Mark

[0:00] The words which I trust the Lord will enable me to make a few remarks. We found in the Gospel according to Mark. Chapter 5.

[0:16] And we'll read the 18th and the 19th verses. Mark chapter 5.

[0:28] Verses 18. And 19. And when he was come into the ship. He that had been possessed with the devil.

[0:41] Prayed him as he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not. For saith unto him.

[0:53] Go home to thy friends. And tell them. How great things the Lord hath done for thee. And hath had compassion on thee.

[1:05] There are not many today. Who are able to understand. Or enter.

[1:18] Into the experience. That this poor man. Was called to walk into. He was a man.

[1:30] Who was possessed with the devil. God. But he was a man. Who was a chosen vessel of mercy. For the honour.

[1:41] Of almighty God. He was not one. He was not one. He was not one. Who we hear so much of. In the day in which we live. Who would always love the Lord.

[1:53] He was not one. Who was so righteous. So good in his own eyes. That he'd never done anything wrong. And was able to put.

[2:04] Everybody else right. No. He was a man. Who was possessed. With a devil. Many had taken pity on him.

[2:17] And they tried many things. To restrain him. But. The more they tried. To restrain him. The more violent. The devil became.

[2:28] And why has God seen fit. To record. Such a person. Such a portion as this. In his word.

[2:41] Well the first part. Describes you and I. By nature. Here we can see. Our name. Recorded.

[2:52] By nature. In God's book. When he came out. To the ship. Immediately. There met him. Out in the tombs.

[3:04] A man. With an unclean spirit. But look. Where he'd been dwelling. Amongst the tombs. Amongst the dead.

[3:17] Those who were unable. To raise a finger. To help him. What a place to be.

[3:29] Bad enough. To possess. An unclean spirit. Worse still. To be amongst the dead. Those who. Didn't realize.

[3:41] What life was. Those who had no feeling. No desires. No thought. No reality. Whatever.

[3:53] And yet. How God. God. In his mysterious way. Saw fit. To. Come over. To the other side of the sea.

[4:06] Into the country. Of the Gadarenes. God knew. In eternity. About this man. Long before.

[4:18] The foundation. Of the earth. He knew all about this man. man. And it was. For this man. As well as others.

[4:29] That he left the realms of glory. To come upon this earth. For such characters. As he. One who was possessed.

[4:40] Of a devil. And then you see. How the man. Describes himself. As one. Who was legion.

[4:51] Many devils. Yes. Whether we realize it or not. This clearly. Describes our state.

[5:02] But how men today. They won't have this. Or indeed not. How they will tell us. Especially those in the.

[5:13] Religious world. The wonderful way. In which they love the Lord. And the wonderful way. In which the Lord. Appears for them. Can you tell them.

[5:23] Anything more wonderful. Than the way in which the Lord. Appeared to this man. We don't read anything. Of his previous history. But this we do know.

[5:37] That he was in a terrible state. And how the Lord. Knew all about him. And as soon as the Lord. Came over. Immediately.

[5:48] There met him. Out of the tombs of man. With an unclean spirit. Who had his dwelling. Among the tombs. And no man could bind him.

[5:59] No. Not. Not. With chains. How men. Will use chains. Natural things. To bind. The people of God.

[6:11] How they cannot. Understand. One. Who. Is tempted. By Satan. One. One. Who. Who. Knows. The awful depravity.

[6:22] Of their heart. One. Who realises. They have indwelling sin. Well it's all very well. To speak about the sins of our youth. And to mourn about the sins of our youth.

[6:34] As if we have no sins today. As if our hearts are so clean. That house has been swept so clean. That there's nothing of a sinful nature remains.

[6:46] But. To have to come. To the Lord. Confess this. Whatever. Men have done. And how men today. Will.

[6:58] Try and restrain. Those. Who are taught by the Holy Spirit. And those who. Are taught. The depravity of their nature.

[7:10] And how men will say. Preach unto us smooth things. Preach unto us something. That will. Bolster. Up some hope. That we're in the right way.

[7:23] We don't want a pathway. Which is possessed by devils. We don't want a pathway. Which is going to be a pathway. Of trial and tribulation. We want that.

