MOVE Series# 4, From Maniac to Missionary

FROM MANIAC TO MISSIONARY
By: Bobby Sullivan

Taming the Tombstone Terrorist

Someone is waiting for you. (personal)

Let’s go to the other side (As a church)

In order to appreciate where you are , you need to understand where you came from!

As we move through this chapter, we are going to discover that Jesus is not just the Master of the Deep. He is also the Master of the Demonic; the Master of Disease and the Master of Death.

We need God to show us how to prioritize. We need to be led by the Spirit more to know what’s most important in “HIS” moment.  In this season of my life, what is the priority of God for me?  In order to see the bigger picture I need to come out from behind my own. In other words, I need to get out of my own way. In this story we will see that faith is not found in the forecast.

Sometimes God will upset your priorities to show you His power in a new way. If it seems difficult to get Jesus to follow your agenda lately, maybe He is re-ordering your priorities. Maybe what was important to you then- shouldn’t be important to you now and He’s trying to show you an order of importance. The shifting of your priorities is an indication that you’re maturing and listening more.

MARK 5:1-17  We see Jesus dealing with demons, disease and death—the three great horrors of humanity. I want to look at 3 phases of this story and then show you what led to it. 
1.) CONSIDER THE MAN:

The Man’s Dilemma:
“They went,” Mark 5:1, “across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet Him. This man lived in the tombs and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. He had 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.”  He was bound, broken and bewildered, battered and bruised.

The Man’s Depravity . Night and day, verse 5, “Among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones”. Mark lets us in on this man’s sorrowful psychological and mental state. He was castigated by society (to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism), uncontrolled and uncontrollable, a fearful sight and a danger to any person.

He lived among the dead in the tombs of the caves below the town, howling and crying out and so distressed by his own misery that he cut himself with stones. The demons in him drove him away from the living and he spent his life in the cemetery. This man lived with bones and the decaying corpses of the dead. He had no desire to be around the living. Death and the works of deadness surrounded him like a mid morning fog!

Of course, man has his methods of trying to conquer and cure all the problems that plague humanity. Man has his jails, his prisons, his institutions and his asylums. Man pushes his pills, his potions and his psychology as the answer to man’s dilemma of mental health issues. The problem with man’s efforts to cure humanity’s  problems is that man’s efforts only treat the symptoms, not the cause of man’s situation. Sadly, the Christian world would rather pray at a distance than to come in contact with the dead and dying.

The man’s desperation :  And verse 6 is interesting. “When He saw Jesus from a distance,” now this is the first time he’s seen Jesus.   He saw Jesus from a distance. Jesus did His ministry in Capernaum.
So, if this man is crying out day and night, there’s a good chance Jesus would have been up early while the man was up late and while the man was up late crying, Jesus was up late praying and maybe one morning after hearing the man cry one more time, Jesus decided today is the day for me to make my way toward this man and set him free. The man sees Jesus possibly before Jesus even lays eyes on the man and he ran and fell on his knees in front of Him, verse 7, “He shouted at the top of his voice, ‘What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the most High God?'”

We do not know why he shrieked, screamed and cried in those tombs. It may be that he did these things because he was desperate to be free. It may be that he did them because he was compelled to do them. What we do know is he is in a desperate situation and he needs help!

Whether you are lost and bound in sin or whether you are saved and out of God’s will there is only one cure for your condition! You do not need a pill. You do not need a psychiatrist. You do not need a priest. You do not need a program. You need Jesus!

2.) Consider the Master: vs 6-13

The Master’s Compassion: VS 6 Make no mistake about it, The encounter was not a circumstance at the end of a sailboat ride. Jesus, knew what he came to do. Everyone else feared, avoided and despised this man; Jesus had compassion on him! Jesus cared about the condition he was in and Jesus was moved to do something about it!

Jesus sees people with a different set of eyes than we do! We see their sins, He sees what He can make of their lives!

We see a drunk, He sees a deacon! We see a drug addict, He sees a preacher! We see a harlot, He sees a choir member!

That is how lives are changed when they come to Jesus! He will take what you give Him and He will give you something much more precious in return!

You give Jesus your crab apple; He’ll give you back a golden delicious.

You give Jesus your thorn; He’ll give you back an American rose.

You give Jesus your acorn; He’ll give you back a mighty oak.

Give Jesus your Jacob, the schemer; He’ll give you back an Israel, a prince with God. Give Jesus a Simon, the cursing fisherman; He’ll give you back Simon Peter, a mighty preacher. You give Jesus your Saul, persecutor of the church, He’ll give you back Paul, militant missionary apostle. You give yourself to Jesus; you’ll be amazed at what He’ll do with you. It’s amazing what Jesus can do when a life is placed in His hands.The Master’s Confrontation

Vs 8. When Jesus shows up in your life in real power, there will be something in you that will resist that authority because it goes against everything that is engrained in our humanity to be in the presence of one who is greater than us and it often causes us to re-evaluate our priorities. Now, in this man’s case, there is a specific reason that he falls on his knees and shouts, “What do you want with me Jesus, Son of the most high God”? In God’s name, don’t torture me.

