Walking on the Fence… vs. 1-20

• The other Side – the county of the Gadarenes – (Gergesenes)
  • Part of the Decapolis (10 cities) that lie on the east side of the Sea of Galilee
  • The name Gergesenes come from the Hebrew – Gergishite
    • Gergishites were the original Canaanite dwellers of the east side of the Galilee
    • The land where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the ½ tribe of Manasseh settled
  • There were 12 tribes in Israel that came with Joshua to conquer the land of Canaan
    • The 3 tribes decided not enter into the promised land with Joshua
    • They were content to settle in the pleasant grazing lands east of the Jordan river
    • They were also the first of the 12 tribes to be conquered…
      
• Demon possessed man….
  • Immediately upon landing a possessed man came from the tombs towards them…
  • Mark gives us vivid details about this man – more than the other Gospels…
    • Naked – Luke 6:27 – dwelling in the tombs – no one could bind him…
    • He had been bound hand and foot – but even chain he could break – untamable
    • Night and day crying out – cutting himself with stones…
    • His name was Legion – potentially referring to up to 6000 – VERY possessed!
  • Jesus, Son of the most High God…
    • Here Legion gives Jesus a title denoting His authority…
    • They immediately recognized Him as God almighty – He had all the power!
    • With a word – Jesus commanded him to come out – they had to obey!
    • James 2:19 – “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe… and tremble!”
    • The Bible tells us very little about demons – the spiritual world
    • What we do know for sure… Jesus has ultimate power and authority!
  • Do not torment me…
    • Demons were angels who rebelled against God when satan fell – Revelation 12:9
    • Their fate is to be judged by God – and cast into the outer darkness…
    •  II Peter 2:4 – “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”
  • Herd of Many swine…
    • There was a herd of swine… (Imperfect/Indicative)
      • Pigs were not allowed to be eaten by Jews according to the Law of Moses
      • Yet here there was a whole herd of swine ~ showing the compromise of the Jews
      • Side note – we are no longer under the Law – we can eat anything – Matthew 15:11
    • All the demons begged
      • Send us to the pigs so we can enter them… (Aorist/Active/Imperative)
      • At once Jesus gave them permission – they entered the pigs – about 2000 of them
      • The whole herd ran violently into the sea and perished
        
• The Response of People…
  • The man who had the demons wanted to follow Jesus…
    • Luke 8:35 – “The man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.”
    • But the Lord would not allow him – instead tell everyone what God had done for him
    • Jesus knew the people there needed someone to share the Good news because…
  • The whole city that came out to meet Jesus… begging Him to leave!
    • The same people who would not enter into the Promised Land
    • Were the same people who were willing to raise pigs (contrary to the Law)
  • Were the same people when Jesus freed this man from bondage – asked Him to leave
    • If we only want to get close to Jesus – but not live for Him
    • If we walk with 1 foot in the world and 1 foot in Christ
    • We will be the Christians who compromise our walk with Jesus
    • We cannot live our life on the fence – we will either live our lives for Jesus
    • Or eventually we will ask Him go away and leave us alone…

12 years… vs. 18-26

• The ruler of the synagouge…
  • Jesus crossed back over to the western shores of the Galilee – likely to Capernaum…
    • One of the rulers of the synagogue – Jairus – came and fell at Jesus…
    • His daughter was at the point of death – and he believed Jesus could help…
  • Jesus was already on hated by the religious leaders of His day – Scribes / Pharisees
    • It would have been dangerous for Jairus to come and kneel before Jesus…
    • It could have meant the loss of his job – it could have meant his reputation…
    • Talking about Jesus – going to Bible studies – not going to the wrong places
    • Standing up for Jesus – often means we will receive the ridicule of others
    • But if we do not stand up for Jesus – we will never experience what Jesus can do…
      