[7:34] Which is easy. We want to be able to rejoice. In this God. We want to rejoice. In his salvation. Well don't we all.

[7:46] Why that. Dear hymn writer. As he fed those lies. That we opened with. He wanted. To rejoice. But could he. Of course not. And neither can you.

[7:58] Rightly. Until you were brought. Where this man was brought. He was brought. In a helpless condition. He couldn't do anything.

[8:08] No one else could. Any more than that. Poor woman. With the issue of blood. Any more than Jairus could. The three of them. Were all.

[8:20] Absolutely. Hopeless. With regard. To. Any. At least. The very slightest relief. From their trial.

[8:31] From their trial. But it would appear. That. There were those. That came. To this man. And tried to be some help. But.

[8:43] How men bind us. With the law. Or if only we do this. If only we do that. Well then. We should be acceptable. Unto the Lord.

[8:54] But. How one. Has to prove this. That it matters not. What they do. It matters not. What. They will take. To bind themselves.

[9:06] To the Lord. And to restrain. These. Awful thoughts. These awful actions. These awful things. Which they are possessed. That nothing.

[9:18] Can calm them. And one of the. Devilish. Things. Which. Afflict the people of God. Is unbelief. Or how that.

[9:32] Afflicts. The people of God. How they cannot. Possibly believe. That this God. Will have anything to do with them. I believe this.

[9:44] Dear man. More or less said the same thing. Didn't he? But. When he saw Jesus. When he saw Jesus.

[9:55] Afar off. He ran and worshipped him. And cried with a loud voice. And said. What have I to do with thee Jesus. Thou son. Of the most high God.

[10:05] What have I to do with thee. How come one. With such a devilish nature. How come one. Like me. Have anything to do with this God. But how he recognised him.

[10:18] As being. As being. The son. Of the most high God. We can easily read this chapter.

[10:30] And lose sight of this. Jesus. What have I to do with thee. Jesus. Thou son. Of the most high God.

[10:40] He was. He was. He was. As mad. As what we thought. Was he. He could see something. Which those.

[10:51] Who tried to restrain him. Couldn't see. That. That. This Jesus. Was the son. Not of God. Not the son of a God.

[11:03] But the son of the most high God. And there was that poor man. In that terrible condition. What. Have I to do with thee.

[11:15] How can such a one as I. Have anything to do with this God. And it seems. If the Lord had come. To torment him. I adieu thee by God. Thou torment me not.

[11:28] Don't come. And show thyself to me. As this. Son of the most high God. And then leave me. Don't. Come to one. With such a devilish nature.

[11:39] That I have. And then leave me. What have I to do with thee. It's impossible. That you've come. Especially. To deal with my case.

[11:54] How wrong he was. And how wrong you and I can be. Doubtless this man. As he'd been amongst the.

[12:04] Tombs. He'd had much time. To reflect. There was none there. To help him. The dead professor.

[12:15] He'll be of no help to you. How good it is though. When. We find one. Who has a similar nature.

[12:26] One who has walked. A similar pathway. Well then. We go on to read. Of a wonderful way. In which the Lord appeared. For him.

[12:39] And when we read this chapter. We're reminded of some. Remarkly past years ago. Not that we're.

[12:49] We're conversant with the scriptures. But we were persuaded. And we made mention. In the pulpit. That we were persuaded. That. God answers.

[13:00] The prayers. Of devils. And shortly afterwards. We received a letter. asking us. Asking us. To qualify this statement. By scripture.

[13:11] scripture. And only to our lack of understanding. And knowledge of the scriptures. We were unable to do it. And we kept. Putting it off. Until one day.

[13:24] We went. To a place to preach. And lo and behold. The very people. Who had written to us. Upon this matter. Sat in the chapel. And it seemed to.

[13:35] Cause as much. Disquietness. As we. Endeavored. To preach. But after these service. We. Tried to.

[13:47] Tell them. That. We'd received their letter. But. In time. We would answer it. And they said. Well there's no need to. Because it's already been answered. We read in this very chapter.

[14:00] That the devil. Has besought him. That they might be cast. Into the swine. That they might enter. Into the swine. Now it's solemn isn't it.

[14:10] But it's true. The devils. Besought him. That they might enter. Into the swine. Now. The Lord answered their petition.

