Mark 5 - 7.14.25

Scripture:

Mark‬ ‭5‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.”

Observation:

The demon possessed man was just healed by Jesus. Witnesses of this healing told other people and those people pleaded with Jesus to leave their region. As He was leaving, the (former) demon possessed man BEGGED to go with Him, but Jesus told him to go back to his own people and tell them what He had done for him. The man ended up going to the Decapolis to spread the good news of what Jesus had done for him! Scripture says that ALL of them were amazed!

What was the Decapolis? The Decapolis were ten cities primarily inhabited by Greeks. (Eaton’s Bible dictionary on Biblestudytools.com)

Basically, he spread the news about Jesus to 10 cities! That was God’s mission for Him and that’s why He didn’t want the man to physically follow Him.

Application:

Jesus has a mission for us here on earth to further His Kingdom. We must complete that mission.

I feel for the former demon possessed man. He just wanted to physically go where Jesus went, but God had a different plan for him. His mission was to go to his own people and tell them about how He had healed him!

In verse 17, it says, “Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.”

‭If people wanted Jesus to leave their region, the only hope of spreading what Jesus had done was through the healed demon possessed man!

(Side note: The reason they wanted Jesus to leave the region was because “they feared the power Jesus displayed and the disruption his presence caused to their way of life, which was heavily reliant on pig farming.”) (Reference: ebible.com)

I think of the disciples as another example of those who wanted to stay with Jesus. They did not want Him to leave them again after He resurrected. However, Jesus said He was leaving His Holy Spirit with them and they still had work to do on this earth.

I personally pray that the Lord would come back sooner than later and look forward to His 2nd coming! However, I’m reminded that there’s still work that Jesus needs me to do here on this earth as well.

What has the Lord called you to do while you (we) wait for His return? Who does He want you and I to tell His story and our story (testimony) to?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” -‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” -John‬ ‭14‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank You for leaving me Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving me a purpose on this earth to further Your Kingdom and that You are always with me through it. I pray that I would steward that purpose well.  Give me compassion for all the people who have yet to accept You into their lives before You return. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi