Jesus has compassion for those who are bound by sin. It doesn’t matter if you are bound by the demon of your own desires or demons from Hell. He is sympathetic to your need and He offers relief. In Mark 5:1-20, we see Jesus in the mountains in the country of the Gadarenes. As he leaves the ship he meets a man who has been living among the tombs and he is possessed by demons.
In verse 3 we are introduced to this. The demons had destroyed his life, and he was no longer welcome with his family and friends. He had been bound with fetters and chains, but no man could contain him. Chains were no match for the demons that possessed this poor soul. He not only showed himself to be a “mad” man that no one desired to be around, he was even harmful to himself. The demons were determined to destroy him physically also. He would cut himself with stones. Satan always continues to nibble away at us until there is nothing left, and many give up.
Mark 5:3-5 “Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
This man was possessed by a legion of demons, which meant many, but he was also dwelling among the dead. Living among the tombs, forced to leave the city because of his actions, and the terror they felt in his presence. His situation may seem extreme but his plot in life was no different than anyone who has not surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:1-3 tells us we are all dead in our sins until Jesus comes and makes us alive!
Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”
Those who do not love Jesus may not appear possessed, but they are seeking the god of the flesh, and that is Satan. He is very clever and manipulative, and the only source of freedom to break his chains is surrendering to Jesus Christ. This man proved this. When he saw Jesus, he ran and worshiped him. I think this is an important point. Even though this man is possessed by probably thousands of demons, they had no power to keep him from Jesus. No demon, no person, or any other force can keep us from Jesus if He is the one we seek.
Mark 5:6 “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,”
Jesus knew this man’s torment and had compassion. He sought him out. He made a special trip across the sea during a horrific storm to deliver this man from the grips of Satan and he will do the same for you. He seeks to show his love, freedom, and compassion to all, but he will not force Himself on anyone. You, like the demon-possessed man, must run to Him and surrender.
He loves us in spite of our sins and He will come to us wherever we are, to deliver us from the bondage of sins that grip our hearts and hold us captive. He loved us enough to die for us, free us, and offer us life everlasting. Jesus sees us with a different set of eyes than we do. He sees the possibilities of a redeemed life and offers freedom to all.
