SITTING,CLOTHED AND IN HIS RIGHT MIND
 
 
 It is pretty obvious that the Church is very close to the Rapture.  I just don't exactly know when. Too much is happening at an exponential pace for the Lord to tarry too much longer.  I would find it hard to believe that the Rapture would take place after the seven year Sabbatical cycle starts which I believe is in the Fall of 2007.  I know everybody does not believe this but I personally think Jesus Christ could come at any moment in the Rapture.  Until then the Lord gave me a good word for you that will not only uplift your spirit but make you think.
 
Do you remember the story of the Gadarene demoniac?  In the end when everything was all said and done he was sitting, clothed and in his right mind. It dawned on me, that is where God wants everyone of His children; however, there is an amazing buildup of God's wonderful authoritative merciful grace that was bestowed upon him.  We were Saved by God's grace through His Son, Jesus Christ; therefore, this story also applies to us just as much in principle.  What I think is remarkable about this story is it had nothing to do with the Gadarene demoniac's faith. Many stories in the Gospels involve people's faith but belief is not really the thrust of this story.  I have been so busy in my travels through life but I still feel so compelled when the Lord gives me an edifying word to share it with you.  I'm praying for you and your understanding of what I'm about to portray to you.  It's amazing!
 
In Mark, Chapter 5 I don't think it is by coincidence that the whole story starts with Jesus Christ Himself stepping out of the boat.  Think about it.  The story does not start with the man or the demons or the laborers or the law enforcement people trying to contain the man.  It tells me that our lives have to start and revolve around Jesus Christ for us to experience the grace of God.  I want you to keep in mind that Mark in Chapter 5 versus 1-20 does not necessarily talk about the story in chronological order.  Sometimes he caveats for descriptive purposes.
 
Verse 2 is just amazing. I'm going to get into numbers just a little bit to explain the real meaning of the story.  First of all every story in Mark, Chapter 5 describes the insurmountable grace of God.  Five is the number of grace.  Is this a coincidence?  I doubt it.  Verse 2 says..."immediately there met him out of the tombs, a man with an unclean spirit."  It is pretty obvious to me that the man was not making his own decisions as I read through this story and I think you might come to the same conclusion also.  Let me just say the Bible is not clear on what the man did to allow a legion of demons  to come inside of him.  The demons not the man recognized Jesus Christ as the Son of the Most High God.  If you could just bear with me I will explain myself.  The reason why the man ( demons ) came right away to worship Jesus Christ was because they knew He was going to deliver the man thus showing His loving mercy in all His authority.  There are two verses that describe this type of worship ( verses 2 and 6).  This was not the same type of worship we engage in as His children.  We worship God because we love Him.  They worshiped Jesus Christ because they intently feared Him.  The rejected Jesus Christ and were fully aware of what torture was.  The worship mentioned in verse 2 and 6 in Mark, Chapter 5, I at least don't believe was by coincidence. Two is the number of division, enmity as it were.  Six is a number in Scripture that really makes the grace of God null and void.  Five ( the number of grace) plus one equals six.  We cannot add to the grace of God.  It is perfect as is.  This was false worship not true genuine authentic adoration.  The real truth of the matter is the demons knew that if the man was delivered they would have to go back to where they came from.  They were petrified of this reality. Wherever they came from it must have been horrible.  I have to really think about the way people talk about Jesus Christ and Hell as they decide to nonchalantly reject Him.  Hell is a place of horror and sorrow.  There is not one verse in the Bible that even hints at the fact that it is a semi-country club.  It is a place of torture and agony as opposed to Heaven being a place of pure love.  The demons knew Jesus Christ was their Judge not their loving Savior.  Remember Phil. 2:10 says " That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in Heaven and things in Earth, and things under the Earth; (11) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father."  Ironically the man ( the Gadarene demoniac) was in the middle of this whole thing at this point.  Since the demons knew deep down unilaterally and unanimously that Jesus was going to deliver the man they were begging for mercy from our authoritative Savior.  What incredible mercy our Savior Jesus Christ must have.  He delivered the man and granted the demons request.  As His children that ought to tell us something about our loving Savior regarding our lives and problems.
 
In verse 3 Mark describes the man. The Gadarene demoniac had his dwelling in the tombs ( plural).  Tombs are dark.  This was indicative of how he felt and who he was.  His soul was dark.  If a person does not have Jesus Christ in his or her heart darkness will prevail.  The Bible says no one could bind him.  Why was this so?  Well we have to ask who was in him ( a legion of demons).  Obviously demons in their spirit form are small because many of them were able to fit into one man. This is why the man had so much strength.
 
