By: Pastor Rick Smith

In Mark chapter five we have the remarkable story of the Gadarene demoniac. We are not told how this poor man became possessed by the legion of demons, but he was in a sad and miserable state. He lived among the tombs being constantly tormented by the demons that possessed him. As he wandered among the dead, the demons would torment him and cause him to cut himself. Family and friends tried to help him by binding him with manacles and chains, but the demons that tormented him gave him supernatural strength and he would break these restraints. Then Jesus came.

The arrival of Jesus and His disciples caught the attention of this man, or the demons, and he met them as they touched shore. “And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” (Mark 5:7). Jesus promptly cast these demons out of the man. The man was instantly changed and he was found in the company of Jesus “…sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid (Mark 5:15).” Fearfully these pagans asked Jesus to leave their area.

As Jesus was leaving, the once possessed man asked to go along with Him. But Jesus said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee (Mark 5:19).” With that commission, you will agree with me, that we have one of the most unlikely missionaries of the gospel of Jesus.

Consider the field of service that was given to this new missionary. “Go home to thy friends…” In the parallel passage in Luke Jesus says, “Return to thine own house…” (Luke 8:39). These are two difficult, but blessed areas of missionary service. Who is it that will know better than family and friends of the change that has taken place in our lives when Jesus has set us free. Although he wanted to be with Jesus, it was better in the long run to be among those that knew him if God was to receive the glory.

Paul told the Philippians that he was caught between his desire to leave this life and be with the Lord and his needful service to them (Philippians 1:21-26). “Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you,” he tells them. Perhaps there are some of your family and friends that will never receive Christ except by your own witness. This was the case for this new missionary.

And it was a simple message that he was to deliver to his family and friends. “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee (Mark 5:19).” He had a story to tell. He had been an enslaved by the Devil, now he was free. How did it happen? Who set him free? What a joy it must have been to tell them the story.

Others have had similar experiences and have gone on to be great voices of praise to the God that saved them. John Newton, slave trader turned minister of the gospel, said, “Although my memory’s fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” The apostle Paul said, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief (1 Timothy 1:15).” Every one of the redeemed have a story to tell his family and friends. That was the commission given. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” (Psalms 66:16).

Now, what was the response of this new and unlikely missionary? “And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel (Mark 5:20).” Jesus gave these instructions and he obeyed. What more can we do, but obey the Lord’s command. It is not a complicated task. We simply tell what God has done for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. He couldn’t go with Jesus then, but Jesus would never leave him. As with the apostles, so with this man. “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mark 16:20).”

We are not responsible for how people receive our message, but only that we obey the Lord and go and tell what God has done for us. He had been a great sinner. He was freed by a great Savior. He was now a servant of the Lord. He obeyed the Lord’s command and told both his story and Christ’s story. “…and all men did marvel.”

If you have any questions, we invite you to visit with us this Sunday. Worship at 10:50 A.M. We are located at 711 West Washington Ave. Check our sermon videos on Youtube @ricksmith2541. Send comments and prayer requests to prayerlinecmbc@gmail.com.

Rick Smith is the Pastor at Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Artesia.