Ramesh C. Reddy
Editor in Chief
Hi everyone :)
May you know experience the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the process impart that love to your family, friends, and foes! Amen!
My Quiet Times for September 23,02: (Psalm 113, Proverbs 23, and Mark 5)
“As Jesus was getting back into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.’ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. (Mark 5:18-20)
As I read Psalm 113, Proverbs 23, and Mark 5 today, Mark 5:18-20 stuck out in my mind.
To set the scene without quoting the first 18 verses, travel back with me and imagine yourself as a news reporter who is with Jesus. Now at a region called Gerasenes, there is a big commotion. As a news reporter you are trained to ask the questions of who, what, where, and why.
You see a man living in the tombs approaching Jesus. As you look at him you realize something is really wrong with him and ask yourself ‘WHO’ is that man and come to learn that his actions reveal someone with an evil spirit.
You come to that conclusion because of ‘WHAT’ happened to the man. No one was able to subdue him even with chains of iron and he would cry out and cut himself night and day.
You ask yourself ‘WHERE’ and learn that he lived near the tombs.
Now you see him run to Jesus and fall on his knees after seeing Jesus from a distance.
You know ‘WHY’! It is to be healed of his demon-possession.
As a reporter, you see Jesus heal the man and the man being sane once again as the demons go into pigs and get drowned. You also learn what the man wants to do now after being healed according to v. 18-20.
This is where I want to share with you what I have learned from these verses.
I found it very significant that after being demon-possessed day and night but now healed, the man wants to go with Jesus to do ministry but Jesus does not allow it even after the man begs Him. I pondered on that!
Instead of letting the man go with Him, Jesus tells the man to do 3 things:
I asked myself what is the significance of those 3 commandments that Jesus gave him?
Point 1: Go home to tell your family
What came to my mind was how the man was before Jesus healed him.
He was so dangerous that his family could not even have him at home. To the family, he could have been as if he were dead. It is interesting that of all the places to reside, he resides in the tombs. Even there chains could not subdue him and he broke the iron shackles. If this was not bad enough, he cut himself day and night and then also cry out in pain. He was deeply wounded on the inside and outside. He must have caused so many people agony and pain. Being demon-possessed it would not be surprising if he committed crime after crime. Sadly to his family, he was either dead or a bad person. There are a lot of things he would have to set right if he ever changed.
Into the picture comes Jesus and sees the plight of the man. He knows that deep inside the man does not want to live the way he is living and wants to be healed of all the wrong doings he has done. Doing wrong can torment a person over and over and the demons best weapon is tormenting. The man is not freed from this and wants to be so he goes to Jesus and falls on his knees asking for healing. After a brief conversation, Jesus heals him.
Now he is healed and changed. The man has a new life now in Christ because Christ’s healing power has touched him and set him free. Now what?
Just because he has been healed and changed does not wipe away the pain he put others through and the wrongs that had already been done by him. I believe Jesus wanted him to set things right with his family and community before thinking of going with him. After being healed Jesus commands him to go back to his family and let them know happened to him. This is evidenced by point 2.
Point 2: Tell them how much the Lord has done for you.
Jesus wants the man to let his family know how much Jesus did for him regardless of what condition he was in. Jesus wants the family to witness the change in the man personally. It is significant that ‘HAS’ is used. It is in the present. Jesus gave the man a present for his life. It is Jesus’ healing in his life that the family needs to know. But there is one more thing Jesus wanted him to tell them which is evidenced by point 3.
Point 3: Tell them how much the Lord had mercy on you.
This is very significant because Jesus wants the man’s family to know that no matter what the man did, healing and change was given to him. In a way, I feel it is a subtle way of trying to bring reconciliation in the family and the community. If the Lord could have mercy on him and set him free, the family needed to find that mercy too for the man as the man goes to them. There is so much evangelism involved here towards family and community. This is evidenced by what the man does.
He does obey Jesus and decides to go and tell in the Decapolis (10 cities) what Jesus did for him and all the people were amazed. I believe it started with his family and then spread outwards towards 1 city and then to 10 cities.
