Tell What Jesus Has Done for You

Let's hear God's Word. We're going to read from Mark chapter 5, the first 20 verses, reading about our Savior. Speaking of Christ and His disciples, Mark says in chapter 5, they went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.

When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

Night and day among the tombs and in the hills, he would cry out and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his feet and fell on his knees in front of him.

He shouted at the top of his voice, What do you want with me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won't torture me.

For Jesus had said to him, Come out of this man, you evil spirit. Then Jesus asked him, What is your name?

My name is Legion, he replied, for we are many. And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.

The demons begged Jesus, Send us among the pigs. Allow us to go into them. He gave them permission. And the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs.

The herd, about two thousand in number, Rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside.

And the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, They saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, Sitting there, Dressed, And in his right mind.

And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man, And told about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.

As Jesus was getting 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.

I want you to imagine with me for a moment, That you've been suffering with an affliction, For years and years, Maybe even your whole life.

Some of you don't have to imagine, You are suffering, And have been suffering. But this affliction has been debilitating. It's kept you from doing the things that you love.

It's kept you away from the people you love. It's kept you from going the places that you love to go. Doctors have relieved some of the symptoms just a little bit, But they still haven't got at the root cause of the problem.

Some have begun to wonder whether or not it's all in your head, And you're imagining it. But you know that it's not. That there's something very wrong. And you never get relief, And you wonder if you ever will.

You take that and multiply it exponentially, And you get something of what this man we've read of in Mark 5, Must have experienced. His affliction was demon possession.

Possessed by evil spirits, Which led to the condition that we've just read about. Sad, sad, tragic circumstances that we find this man in. And we don't have time this afternoon to consider everything in this passage.

It would take us too long, And we're going to focus in actually on what our Savior says after He's healed him. And after the man makes a request to go with him. Of course, the man understandably wants to go with Jesus.

Jesus has just healed him of this great affliction. He says, please, let me come with you. Let me follow you. And maybe surprisingly to us, Jesus says no. He says, you can't follow with me.

You can't come with me. Instead, go home. Verse 19, Go home to your family. And tell them how much the Lord has done for you. And how He has had mercy on you.

And from our Savior's words and this man's reaction this afternoon, We want to first of all be encouraged with what the Lord has done for us. And we want to be challenged as well to go and tell others what the Lord has done for us.

To do that, we'll have just two points. First of all, the mandate. That's Jesus' command to the man, go and tell. And then the missionary. What our Lord's words turned this man into. Something remarkable.

Something he had never been before. And so first of all, that command. The mandate. Go. That's the first part of His command. And what an initial disappointment for this man.

He wants to go with Jesus. He wants to be with this one who is relieved. Imagine having such a burden lifted from your shoulders. You want to be with the one who's done you such good.

And surely that's a good desire. To want to be with Jesus. But Jesus says no. And aren't we blessed that sometimes God does not answer our prayers in the way that we wanted Him to.

We have something that we want. And we ask Him for it. And it may be good. A good and legitimate thing. Even like this man. And yet God may have a reason for withholding that from us. He answers our prayers.

But the answer is no. Not what we were hoping for. Not what we expected. And it may not make any sense at all to us. Just like it surely may not have made sense to this man.

Why Jesus would send him away. And not let him come with him. But God is wiser than us. And Jesus has a reason to not let this man come with Him. Go, He says. Go to your home.

The place where you live. And to those who are yours. And as He translates it family. I think it's a little bit broader than that. To those who are yours. To your people. Your friends. Your family. Your acquaintances. The people you work with.

The people you know. The people you see on a regular basis. Your people. To those who are yours. And when you've gone, tell. He's to give a report.

Report to them what has happened to you. How much the Lord has done for you. And the Lord had done much for this man. He had a lot to tell. Didn't He?

What a story. And here we can just touch on a few of the details. But no doubt, his people. This man's people knew of his condition. They were the ones that had to abandon him. And leave him to the tombs.

Because he couldn't be kept in a house with people. He was dangerous to himself and to others. And so they had abandoned him. And he wandered about the tombs all day. Naked.

Crying out. Taking rocks. And cutting gashes in himself. Because he was possessed by these demons. It's a wretched sight when you see this man.

Covered in blood from the cuts. And crying out. And possessed by demons. And not nearly in his right mind. It's almost like something you would see in a horror movie. But this is not a movie.

It's not even a parable. This really happened. This man was really afflicted in this way. And so when Jesus says, Go and tell how much the Lord has done for you.

How much doesn't begin to touch it. It's remarkable. What's happened? Jesus came and cast the demons out. He granted peace to this man's mind. And so he was clothed and able to sit calmly.

