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Yeshua is the Most Important Man Who Ever Lived. The Most Important Man brought the world the Most Important Message, a message that must be believed for human beings, who are alienated from God, to be reconciled to their Creator and live forever. Everything Messiah did, everything He said, every interaction with others that has been recorded for us in the divinely inspired book of Mark, is extremely important. We want to understand as much as we can about the Most Important Man and His Most Important Message. And, we want to bring that message to as many people as we can.
Last week we ended with Mark’s account of Yeshua calming a deadly storm from without. Next Mark informs us that Yeshua is able to calm the deadly storms from within. They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes (on the eastern side of the Kinneret). When Yeshua got out of the boat, a man with an impure 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.
Fallen angels, demons, evil spirits, impure spirits are real. Their dark kingdom is real. Satan, the leader of the fallen angels, is the god of this world. Satan and the demons rule this world. They control humanity. They are able to influence human beings. In the most severe situations, like this one, they are able to possess people. Demon possession is real. In this case, their influence prevented this man from being able to live a normal life. He avoided normal human society and preferred to live among the dead. He was naked. He didn’t wear clothes. Like many today, he engaged in self-destructive behavior. He cut himself. He was tormented and cried out because of his torment. And he was supernaturally strong.
The possessing demons gave him knowledge that others didn’t have – even Messiah’s disciples. When he saw Yeshua from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of Him. He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Yeshua, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” For Yeshua had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” The demons within this man knew that Yeshua was the Son of God – sharing divinity with God the Father. And they knew that the Son of God was more powerful than they were and God would enable Yeshua to force them out of this man.
Then Yeshua asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” What a chilling reply. A Roman legion had 4,000 to as many as 6,000 men. That tells us that more than one demon is able to possess a human being. In this case, a small army of demons had taken possession of this pathetic man. And he begged Yeshua again and again not to send them out of the area. The demons wanted to stay in that area and asked permission from the Son of God to remain in that area – which means that Yeshua had the authority to banish them from that area or allow them to remain in that area.
Demons can not only possess people; they can also possess animals. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Yeshua, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The army of demons caused the pigs to act against their natural instincts. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
Something powerful and extraordinary had happened. A huge number of pigs were dead; and the young Rabbi from the other side of the lake had enabled the demon-possessed man to be completely free of demonic control. This was big news. 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 Yeshua, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind. This tormented, demon-possessed man had regained control of himself. He was calm, clothed and able to rejoin human society. What a fantastic turn of events! But not everyone thought so.
And they (the people from that area) 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 Yeshua to leave their region. Why would the people from the eastern side of the lake beg the miracle-working Rabbi from the other side of the lake to leave? Weren’t there more people in their area the holy man could help? People who could be healed? People who could be released from the destructive control of evil spirits? No doubt there were – but the people were more concerned with pigs than people, with potential financial losses than benefits given to human beings made in the image of God.
The people didn’t want the miracle-working Rabbi to remain in their area. And Yeshua is a gentleman. He is Someone who doesn’t force Himself to be where He is not wanted. But in His wisdom and grace, even though He respected what they wanted and departed that area, He left them a witness to His reality. As Yeshua was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with Him. Yeshua 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.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Yeshua had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Yeshua sent the formerly demon-possessed man to be His representative to that area, and as the people saw him and heard his story how the Rabbi had so amazingly restored his life, they were again confronted with the reality of Yeshua who could do such great things.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who can calm the deadly storms from without and who can calm the deadliest storms from within.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is more powerful than a legion of demons, and that is so good, so hopeful since humanity is like this man, under the influence of the demonic. Like this man, humanity is not are able to live in good society, in God’s society, with the Father and the Son and the good angels, and the saints of the ages, the way we should. Humanity is spiritually naked; tormented; engaged in self-destructive activity. But Yeshua is able to restore demonized humanity to sanity and to peace so that we can live with God and the good angels and the righteous.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who respects the desires of those who reject Him, and won’t force Himself on them, but also graciously provides other witnesses to His reality so that those who have rejected Him might continue to hear about Him and reconsider their rejection and be saved.
