressed and in his right mind.” The implication is that, just as he was not in his right mind previously, he also was not clothed. Public nakedness is a shameful thing now, it was also a shameful thing in Jewish culture and another signal to Jews that the man was unclean.
3) Jesus’s interaction with this unclean gentile demoniac should, according to Jewish law, also make Jesus unclean—but instead of being made unclean, Jesus makes the man clean and well.
3) Jesus’s interaction with this unclean gentile demoniac should, according to Jewish law, also make Jesus unclean—but instead of being made unclean, Jesus makes the man clean and well.
a) Jewish law is clear that in order to remain pure and holy, a person had to avoid doing things that would make them unclean but also avoid touching and interacting with unclean people. This is why those deemed unclean had to leave communities or announce their uncleanness to passersby.
b) Jesus breaks an expected boundary in all kinds of ways. First, rabbis are not expected to enter gentile areas. Then a demoniac approaches him, and instead of ignoring the man, Jesus engages him.
c) The expected outcome, for he Jewish readers is that Jesus would become unclean. But Mark ignores that concept and points out that not only does Jesus not become unclean by this encounter, He has the power to make the demon-possessed man clean. This detail is important because it connects with the stories following this one.
i) In the following verses, Jesus raises a dead girl to life—by touching her, which Jews were not supposed to do or they would be unclean. However, instead of becoming unclean, Jesus raises the girl to life.
ii) While he is on his way to heal the dead girl, Jesus also heals a woman who has been hemorrhaging blood for more than a decade. Jewish women who were bleeding were viewed as unclean. But when the bleeding woman touches Jesus, he is not made unclean; she is made well and clean.
d) Jesus is redefining the boundaries of holiness. They are no longer about avoidance. Jesus longs to see all people restored to wholeness and life, regardless of how “unclean” they may be currently.
4) Who is he? He not only can calm the wind and waves, He is also the one who has the power to restore people to a place of wholeness and health in the community.
4) Who is he? He not only can calm the wind and waves, He is also the one who has the power to restore people to a place of wholeness and health in the community.
a) Someone who was viewed as unclean and unwanted, both by Jews and gentiles, becomes restored to the community. This is a very clear image: the man physically lived outside the community, and now is drawn into community. He was also separated from himself in many ways, and was given wholeness and clarity of mind.
b) There is powerful use of military language in this story, which can mean a few different things, but it seems to point to the power that Jesus has.
i) Legion—the name of the group of demons inside the man—is a word used to describe a division of the Roman army made up of about six thousand soldiers.
ii) Jesus “orders” the demons with the word used for military command.
iii) The pigs rushing into the sea is the same language used for troops rushing into battle.
iv) The imagery shows how powerful the opposition to Jesus is, yet the way the story is told emphasizes the strength and power of Jesus.
c) This story again answers the question, who is he? Even the wind and waves obey. Even powerful demons obey. Even the Roman military, by implication, is powerless before the Messiah.
5) Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, longs to bring wholeness and healing to all of us.
5) Jesus, the Son of the Most High God, longs to bring wholeness and healing to all of us.
a) During Lent, we have time to reflect deeply on the ways that we have been separated from God and from community. At times these reflections make us feel unworthy. We sometimes look at our sin and think there is no way that God would want us.
b) We are reminded that God is God with us. God goes to where we are, wherever that might be, to illustrate his love for us. While it might have been shocking to the Jewish listeners to witness the Messiah behaving in ways they didn’t expect, it is in God’s character to love that much.
c) Jesus clearly viewed holiness as love-centered instead of law-centered. We have this tendency to want to draw up boundary lines and define holiness by law, but God doesn’t define it only in that way. When we are motivated by love—when we are holy—the love and grace are more infectious than uncleanness of sin. How do we do that?
i) We must be focused on our love for God and others instead of on rules. When people reject faith, it is often more about rejecting what they perceive as unloving rules. People are drawn in to relationship with God when we show people love instead of harsh judgement.
ii) Others are longing, this season and always, for a God who loves them and will go the distance for them, who has the power to save them too. We are the ones who carry that message with our presence, our care, and our love.
CONCLUSION
Who is this man? Waves and wind obey him. Demons are commanded with power. And we are all set free to live lives of wholeness and community.
Whatever is trapping us, whatever is keeping us away from wholeness and community, Jesus desires to set us free. But he also desires to set those around us free too. We are the ones who are able to share this message of hope and love with others. We are to be the ones who don’t run from those the world despises. Instead, we embrace them because we know that love transforms people in the most powerful and beautiful ways. It restores all of us to community again.
The Communion Supper that we celebrate this morning reminds us that we are all broken and undeserving of His love and grace, but He loved us enough to give His life for us.
The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return.
The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ.
All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.
In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. And so we pray:
The minister may offer a prayer of confession and supplication, concluding with the following prayer of consecration:
Holy God,
We gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.
On the night in which He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
Likewise, when the supper was over, He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
(Matthew 26:27–29, Luke 22:19)
And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.
By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, let us pray:
(Here the congregation may pray the Lord’s Prayer)
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.
The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, broken for you, preserve you blameless, unto everlasting life. Eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.
The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, shed for you, preserve you blameless unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.