Mark 5:1-8

Mark 5:1-8 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often 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. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!”

Jesus came to deliver this man, not to torture him. This man was heinously captivated by evil spirits. His life was bound by them more than chains and fetters could bind his physical being. He was not in his right mind; he had no hope of a future; he was living amongst the tombs; his productive life had been destroyed. Now, he was merely existing. The pressures of this world for him were just to survive: to make it through each day with sufficient shelter and food. We Christians sometimes get befuddled in our thinking and live as those who are captivated by evil spirits. We, too, find ourselves living unproductive lives amongst the tombs of the world, thinking only about the pressures of survival. We live finite lives based on what is temporary. As sure as the demonic man was bound, we are bound by our own worldly thoughts and self-centered inclinations. But Jesus came to set us free. Yes, we will always have the daily struggles. Paul had these struggles; he enumerates them very clearly in 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, where Paul reminds us, "now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation." Even though in his own journey he endured much, he was not bound by the circumstances in his life. His daily mission remained an eternal one. Although he experienced many trials, his self-esteem was high, for he knew Christ was with him. He was a chosen one, one saved by grace. Paul's life consisted of troubles, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, hard work, sleeplessness, and hunger. Yet, as much as he could within himself, he lived free and at peace in the Lord. Paul's testimony to the Corinthians was, regardless of his personal trials, he lived as every Christian should live: "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

We Christians are no longer under the auspices of the devil and his cohorts: WE ARE FREE. Does this mean we live in splendor and at ease, without struggles? No, it just means that our spirits are free to serve God. We are free from sin and death. We are no longer bound by the evil one. We don't have to follow the inclinations and desires of the world and demonic powers. We are free to be the peculiar people mentioned in the Bible: God's elect. The world thinks we are captivated by "religion." They think our lives are sterile and wasted. But they are mistaken. When Jesus walks on the shore of our lives, we are set free to be all we can be IN THE SPIRIT. Otherwise, we can be what God has made us to be: his beloved children. The demons thought Jesus was there primarily to torture them, but He was actually there to deliver a man from their clutches. We who are in Christ have been delivered from the evil world of sin and darkness. Jesus, the light, now walks with us. He delivers us from our depression and deprecation; He unfetters and unchains us. Paul said, "now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation." Christ subdues that which we can't. He makes the day sunny when we can't. He brings new life when we can't. Today, while it is today, let each of us reclaim our freedom in Christ by sinking into him, by staying close to him, by stating everything in faith. We no longer are alone. Let us walk beside the water with him and do what He calls us to do in faith believing, knowing the light has come.