MARK 5:1-20
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 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. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil 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.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
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 family 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.
The Value of One
How much is one life worth? How about 2000 pigs?
Spock, our mind melding mascot, believed the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one (1982 movie, The Wrath of Khan). Captain Kirk disagreed and risked the lives of the many to save his friend Spock in the next movie, disingenuously titled, The Search for Spock.
Jesus agreed with Kirk. To hell with the pigs! If saving this man’s life meant turning the heard of swine into deviled ham, so be it. But this really isn’t about one person verses wallowing pigs already considered unclean and taboo among the Jews. Those were the economic livelihood for several families, maybe a town! Drowned for the sake of – not the leading citizen (or a valued friend and team member on star ship Enterprise!) – but this insane and possessed man. The value of one.
The value of one nobody. The kid in the hovel on the backside of a refugee camp in Sudan. The battered wife in a women’s shelter hidden in plain sight. The invisible man and women working a minimum wage job to support themselves and a kid. Persons Jesus was willing to help, even if it meant risking the economy.
The value of one – voice. The man knew he wouldn’t be liked any more now than he was in his wild state. They wouldn’t see a life saved but a livelihood lost. Still, someone had to give witness to Jesus’ miraculous value of one so other persons could be saved. So the man’s delivered sent him packing. And he told his story in the 10 towns of that area (Decapolis = ‘the ten cities’).
O, Dear Lord, three things I pray. May I know the profound value you have of me. Knowing this, may I value, with the same depth, those the world throws away and tries to forget. And may I never stop telling anyone who will listen what you have done for me. –Mike Leamon
Running Interference
In an outstanding battle of the gridiron this past Sunday I was impressed with the Giants ability to dominate on defense. The multiple sacks, consistent pressure, and sudden blitzes interfered with Tom Brady’s passing game the entire Super Bowl.
Interference changed the whole game. I expected Brady and the Patriots to roll to a victory with big yardage pass plays. The opposite happened. The Giants won because of their defense.
The story of the Gerasene demoniac is a story about interference. The demons have interfered with the demoniac’s ability to lead a normal life. Jesus interferes with the demon’s objective and the whole situation interferes with the town’s ability to live life as they normally did. I find it ironic how the words of the demon are lived out in the lives of the people from the town. Jesus arrives to face yet another confrontation. (Seems like that is the norm for ministers of the gospel, always having to confront something or someone.) The demon demonstrably acts against Jesus’ interference in his destructive work. Begging and pleading not to be tortured the demon flees from Jesus through the only vehicle available, the pigs.
The town people are what really get my attention however. Upon seeing and hearing what Jesus has done, they start begging and pleading for Jesus to leave them and stop interfering with their lives. How sad that they accepted and preferred the work of demons in their midst than the work of Christ.
Yet when I read this passage I have to ask myself where do I fit in the story? As a child of God my life is not controlled by the demonic but I can certainly relate to the crowd. My first reaction to life is too often “stop interfering Jesus.” I must constantly guard against accepting “this world’s” worldview as normative. Being open to the work of God is to be open to the Holy Spirit’s interference with what this world sees as normal. Here there is victory, life, freedom and sanity.
Thank you Jesus for interfering with the devil’s plan to destroy me. Help me to resist the temptation to live in the world’s normalcy by being open to radical works of grace in people’s lives. I don’t want to send you away, but always to welcome your work in my life. –Dan Jones
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. 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. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me!" For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit!"
Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many." And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them." He gave them permission, and the evil 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.
Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
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 family 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.
The Value of One
How much is one life worth? How about 2000 pigs?
Spock, our mind melding mascot, believed the needs of the many outweighed the needs of the one (1982 movie, The Wrath of Khan). Captain Kirk disagreed and risked the lives of the many to save his friend Spock in the next movie, disingenuously titled, The Search for Spock.
Jesus agreed with Kirk. To hell with the pigs! If saving this man’s life meant turning the heard of swine into deviled ham, so be it. But this really isn’t about one person verses wallowing pigs already considered unclean and taboo among the Jews. Those were the economic livelihood for several families, maybe a town! Drowned for the sake of – not the leading citizen (or a valued friend and team member on star ship Enterprise!) – but this insane and possessed man. The value of one.
The value of one nobody. The kid in the hovel on the backside of a refugee camp in Sudan. The battered wife in a women’s shelter hidden in plain sight. The invisible man and women working a minimum wage job to support themselves and a kid. Persons Jesus was willing to help, even if it meant risking the economy.
The value of one – voice. The man knew he wouldn’t be liked any more now than he was in his wild state. They wouldn’t see a life saved but a livelihood lost. Still, someone had to give witness to Jesus’ miraculous value of one so other persons could be saved. So the man’s delivered sent him packing. And he told his story in the 10 towns of that area (Decapolis = ‘the ten cities’).
O, Dear Lord, three things I pray. May I know the profound value you have of me. Knowing this, may I value, with the same depth, those the world throws away and tries to forget. And may I never stop telling anyone who will listen what you have done for me. –Mike Leamon
Running InterferenceIn an outstanding battle of the gridiron this past Sunday I was impressed with the Giants ability to dominate on defense. The multiple sacks, consistent pressure, and sudden blitzes interfered with Tom Brady’s passing game the entire Super Bowl.
Interference changed the whole game. I expected Brady and the Patriots to roll to a victory with big yardage pass plays. The opposite happened. The Giants won because of their defense.
The story of the Gerasene demoniac is a story about interference. The demons have interfered with the demoniac’s ability to lead a normal life. Jesus interferes with the demon’s objective and the whole situation interferes with the town’s ability to live life as they normally did. I find it ironic how the words of the demon are lived out in the lives of the people from the town. Jesus arrives to face yet another confrontation. (Seems like that is the norm for ministers of the gospel, always having to confront something or someone.) The demon demonstrably acts against Jesus’ interference in his destructive work. Begging and pleading not to be tortured the demon flees from Jesus through the only vehicle available, the pigs.
The town people are what really get my attention however. Upon seeing and hearing what Jesus has done, they start begging and pleading for Jesus to leave them and stop interfering with their lives. How sad that they accepted and preferred the work of demons in their midst than the work of Christ.
Yet when I read this passage I have to ask myself where do I fit in the story? As a child of God my life is not controlled by the demonic but I can certainly relate to the crowd. My first reaction to life is too often “stop interfering Jesus.” I must constantly guard against accepting “this world’s” worldview as normative. Being open to the work of God is to be open to the Holy Spirit’s interference with what this world sees as normal. Here there is victory, life, freedom and sanity.
Thank you Jesus for interfering with the devil’s plan to destroy me. Help me to resist the temptation to live in the world’s normalcy by being open to radical works of grace in people’s lives. I don’t want to send you away, but always to welcome your work in my life. –Dan Jones
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