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? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. (Mark 5:6-10 NIV)
In the Gospel of Mark, it is the demons, not humankind, who first recognize Jesus. They recognize that he is the Son of God and has power over them. They know that he has all power over them. In the demon possessed man, they beg him to allow them to enter into a herd of about 2000 pigs. This herd of about 2000 then rushed over a steep bank and drowned themselves in a lake.
You would think, the people would be happy that these 2000 demons were no longer in their presence. They were no longer torturing the man that they had come out of. But, no! They are not happy at all. They want Jesus to go away. The man who was healed of the demons is pretty happy though. He recognizes who this Jesus is and he wants to follow him. Jesus said no. "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 5:19)
The demons recognizes the power of God in Jesus and were afraid. The man who was healed recognized his power and honored him, wanting to follow him. But, the people who were afraid because personal property; their pigs were lost wanted nothing to do with Jesus.
When was the last time we chose unclean personal property over Jesus?
May God help us to understand the real power of Jesus.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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