When Yeshua had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake (back to the western side), a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Yeshua, he fell at His feet – indicating that Jairus believed Yeshua was greater than he was and indicating that Jairus was asking for Yeshua’s help. He pleaded earnestly with Him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put Your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Yeshua went with him.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is sympathetic to a parent who is suffering because his child is dying.
Someone who is greater than this leader of the synagogue and greater than the all the leaders of all the synagogues that have ever existed. Someone the leaders of the synagogues should fall down before so that their dying children can live.
But, before Yeshua could get to the home of Jairus, He was interrupted by a suffering woman who touched Him in a special way. A large crowd followed and pressed around Him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. For twelve years this woman had suffered. She experienced bleeding, probably weakness and discomfort; and a lot of time and all her money had been wasted on doctors and instead of getting better she got worse. Not only this, her condition caused her to be isolated from people and from the synagogue and the Temple because we were forbidden to have physical contact with anyone in this unclean condition. But she believed that the young Rabbi from Nazareth could change all that.
When she heard about Yeshua, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch His clothes, I will be healed.” This woman had faith that Yeshua was very close to God, and if she could only touch the cloak of the holy, miracle-working Rabbi, she would get well.
Yeshua was on the move and the popular Rabbi was surrounded by people, and it may have been too crowded for her to get Yeshua’s attention and ask permission to touch Him, so without asking Him, she entered the crowd, managed to approach Him from behind and touch His cloak. And something fantastic instantly happened.
Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Yeshua realized that power had gone out from Him. Messiah knew that miraculous power that was connected to Him had gone out from Him, but limited by His humanity, He didn’t know who made that happen. And He wanted to know. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” With all the people in that crowd brushing against Yeshua, the disciples thought Yeshua’s question was very strange. “You see the people crowding against You,” His disciples answered, “and yet You can ask, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
Yeshua knew that someone had touched Him in a very special way. But Yeshua kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at His feet and, trembling with fear, told Him the whole truth. The woman was very afraid because she knew she had done something wrong by entering a crowd, some of whom she may have had physical contact with, and then touched a holy rabbi; and if this became known she might be punished for violating the law.
But she overcame her fear, went to Yeshua, fell at His feet, a gesture that acknowledged His superiority and asked for mercy, and confessed what she had done. Her faith and courage and good character pleased the Rabbi. Instead of a reprimand, she received a very comforting and reassuring word from Him. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” Instead of being offended by an unclean woman touching Him, Yeshua was pleased with her and commended her and reassured her.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who, when He confronts us when we may have done something wrong, wants us to come to Him and tell Him the truth. If we do, we will find Him to be gracious, forgiving and reassuring.
Who is Yeshua? Someone whose purity is greater than our impurity. When this unclean woman touched the holy Rabbi, He didn’t become unclean. She became instantly and completely clean! Messiah’s purity overcame her impurity. And, Yeshua is so clean, so pure, so holy that all of unclean, unholy humanity can touch Him and He will remain holy and clean.
Who is Yeshua? Someone, who, if we touch Him by faith, will say to us: My daughter, My son, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering. From that moment, Messiah will consider us to be beloved sons and daughters and members of family who will one day be completely healed and able to live in peace.
Yeshua is Someone who wants us to touch Him – by faith. Many in the crowd had physical contact with the Rabbi that day, but only the woman was healed – because she touched Him with intentionality and with faith. Are you like most people in that crowd – who merely brushing against Yeshua and nothing happened, or are you like this woman who had faith in Yeshua and purposely touched Him with the result that her life was restored?
Millions have grown up in Christian or Messianic Jewish homes; millions have been raised in a nominally Christian nation and have brushed up against Yeshua; they have had some contact with Him but were not healed because they did not touch Him with faith.
Humanity is like this bleeding, impoverished, suffering, unclean woman. Yeshua is someone who wants us to touch Him – by knowing who He is and becoming loyal to Him. If we touch Him with by faith, we will be healed, become clean and be able to live in peace – forever.
