The Deliverance of the Demoniac

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the sermon as a continuation of a verse-by-verse study of Mark, focusing on the deliverance of the Gerasene demoniac. He reviews the previous week's study on the…

Martin draws a parallel between the self-destructive and cruel ugliness of the devil's intention, as seen in the demoniac, and the modern rock video scene, arguing that it reflects a similar demonic pattern of filth and rottenness.

He appears in all kinds of ways. In all his native self-destructive and cruel ugliness. And if we would know the devil's intention with respect to us, we see it in such passages as these. And then I drew the unmistakable parallel between the condition of that demoniac and the modern rock video scene.

7:18 - 7:41 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin analyzes the demons' interaction with Jesus, noting their deep hostility, their confession of Jesus as 'Son of the Most High God,' and their blasphemous petition for…

Martin explains that 'Legion' was a technical term for a Roman military unit of at least 6,000, used here as a figure of speech to denote a great multitude of demons, not necessarily an exact number.

And he said unto him, my name is Legion, for we are many. And as we indicated last week, the word Legion was the technical word used to describe a horde of Roman soldiers of at least 6,000. So obviously by way of a figure of speech, whenever you wanted to speak of a great multitude, more than just a few or a handful, the word Legion would be synonymous. So we must not press that there were 6,000 demons.

24:18 - 24:47 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Jesus grants the demons permission to enter the herd of swine, leading to the immediate destruction of 2,000 pigs in the sea. Martin notes the irony of demons entering unclean…

Martin quotes an old writer who observed that demons only entered serpents (symbol of intellectual cunning) and swine (symbol of gross uncleanness), inferring a warning against intellectual pride and moral uncleanness.

They are utterly unable to turn the flock of swine around until the text says that the herd rushed down the steep into the sea in number about two thousand and they were literally choked in the sea. One after another, they floundered, they drowned, and their lifeless, blubbery carcasses floated upon the waters of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, in this climactic, climactic permission, says to the demons, yes, you have permission to do what you've requested. And in a moment, the demons leave the poor demoniac and they possess the bodies of the brute beasts and so agitate them as to drive them to the...

28:57 - 30:14 Read in full sermon

The point: Understand that you need omnipotent gracious mercy because your sins have forfeited all claims to God's favor.

Martin recounts a story of a pastor who considered resigning because his congregation was 'tired of hearing so much about grace,' illustrating the preciousness of grace to true Christians and the spiritual blindness of those who grow weary of it.

When a pastor called me in brokenness some months ago. Saying that he wondered if he should resign from his church. He said the opposition is increasing to the point where I don't know if I can take it anymore. It's about to drive me to a nervous breakdown.

46:51 - 47:06 Read in full sermon

The point: Commit your entire being to Christ, desiring nothing to defile you or take your heart from Him, and dressing in a way that does not identify you with lawlessness.

Martin shares his personal testimony of being chained to sports, friends' opinions, and telling dirty jokes as a teenager, until the Lord Jesus broke those chains and set him free to love and serve Him.

Because I knew what it was to be chained to my sports. Chained to what my friends thought. Chained to having to tell the latest dirty joke. Chained to this and chained to that.

50:54 - 51:05 Read in full sermon