• A woman who had been sick for 12 years…
  • Jesus agreed to go with Jairus – along the way a woman was in the crowd…
  • She had spent all of her money on doctors – but got worse rather than better… Luke 8:43
    • She had tried everything else – but Jesus…
      • So often we try everything else first – only making our problems worse!
      • We could avoid a lot of suffering if we would just go to Jesus first
    • If she did not have the sickness – she would never had looked for Jesus
      • Often the Lord allows hardships into our lives so that we will go to him
      • We don’t go to the Jesus – pray to Jesus – when things are all OK
      • It is in the dark times – the hardships – that we cry out to the Lord
      • Often God allows those times so that we will cry out to him
      • So that we get to see Him do the impossible – provide/heal…
  • Touch the hem of His garment…
    • Why the hem – why not Jesus hand – why not his robe…
      • The hem of a Jewish shirt was very special – it had 4 tassels hanging from it…
      • Numbers 15:38-39 – “Say to the people of Israel: ‘Throughout the generations to come you must make tassels for the hems of your clothing and attach the tassels at each corner with a blue cord.  The tassels will remind you of the commands of the LORD, and that you are to obey his commands instead of following your own desires and going your own ways, as you are prone to do.”
    • She wanted to touch the part of Jesus’ clothes that represented the Word
      • She had tried her own way – now she was turning to the Word  – Jesus!
      • When we are confused / lost / unsure – our answers are in the Word
      • If you are unsure of what to do – not sure of the direction to take
      • Look to the Word – God will give you the answers you are looking for…
  • Who touched My clothes – Jesus felt power (dunamis) go out from Him…
    • The disciples balked – You are surrounded by crowds and ask – ‘Who touched me?’
    • Sometimes we get the feeling we get lost in the crowd – Jesus does not see us
    • Yet as we look to the Lord – He looks for – and finds – us!
  • Daughter – your faith has made you well (Perfect/Active/Indicative)
    • Because she had faith that her answer was in the Word – she was healed…
    • It is not enough to just have faith – we all have faith…
    • We come and sit down on these benches without giving a second thought
    • I help make those benches – and perhaps your faith is not well placed 🙂
    • Where is your faith this morning – are you trusting in money…
    • Are you trusting in the government (a new mayor) – do you have faith in family…
    • Or do we put our faith in the One who never fails – in His Word… Jesus!
      
•  A young 12 year old girl who died…
  • While Jesus was speaking – they came to say the young girl had died…
  • Jesus answered – do not be afraid – only believe!
  • At the house there were musicians and crowds wailing…
    • They were morning the loss of the little girl – it was a funeral…
    • Jesus said, “The child is not dead, but sleeping…”
      • That did not mean she was not dead
      • She just wasn’t going to stay dead – John 11:11/ I Thessalonians 4:13
    • The crowd continuously ridiculed him (Imperfect/Active/Indicative)
      • So Jesus put them all outside… only the father, mother, Peter, James, and John stayed
      • When we do not have faith we miss out on the miracles…
      • It is easy for us to doubt what we have never seen
      • We can look at the circumstances and conclude it’s impossible
  • Jairus had every reason to conclude his daughter was lost…
    • Yet he had faith that Jesus could do the impossible – raise the dead!
    • That’s a remarkable statement – she was not just sick – she was dead
    • How can we have the confidence and the faith that God can/will do a work…
    • I could believe God could cure a cold – how about replace a lost limb
    • I believe God can heal – and to Him nothing is impossible
    • But my problem is have never seen Him do it personally…
    • Mark 9:23-24 – “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!’”
    • I often find myself crying out – Lord I believe, but help my unbelief!
  • So how to we get the faith to truly believe God will do the impossible….
    • It is not what we do, but who we spend time with…
    • Romans 10:17 – “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
    • Our faith grows as we spend time with the Word – Jesus!
    • I have a great deal of faith and confidence that God provides… why?
    • Because I have seen Him provide miraculously so many times
    • The way our faith grows is by spending time with Jesus so we can see…
    • We can see Him provide – see Him heal – see Him do the impossible
    • It’s not that we have great faith – we just learn that Jesus is faithful!
  • Jesus took the child by the hand and said, “Little girl, arise!”
    
• 12 years, two problems, one solution…
  • Nothing is by accident or coincidence in the Bible – why 12 years…
    • The Jairus’ daughter was a young girl full of life who died suddenly at 12 years old
    • The woman had suffered for those same 12 years without the hope of a cure
  • 2 very different circumstances – but they both found the same answer…  Jesus
    • There is no end to the variety of challenges and trails that we face in life
    • If we asked around – everyone of us could share our own story – trial
    • Even though there are many trials – there is only one answer!
    • No matter what the question – the answer never changes – Jesus!
    • Are you struggling financially? Sickness? Relationship problems? Jesus!