[14:24] But. Have we asked the Lord. Have we besought the Lord. For something. We find this man. He was besieging the Lord. When he was coming to the shed.

[14:36] He that had been possessed. With the devil. Prayed. That he might be with him. He didn't want to enter. Into the swine. He didn't want. Didn't want to have anything. To do with the swine.

[14:47] He wanted to be. With this Jesus. Now. This is the gospel. It's the gospel. In all his purity.

[14:59] When one is brought. To realize. Their state by nature. And when. They can find no help whatever.

[15:11] In any other way. Until Jesus comes to them. This man. Was unable to go to Jesus. Jesus.

[15:22] Went to him. And as. He came. He knew Jesus. Jesus knew him. And there is this. Blessed. This wonderful union.

[15:35] Between Christ. And his church. Now often we hear then. Of those who love the Lord.

[15:46] But surely. If anyone loved the Lord. This man did. And he wanted to be with him. Can you imagine. The state he was in. And the life that he led.

[16:01] Do you know anything of it. Is he a companion to you. Would you enjoy. A few hours in his company. To speak.

[16:12] Of this God. And to be able to say to him. Yes. Well I know something. Of your experience. I know what it was. To be possessed. With that devil. And still do.

[16:24] Although he is restrained. Man couldn't restrain him. I couldn't restrain him. You know how man. In his foolishness. He thinks he can do this.

[16:35] He thinks he can do the other. That's one thing. He cannot do. And that is. To restrain his devilish nature. He may.

[16:46] Make it appear to be. Holy and righteous and good. But the devil is still there. Until the Lord comes. And when the Lord comes. He will turn that devil out.

[16:58] In such a way. That it will never return as before. Amen. God. And when he came into the ship. He that had been possessed.

[17:10] With the devil. Prayed him. That he might be with him. When the Lord comes. With the deliverance. There is a love to the Lord.

[17:22] Which will never again depart. the love may wane in measure but that love is eternal love and that one will want to be as often as possible in the company of their Lord do you?

[17:45] that all those times when our heart our mind our affections are taken up with everything apart from the love of God but remember this there were those who came to see this wonder and they found this man and they found him at the feet of Jesus he'd come to Jesus and they'd come to Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil that had allegiance sitting clothed and in his right mind and they were afraid he wasn't standing up and saying look what a great man I am look what the Lord has done for me but he was sitting he was in a low place but he was clothed before he was naked he was out of his mind before but now he was in his right mind oh what a difference it makes when one is brought to understand the scriptures when one is able to enter into these things how seldom are we in our right mind oh there are those occasions when we may be far off when we may be have our minds taken up with all the devilish thoughts and the things of this present life and then the Lord must come over to the other side he must needs go through Samaria the Lord comes according to his covenant mercy into the heart of that one and how they are brought into that very place they are in their right mind now what is it then to be in our right mind spiritually it is to have our minds and our affections upon the Lord and the Lord alone the woman that we read of in this chapter that had the issue of blood she tried all physicians but she rather grew worse but her right mind led her to the right physician when we are in our right mind it will lead us away with more creature help it will lead us away with more creature reasoning however good it may be however good the intentions may be they cannot restrain our spirit but it only needs the Lord to come and in a moment quicker than the moment we are in our right mind when we are brought sitting before Jesus and Lord anything anything can come upon us doesn't matter what it is this Jesus has come this one who we never expected to see this one who we never expected to meet with us and if we did it would only be our damnation it would only be the party cursed

[21:12] I never knew you but not so not so and how he cast out the very devil but how he prayed he might be with him what a wonderful experience what a blessed experience it is when sinful creatures want to be with Jesus ever felt that ever realised it within your own heart ever longed for it when you could leave the dead when you could leave the tombs when you could leave your friends and everybody else and your main concern your main interest was to be with Jesus know more of Jesus because he done so much for you he'd broken down your rebellious spirit he'd driven out the devils he'd covered your nakedness all your sins and now there you are sitting before him with a right mind to be with him that is a right mind when we're in our right mind we want to be with him we want to see him we want him to talk to us and we want him to confirm to us that this love is eternal love that it's not emotion it's not some fleshly passion but that it is a reality he prayed that he might be with him how be it

