Old Llantrisant Hill
Introduction
- Example of taxi driver
- A story of a troubled man who has an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ
- An extra dimension: he was filled with demons
- How do we interpret this?
- In a psychological way? - a wrong approach
- Real spiritual beings that inform a simplistic evangelical approach - a wrong approach
- Why did Mark include this story?
- Marks is making a special case that Jesus is not just an ordinary man - He has authority
- He has authority over evil spiritual beings
- This point will help inform our Christian life and outworking
- v15 - to see the three changes in his life as a result of his encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ
- Challenge: have you had an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ?
- Three things that will happen if you do have an encounter with Jesus Christ
Turmoil into Tranquility
- He is now sitting
- Previously he was running around, he was expelled from the city
- He is at peace:
- With other people
- No peace in yourself affects relationships with others
- This has been the case from the fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden
- We blame other people
- People are coming to this man (because he is at peace with God)
- With himself
- No longer tearing off his chains or cutting himself
- Example
- The Gadarene demoniac was in a similar state
- With God
- Ever since the fall people are enemies of God
- There is no neutral position before God
- We all need to be made right with God
- We have peace through 'justification' - explanation
Disgrace into Dignity
- He is dressed
- Previously he was tearing around the tombs stark naked
- People were naked in the Garden of Eden but a covering was given to them
- Our society is becoming increasingly shame orientated
- Not guilt orientated
- Body shaming - especially on social media
- Affecting a lot of young people today
- People can feel like damaged goods
- People can feel 'de-personed' - Quote from Monica Lewinsky
- He felt shame
- He was a blight on society
- He may have been a foil for others
- 'I'm not perfect, but I'm not like them'
- Adam and Eve felt shame so covered themselves with fig leaves
- God gave them animal skins
- Some people feel our shame is self-imposed
- We cannot go back to the fall but we can look forward to a day when we will be dressed by God himself
- We can be given the righteousness of Christ for our covering
- We can all experience this in our lives
- This is the only way to overcome this shame and guilt
- This man had experienced a change in his heart
Confusion into Clarity
- He is in his right mind
- His thinking previously had been false, futile/fruitless, frustrating
- False thinking:
- Nothing that we think is not affected by sin
- Everything we think is affected by sin
- Example of Lord of the Rings
- This is what it is like for every human being
- We are irrational in our thinking - examples
- Sin corrupts our thinking
- Futile/fruitless thinking:
- "As a man thinks, so he is"
- Bad thinking leads to bad living
- People became depraved
- Example of Rome
- Example of modern art
- Our culture has become corrupted
- Frustrating thinking:
- Life doesn't make sense
- Personal example
- It is often difficult to admit we are on the wrong path
- This happens with sin
- We have to admit we are on a wrong path and turn around
- Example of well known author
Closing Remarks
- Challenge: have you met the Lord Jesus Christ?
- Example of taxi driver
- You too can be changed by Jesus Christ