The Missionary from the Country of the Gadarenes - Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28

 

Sermon . The Missionary from the Country of the Gadarenes

Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28

Dear Word-loving believers, Through today’s message, may the Lord grant you the blessing of His healing! Amen.

A man possessed by a legion of demons saw Jesus from afar. He lived among the tombs. The actions he took are deeply meaningful:

1.      He saw Jesus from a distance — this is significant.

2.     He came running to Jesus.

3.     He worshipped Him.

4.     He fell down before Him.

These are not the irrational behaviors of a madman; rather, these are righteous acts. Before Jesus arrived, his deeds were truly mad—attacking people, harming others, screaming uncontrollably. But now, what he does—seeing Jesus, running toward Him, bowing in worship—are acts of spiritual clarity.

Even the act of worship is guided here not merely by the man himself, but by something deeper. The Bible says, “He ran and worshipped Him.” The demon within him brought him forward. It was as though the man and the demon came together, yet with separate intentions:

·        The man’s heart longed for deliverance—his desire was: "Lord, save me!"

·        The demon’s intent was to beg: "Have you come to torment us before our time? Do not judge us yet. Allow us to enter another being or another place."

Notice this irony: neither his parents, friends, nor travelers brought him to Jesus. The demon did! The demon brought him with its own purpose—to plead not to be cast out. But within the man’s heart was a silent cry for salvation. Thus, though they approached Jesus together, their motives were opposite. This shows us something powerful: often, sickness, affliction, and demonic oppression themselves lead people to Jesus. Many who are brought to Christ are brought not by friends, but by suffering. Sickness came through sin, and sin came through Satan.

 So, the order is: Satan → Sin → Sickness → Suffering → Jesus.
When the man came to Jesus, he brought along all of this: his sickness, his sin, his bondage to Satan.

On the surface, we see a sick man approaching Christ. But behind him is something unseen: Satan. What is visible is the illness and the sufferer; what is hidden is the spiritual warfare. Unless the sufferer comes to Jesus, how can the Creator come to him? All humanity has been affected by sin through Satan. That is why Christ came—not for the righteous, but for sinners.

Just as you recognize your physical ailments, you must also recognize your spiritual sickness, your sin, and Satan’s bondage in your life. This man lived in tombs—a place of death. He was far from Jesus. Yet he saw Jesus from a distance, ran to Him, bowed down, and worshipped. Why was he able to do this?

Because Jesus had already commanded: “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”

That divine command opened the way for the man to respond. The first three acts—seeing, running, bowing—became possible because the demonic stronghold was beginning to break.

The fourth act, the one hidden deep inside him, was this unspoken cry: "Lord, save me!"

His worship was not empty—it was full of meaning. It expressed his inner longing to be freed, healed, and saved.

For example, consider a beggar walking on the road—he may bow to a passerby. A traveler might bow to a government official. Why? Because he believes that person holds authority or might be able to help him. In the same way, when the demon-possessed man saw Jesus from a distance, he immediately recognized someone extraordinary—someone noble and powerful—was approaching, and he bowed before Him. Previously, this man used to harm travelers and torment others; but now, with honor and reverence, he bowed before Jesus. His bowing revealed a hidden quality of respect and recognition. To those who are sick or afflicted today, I urge you: remember that the Lord Jesus is present here. His Word promises that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is there in the midst. So, just as the possessed man bowed before Jesus, acknowledging His greatness, you too should bow with reverence before the Lord who is here. Bowing is often done with an expectation of help—just as someone might bow in hopes of receiving a Christmas gift or a piece of cake. The demon-possessed man bowed in hope of deliverance, and this act had deep meaning.

Consider also the example of a child frightened by a barking dog—he instinctively looks toward an adult for protection. Similarly, this man’s bowing reflected an inner cry: “This demon has tormented me for a long time—please deliver me, please save me!” Just as a beggar greets someone in expectation of receiving, and a child looks to someone to save him from danger, so this man bowed before Jesus in hope of freedom. His bowing revealed a heart that was waiting for rescue, yearning for deliverance. Therefore, when you come to Jesus, come with expectation—believing that He can remove your sin, heal your sickness, and deliver you from the grip of Satan. Within you lies the capacity to honor Him, the faith to trust Him, and the spirit to wait upon Him for your healing. That is what pleases the Lord, and that is what leads to your transformation. If I had been near that demon-possessed man, I would have sung, “You are the One, O Lord!” Just as he bowed in reverent hope, recognizing the Savior, I too declare today, “You are the One, Lord!” Let every sick person today hold on to that song of faith and expectation: “You are the One who heals, delivers, and saves!”

