And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. (Mark 5:19-20 ESV)
In reading a devotion this past weekend, it listed 5 steps to getting off to the right start following Christ. It is pretty cool because it actually spells the word S.T.A.R.T. So, far we have covered the S – Stop trusting in yourself and your own good works/things and start trusting in Christ alone for everything. (Ephesians 2:8-9). We’ve covered the T- Turn away from everything the Bible calls sin. (2 Timothy 2:19) We covered the A – Attend a small group for personal discipleship/accountability and weekly worship services. (Hebrews 10:25) Yesterday, we covered the R – Read and Obey your Bible every day. (Joshua 1:8) Today, we cover the final letter, T in the five steps to set us on the right track to Following Christ.
The selection from Scripture comes from the 5th chapter of Mark when Jesus heals a man who has a demon. You may remember the story, Jesus commands the unclean spirit to come out of the man. The unclean spirit begs Jesus to send them out of the country as they (Legion) needed another host. They then begged to be sent to the pigs. From there the pigs now with the unclean spirits in them, charged the steep bank, fell into the sea and drowned. The herdsmen were afraid because of what had happened and asked Jesus to leave their land. Which sets the stage for our verse today.
How many of us have attended a bible study or church service that was really moving? Not necessarily a feeling, but a move spiritually. Moving in the manner where God’s work through His Word and Sacraments caused you to see your sin, re-evaluate your life, and change so that you strived to live more according to God’s Will for us. This is not to say that this isn’t happening even when we aren’t aware of it. Just for a moment we are talking about something that hit home for you at that very moment.
How many of you have read something in the Bible that left you in utter shock? The Jerry Springer show, when it was in it’s prime, was all about shock value for its viewers. Here is a little secret for you, the Bible is full of shocking things that happened. The entire book of Genesis alone is so shocking that Jerry Springer wishes he could garner the ratings Genesis would produce. The works of God through Moses in Egypt, the trials and tribulations during the time of Judges, the antics of the prophets, wondrous works of Jesus amongst us, and lest not we forget the book of Acts and the letters from Paul, Peter, and John – all have equally amazing stories.
What happens when we hear, read, or see an amazing thing? We tend to want to share it with someone else. With the rise of the social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest everything is one click away from sharing with all our friends. Which leads to a question, “Why don’t we share our faith, how much God has done for us, the Gospel in the same manner?” Enter our final letter for the week; T – Tell everyone about your new relationship with Christ. (Mark 5:19-20)
Jesus said, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” Do you know what happens when you tell others what God has done for you and them, the mercy He has had on you? It leads to Matthew 28:18-20; it leads to the baptizing and teaching of God’s Will. It means seeds are being planted, souls are saved, and the body of Christ expands. Family and friends should be the easiest people to share this simple message. If you can share it will family, then you can share it with anyone. To do anything otherwise is to hold the Gospel Hostage.
Gracious and Loving Father, we thank you for all that You have done for us. We thank you for Your Wondrous Mercy You have bestowed on us in the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the times that we have kept You to ourselves, when we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves, and when we have held Your Gospel message hostage. Lord, at times we find it hard to share the life saving message of Your Son Crucified for our sins. Provide us with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we may follow the lead of Christ to confidently and enthusiastically share all You have done for us in Your Great Mercy. Amen.
One Christ Follower's Daily Meditations 