Restored to his right mind. How much Jesus did for him. That's a story to tell to your people. It's beyond our fathoming what this man had to tell.

Tell how much Jesus the Lord has done for you. And how he had mercy on you. Make sure they know about that. How this great man Jesus had not just passed by.

Averting his eyes. Avoiding him like everyone else who went that way. Had done when they saw this terror of a man. Not Jesus. He didn't turn his eyes away.

He wasn't afraid of him. Wasn't afraid to go up to him. To speak to him. This Jesus had mercy on him. He showed him compassion. In delivering him from his affliction.

What grace. Mercy. Love. Make sure your people know it was mercy. Make sure they know Jesus wasn't in it for the money. Or some other selfish reason. He did it because he is a man of compassion.

Tell them that. Tell them how much Jesus has done. Tell them how he had mercy on you. And this turns this man into a missionary.

He goes and tells. But before we get to his response. Just a few things to note. Often when we think of going and telling. We think of missionaries. And how we would like to be a missionary.

Or how we need to pray for our missionaries. Or how we should be sending missionaries. Or supporting them. And going and telling people to the ends of the earth. At least I hope you think of these things. We think in terms of the great commission.

Go and make disciples of all nations. Go and make disciples of all nations. But here the going is much more local. Isn't it? Go to your home.

And tell your people. Those who are yours. Tell your family. Tell your friends. Make sure they know. What Jesus. What the Lord has done for you.

It's good that you're interested in. And involved in. And supporting. And praying for missions. It's good. But have you. Gone and told your people. What Jesus has done for you.

In your own home. Have your children heard from your lips. What God has done for you. And saving you. From your sins. Providentially. Providing for. Protecting you.

Have they heard it from you? Have your unsaved siblings. Heard it from their big brother and sister. Just how blessed you've been. You know they look up to you.

To their older brothers. And sisters. You carry much influence with them. They're part of your people. Have they heard from you? What the Lord has done for you?

Your neighbors are your people. Have you told them? Your classmates. Teammates. They know who you are. Who you are. They're your people. You've told them. Everything else. Your best scores.

On the games you play. The activities that you love. You've told them the grade you got on the last test. To compare notes. You study with them. But have you told them what Jesus has done for you? What about the people you work with?

Have you told them? We need to lay aside our foolish fears. And selfish fears. And go and tell. We must go to the nations as well.

But it seems that Jesus is concerned. That we first tell our people right here in our own backyard. What the Lord has done. Go to your people. And so. And before we go on to consider this man.

The missionary again. Note that in denying this man's request to follow him. Jesus makes a helpful distinction for us. Not everyone is called to be an apostle.

This man wasn't going to be one of Jesus' right hand men. That traveled with him. That were sent out by him. When he sent out the twelve. And to preach and teach.

No. This man was to stay at home. To continue in his calling. Whatever that was. Before he was possessed by these demons. Maybe he was a carpenter. Maybe he was a fisherman. Who knows what he was. But he was to go home.

And keep on being whatever he was. And in that. Was to tell others what the Lord had done. Not everyone God saves is called to be a minister of the gospel.

Some might be eager for that as soon as they're saved. And the Lord's advice is to stay where you are. At least here in this situation. Be a witness for your people at home. Be faithful there.

Maybe eventually he will call you to the ministry. Maybe he will send you to the ends of the earth. But prove yourself faithful in telling other people at home. In your calling here. In your current calling.

You don't have to abandon that. To be able to tell other people about Jesus. You do it right where you live. And so there's the mandate. The command. Go and tell.

But notice what it did for this man. It turned him into something of a missionary. The mandate set him on a mission. Again he never had to leave home. Change his occupation. And he was no doubt disappointed.

That Jesus didn't take him with him. But he didn't let that disappointment. Turn into doubt. And depression. Or rebellion. He took Jesus' commission. And he fulfilled it. He went.

And he told. Luke's account tells us. First that he went away. And told all over town. How much Jesus had done for him. He goes back to his town. And he begins to tell people. He tells his family. He tells his neighbors.

He tells anybody that he can get a hold of. And everybody knew who he was. And in some ways. He didn't even have to open his mouth. Just his presence there. Was evidence that something had happened. Because he was clothed.

He was in his right mind. He wasn't shouting out like he had been before. Maybe he was. But he was praising God. And thanking him. And telling them. They could know just by looking at him. And Jesus would know that. But still. He told them to tell.

Don't just go and show yourself to them. Tell them about it. Tell them how it happened. Tell them how much the Lord has done. And he goes. He tells it all over town. Luke says. And here in our passage.

We're told that he went and proclaimed it. In all of Decapolis. And he doesn't just report. He doesn't just tell. Like Jesus told him. It's a different word. He proclaims it.