In all of history, there have only been a few instances where a sick or dead person touched a holy man and a miracle happened. Who is Yeshua? Someone who is in the same category as Israel’s greatest miracle-working prophets. In fact, Yeshua is greater than Israel’s greatest miracle working prophets.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is much more aware of spiritual realities than His greatest disciples. So, if your spiritual leaders don’t know what is going on, like the apostles didn’t know what was going on here, take comfort knowing that Yeshua understands what is really going on.
Mark continues the account of Jairus and his daughter: While Yeshua was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the Rabbi anymore?” Death seems so final. What can anyone do to reverse death? But Yeshua is Someone who is greater than death, Someone who is able to overcome this great enemy, death!
Overhearing what they said, Yeshua told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” Faith – confidence in God and the goodness of God; confidence in who Yeshua is and what He can do, can take away our fears, even the fear of death. He did not let anyone follow Him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. Why these three and no other disciples? These were Yeshua’s inner circle. They would become special leaders, even among the 12. Even the apostles would benefit by the extra effort Yeshua put into these three leaders. Even great leaders can benefit by other leaders.
When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Yeshua saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” Yeshua knew that the condition of Jairus’s daughter was more like sleeping than dying, since He knew what was about to happen. However the people there, so limited in knowledge, so limited in understanding of what God is capable of doing, thought Yeshua’s statement was ridiculous. But they laughed at Him. It’s never wise to laugh at a messenger of God since what seems foolish or impossible – if God says it, will turn out to be true.
Who is Yeshua? Someone who is so much more knowledgeable and wiser than we are. Someone we should believe – no matter how foolish His words may seem. He is Someone we should never laugh at in any way.
After He put them all out, He took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with Him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat. Death is unnatural. Death is the result of humanity joining the rebellion of the fallen angels. Death is the result of sin. Death is one of our very greatest enemies. Death is strong. Death is powerful. Death seems so final. Yet Yeshua is greater than death! And for those who know Yeshua and become loyal to Him, a day is coming when He will take us by the hand and say: I say to you, get up – and we will get up. We will overcome death. And, He will make sure we are given something to eat.
Who is Yeshua?
Yeshua is the Most Important Man Who brought the Most Important Message, a message we should be bringing to as many people as we can.
Yeshua is the Son of God, sharing divinity with God the Father. Equal in nature with God the Father yet distinct from the Father as a Person.
Yeshua is Someone who is more powerful than a legion of demons and is able to restore demonized humanity to sanity and to peace so that we can live with Him and His Father and the good angels and the righteous men and women of the ages.
Yeshua is Someone who can calm the deadly storms from without and who can calm the deadliest storms from within.
Yeshua is Someone who can speak to the winds and waves and so that they become calm.
Yeshua is Someone who can speak to the demons so that they become silent and so that their control over us comes to an end.
Yeshua is Someone who can speak to the dead so that they come back to life.
Yeshua is Someone who respects the desires of those who reject Him, and won’t force Himself on them, but also graciously provides other witnesses to His reality so that those who have rejected Him might continue to hear about Him and reconsider their rejection and be saved.
Yeshua is Someone who is sympathetic to a parent who is suffering because his child is dying.
Yeshua is Someone who is greater than the leaders of all the synagogues, Someone the leaders of the synagogues should fall down before so that their dying children can live.
Yeshua is Someone who, when He confronts us when have done something wrong, wants us to come to Him and tell Him the truth. If we do, we will find Him to be gracious, forgiving and reassuring.
Yeshua is Someone whose purity is greater than our impurity.
Yeshua is Someone who doesn’t want us to merely brush up against Him in the crowd, but wants us to touch Him by faith. He is Someone, who, if we touch Him by knowing who He and transferring our loyalty to Him, will say to us: My daughter, My son, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.
Yeshua is Someone who is infinitely wiser than we are. He is Someone we should believe – no matter how foolish His words may seem. He is Someone we should never dismiss in any way.
Yeshua is Someone who, after we die, will take us by the hand and say: I say to you, get up – and we will get up. And, He will make sure we are given something delicious to eat.
May God enable Yeshua be all these things to us and may we respond faithfully to all that He is and become all that we should be. Amayn? Amayn!