Please notice that Mark’s selection of parables recorded in Mark 1:1-4:34 is followed by a series of miracles, indicating that what Jesus had said in the first 34 verses (His words) were authenticated by His works. Between Mark 4:35 and 5:43 the four miracles recorded show Jesus sovereign authority over various hostile powers: a storm at sea, demon possession; incurable physical illness; and death. The vivid details just read indicate that Mark recorded an eyewitness report, probably from Peter.

On the evening of that day of teaching by the lake, Jesus took the initiative and decided to cross over to the East side of the Sea of Galilee with His twelve disciples to Gadarah. Though not stated He probably desired relief from the crowds and rest. Perhaps also He sought a new sphere of ministry. Even so, other boats, carrying those who wanted to remain with Jesus, tagged along. His disciples, several of them experienced fishermen, took charge of the voyage.

The disciples may have been surprised that they were going "to the region of the Gerasenes." Jesus rarely took them to the East side of the Sea of Galilee or the Jordan River. It was far removed from their home base in Capernaum and even farther from Judea and Jerusalem. Furthermore, this are had a large Gentile population. Why go over there? Jesus had a purpose, and the disciples were going to witness His power over numerous demons and His compassion for an individual all at the same time.

The journey was interrupted by a sudden furious squall, common to this lake. A storm in the evening was especially dangerous, and on this occasion the boisterous waves kept spilling over into the boat so that it was nearly swamped.

The boat was in danger of capsizing. Even strong, experienced swimmers would have been hard pressed to survive in the water during such a storm. Consequently, the disciples feared for their lives. Though Jesus was so near, the disciples thought the storm was about to overwhelm them. All they could see was the storm and the danger. You and I have been in this world long enough to know that storms come to every life; even those who have Jesus with them. You remember Jesus parable of the two men who built identical houses; one on the rock, the other on the sand. The same storm struck the houses with the same intensity. The life built on Jesus endured the storm.

Exhausted from a full day of teaching, Jesus was sleeping in the stern on a sailor’s leather rowing cushion. This is the only biblical record of Jesus sleeping. This testifies to the reality of His humanity as well as to His trust in the Heavenly Father.

The panic stricken disciples woke Jesus with a cry of reproach at His apparent indifference to their situation. Though they called Him Teacher, evidently they did not as yet understand His teaching. They thought Jesus cared about them, but He surely was not acting like it. They certainly didn’t understand why He hadn’t done something.

Sometimes in our darkest hour we doubt God’s love and care for us. Perhaps we reason in our minds that God would put us in such a situation or make us endure such pain if He loved us. But Scripture teaches us in several places that God’s love and care take us through trials and dark times—not necessarily away from them. And this is what the disciples were about to learn.

Before addressing the disciples Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the waves "Be silent! Be muzzled and remain so!" This term "Be muzzled," was somewhat a technical term for disposing a demon of his power and suggest that Jesus recognized demonic powers behind the ferocious storm. But at His command the wind stopped and the lake became completely calm.

Jesus is the Lord of nature, which should not be a surprising statement since He created everything, including the wind and the sea. But the disciples were astounded that Jesus had such power over the elements. They had seen several miracles already, but this was beyond their comprehension. The raging storm had stopped immediately at Jesus’ command!

Why did Jesus miraculously calm the storm? We could have just as easily assured the disciples that everything would be fine and guided the boat to safety. However He wanted them to understand more clearly who He was and to know that He cared for their physical safety. He did not want the disciples to be afraid any longer. Jesus cares about each of us, and He wants each one to rest in that care and to know that He has the power to overcome our fears.

When the storms of life sweep down on us, Jesus sometimes seems to be asleep---either unaware of or unconcerned for us in our plight. Sometimes when we pray, He stills the storm, but sometimes the storm continues to rage—and our question becomes even more insistent. Lord, do You really care? If so, why did You allow this to happen to me? And why do You not answer my prayer and deliver me from this? Faith is belief that the Lord can still the storms of life and trust that if He does not do so He will bring some good out of the evil situation.

Now Jesus turned His attention to the frightened disciples. In Vs. 40-41 Jesus rebuked His disciples for being afraid in a crisis. Despite Jesus tutoring, it had still not dawned on them that God’s authority and power were present in Jesus. That is what He meant in His second question, "Do you still have no faith?" They in turn asked, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!"

Incidentally, the other boats that were tagging along benefited from the calm seas, reminding us that the world receives many unappreciated benefits from Jesus Christ presence in the church that go unheralded.

PLEASE TURN TO MARK 5.

The 5^th Chapter of Mark records one miracle after another. The one on which we focus is followed by the raising of Jairus daughter from the dead and the curing of the woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years.

