Mark Chapter 5
There are three obstacles in Mark Chapter 5 that we cannot overcome ourselves. The first is the demonic realm with its power of destruction against us. Second is illness and suffering. Ultimately, it, too, will bring us to the place of Death with our aging bodies. And that leaves the third obstacle, Death itself, the end to Life. No one can escape its jaws. We might momentarily be cured and receive healing. But ultimately, Death will win in the end.
The first event mentioned in Mark 5, is the story of a demon-possessed man captured in a cemetery. The second is about a woman who has spent all her money on doctors trying to get well only to get worse. The third event is about a little girl whose sickness does take her Life, and Death has taken hold of her. This passage of Scripture is very dear to me. You see, I became demon-possessed, captured by the Devil, and his awful demons. I had no escape. And Death, their friend, was starring me in the face, with me, clutching with all my might hanging on by a thread, hoping not to take my last breath. I knew, if I did, that I would be stuck with these horrible creatures for all existence. I had a knowing inside of me that who I was, my soul, couldn’t escape what was before me. Thankfully, I cried out for Life and to God, and Jesus helped me just like He does for these people in Mark 5.
Jesus came to overcome all three of these obstacles for us. God in human flesh to conquer what we couldn’t. We see in the gospels time and time again, examples where Jesus overcomes the Devil, sickness, and raises the dead. All these three obstacles to Life lose their power when Jesus is in control. He is Life, and when we turn to Him and put our trust in the Savior of the world, we are promised eternal Life, freedom forever from all three.
In all three events in Mark 5, this is what people do – they turn from everyone and everything else, and to Jesus alone for help. The demon-possessed man in the cemetery who couldn’t speak or flee, Jesus hears his anguish and travels across the lake to free him. The woman who has given all her money only to become worse turns to Jesus, knowing if she touches His clothes, her body will be healed. And risking exposure and ridicule does so in a crowd and is instantly healed. And then there is the little girl who was sick but died. The people say to the Father, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the teacher anymore?” (Mark 5:34)
There is no faith in the people around the people in these events – no belief in Jesus, and what He can do. But Jesus turns and to the Father of the little girl and instructs, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” (Mark 5:36) They go together to his house, where people are wailing outside. But Jesus says, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” (Mark 5:39) They mock His words because, to them, Death is final. It is the end we dread. The finality we must accept.
But Jesus shuts the door on these mourners and wailers. He enters the room with the parents and a few believing disciples and raises the girl to Life.
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
HEBREWS 2:14-15
Jesus has the power to conquer all three of these obstacles that we can’t. Jesus came with mighty signs and wonders to prove who He said he was – the Messiah, the chosen One of God. The demonic certainly knew Jesus was God in human appearance. Immediately, the Legion of demons feared the Christ and begged not to be tormented by Him. (Mark 5:7-8)
The demon-possessed man, who had been healed, wanted to go with Jesus away from the cemetery and Region. But Jesus forbid him, and said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:18-19) It was only to the healed demon-possessed man that Jesus gave this instruction – why? I believe it’s because few people believe in the demonic realm that exists all around us. Few, think, the Devil is seeking to destroy them. We all accept illness and Death. But not the demonic realm and demons that have the power of destruction like sickness and Death.
The Bible says the reason Jesus came was to destroy the works of the Devil. 1 John 3:8 – “The one who does what is sinful is of the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the Devil’s work.”
Jesus came to die on the cross for our sins, and to grant new Life. The greatest victory we could ever have is to be given the power of a new life, a life where Jesus is on the throne of our heart and giving us His grace to overcome sin. Sin is the instrument of the Devil uses to destroy us, and it, like sickness, leads to Death.
It is only through Jesus Christ that we can escape the Devil, sickness, and our ultimate enemy, Death. There is no hope without Christ, we can’t overcome these three obstacles, and Jesus hears our cries for His help. Even from a man bound in a cemetery by a Legion of demons, which means thousands. I know how this feels. I, too, was bound by Legions of demons, a power, and cruelty that’s hard to describe. It is why I’ve written this teaching of Mark 5, and told you about my experience. Like the man in the cemetery, I received compassion and mercy from Jesus. I escaped my prison and Death by His power of Life.
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