BIBLE READING

Mark 5:1-13 NIV

[1] They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. a [2] When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. [3] This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. [4] For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. [5] Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. [6] When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. [7] He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!” [8] For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” [9] Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” [10] And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. [11] A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. [12] The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” [13] He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

REFLECTION

Yesterday we looked at the phrase: "the other side". It was the place Jesus told the disciples to go and we related it to the place we are seeking to go in our own lives, marriages, careers, finances etc. It could be a physical place Jesus is currently asking us to move to or a change He is asking us to make in our lives.

Look at verse 36:

“Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.”

There’s something about that little phrase: "Leaving the crowd behind...."

Why would Jesus leave the crowds behind? Big crowds are every preacher’s dream! Where does Jesus have to go that could so important that he leaves these crowd standing there at the shore? Today's Bible reading explains why Jesus wanted to go to the other side.

We discover that there is this man on the other side who is totally possessed by demons. He’s so bad that even his demons have demons!

This one messed up man is the only reason why Jesus wanted to cross to the other side, because when you look down the page of your Bible, immediately after Jesus delivers this man from the demons and oppression, what does he do?

“When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered round him while he was by the lake.“ (v. 21)

He goes right back again to where he was.

I love this. Jesus leaves the crowds, to cross over a lake, a 10 mile journey by boat, just so He can minister to one crazy, demon possessed man. He doesn’t get caught up in the crowds, fame and popularity. Jesus cares compassionately about the individual, the one person who is all alone, the one whose life is falling apart, the one who is tormented by evil and sin, the one person who needs him most.

Jesus leaves the crowd and he goes out of his way because he cares about the one.

I want you to know that Jesus looks at you today as an individual, He sees your needs, He knows your heart, He knows your pain, He’s seen your tears, and He cares deeply about you.

He knows that you’re lonely. That you’d like to meet someone. He knows about those hospital results. He knows about those marriage problems. He knows about that mortgage in arrears or that credit card debt. He knows and He cares deeply about you.

You might think you’re too messed up, too sinful, too far from God – but Jesus knows all that stuff and yet He loves you more than you could ever imagine.

It’s easy to think that he cares about someone else, those more spiritual, whose lives are more sorted than yours. But this passage shows us – he cares about those who are a complete mess. So much so that he’s willing to cross an 10 mile lake in a boat, just to get to him.

He will do whatever it takes to meet with you today. Your mess and your mistakes are the invitation for His miracle.