[22:45] Jesus suffered him not what a disappointment to this man have you known this disappointment when the Lord has been so precious to you and when he wanted to be constantly with him but it was not the Lord's time it was not the Lord's purpose when the Lord first comes and you feel that first love that first affection within your heart when he becomes your Lord and your God and when you know beyond all doubt that he has subdued your vile nature that he has brought you into the reality of the truth of the gospel and when you can embrace him as your redeemer and when you can say without presumption my Lord and my

[23:48] God yes it's all very well to stand up and say oh Lord our heavenly father but how different when one is able to sit at the feet of Jesus in your right mind full of adoration full of love when you can see him look up to him and see him as the altogether lovely to be able to recognize him as the son of the most I God that I God who is able to do anything yes if he can bring down one who is so possessed to his feet if he can clothe one who was so naked if he can put one in their right mind who was so far off from God he must be the only most high God how be it

[24:49] Jesus sought him not but saith unto him go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee how could this man have friends a man with such a devilish nature who had been separated from all and sundry who lived amongst the tomb for the very dead who had no thought had no conversation who had no movement who could be his friends the few that I can call my friends are like myself in fetters bound and weariness their steps attempt this was this dear man's companions they were his friends and you imagine what this man could tell that was one of the reasons why

[25:54] Jesus forbade him not this was one of the reasons why Jesus would not have him be with him no you go home to your friends home is a place of comfort home is a place of shelter home is a place of food home is a place where we are able to confide in others and tell them things that we couldn't tell to all and sundry and so this dear man was instructed to go home to meet with others who were of a like nature who had been born of the same parents born again by the same spirit meet with those who were interested in the things which he was interested in a kindred spirit they are my best friends my savior dwells their god my savior reigns you know it's not a home the home is not made by furniture or decorations the home is made by the people in it where is your home what do you know of these things yourself go home to thy friends all your friends your spiritual friends or you see all those that go to chapel well they're not mine far from it in fact if anything

[27:29] I would say probably there's more enemies in the chapels than there is in the world but there are one or two in the chapels one or two in this world perhaps who do not go to the same chapels or connected with the same people that we're connected but they're our friends why why because they've been taught by the spirit because the Lord has met with them because they've had the same wretched heart because they've been brought into that same experience and we feel a love and a union to them and they are united to us and we to them by the blood of the everlasting covenant now go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee it's all very well to speak those things which so many speak of in such a light trivial way but how good it is when we are able to speak with sincerity with a soft heart of those great things that the

[28:50] Lord has done for us and if we do we shall not mention a single thing that we have done for him because we won't be able to you know eternity for the Lord's people will be taken up in telling to others what this great thing this God has done for them and also praising and thanking this great God for what he has done have you got anything that you can look back to and say it was a great thing the Lord done for you oh yes he opened this door he opened that door he shut that door yes well this is what the Lord is doing to everybody to the professed as well as the profane the Lord opens and shuts doors the Lord provides but could you see the greatness of the

[29:54] Lord in it it is good when we are able to see the Lord's hand in providence of the Lord opening doors and shutting doors and seeing the Lord is in it and this I trust and believe I have seen and known and realised but I have never yet known anything to equal the greatness of God in bringing me to his feet go home to thy friends home and friends what a blessing how little do we value those things which are commonplace with us home and friends sometimes perhaps we have had to leave home we have had to leave friends and as we have left home and as we have left friends how have we found things have we found satisfaction have we forgotten are we like the prodigal turned out back on a good home on good friends and sought something better you know you have a long way to go to battle a good home and good friends it doesn't matter who we are or what we are and however poor our home may be and however poor our friends may be but these are great blessings to have a good home and to have good friends but here you see this man appeared to have nothing until Jesus met with him nothing but a devilish spirit no home no friends but once

