“A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.” Mark 5:15
It’s unfortunate how the community reacted to this extraordinary miracle they witnessed.
They were looking at a man who they knew was once tormented by a legion of demons and known for his uncontrollable behavior. He was now calm, clothed, and in his right mind. Instead of celebrating, they were gripped by fear and anxiety.
The next verse says that they even asked Jesus to leave. This reveals a profound truth about human nature: anxiety and discomfort can arise when confronted with the transformative power of Jesus. When Jesus cast the demons out of the man and into the pigs, it was revealed that these people valued their pigs more than the salvation of their fellow man. Losing their pigs outweighed the miracle of healing.
Are there any “pigs” in your life that you’re still clinging to? Your comfort zone, your possessions, unhealthy habits, or maybe unconfessed sin?
These can become so ingrained in your identity that you resist the transformative change Jesus is offering to you today.
In this quiet region of Galilee, these people were used to raising their pigs in isolation. They wanted to be left alone. You need to know you have an enemy that wants to keep you in isolation with your pigs, too. He wants you to think that this kind of isolation is normal and permanent, but Jesus’ presence says otherwise.
If you want him to intervene, you have to be willing to let go of the pigs!
This was adapted from a recent sermon by my pastor.
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