For Jesus had said to him, here it is, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit”. And Jesus challenged the spirit that was within the man and the spirit within the man resisted the challenge of Jesus because anytime the enemy has occupied a territory for a while, he won’t let it go without a fight.

And Jesus asked him

“What is your name”? and the man responded, “My name is Legion for we are many and he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area”. The demons begged Jesus, “Don’t make us leave”. And this is where the story gets interesting. Verse 11.. “A large herd of pigs,” we know we’re not in Jewish territory anymore, right? Because there would not be a large herd of pigs.

A legion is 6.000 foot soldiers. That’s a lot of demons. Jesus said, “What is your name? Jesus knew his name but the question was about to reveal the nature he identified with. Grace can do what chains can’t do.

Jesus has left His home turf and He’s crossed over. And now He’s in gentile territory, the region of the Gadarenes and there’s a large herd of pigs standing nearby on the hillside feeding and the demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs. Allow us to go into them”. He gave them permission.

The Masters Command: “Okay, you gotta leave the man, but you can jump on the pigs”.

And the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs and the herd, about 2.000 in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

They committed “suey-cide”Mark 5:14, “Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside and the people went to see what had happened and 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.

And then, the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

They are more comfortable with the evil they know than the power they can’t control. This will soon change. In Mark 7:31–37, Jesus returns to the Decapolis area, after having told the demoniac to spread the news of God’s gracious healing (Mark 5:19). This time, the people will beg Jesus for His healing touch. They were afraid Jesus might cause them to lose some more pigs. They preferred profit over people.

You can’t understand Mark 5 without Mark 4:35-41. I want

 to tell you about the storm that came before the miracle.

Mark 4:35-41. ^I35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” ³⁶ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. ³⁷ A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. ³⁸ Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”³⁹ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.⁴⁰ He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”⁴¹ They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

This passage of scripture will preach all by itself because watch this, how many of you are going through a storm in your life today?
How many of you are going through a storm, you just came out of a storm, or you know there’s probably a storm around the corner? “That day when evening came”. This is the same day, remember same day. Mark didn’t divide this into chapters. We did that later. Mark’s writing it all as one story. “That day, when evening came, Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Let’s go over to the other side.'” Note, He doesn’t tell them why.

He doesn’t say because I’ve got an appointment on the other side. He doesn’t tell them why. He just tells them, what. Can you obey what God says when you don’t know why?

Can you just get in and go even though you don’t know where this is going? If you believe He has all authority, you don’t need full details to be obedient. This is just for the obedient Christians, who are willing to cross over. Now, make a note of this, you can’t cross over without conflict.

(Satan’s greatest opposition comes at the point of your breakthrough) It is difficult to be comforted by the comforter when you’re in the midst of a storm! Why? Because you’re always focused on the conditions.

And Jesus is moving the mission forward.

He’s leaving the comfort zone and He’s moving into enemy territory like some of you are doing right now in your life. You are beginning to move forward in the things of God. You’re changing your circle. You’re changing your values. You have begun to prioritize the presence of God. You are transitioning

But let me warn you. When you make God your priority, the enemy will send a storm. You never cross over without conflict. Did you expect the devil would let you go without a fight? Did you expect that he would let you leave Egypt without sending his chariots to chase you down? As a matter of fact, I want to announce to you, the reason the storm is raging is

because you’re crossing over into the calling that is on your life. That’s what the conflict is all about. 

Jesus was simply following his calling. The storm was in his way and he imposed his Kingdom authority over the situation

Sometimes when you’re in a storm, you need somebody to holler at you and say, “Hey, you’re gonna make it through this”. “How do you know”? “‘Cause Jesus said we’re going to the other side, so you can’t die in this.”

I’ve told so many people since 1982 when I got ordained that they can survive what they’re going through, but there’s a more important question than will you survive. The better question to ask is why did you survive the storm?

Remember this is Mark 4, not Mark 5. This man has not even seen Jesus yet, yet there is a storm that is sent to the Sea of Galilee to keep Jesus from getting to Him. The same demonic oppression that was oppressing that man was in that sea trying to stop Jesus from getting to the man.

You were on the devil’s hit list before you were ever born.

The size of your storm tells me something about your influence.

The size of your storm lets me know the importance of your assignment. The devil doesn’t start a storm for somebody who he’s not threatened by.

The storm doesn’t mean that God has left you. The storm means He’s on the way.  If you’re going through a storm right now or if one happens to hit on Thursday morning, I want you to know that the storm is a sign that grace is on the way. The Bible says the storm came up suddenly. The moment Jesus started in the direction of the man, here came a storm, not because God wasn’t with him but because He was headed in his direction!

