Healing of the Gerasene Demoniac

Mk. 5:1-20

As Jesus Christ and His disciples were going to Gerasene, they met a storm. But Jesus calmed it. As they stepped out of the boat, they <i>immediately</i> met a man with an unclean spirit. Jesus drove the Legion of demons from the man and healed him. The demons then entered (with permission from Jesus) the swine and the herd, numbering about 2000, who rushed down into the sea and drowned. When the people of Gerasene heard of this, they requested the LORD to go away from their land. The man, however, asked to stay with Jesus. But Jesus 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” (Mk. 5:19). The man went to the Decapolis and did what Jesus asked him to do and everyone was amazed.

Let us look into the following lessons from the story:

1. We cannot work for the LORD only if and when we want to. When Jesus and His disciples stepped out of the boat, they were <b>immediately</b> met a man out of the tombs with an unclean spirit. They may have been tired from their experiences from the storm and may have wanted to rest. But they did not have time to rest at all. The work of the LORD is pressing. There is no time to be slack and relax. 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching.”
2. When we become saved, we know that we cannot simply stay there forever. The man from whom Jesus drove the unclean spirits out also wanted to stay with Jesus, but he was commanded to preach somewhere else.
3. Nothing can stand in the way of Jesus. Even a legion of unclean spirits had to obey His commands. They readily accepted Him and knew Him. He is the LORD of everything. We have nothing to fear.
4. While Jesus was preaching and teaching in Galilee, many people followed Him. They were so numerous that “they could not even eat” (Mk. 3:20). But, they had to cross the sea amidst the storm to save one soul. Yes, ONE soul. Jesus did not care much about the lives of the swine, but cared greatly about the man. Let us learn this valuable lesson – the LORD loves everyone equally, even someone whom others regard with disdain. In Acts 8:26-40, we also saw Philip being sent to preach to an Ethiopian eunuch.
5. When we meet Jesus, our lives become changed. We leave behind our old self and hopes. Some of us are afraid to leave our old lives behind and cannot accept this change. It is therefore possible to choose worldly pleasures over eternal life. Matthew Henry wrote, “They were afraid of some further punishment, if Christ should tarry among them, whereas, if they would but part with their sins, he had life and happiness for them; but, being loth to quit either their sins or their swine, they chose rather to abandon their Saviour.” There are such people. It is impossible to follow Jesus while hanging on to our pigs.