He announces it. He doesn't just give the facts. He's excited. He tells people as many as he can. Proclaiming it. In this Decapolis. These ten cities. Most of them east of the Jordan River.

Maybe just one on the west side of the Jordan. But most of them east. In Gentile territory. Not many Jews there. But he goes and he lets everyone know. Imagine something of his excitement.

He's in control of himself again. He's in his right mind. Eager to tell. Eager to proclaim. And there's no holding him back. And what a story he told.

The people knew the first half of it. They'd seen him. Frightful sight. And now they see the rest of the story. The glory of God. And when they heard.

They marveled. Amazed. Look at this man. How could one who is so hopelessly lost. To the power of Satan. Be so. Miraculously delivered.

Only by the power of God. Common reaction to Jesus. And his teaching. His miracles. His amazement. Marveling. And that's what they do here. And we don't know what came of this man's testimony.

In Decapolis. We don't know if any came to faith in Christ. Through his witness. The gospels give us a hint at least. That the amazement didn't wear off right away. Turn over with me for a moment. To Mark 7. In verse 31.

Somebody remembered. Mark 7. 31. Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre. And went through Sidon. Down to the Sea of Galilee. And into the region of the Decapolis.

Same place. There some people brought to him a man who was deaf. And could hardly talk. And they begged him to place his hand on the man. And you have to wonder. Did these people remember what the Lord had done for that demon possessed man?

And so they take their friend that's deaf. And he can hardly speak. And they say maybe the Lord can heal him too. And they bring him. The people remembered. And so Jesus heals him.

And look at verse 37. People were overwhelmed with amazement. He's done everything well. They said. He makes even the deaf hear. And the mute speak. Maybe it was remembered.

What Jesus had done for the demon possessed man. And so we see that they're amazed again at his miracles. And so Jesus' command turned this man into a missionary of sorts.

He proclaimed the truth. The region where he lived. Not just in the city where he lived. In Bremen. But in Decapolis. In Michiana. He went all over. But he stayed close to home.

Telling people about what he had done. So what is the moral. The lesson for us. You remember your affliction we imagined at the beginning.

The completely debilitating suffering. That we thought of undergoing. Imagine now with me for a moment that a man came to where you live.

And with his word he healed you. As soon as he spoke you could feel that you had been healed. Just like that woman who had the flow of blood.

When she reached out and touched the hem of Jesus' garment. She felt within herself. Right at that moment. That the flow of blood had been stopped. You hear his word spoken. And you're healed. And you know it.

He speaks and you're better. And joy fills your heart. And peace fills your soul. What do you suppose you would do? What do you suppose you should do? Well he follows his feet in worship.

You praise him. You thank him. And then the first thing I do is tell all the people that I had said. Please pray for me in my affliction. I go and tell them. Jesus came.

And he healed me. Answered my prayers. And tell everybody you found. I'm not suffering anymore. The Lord has healed me. He's made me well. And if you're a believer here today. You don't have to imagine.

This has happened to you. 1 Peter 2 and verse 10. Once you were not a people. But now you are the people of God. Once you had not received mercy. But now you have received mercy.

If God has come to you. Salvation. The gift of faith. And shown you mercy. Then he has delivered you from great affliction.

Have you told anyone how he's shown you mercy? Have you been a missionary in your own home? What Jesus did for this man was amazing. But is what he's done for you any less amazing?

Is it any less a cause for praise. Than what this man had caused to praise God for? No. John Calvin says. Though we are not tortured by the devil. Yet he still holds us as his slaves.

Though the Son of God delivers us from his tyranny. Naked. Torn. And disfigured. We wander about. Till he restores us to soundness of mind. It remains that in magnifying his grace.

We testify our gratitude. Hear that connection he makes at the end? In magnifying his grace. We testify our gratitude. We show how thankful we are. By how much we magnify his grace.

How much we praise him. How much we make sure others know. The great work that he has done. And so if anybody had to look at your life and say. How grateful is that person for their salvation?

What would they be able to tell from the way. You magnify God's grace. Are you eager? Glad to tell? Go and tell. And in doing you'll show your gratitude.

Silence is an indicator that you're not thankful for what God has done. Or listen to J.C. Ryle. If we have anything to tell us about Christ. Let us resolve to tell it.

Let us not be silent. If we have found peace and rest in the gospel. Let us speak to our relations. And friends. And families. And neighbors. According as we have opportunity. And tell them what the Lord has done for our souls.

All are not called to be ministers. All are not intended to preach. But all can walk in the steps of the man of whom we have been reading. Happy is he who is not ashamed to say to others.

Come and hear what the Lord has done for my soul. Psalm 66. Psalm 66. Have you said. Come and hear what the Lord has done for my soul.