Nobody attacks what isn’t valuable

The Word you’ll resist is the one that you need.Now, Jesus says, you’ve got to go. Let that man go. He’s important to Me. I went through the storm to get to him. I went through the thunder and the lightning to get to him. I went through bucketful’s of water bailed out of Peter’s boat to get to him. I came two hours across the Sea of Galilee, and I’ve only got three years to change the world. This man is a VIP! I know everybody else has forgotten about him, but I want him!  If He went through the storm for this man, and He went to the cross for you, how valuable must you be?

How much is your life worth to God

And this man was so important that Jesus went through the storm to get to him, and you are so important that Jesus went through Gethsemane to get to you, and you are so important that He passed through the membrane of eternity into the construct called time to come to you.

1. 14-20 CONSIDER THE MIRACLE
2. v. 14-16 He Was Changed By Jesus– When the pigs ran down the mountain and killed themselves, the servants who were tending the herd went to town and told their masters what had happened. The townsfolk came to see for themselves. When they arrived, they heard all the details and they could see the evidence of a changed life right before their eyes.

• V. 15 Jesus Changed Him– No longer is he running around, crying out and cutting himself. Now, he is calm and seated beside Jesus! What a change! (Ill. That’s how it works! You cannot meet Jesus and remain the same. He changes all those who come to Him, John 3:3, 5; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10!)
• V. 15 Jesus Clothed Him– No longer is he naked, but now he is clothed! (Ill. This is just further proof of his change! What we need to notice here is that what Jesus does in the heart of a man is ALWAYS worked out on the outside of a man, Matt. 12:35!)
• V. 15 Jesus Calmed Him– We are told that he is in his right mind! Where there has been turmoil and agitation, there is now perfect peace! He has been changed spiritually, physically and mentally!v. 17-18  He Was Committed To Jesus

In the Bible it says that when Jesus set the man free, the man went and got down in the boat, ’cause he was like, you are not leaving me here with these people! Look at Verse 18.  “As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who was demon-possessed begged to go with Him”. Look at the contrast! The townspeople want Jesus to leave. The man who has just been saved wants to be with Jesus. That’s what salvation will do for you

1. 19-20He Was Commissioned For Jesus

Then, Jesus did something kind of strange. He looked back at the man and He said, you can’t follow Me. Jesus didn’t let him leave, but said, I need you to go home to the same situation that I delivered you in. I’m not going to take you out of the region, cause I took the legion out of you. I changed your condition, but I’m gonna leave you in the circumstance, because I want these people to know.  Go home and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. “And how He has had mercy on you”.

Look at Verse 20 “And he went away and began to tell in the Decapolis”. That’s ten cities. The man became a missionary. I need somebody crazy enough, ’cause when the people see how much you’ve changed, they’re gonna be amazed. Sometimes God gives you the faith to go. Other times He gives you the grace to stay. Because some of you are in a difficult place, and all you wanna do is escape. “Jesus, take me with you. I mean, let me get a new start”.

And “sometimes” in those moments where you just want to escape the situation, or the pain, or the trial, God says, I’m gonna give you something better than the faith to go. I’m gonna give you the grace to stay.

See, you are so important to Me!  And the man, who wasn’t even living with the people, became the first missionary to the Gentiles. He was the first one. Some of you are gonna be the first. You are going to be the first to break a chain. None of your friends have done it, none of your family did it, nobody around you believes you can do it, and you didn’t believe in yourself.  ‘Cause now I know who I am. Now I know who I am, because the enemy only attacks what’s valuable.

Conc: Jesus tamed the tombstone terrorist and He can tame you! One of the most notoriously bad characters that ever lived in New York was Orville Gardner. He was the trainer of prize fighters and companion of all sorts of hard characters. His reputation was so thoroughly bad that he was called “Awful Gardner.”

He had a little boy, whom he dearly loved, and this boy died. A short time after his boy’s death, he was standing in the bar of a New York saloon, surrounded by a number of his companions. The night was sweltering, and he stepped outside the saloon to get a little fresh air. As he stood out there and looked up between the high buildings at the sky above his head, a star was shining down upon him, and as he was looking at it, he said to himself, “I wonder where my little boy is tonight?” Then the thought came to him quick as a flash, “Wherever he is, you will never see him again unless you change your life.”

Touched by the Spirit of God, he hurried from the saloon to the room where his godly mother was. He went in and asked his mother to pray for him. They spent the whole night in prayer and toward morning “Awful Gardner” found peace and gained the victory.

Gardner was the victim of an overwhelming appetite for drink, and had in his house a jug of whiskey at the time. He did not dare to keep it and did not know what to do with it. Finally, he took it down to the river, got into a boat and rowed over to an island.

He set the liquor on a rock and knelt down, and as he afterward said, “I fought that jug of whiskey for a long time,” and God gave him perfect deliverance. He did not dare to break it, lest the fumes should tempt him. He did not dare to leave it, lest someone else get it. Finally, he dug a hole and buried it. He left the island a free man. “Awful Gardner” became a mighty preacher of the Gospel.