Go to Your Friends and Tell Them - Mark 5:19

Mark wrote how Jesus told the demons named Legion to come out of a man possessed with them. After Jesus cast the demons into pigs, the pigs ran violently down a steep place and were drowned in the sea. Mark continued, “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. 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. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him”, and in chapter five and verse nineteen of his book, Mark shares how Jesus told the man, “go home to your friends, and tell them” where we read:

Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but said unto him, Go home to your friends, and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you.

The verse reads, “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but said unto him, Go home to your friends, ...” Mark began with the word, “howbeit” or “but, nevertheless, moreover and” “Jesus suffered him not” which means “Jesus who is the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation disregarded, did not permit or allow the man to follow Him”, “but said unto him” or “however, moreover and Jesus uttered, declared, proclaimed to and instructed the man”, “Go home” which means “withdraw yourself and depart toward your dwelling place, habitation and abode” “to your friends” or “toward the man's companions and cohorts”. Mark shared how Jesus would not allow the man to “follow” Him, but rather assigned the man to return to his home where people who knew him were living.

The verse goes on to say, “... and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and has had compassion on you.” Mark continued with the words, “and tell them” which means “and announce, report, make known, rehearse and bring back tidings to the people who are known to you” “how great things” which means “how many wonderful, many and excellent things” “the Lord” or “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “has done for you” which means “has made ready, prepared, produced and acquired for the man”, “and has had compassion on you” or “and has had mercy, brought help and shown divine grace upon the man”. Mark shared how Jesus instructed the man to “report” the “wonderful things” God did for him and the marvelous “love and mercy” which he received.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus called this man to be a “witness” or “missionary” for Him. Rather than just ride along with Jesus and follow Him wherever He went, this formerly possessed man was now to “testify” not only of God's work in his life, but also the “compassion and mercy” that was extended to him by Jesus. God loves people, and when He delivers them from the power of Satan, He wants others to know His message. Jesus Christ came into the world to “seek and to save that which was lost”, and those who have had their lives changed by Jesus Christ have a “testimony” of the “love, grace, mercy and compassion” of Almighty God. May all who read these words know this same “power and love” of Jesus and simply yield their lives to Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” and become “witnesses” to the wonderful power of God.

Next time Mark shares how the man, “departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".