Vs.1-5 provide the setting and describe this poor man’s plight. The vivid details of this whole account reflect both an eyewitness report and the report of townspeople who had long been familiar with the demoniac. Since Jesus voyage across the lake began at evening, it was probably night when the disciples and Jesus arrived on the Eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. They were in Gentile territory in "the country of the Gadarenes. The name Gadarenes comes from the town of Gadara, the capital of the region about 5 or 6 miles S.E. of the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee.

A man with an unclean spirit met them. Matthew wrote of two demon possessed men. Mark and Luke wrote of only one man. Probably one of the two was more violent than the other. People had unsuccessfully tried to keep him chained, but he broke the chains. Now he was living among the tombs and cutting himself with rocks. He was the epitome of a hopeless, helpless man.

Put yourself in the place of the disciples. You have just survived a storm at sea. Now in the dark, on an unknown shore, a wild man comes running at you. The man fell on his knees in front of Jesus. The man was shouting, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, the Son of the most High God? Demon-possessed people seem to have recognized Jesus and feared Him.

"Torment me not" probably refers to the place of punishment awaiting the devil and his demons. Notice he used "me": but he gave his name as Legion, which implies many demons possessed him—or as he put it, "for we are many". An army of demons possessed this pitiful man. It is hard to tell when the man was speaking for him self and when the demons were speaking through him. Perhaps that explains the man’s ambivalence about Jesus. On the one hand, he had run up to Jesus as if seeking His help. Yet at the same time, he was backing away and asking Jesus to let him alone. Many people who need Jesus and are demon possessed do these same things. On the one hand, they are drawn to Jesus; on the other hand, they fear that He will destroy their old way of life.

All the time Jesus had been saying, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. Jesus asked the man’s name, and the demon replied, "My name is Legion—for we are many". The word "legion" refers to a group of six thousand Roman soldiers. Only Jesus could deliver the man from such bondage.

Vs. 3-9 reveal the man’s pitiful condition. He was in what seemed to be a hopeless and helpless plight. His is probably the worst case of demon possession recorded in the Gospels. At least the description of his plight is the longest. He is in many ways like people in every generation who are under the control of evil forces—whether demons, or evil addictions of various kinds. They are enslaved or possessed by powers stronger than they are.

Some people whose lives are out of control are not so dangerous or violent as this man, but many have these things in common: (l) They have some condition over which they have little or no control. (2) As a result, they are excluded from normal social life and contacts. (3) People who try to help them often are frustrated in their efforts and often give up in despair. (4) Jesus has both the compassion and the power to help such people.

In Vs. 10-14 the demons begged Jesus again and again not send them out of the area to the abyss. The demons asked permission to enter into some swine that were nearby. Jesus gave them permission. The demons entered the swine, and the 2000 swine ran down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Jesus wanted to give tangible evidence to the man and to the people that the demons actually had left him and their purpose had been to destroy him even as they destroyed the pigs.

Mark 5: 1-20 is part of the Gospel of Mark that shows Jesus as Lord with authority over all things. This includes nature, demons, disease, and death. All of Jesus’ actions related to these were acts of compassion, which clearly show the power and love of Jesus as Son of God. They show that Jesus’ compassion extends to the physical, mental, and spiritual needs.

Incredibly, the response of the witnesses was that they were afraid. They were awed by someone who had such power over demons; unseen forces they could neither understand or handle. Apparently the people of the area were also afraid of someone with the power to rid the man of so many demons. What if Jesus planned to do them harm? They knew they would be powerless under such circumstances.

Instead of approaching Jesus to learn more about Him and His power over evil, the people in that area began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. They may have been upset over the loss of the pigs and the economic difficulties that would follow. Apparently they feared further losses if He stayed. But not all of them would have had an investment in the pigs. So more likely they were afraid of Jesus and His power, something they did not understand and did not want to understand. There is no record that Jesus ever returned to that area again.

The person in this story who at the outset seemed the least likely to respond to Jesus is the one who did respond. No one needs to fear that his or her sins are too grievous for God’s mercy. Jesus loved the man too much to leave him in bondage, and his deliverance was so complete that the people were astounded at Jesus’ power.

Jesus cares about you too. He is the Savior of the individual. Salvation is not a group project. Some people believe, others do not. But each person is responsible for his or her own choice. Jesus went to great lengths to reach this man across the lake in the land of the gentiles. Jesus went to even greater lengths for you and me when He became a man so He could die on the cross for our sins. Jesus proved His love for us on the cross, and those of us who know Him as Savior and Lord can rest assured His love and care will never end.