If he had gone with Jesus, there would not have been reconciliation between him and his family and also there would not have been a witness to the 10 cities. Going with Jesus would have seemed good but Jesus saw what was more important and better for the man to do.
I saw important implications for my own life here. Years, ago I became a follower of the Lord, I was so excited and took out a small ad in my middle school year book during Valentine’s Day that went something like this: “I love Jesus. Jesus loves you. If you want to know Jesus more, watch channel 40, WPCB Cornerstone”
At the same time, I did not forsake the family but lived out my Christian life within my life. My dad got curious and responded to my mom saying, “There is something different about Ramesh now”
But as the years went by especially in college, my passion to reach out to others with the love of Christ grew hindering something important . In the process what happened was I distanced myself from my family and there was a lot of tension. It was not deliberate. It just happened slowly and sadly. I heard phrases like ‘you remind me of the Pharisees or you were supposed to be a Christian’
What had happened was that I started doing things for Jesus on the outside and people were being changed and helped that inside my own home, I did not realize the damage that was being done. By God’s grace and His mercy, I have been able to reconcile a lot with my family and there is still growing to do but I know the Lord has brought me to such a time as this that I may reconcile things I may have done wrong within the family.
The sad thing is that I am not alone. I know and heard of many people who change and come to the Lord. In their zeal they want to tell everyone what the Lord has done for them that they forget the most important thing: Letting their light shine within their own family! Yet, it can be done with the Lord's help. I know because I have experienced it and pray to continually experience it.
I ask you now dear friends, do you tell your family about Jesus?
Dear friends, I learned that can be the hardest thing to do. But from my study today I learned the important value Jesus places on the family and the importance of reconciliation. Though the man begged Jesus to go do ministry with him, Jesus wanted him to do ministry where he was placed before he could go to other places. Friend, I do not know where you are at and how your relationship with your family is. Maybe there is a lot of pain and suffering you caused your family but now you have been changed and have the power of Christ working in you. This does not change the fact that people have been hurt. You have the opportunity to make it up to those who are still here. Jesus can help you as you live your life for His glory in front of your family and friends.
Many times words may not be easy to communicate the Gospel. That is okay for telling can happen in many ways. Words are just one way but deeds speak louder than words. You can tell your family and friends what Jesus did for you by your actions and the way you live your life. That’s what I have been trying to do in my family. I thank the Lord for the amount of walls that have been broken and have come down. There is always room for improvement and as I seek the Lord I want to minister within my family. But, I don’t want to stop there but also minister to those around me and in different places sharing with them the power of Jesus Christ who has changed me and continues to work in my life. That is one reason I have loved being in campus ministry!
No matter where you have been or what you have done, Jesus does have mercy on you and gives you the present to make a difference. The present is His forgiveness and mercy changing you on the inside out. It is His free grace given to you. May you allow Him to continually work in you and through you! If you have difficulty with forgiveness issues towards a family member, be open with the Lord and pour out your heart to Him. Let Him help you as you seek Him! Amen!
Totally Everyday Living Lovingly! (T.E.L.L)/”Do you tell your family about Jesus?”
Prayer:
Jesus, I want to thank you so much for healing the man possessed with the evil spirit. Lord because of his actions so many were hurt but you gave him the opportunity to make reconciliation and let his family know what you did for him and how much mercy you had on him. Oh Lord, I thank you for the mercy you show us and for healing us and changing us. Lord after we have been changed, it is easier to reach out to strangers than own family members. Yet, I have learned the importance of living out our faith foremost in our family. We cannot do it on our own and need your help. Please help us Jesus. When we do mess up, I thank you for being there for us. Lord, help us not to stop with our families but may our life be a loving fragrance to those around us who know us and do not know us regardless of how they treat us. Thank you Jesus so much for your help! We entrust our lives in your care and surrender ourselves to you. Whatever your will, we thank you for the strength and endurance you give. Thank you for hearing our prayer and answering us. Thank you for transforming us and changing us. Thank you for continuing to finish the work to completion you have started in us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Love in Christ,
Ramesh