Sequel to the Deliverance of the Demoniac

In this part of the sermon: Martin details the first fact: the unanimous and earnest entreaty of the Gerasene townspeople and witnesses for Jesus to depart from their borders, a strange response to such a…

Martin uses the contemporary example of people holding 'Yankee go home' or 'President Reagan go home' signs to illustrate the Gerasenes' unanimous and public desire for Jesus to leave their borders.

Here was a universal response of the dwellers of Gerasene. And the response was to plead with Jesus to get out of town and to go somewhere else. Now whether they did it in terms of an official message from the town mayor, whether they came out with placards and signs, Jesus go home, as we have seen on newscasts, in various, parts of the world, where people make their signs, Yankee go home, or President Reagan go home, whatever it is, there was an expression of the will of the entire section of that country

13:24 - 14:07 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What a strange situation when we may say it this way, Jesus answers the prayer of demons and of wretched, wicked people who don't want him around, but he refuses the prayer of one who loves him and wants to be with him.

Martin highlights the paradox that Jesus granted the requests of demons and wicked people, but denied the request of one who loved him, to show the surface strangeness of Jesus's response.

Furthermore, when the city folk and the town folk came out and requested of him earnestly and fervently, Leave us! He complied with their request. What a strange situation when we may say it this way, Jesus answers the prayer of demons and of wretched, wicked people who don't want him around, but he refuses the prayer of one who loves him and wants to be with him. Isn't it a strange response the Lord Jesus gives on the surface of things?

19:24 - 19:56 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The fifth fact is the demoniac's immediate and simple obedience to Jesus's directive, as he went and began to publish in Decapolis what Jesus had done, leading all men to marvel.

He describes the delivered demoniac as a 'town crier' or 'herald' proclaiming Jesus's works, emphasizing the public and authoritative nature of his testimony.

They were amazed. To use contemporary terminology, they were blown out of their minds. As this man whose reputation had spread over that whole area now goes and tells one after another, I am the man who once roamed about the mountains and night and day cried and screeched and bellowed like a madman, cut myself, broke the chains and fetters with which I was bound. I am the man.

25:15 - 25:46 Read in full sermon

The point: Consider the lessons contained in this narrative, especially the contrast between spiritual blindness and spiritual sight.

Martin recalls instances in Mark where multitudes pressed upon Jesus after miracles, contrasting this expected response with the Gerasenes' rejection to highlight their spiritual blindness.

Behold with me the horrible fruits of spiritual blindness, unbelief and possibly covetousness. I'll not be dogmatic, but I think there's some clear indications that what we see here is not only the fruit of spiritual blindness and unbelief, but of covetousness as well. When the people saw what they saw, we would have expected that they would have done what many did during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus. If you're familiar with the gospel records at all, you will remember how again and again, when Jesus had committed or had performed an amazing miracle,

28:03 - 28:47 Read in full sermon

The point: Examine if your own spiritual blindness and unbelief, perhaps coupled with covetousness, cause you to reject Jesus when his power disrupts your 'swinish lifestyle'.

He compares the Gerasenes' fear of Jesus's raw power to the fear of men on Judgment Day, who will cry to rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, illustrating the consequence of seeing power without grace.

That is precisely what the Scripture says men will do on the day of judgment. When the heavens are rolled back as a scroll, and they see the Son of Man seated upon clouds of glory and coming in power, it says they will cry to rocks and mountains, fall upon us, hide us from the face of Him, that sits upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. You see, unbelief blinds men to the beauty and to the wonder of the grace that is suffused with the power of Jesus. Yes, the man was declaring.

33:59 - 34:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Instead of rejecting Jesus when his power transforms a loved one and disrupts your comfort, plead with him to remain and touch you by his power.

Martin uses the analogy of Jesus's power destroying a 'swinish lifestyle' (e.g., 'whining and dining and boozing') in a loved one, to illustrate how some react with rejection when Christ's transforming power disrupts their own sinful comforts.

And in the process, it may have destroyed some things very precious to you. Maybe your swinish lifestyle of whining and dining and boozing and living a loose, immoral life. And Jesus' power that transformed your husband, wife, son or daughter, brother, sister is the power that has destroyed your pigs.

36:28 - 36:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray that God would guide you in all your ways after conversion and not allow you to err in your choices or make hasty decisions about your life plans or professions.

Martin quotes Bishop Ryle at length to explain the vital principle of Christian service, particularly for new converts, emphasizing that God's chosen place for them may not be what they initially desire.

And I can do no better than to read old Bishop Ryle. He has said it so succinctly and so powerfully that I'll just read his words.

48:12 - 48:21 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not consider new converts as candidates for special service until they have ripened in grace and manifested peculiarity of gift, proving themselves not to be novices.

He shares an anecdote about 'carnally ambitious pastors' who boast of sending many young people to Bible school, illustrating the spiritual damage done by unwise counsel to new converts regarding special service.

Not a novice, the Bible says. And oh, the horrible tragedy of wasted years because some with all the zeal of that delivered demoniac have said, oh Lord, let me be with you. And in their minds with Christ meant, quote, full-time service, Bible school, mission field, ministry. And often it's not only been ignorant pastors and elders, but carnally ambitious pastors and elders. I've talked to

51:37 - 52:11 Read in full sermon