It appears that the man ran toward the Lord Jesus. Just as many sick people come to Jesus believing He can heal them, this man, though once among the tombs, rose up and ran to Him. His running revealed his eagerness and hope. The urgency in his heart was now visible in action. Honor and faith began in his mind, but they didn’t remain internal—they moved him outward into motion. Merely believing in the mind or honoring the Lord in thought is not enough. One must depend on Him, seek refuge in Him, and go to Him. One must rise up and draw near to the Lord.

This passage compels us to examine ourselves: Do we possess these three qualities regarding Jesus? (1) The honoring nature, (2) the believing nature, and (3) the eagerness to run to Him. We must honor Him, believe in Him, and most importantly, go to Him. Now consider—what is more important: for the Lord to come to the sick person, or for the sick person to go to the Lord? Healing begins when the patient goes to the physician. Healing does not come by remaining as one is. When the sick person goes to where Jesus is, healing becomes possible. Jesus may come by His omnipresence, but the afflicted must still draw near.

The Lord declared, “Whoever comes to Me, I will never cast out.” This is His voice—and this is why the man ran to Him. These three essential traits must be found in every person seeking healing: honor, faith, and readiness to run toward Jesus. With these, no one will be left behind. Additionally, three other elements must also be present: sound teaching, fervent prayer, and anointing with oil. When these three are practiced together, healing, restoration, and spiritual growth will surely follow.

Dear believers who long for spiritual growth, everyone desires to grow in the Lord. But in order to grow, we must not remain where we were in our spiritual life last year. Each new year should take us a step higher. God has given us His Word so that we may grow in such maturity and transformation. Consider the man who was possessed by demons. Let us observe three things about him: (1) Where he was, (2) where he came from, and (3) what he was doing. His story shows us that God can also transform our lives and remove our miserable conditions. He was living in the graveyards, in a dreadful and hopeless state, but the Lord Jesus made necessary arrangements for his deliverance and restoration. First, Jesus gave him a command. Second, He appointed him to a task. Third, He made the result of that calling visible.

The same man who had been delivered from the tombs was now entrusted with a divine commission. Jesus Christ made him His servant—not an earthly government official, but a worker in the Lord’s mission. Christ pulled him out of destruction and assigned him a task: “Go home to your own people and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you.” This is the work of the Gospel. Every one of us has a home and people of our own. We are called to proclaim the Lord’s mercies to them. There is no greater calling than to teach the things of God. It is the highest and most honorable service. If the God who healed a man possessed by a legion of demons could do that, can He not restore us? The one who transformed a man who did not even know the Word of God—can He not transform us who have heard it?

Therefore, dear ones, let no one lose hope—look to God! Just as He lifted that man to such a good state, He is able to lift us today. Whatever weakness or discouragement is within us, the Lord can take it away. Just as a priest is ordained and appointed to ministry, in that same harbor Jesus ordained this man who was once mad—to preach the Word. What was his appointment? It was the ministry of teaching. Yet those who knew him might have said, “Wasn’t he the madman? Wasn’t he the one who lived in the graveyards?” But the Lord transformed him and gave him a divine mission. Is that a small thing?

 

Dear brothers and sisters, how many of us have been restored by the Lord! Each of us can say: (1) “When I was sick, the Lord healed me,” (2) “Jesus made me whole—He can heal others too,” (3) “I once heard a sermon, and now I share that same message.” If you speak like this, you become evangelists, teachers, and preachers—servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. Take these messages and speak them in your homes, your villages, and your towns. Why did you receive so many teachings? So that you may also go and proclaim them. Everyone who is saved should help bring salvation to others. The very first thing Jesus did for the delivered man was to appoint him as a teacher. He said to him: (1) “Go,” (2) “Tell your household,”—what should he tell them?—“Tell them what the Lord has done for you.” How many ears need to hear that command of Jesus? The Lord had twelve disciples. Before He ascended to heaven, He appointed them to a mission: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel—I have prepared you.” Just as He prepared the twelve, and the seventy, in the same way He prepared this man. He brought him into that same divine arrangement.

