Mark 5:1-5 "And they came over unto the
other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. (2) And
when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a
man with an unclean spirit, (3) Who had his dwelling among the
tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: (4) Because
that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been
plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man
tame him. (5) And always, night and day, he was in the mountains,
and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones."
Eventually, we will see in this chapter that Jesus made the trip across the sea of Galilee and through the storm to get to this one man. In the book of Luke, we read the parable of the shepherd leaving the 99 to go get the one that had gone astray. For me, it is very comforting to know that I serve and love the Shepherd of my soul. He is my Lord and my Saviour. Does that sound a bit selfish? Well, you can make the same statement as well. He left the 99 to come get me. He left the 99 to go get you. Jesus did not simply die on the cross for a total number of people. He died on the cross for me. He died on the cross for you. We read in Isaiah 49:16, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." I have graven (written) thee upon the palms of my hands. I believe Jesus knew me by name as He died on the cross. I find sweet comfort in knowing that. Yes, Jesus went to the country of the Gadarenes for this one man.
The next thing we see is that people had tried to remedy his situation. How did they try? They bound him with chains. People today still try to remedy their own situations by giving themselves rules and regulations by which to abide. Some think themselves able to keep the 10 commandments and that makes them acceptable to God. Others try to bind the commandments around the necks of people in order to bring them into their idea of alignment. In Acts chapter 15, the counsel came together to discuss what to do with the Gentiles who believed in Jesus. Peter made a very profound statement: "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:10-11) Rules and regulations are necessary in order maintain order, but they do not make us right in the sight of God. There is only one result for anyone trying to maintain the law to keep a right relationship: we become broken and cut to the heart. There is only one element that has made us acceptable unto the Lord: the blood of Jesus. So what maintains our relationship with the Lord? Yes, that's right: the blood of Jesus.
It was necessary for Jesus to make this trip for this one man. It was necessary for Jesus to make the trip for THIS one man, Steve Taylor. It was necessary for Jesus to make the trip for you. Praise God! He made the trip and it was very successful. "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me. And he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." (The words of Jesus in John chapter 6)
May all of our hearts be joined in praising our Lord and Saviour. Let us thank Him that He made the trip from heaven's glory to this earth and endured the storm of the cross that I would be drawn to Him.
Eventually, we will see in this chapter that Jesus made the trip across the sea of Galilee and through the storm to get to this one man. In the book of Luke, we read the parable of the shepherd leaving the 99 to go get the one that had gone astray. For me, it is very comforting to know that I serve and love the Shepherd of my soul. He is my Lord and my Saviour. Does that sound a bit selfish? Well, you can make the same statement as well. He left the 99 to come get me. He left the 99 to go get you. Jesus did not simply die on the cross for a total number of people. He died on the cross for me. He died on the cross for you. We read in Isaiah 49:16, "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." I have graven (written) thee upon the palms of my hands. I believe Jesus knew me by name as He died on the cross. I find sweet comfort in knowing that. Yes, Jesus went to the country of the Gadarenes for this one man.
The next thing we see is that people had tried to remedy his situation. How did they try? They bound him with chains. People today still try to remedy their own situations by giving themselves rules and regulations by which to abide. Some think themselves able to keep the 10 commandments and that makes them acceptable to God. Others try to bind the commandments around the necks of people in order to bring them into their idea of alignment. In Acts chapter 15, the counsel came together to discuss what to do with the Gentiles who believed in Jesus. Peter made a very profound statement: "Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? (11) But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they." (Acts 15:10-11) Rules and regulations are necessary in order maintain order, but they do not make us right in the sight of God. There is only one result for anyone trying to maintain the law to keep a right relationship: we become broken and cut to the heart. There is only one element that has made us acceptable unto the Lord: the blood of Jesus. So what maintains our relationship with the Lord? Yes, that's right: the blood of Jesus.
It was necessary for Jesus to make this trip for this one man. It was necessary for Jesus to make the trip for THIS one man, Steve Taylor. It was necessary for Jesus to make the trip for you. Praise God! He made the trip and it was very successful. "All that the Father giveth me, shall come to me. And he that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out." (The words of Jesus in John chapter 6)
May all of our hearts be joined in praising our Lord and Saviour. Let us thank Him that He made the trip from heaven's glory to this earth and endured the storm of the cross that I would be drawn to Him.