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Saturday 6-11-22 7th. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Sivan 11, 5782 84th. Spring Day
Faith Conversations at Home
Mark 5:11–20 | Bible in a Year: Ezra 1–2; John 19:23–42
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Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Mark 5:19
“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” Those unforgettable lines spoken by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz reveal a story-telling device found in an overwhelming number of our most enduring stories from the likes of Star Wars to The Lion King. It’s known as “the hero’s journey.” In brief: an ordinary person is living an ordinary life when an extraordinary adventure is presented. The character leaves home and travels to a different world where tests and trials await, as well as mentors and villains.
If she or he passes the tests and proves heroic, then the final stage is returning home with stories to tell and wisdom gained. The last piece is crucial.
The story of the demon-possessed man closely parallels the hero’s journey. It’s interesting that in last scene the man begged Jesus to let him “go with him” (Mark 5:18). Yet Jesus told him: “Go home to your own people” (v. 19). It was important in this man’s journey to return home to the people who knew him best and to tell them his amazing story.
God calls each of us in different ways and to different scenarios. But for some of us, it can be crucial for our faith journey to go home and tell our story to those who know us best. For some of us, the call is “there’s no place like home.”
Who comes to mind that needs to hear what God has done for you? What does the first step in that journey look like?
Jesus, give me the courage to tell of Your wonderful works. Not just to strangers, but also to those who know me best—those at home.
Read Pray First! The Power of Prayer in Sharing the Gospel.
INSIGHT
Today’s story in Mark 5:11–20 is an example of how the gospel writers used storytelling. This account of the demon-possessed man is full of surprises and unexpected twists, all of which not only move the reader forward but help to underline the power and impact of Jesus’ actions. Consider the reactions of the crowd to His miracle of driving the legion of demons from the man living in the tombs.
It isn’t the drowning of the thousands of pigs to which the people react; their focus is on the once-wild man now sitting clothed and in his right mind. Yet instead of being wowed by his recovery, they’re afraid of the man with the power to do what their chains couldn’t. Instead of rejoicing with the one who was set free, they’re afraid of the One with the power to heal him and can only ask for Him to leave.
By John Blase|June 11th, 2022
Evangelism Mark Five:11-20
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand
and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come 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.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie
Faith Conversations at Home
Mark 5:11–20 | Bible in a Year: Ezra 1–2; John 19:23–42
Download MP3
Subscribe to iTunes
Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you. Mark 5:19
“There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” Those unforgettable lines spoken by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz reveal a story-telling device found in an overwhelming number of our most enduring stories from the likes of Star Wars to The Lion King. It’s known as “the hero’s journey.” In brief: an ordinary person is living an ordinary life when an extraordinary adventure is presented. The character leaves home and travels to a different world where tests and trials await, as well as mentors and villains.
If she or he passes the tests and proves heroic, then the final stage is returning home with stories to tell and wisdom gained. The last piece is crucial.
The story of the demon-possessed man closely parallels the hero’s journey. It’s interesting that in last scene the man begged Jesus to let him “go with him” (Mark 5:18). Yet Jesus told him: “Go home to your own people” (v. 19). It was important in this man’s journey to return home to the people who knew him best and to tell them his amazing story.
God calls each of us in different ways and to different scenarios. But for some of us, it can be crucial for our faith journey to go home and tell our story to those who know us best. For some of us, the call is “there’s no place like home.”
Who comes to mind that needs to hear what God has done for you? What does the first step in that journey look like?
Jesus, give me the courage to tell of Your wonderful works. Not just to strangers, but also to those who know me best—those at home.
Read Pray First! The Power of Prayer in Sharing the Gospel.
INSIGHT
Today’s story in Mark 5:11–20 is an example of how the gospel writers used storytelling. This account of the demon-possessed man is full of surprises and unexpected twists, all of which not only move the reader forward but help to underline the power and impact of Jesus’ actions. Consider the reactions of the crowd to His miracle of driving the legion of demons from the man living in the tombs.
It isn’t the drowning of the thousands of pigs to which the people react; their focus is on the once-wild man now sitting clothed and in his right mind. Yet instead of being wowed by his recovery, they’re afraid of the man with the power to do what their chains couldn’t. Instead of rejoicing with the one who was set free, they’re afraid of the One with the power to heal him and can only ask for Him to leave.
By John Blase|June 11th, 2022
Evangelism Mark Five:11-20
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand
and were choked in the sea.14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come 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.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Read full chapter
Love, Walter and Debbie