May God make us faithful to proclaim to our people. How much Jesus has done for us. How he has had mercy upon us. What a helpful evangelistic tool Jesus gives us here.

I don't know how to evangelize. You say. Well here's one way. Just tell people what God has done for you. Simple enough. Give them just a bit of your testimony. Tell them how he saved you. How he's provided for you.

How he's delivered you from some great difficulty. Just testify to the greatness of the God. Who keeps you. Each and every day. May God help us to.

Tell others. To tell our people. What he has done for us. If you're not a believer today. I want to take a moment. And tell you how much Jesus has done for me.

That's what we're told to do here. And I want to take a moment to do that this afternoon. I was a good little boy. I didn't do very many bad things.

Outwardly. My dad was a pastor. And I didn't get in too much trouble. But underneath all that I was a proud and selfish.

And mean. And obnoxious little boy. And. I thought I was okay for a time anyway.

Because I was a good boy. But. The Lord came. And he opened my eyes. To show me some of that. Selfishness. And that ugliness.

And that meanness. That was in my heart. And he gave me a very tender conscience. I got to the point where I couldn't sleep at night. I was so tormented by. Every little thing I could think of that I'd done wrong.

And I'd have to. Go and confess. To my parents. And whoever. Until I could think of everything. Before. Everything I'd done wrong. Before I could pillow my head at night. Be able to sleep.

And the Lord impressed on me. My sinfulness. And I felt this weight of guilt. That I just couldn't. Escape from. But then the Lord opened my eyes.

To see the glory of Jesus. And I realized that Jesus had taken my place. And had suffered for me. And I could find peace. And forgiveness.

In Jesus. And so all those sins I committed. Those were taken care of at the cross. And I was washed of them. And I didn't have to fear punishment.

For them anymore. And didn't have to feel guilt for them. Anymore. Because. God had given me that gift of faith. The trust in Jesus.

Jesus had saved me. Saved me from my sin and myself. I was on my way to hell. And that's where I would have gone. Except Jesus grabbed me.

And he put me on the road that leads to heaven. And if I don't tell you about that. Then. Then something's not right. But that's what he did for me. And that's not all.

Now. He walks with me. Every step of the way. Towards heaven. Every day. I still struggle with sin. Every day. And every day.

Every day. Every day. Every day. And I have to fight it every day. But you know what? Jesus hasn't left me. He stayed with me. And he gives me strength for that fight.

And you know what? He still forgives. My sins. Jesus is my best friend. My helper. My provider.

My Lord. My Savior. See. Jesus showed me mercy. I don't tell as many people about it.

As I should. I'm not as much like the man in the story. The true story. As I should be. But I don't want to make that mistake today.

I want you to know what Jesus has done for me. And how he's had mercy on me. And I want to tell you that Jesus saved me. And he can save you too. What he's done for me.

And many other people in this room. He can do for you. And he will. You just have to come and ask. God be merciful to me.

The sinner. And he will. There are two responses to the work of Christ. Jesus came and he healed this man.

And. The townspeople said go away. In verse 17. The people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. Go away. But the man he had healed said.

Let me come with you. And so what is your response to Jesus. To what he has done this day. What will you say to him. I want to go with you Jesus.

Have mercy on me. Are you going to say go away Jesus. Don't want you. Trust that. God will work in your heart.

To draw you to himself. That you'll say. I want to go with you Jesus. I want to follow you. And if you want to know more. I can tell you more and more. Of what Jesus has done for me. Or you can look.

Probably at the person sitting next to you. And they can tell you what Jesus has done for them. But our prayer today is that he will do it for you. That God would do again and again.

What he's done many times already in our midst. That he would save sinners. And when he does. May we always praise him for it. And thank him for it. Our father we give you thanks this day.

For what you have done for so many of us here. We thank you for showing us mercy. We who deserve none. We thank you for taking lost sinners.

Who deserve hell. And setting us on the path to hell. Heaven. We are unworthy. And we give you thanks and praise this day. Give us grace to demonstrate our gratitude.

And the way we magnify your name. And the way we tell others about you. Strengthen us to go and tell what you have done for us. And how you have had mercy upon us.

And do grant grace that some here this day. Might come and trust in this glorious savior. That they might follow after him. All the days of their life. Come and show that great mercy.

That you have shown to so many. Show it to others this day. Do a great work of salvation. That you might add to your army of missionaries. Others this day who would go and tell. How much you have done for them.

Forgive us where we fall short in these things. Where we have held our tongues. When we should have spoken. Remove our fears. Our selfishness. And make us to trust more and more in you.

And to be glad to speak of you. Thank you for what you have done for this poor sinner. We give you thanks and praise this day. In Jesus name. Amen.