Meeting Jesus

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

MEETING JESUS

Mark 5:1-5

5:1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.   2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, 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.

NIV

This is but the beginning of a narrative between Jesus and this man described here. We should include the complete story but it might be good for us to stop here briefly and look at this man, because of the great detail in describing his condition. First of all why did this man who had an evil spirit come out to meet Jesus? We would think that evil spirits would not want anything to do with Jesus. If they know who Jesus is, and by the rest of the story we see they do. Why would they want to encounter Jesus? We know from other scripture that evil spirits are not those angels who left heaven, for scripture tells us God is keeping them chained in darkness until the Day of Judgment, that only Lucifer has been seen to earth and roams around, so who are these evil spirits and how do they know Jesus? Much discussion has been written about angels and demons. Some say that account in Genesis about the sons of God who married daughters of men were angels and the offspring created were the evil spirits, yet it is also said that angels and people cannot reproduce because of being completely different beings. There is so much controversy or should we say opposing views that neither may be the truth. Does it really matter? The point here is the evil within this man was so strong, no one could restrain him. We will see what happens to this evil within the man in the rest of the story, but for now we should consider just how strong evil within can be. We should also note the teaching regarding whether believers can have an evil spirit within because the Spirit of God and an evil spirit cannot coexist within the same person. Once again so much has been said by so many who profess the knowledge, professors, theologians and scholars who fall on both sides of the discussion, that is it hard to determine if any of them have the truth. But again to this point, evil within is so very strong. If we believe Christians cannot entertain evil, then we are surely wrong, for we know our hearts are deceitfully wicked, or evil. If we could not ever entertain evil, well then we would be perfect as Christ is, and we know that simply is not true. Sin in any form is considered evil, and therefore we must admit we entertain evil, and we must know how strong of a grip it can have on us. Yes we will see that Jesus send legend into the pigs and they run off the cliff, thus freeing the man. We will see the strength and power of Christ over evil. But we must know evil does not want to leave the area. Evil can have a great deal of strength and power over us, if we allow it, it we do not give all authority in our lives to Jesus. Do we try to hide some areas of our life from Jesus? Do we actually not mind having some evil exist within us? Do we allow some evil not matter how small to have authority over us? Can we ever be totally free from all evil, even if we give all authority to Jesus? We must know temptation is not evil, but it is when we entertain that temptation it takes root and when it is fully grown it becomes sin, evil within. Temptations come in many forms, we must be vigilant and not entertain evil, for it will overpower us breaking any restraints we try, by human effort, to contain it. If we allow it to have its way, it can harm us, as cutting ourselves with stones. We must be honest with ourselves and come out to meet Jesus.