 

How blessed it is! Just as the Lord Jesus commanded His disciples, “Go into all nations,” and sent them to the Gentiles, in the same way, He gave such a high privilege to this man who had once been demon-possessed.

What was the message he was to preach? Simply this: the grace and mercy God had shown him. To the one He sent, Jesus provided everything needed for ministry:

(1) a place to preach—his very own home, his personal territory;

(2) a congregation—his own household;

(3) a message—the testimony of what the Lord had done for him; and

(4) a calling—the ministry of the Gospel. Thus, the Lord gave him the teaching ministry, a divine command, a clear message, a platform, and a people to reach.

 Even today, the Lord continues to appoint and equip us in the same way. He first gave this divine appointment to a man who had lived among the tombs. If He restored us, will He not also entrust us with the same calling? Yes! He will give us everything He gave to that man.

First, the story: He brought out a man from the graveyard and restored him.

Second, the commission: He gave him a mission, a command, a message, a location, and a people.

These two acts—the restoring and the commissioning—are the work of the Lord. Yet, we also see what the man himself did. To the disciples, Jesus entrusted the whole world. But to the man from the tombs, He entrusted his own house. The man went and proclaimed, “God has healed me, God has restored me!” The evangelists who recorded this made it clear: wherever he went—even in remote regions—he was to proclaim all the great things God had done for him. As written in Luke 8, “Return to your home and tell how much God has done for you.” This is the purest form of evangelism: to declare God’s goodness and saving power from personal experience, beginning right where we are—with our own household.

Decapolis – it was an unclean place. Yet this man testified there about all that God had done for him. Surely, he must have shared the entire history of his former miserable condition. Could that not itself be considered a great sermon? His testimony alone could have been shared over five weeks—what a powerful and lengthy story!

But some people today try to summarize all that in just one hour. Some who hear the history of native missionaries say, “What do I know? I cannot go preach.” Others say, “I have no education. How can I go preach?”

One old woman came to me after hearing a message and asked, “Should I go and just say, ‘The Lord is coming. Be prepared’?” I replied, “Yes, say even that one word. That is enough.” Can you all at least do that much? The Lord did great and merciful things for that man.

Look at how much transformation occurred:

1. Earlier he wouldn’t even go to other houses—but now he goes.
2. He would not travel to other nations—but now he goes to all nations.
3. He was once naked—but now he is clothed.
4. He was once demon-possessed—but now he is casting out demons.
5. Once he was terrifying—but now he is a helper to others.

Just as the Lord spoke a little, but the man did much—the result of his work was that everyone was amazed. Deep astonishment stirred in their hearts.

From this story, we must learn all the divine instructions that the Lord gave and apply them in the same way.

That madman became:

• A teacher,
• A house preacher,
• A touring evangelist.

Because of his missionary service, everyone was amazed.Can you do the same?
Have people ever been amazed by you, or have you ever been amazed at something about the Lord?

At the end of Matthew 7, it is written that when Jesus finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at His teaching.

So now:

1. The people were amazed at the Lord’s words.
2. The people were amazed at the words of the man who once lived among the tombs.

In the story of the Good Samaritan, he said, “If more is needed, I will give it.” Therefore, every gospel preacher must determine: “Even if the Lord asked only this much, I will do more.”

Let every gospel worker declare:

1. This is my faith.
2. This is my vow.
3. This is my duty.

Thus, we must do the work completely. There were many things the Lord did not directly command this man to say—but he still went and told both his family and the people of his nation.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, today many are sick. Through this message, grant them healing.
Just as You gave healing to both body and soul to that man and blessed his ministry—bless these people also. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who is coming soon. Amen.

Preached by Father Devadasu Ayyagaru, in the Guntur Christ Church on March 20, 1949.