Go and tell them
Go and tell them: Others should hear about what God has done for you
Mark’s gospel differs in many ways from the other three. Without going into too much detail, we should point out that Mark was not actually one of the 12 disciples, but rather a companion of Peter. Thus, his gospel would have been based more on Peter's teachings and experiences. We note that Mark omits a lot of the details that the other three writers mention, and is also the first, and shortest, gospel. Mark is not into preaching. His focus is on action, witnessing as the result of a new life, as we see in this week’s example.
In Mark 5:1-20 we read of a man who was possessed by demons and lived in graveyards. Such was the effect the demons had on him that we are told he was excessively powerful, and that chains could not contain him. He broke them easily. He obviously lived a life of torment. However, when he saw Jesus, he recognised Him and ran towards Him. Of course, the demons rebelled, hence the man crying out (actually the demons in him) asking not to be tormented. It is interesting to note that the man saw Jesus leaving the boat, and came to Him. Later the boat would once again be the scene for another act in the narrative.
2And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4Because 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. 5And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. – Mark 5:2-6
Jesus speaks to the unclean spirit, commanding him to leave. On requesting his name, the demons tell him that their name is Legion, since there were many of them possessing the man’s body. We know the rest of the story, that the demons were cast out, went into a herd of pigs, ran down the mountain into the sea, and drowned. This is quite a long narrative, and it had a ripple effect on other people in the area. Those who tended to the pigs told others about it and they in turn came to Jesus, finding the man who had once been possessed, now fully clothed and under control. The reaction of the crowd was fear and they asked Jesus to leave their area. Why would they fear?
It is the reaction of the man, and Jesus’ response to him, that is the focus of our lesson for the week. We read in verse 18:
18And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. – Mark 5:18
This man, once freed from his demonic possession, wants to be in the boat with Jesus, where he met Him originally. This is a natural request as for the first time, this man could be in the glorious presence of the Son of God and not in the oppressive bonds of the evil one. However, Jesus does not allow him, but instead His response is this:
19Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. – Mark 5:19
This is exactly what the man did. Freed from his bonds, he immediately complied with what Jesus asked of him – he started spreading the message of his experience in Decapolis, a region of ten cities. On a modern map, these include places that today are found in Israel, Jordan, and Syria. In his time, this was no insignificant area to cover. This man was so changed by the event that he started evangelising, just as Jesus requested him to do. Jesus told him to speak to people and focus on two areas: the great things the Lord had done for him (freed from his demonic possession, the physical healing); and that He had compassion on him (the emotional side of Jesus’ influence on the lives of people, the spiritual healing). We may not realise this at first, but this man was probably one of the first missionaries. The effect on those who heard the message was that they marvelled (King James Version) and were amazed (New International Version) and it started a great interest in Jesus, most likely that the people were hoping to witness another miracle or exorcism. Did it compel them to believe the message of salvation? We do not know, but this is not the point.
We were never called to salvation and to subsequently proclaim the gospel, with the intention that others must believe immediately. We are merely called to witness the truth about a changed life. In the case of this man, people marvelled and were amazed. Does it mean that they actually accepted the truth and repented? We do not know, at least not from the evidence in Mark’s account. There was one though, who heard the message, accepted that this was the solution for his predicament, and decided to trust Jesus to save his daughter who was seriously ill and was dying (Mark 5:22). When we read of the interaction between this man, Jairus, a leader in the synagogue, and Jesus, we see at once the different reactions of people to the gospel message. Jairus has faith (Mark 5:23), but others laughed at Him (Mark 5:40). His faith was rewarded (Mark 5:41), their scorn left them unchanged and unsaved.
When we are called to proclaim the gospel, as a result of the change we have experienced in our lives, we often start off with the expectation that everyone who hears it, will repent, and receive salvation. While this is the ideal, it does not always work this way. We were never guaranteed that speaking about the goodness of what God has done in our lives will result in masses of converts. Again, this is the ideal situation, but we should understand that we plant the seed of the gospel, someone else comes and nourishes it, but God alone makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6). The conversion from sinner to saint is often a long process.
Of course, this comes as a disillusion, and many are put off once they do not see the fruit of their labours. We should be careful not to allow the same to happen to us. As an example, I can relate to my own experience, especially with this website. It costs money, time, and effort to host, maintain, and update content. Does this mean that it attracts many visitors? Unfortunately, not, and there have been times when I have questioned the sensibility to continue. However, it is in times like these that the Holy Spirit reminds me that all I must do is continue to spread the Good News. I will not necessarily cause people to repent, and turn to Christ, but God’s Spirit will. All I must do is share the truth, as the man did in Luke 5:20.
Conclusion
This week, focus on spreading the Good News – the gospel of salvation, about what God has done for you. Many, probably most, will not bother, some will laugh (Mark 5:40), but there will be those whose lives are forever changed when they are freed of the grip of the devil.