Verse 4 says people would often bind him with chains and fetters.  The people that were trying to do this probably were so consistent even in the face of danger because they needed this area for commerce and real estate purposes.  He would hop from mountains to tombs day and night.  The demons did not care about the man because they never even gave him a break 24 hours a day because they themselves were tormented with fear day and night.  I find it very interesting that the man could not stay still.  As God's children through our stillness we have rest in Jesus Christ.  The man was crying ( sorrow) and he would cut himself with stones ( fear and torment).  We as God's children give our sorrow to Jesus Christ and He comforts us in His goodness.  The Bible says God's love is the opposite of fear and torment.  We have God's love and can experience it daily.  The man obviously hated himself.  The Bible says we are to love God and man as ourselves.  The Bible teaches that we are to have a healthy balanced love for ourselves that can only come from God Himself.  Matt. 23: 37-39.  Demons who are separated from God's love for all eternity produced bad fruit in this man.  Once again he hated himself.  Are you starting to see the difference between God's love and the Devil's hate?
 
The demons found a warm place in the man. They had some kind of an idea that Jesus was going to even show mercy on them.  Remember Jesus Christ asked them what their name was.  Our Lord never asks anything for information purposes.  He already knows everything.  He wanted them to acknowledge the truth.  He did get a confession because they said " my name is Legion: for we are many."  Think about it.  Not only an acknowledgement but a confession.  This would be a lawyer's dream.  This is how much respect they had for Jesus Christ even though they were separated from Him.  If the demons respected Jesus Christ how much more should we reverence our Savior.  We are not separated from Him.  Of course Jesus Christ delivered this man.  Can you imagine our healing Savior just walking away and doing nothing?  I can't.
 
The Bible says all the demons besought Jesus Christ to send them into the swine.  You have to understand how high their fear level must have been. All the demons unilaterally and unanimously-that's fear.  Verse 7 says the demons plea came out through the man's loud voice.  The tone ( loud) indicated their fear.  It dawned on me that we as God's children through Jesus Christ can cry out to God with a soft voice.  Remember Jesus Christ lives inside of us because we accepted Him as our personal Savior.  He is right here inside of us not a million miles away.  The Apostle Paul said " Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therefore to be content."  Phil. 4:11.  The Lord gives us a quiet spirit in Him.  The demons did not know Jesus Christ and they cried out in torment.  Their cry was loud and for the short term.  Our cry I believe should be soft in confidence for a long term eternal reward. The Devil can't offer or give anything.  God gives eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ.  I have to laugh at this whole thing because even when the demons got what they wanted ( to be transferred into the swine) they even blew this deal.  Through their violence because of their sin they instantly killed the swine.  Real intelligent, but think about it-what other fruit were they capable of producing?
 
The most important verse in this story is verse 15.  And they came 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.  Jesus delivered this man.  Once violent now " sitting, and clothed, and his right mind."  Did you ever ask yourself a question " where does God want me in life?"  He wants you sitting, clothed and in your right mind.  Notice the progression.  Sitting-God wants us waiting on Him.  This is a training process on our part.  God has clothed us through His Son Jesus Christ.  Even Job said " I put on righteousness, and it clothed me"...Job  29:14. God desires us to understand that Jesus Christ has become our sin covering.  We are no longer naked but clothed.  This clothing even involves our problems.  When Jesus said in Matthew 28:20..." And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the World."  One of the things Our Lord was trying to portray is when you have a problem it is really my responsibility.  We just have to give it over to Him.  In our right mind.  Notice the progression.  (1) Waiting upon God.  (2) Understanding we are clothed in Jesus Christ then inevitably we will be in our right mind.  Read God's Word.  Great peace have they which love thy Law: and nothing shall offend them.  Psalm 119:165.  When things start offending us we are no longer in our right mind.  That's where God wants us.
 
Of course when the man was healed gossip started to circulate. That's the nature of gossip.  Of course the man desired to go everywhere Jesus went.  That's understandable because he saw and felt his incredible love for him.  Jesus said no.  He had something else in mind for him.  He was to go home and testify of Him.  His incredible love and compassion.  Sometimes when we testify of Jesus Christ in our hometown familiarity does breed contempt; however, there was nothing recognizable about the man.  Think about it-from violence to the love of God.  His family and friends saw this love and they marveled.  Are we proclaiming His love?  We have so little time to do this.
 
Bob D.