[31:46] Jesus had met with him he had a home and he had friends to think of that heavenly home to think of those friends why he was on his way home he was on his way to heaven when the Lord Jesus said to him go home thy friends and when the Lord works within a sinner's heart and he feels this newness of spirit when he feels this new nature within he's on his way home he's on his way to glory he has a journey to take but as one said we are travelling home to God in the way the fathers trot they are happy now and we soon they're happy now shall see oh how these things come back to us after years we remember one Sunday morning after a painful affliction laying in bed thinking about the Sabbath and then how it came upon us of our father who was waiting to be buried and how we had always looked upon him and our religion more or less had been strengthened by his and it seems that the devil came and brought certain things before us and brought doubt even upon his religion where he was and how those blessed lines came with such power and comfort to our soul how they soon put us in our right mind we are travelling home to

[33:42] God in the way our fathers tried they are happy now and we soon their happiness shall see I've never had a doubt where he was I knew he was in glory and I believed that I was following in the footsteps of the farm what a good thing it is when we are able to do these things we are not very often in our right mind but go home to my friends now our friends will be those who walk the same pathway who will talk the same language who will speak about similar experiences and speak of this same God and those friends if we know anything of this almighty powerful God will be the poor the afflicted poor and afflicted lord of thine amongst the great unfit to shine but though the world may think it strange they would not with the world exchange no this dear man he wanted to exchange his place he wanted to be with

[35:01] Jesus go home to thy friends and he got as far as Decapolis ten cities and there he began to speak of those things he departed and began to publish at Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him and all men did marvel you won't find that everyone all men will marvel at what the Lord has done for you but there will be all types that will and that's what it means all types we've become so narrow in the things of God Satan is just as clever and just as energetic to make the Lord's people narrow as he is wide and how often we think well of course that person wouldn't understand that one wouldn't possibly understand the way we're walking but how it says all men did marvel now I don't believe that all men would be very interested if we were able to tell them the great things that the

[36:24] Lord have done but there are all types of men some rich some poor some ignorant some that have had a good education from various nations from all nations kindred tribes tongues all types of men are interested to hear those things which others proclaim of the goodness of the Lord and next to speaking with Jesus and sitting at his feet do you know if you think better when we're in our right mind of speaking of those things which the Lord has done you know there's nothing better than being able to proclaim the gospel when we're in our right mind but how difficult it is when we're not but for this dear man to be in his right mind and then to go and to speak to others and tell what an encouragement it must have been to others in a similar condition others who had this same devilish trouble others who were unable to do anything for themselves others who couldn't receive help from others to hear this poor man coming and describing the awful condition that he was in where he lived how he carried on and how

[38:00] Jesus came to him came where he was and this is the beauty of the gospel the lord Jesus comes to his people where they are wherever they may be it matters not how deep they may be in sin how polluted they may be now it seems to me and always has been since I've known something of these things that it is these characters and these alone who are able to testify of the greatness of redeeming love now if you've been brought where this man was and if you've been enabled to realise what this man received then not only have you every right to say you love the lord you know you do there's no question about it it won't be some flimsy talk it won't be some flimsy expression it won't be parrot talk but it will be that which will go forth from your very heart lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee there's no doubt about it how be it

[39:24] 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 compassion on us have we pray an empty send us not away compassion compassion it's a word it's difficult it's difficult to understand these days in this sinful world isn't it compassion man for the most part is hard his heart is hard and where would we find compassion where would you expect to find compassion today in the church you'll find it you'll find it where this man found it in the lord jesus how god works in such a way that he doesn't allow his people to trust any whoever they may be he brings them to realize that he and he alone is a god of compassion he and he alone is able to bring them into their right mind he and he alone is able to deliver he and he alone is able to drive out devils how bid jesus suffer him not but saith under him go home to thy friends what a day that will be when jesus will suffer us to go home to our friends who will your friends be why the father the son and the holy ghost and to see the lamb of god that one who met with us on earth that one whom we were afraid to approach to approach that one who we thought would torment us all the more but how he came how he suffered and the very devils that we were possessed with he was tempted with the more or indeed he was he was tempted with that archdevil satan the same as you and i but what must it be to the lord jesus and when one who knows something of these devils being cast out surely they must have compassion they must have love they must have a warmth in their heart to this god go home to thy friends and tell them how great things the lord hath done for thee and hath had compassion on thee well may the lord then continue to do great things as indeed he is and will do right down to the end of time but may we be the recipients of all these good things which the lord does and may we know more and more of his compassion on us because that's our only hope his compassion and his compassion faileth not well may the lord have his blessing amen