Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
We live a life where we come full circle. The circle is not always a perfect 360 degrees; it takes some turns and dips, but we make it back to the beginning. Making it back to the beginning does not mean that it’s a perfect journey or that we return for the better because it is about the choices we make.
In a recent Discipleship class, our discussion led to God’s design and how He knew who we were and what decisions we would make, and the outcomes of our actions. But leave it to us to think that we know better than God. We are going to make decisions about our lives because we have been given a choice. We choose to lean into ourselves and walk away from the design that God has for us. This one act alone is our journey into sin. Eventually, our decisions don’t make us happy. We have a void that we try to fill with partying, career advancement, unsatisfying relationships, feelings of guilt and regret, and zealous religiosity. We are now in search of how to feel whole, and again we are given a choice. The opportunity to turn away (repent) from the feelings of brokenness is given to us by a man known as Jesus. Believing that someone could love us so much that He would carry a cross and be nailed to it to die for all of our wrongdoings is unfathomable. The reality is that He did! He was crucified, dead, and buried and rose on the third day to grant us forgiveness and a new life (in eternity). Accepting this gospel story allows a period of recovery for us, a chance to pursue our relationship with God, and an opportunity to return to God’s original design for us. So yes, we have come full circle. But, it has been a choice.
There are so many bible stories that reveal that we are given a choice: a choice to eat from the forbidden tree; a choice to believe that through Moses, delivery from Egypt was a possibility; a choice whether to slay a brother; a choice to not commit adultery when a woman’s husband is away at war; a choice to believe in a loving God or an idol; and a choice to believe. The stories are endless. In Mark 5:1-20, there are many observations to be made about the people, about Jesus, and about the demon-possessed man.
Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man
5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 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. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 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. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but 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.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
This is a story about choices. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. The man apparently knew who Jesus was and knew that his only source of help was Him. One has to wonder or question how did this man become so possessed by demons. Did he sin and continue to sin until he had gone down a road of no return? Had he hit rock bottom? In seeing Jesus, did he make a choice to seek help? Did choices place him in this position?
Even demons knew who Jesus was “And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.” The demons knew that they had no control over Jesus so they begged to be let out and put into pigs. Jesus granted them permission, but he also ended their reign of destructive terror in man.
After this miracle had taken place in front of the people, they had one request: Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. Jesus gave them what they wanted. He left. Before he left, the healed man begged to go with Jesus, and He replied, “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.” What’s interesting about this story is that Jesus left after He recognized their fear of His work and the cleansed (Gentile) man who was now in his right mind. Don’t miss this part, Jesus did not leave them without choices. The choices would come through the cleansed man telling about his encounter with Jesus. Jesus was still expanding his ministry through the use of this man’s story. The people have a choice of whether to believe and follow or live in fear and denial. Isn’t that the choice we are presented with sometimes?
We have to wonder how we find ourselves in spaces where we have to hit rock bottom before we realize that we have rejected Jesus’ authority. We have aligned ourselves with the demons that keep us shackled to sin. Demons come in different forms. Some of our demons arise from trauma, abuse, legalism, religiosity, guilt, shame, arrogance, substance abuse, denial, and a plethora of other places. Demons can also come in the form of people with jealous, malicious, controlling, and possessive hearts that don’t always have our best interests at heart. They could also have the mentality that they know best and to follow any other entity is a betrayal of loyalty. At the end of it all, we have choices. We must guard ourselves against thinking that there is a small sin and a large sin. Sin is sin. Sometimes we have to let go and release people from our lives in order to walk obediently. If we sat and thought about our demons, do we not have a choice in living with them or crying out to God? We must remember that Christ has the victory over demons, and the Lord will answer when we call out to Him. It is all about choices. What will you choose?
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