Who Is Jesus? Part 2 - Mark 5:1-20

The end of Mark 4 ended with a question... who is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Jesus and the disciples were already tired from the storm at sea, and they're immediately faced with a demon-possessed man! He was strong, violent, had a legion of demons, lived among the dead, and couldn't be contained. 

These demons know who Jesus is, even if the disciples don't yet. They beg him for mercy, not to be sent to the abyss, but to be sent into the herd of pigs. Jesus allowed it and they ran into the water and drowned. He allowed thousands of animals to die for the sake of one person! In this example, the life of a human is at least 2000 times as important than the life of an animal!

The pigs are akin to pharaoh's army that drowned in the Exodus. The real enemy is not the individual soldiers, but the spiritual forces behind them. 

The people who see and hear about the healing of the demoniac are afraid of Jesus and ask him to leave...

In John 1:11, "He came to his own and his own did not receive him." They wanted him to heal them, but didn't want to come under his authority! We are by nature resistant to his lordship.

Jesus brings change, and it's jarring... but freeing! We must accept him as he is, as our Lord! 

At the end of this passage, the man wants to join Jesus in his ministry, but Jesus says no... but to stay, and tell all his friends. The man becomes a missionary to the decapolis!

Who is Jesus? He's the Son of God, with authority over the physical world in Mark 4, and authority over the spiritual world in Mark 5. He is God, our King, our Lord! The demons are terrified of him. Philippians 2:9... At his name every knee shall bow and proclaim that he is Lord! 

The man was "stoning himself," condemning himself, being accused by others, driven to despair, tortured by the demons. The mark of the demonic is no grace, only condemnation. But at Jesus's command, this man is made new! Even he was not too far gone for the grace and mercy of God, and neither are we! This is how people see that God is God! Go and tell people what God has done!

Short version (for mp3):

Who is Jesus? He's the Son of God, with authority over the physical world in Mark 4, and over the spiritual world in Mark 5. He is God! At his command, man is made new! Even the demoniac was not too far gone for the grace and mercy of God. Neither are we!