Proclaiming Jesus

I am enjoying reading through the Gospel of Mark with the family after dinner.  Yesterday we read chapter 5 of Mark when Jesus cast out a legion of demons from a possessed man.  The demons begged Jesus would not send them out of the country, and He permitted them to go into a herd of swine feeding nearby.  When the people of the town heard what Jesus had done, saw the man sitting with Jesus in His right mind, they begged Jesus to leave the region.  Ironic, right?

As Jesus boarded the ship to leave, the man who previously was demon possessed begged Jesus to go with Him.  It might be surprising to the reader Jesus declined his request.  Mark 5:19-20 says, "However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you." ²⁰ And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled."  What Jesus did is an amazing, thought-provoking act in sending the man away with a clear directive:  to go home and tell his friends what great things the LORD Jesus had done for him.  This man was obedient to what Jesus told him, and through his witness all marveled at the power and compassion of Jesus Christ.

The transformation in the mind, body and soul of the previously demonised man was obvious, and it also speaks to the power of Jesus to protect people from what they have been delivered from.  This man did not need to read up on demonology or be versed in particular phrases to wield spiritual authority to return to the place and speak with people where he had previously been in spiritual bondage.  He was not put through a course of study or months of intensive discipleship classes before he was sent out as a harmless dove among wolves.  The power of God that delivered him from a legion of unclean spirits was the same power that kept him safe and gave eternal life, and Jesus had no trepidation in sending him out to declare the great things He had done for him.  He was alone but not alone, for God was with him.

Here is where we can have this wrong.  We put great emphasis on believers reading the word, being in fellowship at a local church, growing spiritually by learning as we follow Jesus in obedience--rightly so, all good things.  Instead of the typical "following up" to make sure a believer isn't falling back into old habits and being held accountable (perhaps even pestered!) to connect with fellow believers on a regular basis, Jesus gave this man the task of sharing with others the great things Jesus had done for him.  I suspect many people who make a "commitment" to follow Jesus or pray to receive Jesus in a church setting today do not know or cannot say exactly what Jesus has done for them.  They know facts about His death and resurrection, but do they know Him by spiritual regeneration?  Have they understood the great things Jesus has done for us and how He has had compassion on us?  Disciples of Jesus ought to look at their life and say to their family and friends, "This is how Jesus has shown compassion on me" and make a practice of sharing this reality as God opens our eyes to see His work in us day by day.

The bold proclamation by this man of what Jesus had done turned out to be more fruitful than the troubled townspeople who were shocked to see the once possessed man sitting by Jesus in his right mind.  The incident with the Samaritan woman in John 4 is illustrative here, for it was the testimony of the woman who alerted the men to come to Jesus to listen to Him.  John 4:41-42 reads, "And many more believed because of His own word. ⁴² Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."  Our testimony of Jesus leads people to see and hear Him for themselves, and true believers become proclaimers.  There is no better way for a baby to learn to walk by trying to do it, and the way to live the Christian life is to believe and obey Jesus and to proclaim what He has done for us.  Having received Jesus by faith we are protected and empowered to share Him with others.  In doing so we are strengthened, our faith grows, the church is edified and Jesus is glorified.

Let's trust Jesus to prepare the hearts of those to whom we speak about Him.  Let's believe in the power of the Gospel to transform people from demon possessed to being sent out as a missionary in one day.  Let's have all confidence that God who saves us can also protect us, lead us, and provide all we need to grow and be spiritually fruitful.  Let's be those who tell others what great things Jesus has done for us and how He has shown compassion on us.