What’s Your Excuse

JOKE: An 80 year-old woman was recently married to her 4th husband.  A reporter questioned the occupation of her newly acquired husband.  She replied that he owned a funeral home.  Curious about the others, the reporter asked about their occupations.  The woman paused for a moment and then said, her first husband was a banker while the second one whom is was madly in love with was a circus performer.  The third one well see said, he was a minister.  The reporter a bit puzzled by her answers replied, “None of these people have anything in common!  Why did you marry these men?”  She told him one was for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, and four to go.”

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Mark 5:1–20 (NIV): They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 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. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure 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. 14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 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. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 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 don’t know about you but I find it interesting that Jesus actually allows the enemy to first speak, but second he actually listens to him.  Look at it.. .

12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission,

Just a point.  That was free not part of my message, I want to draw your attention to verses 18 and the first part of 19.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him,

I don’t know about you, but I find that fascinating. . .don’t you?

Fascinating? What’s so fascinating about that pastor?  I’m glad you asked let me read it again to see if you pick it up. . .

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him,

See it yet?

Once again. . .

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him,

Did you get it?

Ok let me tell you, but before I do go with me to Matthew. Matthew 28 beginning in verse 18.

Matthew 28:18–20 (NIV): 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Now this is Jesus speaking and he tells the disciples to go and make disciples.

A disciple is one who has been taught to live like the teacher modeled.

Jesus had 12 disciples and for 3 1/2 years He instructed them on how to represent the Father well.  And gives this what we call great commission to them and told them to go and teach them to obey what He had commanded.

That’s great pastor,  but what does that have to do with the man in the tombs?

I’m glad you asked. . .

Let’s look at once more.

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him,

This man who had just been set free, wanted to go learn from Jesus, and Jesus told him no.

He said instead to the man, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”

Let me pause here for a moment and say one thing that is extremely important.   I believe we need to disciple people, we need to teach them the way that our Heavenly Father wants them to live.  Teach them to obey His ways.

As a matter of fact do you want to know how you can be sure God hears you and answers you?

John 15:7–8 (NIV): 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Sometimes our prayers aren’t answered because we don’t ask, sometimes they are not answered because we ask with the wrong motives, but there are also those times they are not answered simply because we haven’t learned to remain in a Him.  Have his words remain in us.

Now before a I get to far off the trail let me get back to the man in the tombs.

Jesus the one that said we need to make disciples, told this man no you can’t go with me.

This man had no formal teaching, for all we know he didn’t even recognize who Jesus was.  The demons did for Scripture says the Devil believes in God and trembles.

But this man had an encounter with the Savior, the Liberator, the one that sets us free.  He had a story after one encounter.

Not filled yet with the Holy Spirit and yet was able to go and share with his town who it was that set him free.

So let me ask you a question, or two, have you been touched by the Savior?  Have you been discipled at all?  Have you read some of the Scripture?  Have you been filled with the Holy Spirit?  Then you are already leaps and bounds a head of that man.

Then what’s your excuse for not sharing?   What’s your excuse for not telling others about His love for them.

This man had nothing but one encounter.  And here’s the thing church, one encounter with Jesus is all it takes to transform your life.  And if you are struggling with obeying what Jesus has asked you to do, you just may need more of an encounter.

He went and told the towns folk and the Scripture says they were all amazed.

See I think we find ourselves sometimes getting way to complacent when it comes to the things of a God.  We have been so blessed that we the think it all just falls on us.

God wants us to be disciples yes, but with that needs to come a passion to continually become more like him.  This man said Lord let me go with you.

What we need to understand is that 2/3rds of God’s name is go. . .

See here’s the thing church when you became a Christian you gave up the right to represent yourself.  We are ambassadors for Christ.  An Ambassador is an authorized representative of the one who sent them.

This man went into his town and told them about his encounter and it amazed the whole

I don’t know if you realize this our not, but life has a way of challenging our theology.

We know the story about the Samaritan women at the well. In John 4.

• Jesus is tired and thirsty
• Asks her for a drink
• She makes all the excuses (your a Jew, you have no bucket, etc)
• He tells her about her life. Her husbands, etc.

John 4:39–42 (NIV): 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

You never know who your testimony may touch, but I can also say with all confidence it will touch no one if we never share it.

Acts 4:13–24 (NIV): When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. 23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.

Acts 4:29–31 (NIV): 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

When you have an encounter with a Jesus it is nearly impossible to not say something.

Romans 8:19 (NIV): 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.