OceanSide church of Christ

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SERVANT TO MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN

Mark 5

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Mark presents the Lord Jesus Christ as a servant in his Gospel.

 

B.    One of the things that he focuses upon is the miracles of Jesus.

 

C.   In Mark 5, we find three miracles recorded.

 

D.   In this chapter, we learn that Jesus is a servant to men, women, and children.

1.     Men (Mark 5:2)

 

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him a man with an unclean spirit.

 

2.     Women (Mark 5:25)

 

And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years.

 

3.     Children (Mark 5:23, 42)

 

And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years.

 

E.    In each of these accounts, we are given a before and after shot.  That which brought the changes was the Servant of God.

 

I.           THE SERVANT OF MEN

 

A.   The man that Jesus served was one who had an unclean spirit (Mark 5:2).

1.     He had his dwelling among the tombs (Mark 5:3).

2.     He was a person of superhuman strength (Mark 5:3-4).

3.     He roamed the mountains and tombs (Mark 5:5a).

4.     He was destructive to himself, cutting himself with stones Mark 5:5b).

 

B.    The after picture is remarkable.

1.     Mark 5:15

 

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.

 

2.     The change was so noteworthy that it brought fear to those who had known him previously.  And they were afraid (Mark 5:15b).

C.   It was the power of God’s servant that had brought this transformation (Mark 5:8).

 

For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

 

D.   Application:

1.     Those in sin can be likened unto this demon possessed man.

a.     They are under the power of the evil one.

b.    Their behavior is most inappropriate.

c.    Often they do things that destroy their physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

2.     In order for them to change, they stand in need of the power of Jesus Christ in their lives.  His blood can literally transform them.

3.     They become different beings:

a.     They are new creatures (II Cor. 5:17).

b.    They arise from the waters of baptism to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4).

c.    They no longer live, but Christ lives in them (Gal. 2:20).

 

II.         THE SERVANT TO WOMEN

 

A.   Jesus had been told of man’s “little daughter” who was very ill.  As He made His journey to the man’s house, He came into contact with a woman.

 

B.    It was the woman who initiated the contact.  For twelve years she had been dealing with “an issue of blood.”  Many doctors had been searched out, but her condition only grew worse (Mark 5:25-28).

 

And a certain woman which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing better, but rather grew worse, when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.  For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

 

C.   Her after picture is just as remarkable as that of the man possessed with legion (Mark 5:29).

 

And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

 

D.   Again, the power of the healing rested in Jesus (Mark 5:30).

 

And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

 

1.     The word “virtue” is “dunamis” and means power, specifically miraculous power.

2.     No human doctor was able to cure her.  They only brought her to poverty.  Only Jesus could heal this woman.

 

E.    Application:

1.     The sins of man are often likened to a sickness or disease (Isa. 1:5-6).

 

Why should ye be stricken any more?  Ye will revolt more and more:  the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it: but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores:  they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

 

2.     Man does not have the ability to heal the sickness of the soul.

3.     The power to cleanse the soul and make it whole lies only in Jesus Christ (I Pet. 2:24).

 

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:  by whose stripes ye are healed.

 

III.       THE SERVANT TO CHILDREN

 

A.   A man named Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, came to Jesus on behalf of his daughter (Mark 5:23).

 

And he besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death:  I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.

 

B.    Before they made it to the house, news was sent that the little girl had died (Mark 5:35).

 

 

 

C.   It was the power of Jesus that brought the child to life again (Mark 5:41-42).

 

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talithacumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.  And straightway the damsel arose, and walked…

 

D.   Application:

1.     In our sins, we are spiritually dead.

a.     The prodigal son (Luke 15:24)

 

…For this my son was dead…

 

b.    The young widows (I Tim. 5:6)

 

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

 

2.     The only way to be made alive is through the power of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13)

 

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have seen Jesus as a servant to men, women, and children.

 

B.    We have also seen a servant who can deliver from bondage, heal from sickness, and bring the dead back to life.

 

C.   If you are in one of these conditions spiritually, the power of Jesus Christ is available to you.