Lent Gospel is a campaign for people to read through the whole of Mark’s Gospel during Lent, in 40 short readings. Helpful notes on each day's reading are available from www.usefulbible.com/lent-gospel; and you can download the whole series in PDF or Kindle format (it's free - just right-click on the links then select ‘save as...’ to download). Of course, it doesn’t have to be for Lent... why not begin now?
Last part: Storms – Day 10 – Mark 4:35-41
· Read: Mark 5:1-20
This man wasn’t called Legion. A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6000 soldiers. The man was under the control of very many demons. There were so many that even he didn’t know who he was: himself or the demons?
Most people would do anything possible to avoid such a man. But not Jesus. Jesus genuinely cared for the man. He freed him from the terrible forces that had ruined his life.
Before they left the area, the demons carried out one final, destructive, and suicidal act. It was a display of evil that terrified the local people. But instead of being grateful for the freedom from those evil powers, the people wanted to be free from the one who had delivered them from all that. Sometimes people seem so short-sighted.
At least the man whom Jesus had freed was grateful. There he was, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind, and learning like a disciple. And how disappointed he was that his time with Jesus would be so short. But Jesus had a task for him to do. He must go out, and tell the people of that region about the great things that God had done for him.
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Next part: Miracles – Day 12 – Mark 5:21-43 |
© 2012, Keith Simons.