Mark 4
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark 5
1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: 4 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. 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7 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. 8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. 10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. 12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. 13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. 16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. 19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Mark 4:39, Jesus rebukes the wind and the waves. It was a fearful noise. He silenced them. He hushed the noise and all was quiet. Usually, waves take a time to calm down but this was instantaneous. Often, the sins which take first place in a life, are very noisy, clamouring for attention. Where Jesus works there is a Divine silence. All noise is subject to His authority. Perhaps the noise in you is constant fear (which is the opposite of faith as we are told in vs 40). If you are not careful and do not heed Christ’s rebuke, the noise will take over and confusion will reign. Remember who “the author of confusion” is?
Our Saviour has all authority in His Hands. After all, He created the wind and the sea. His creation had to obey Him.
Now we continue with the story because Christ then lands with the boat on the shore of the Gadarene. Jesus had preached to multitudes, purposely took the difficult journey in the stormy sea; all for one man!
In 5: 1-20 we read of Christ’s power over wickedness. It came in the form of the worst manifestation – demon possession.
If ever there seemed to be a hopeless case the Gadarene was one; given up by even the wicked town which preferred their swine to Jesus.
Jesus has come from afar to save you and me. From heaven’s glory to earth’s wickedness; He took our flesh upon Himself, to the Cross, to rebuke the storm of sin which binds you. He has come to you. Now run to your Savior and you’ll find that the Father runs to you. Run and fall at His feet even if it seems like demons possess you.
Notice where the fallen angels feel at home, in sinners, pigs and apostates. It is said that this region was an area inhabited by “apostate” Jews – those who had deserted their Jewish faith. Perhaps the clue is their business – swine and that the demons begged not to be sent out of that “region”. Their pigs were of more importance than Jesus Himself though they could clearly see that the possessed man was fully healed. Those who turn their backs on the light that God has given them will also reject Jesus who is the Light. These reprobates (rejectors of God) had the real “swine flu”.
Notice too, the destructive nature of these demons. The devil wishes no good for humans. By hurting them he tries to hurt his chief enemy, the Lord Jesus Christ. These demons made the poor man suicidal. He would cut himself and bleed. But Jesus only allows the devils as much power as He chooses. (Fallen angels have lost their purity but not all their power.) The demons (Legion, though many they were united in their purpose to destroy.)
C. H. SPURGEON (175th years since his birth, 2 days ago) titled a sermon “he ran and He ran” (1834-1892)
“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him.”-Mark 5:6. “But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”-Luke 15:20.
These two texts have a measure of apparent likeness: the man runs to Jesus from afar, and the father runs to the prodigal from afar. They both run; and when two run to meet each other, they soon meet.
He, like the sinner, is “afar off” from Christ; and when first of all the Spirit of God begins to open his eyes to his own true condition, one of the chief difficulties in his way is the realization of his distance from the Savior.”
Christ’s authority is greater than the demonic power of wickedness which is destructive and suicidal by nature.
Spurgeon continues: “What if the devil be in thee? There is no devil in hell, or out of hell, who does not tremble at Christ’s presence. Oh, that he would come, and lay his cool hand upon thy fevered brow, and put his own life into thy poor withered heart, and make thee to live!”
Take note that the town’s rejection of Christ sent Him away but not without leaving a witness among them – vs 19.
Since Jesus has power over wind, waves, worries, and wickedness, why wait to run to Him? He longs to hush your noise and speak peace to your soul.