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MINING FOR GOLD IN THE GOSPEL BY MARK

Mark’s gospel is the apostle Peter recounting the greatest story ever told.  If you will let him, Mark will let you see, feel and experience what it was like to have God in a body, right here on earth.

Marks gospel is a dramatic, vivid, full of color action packed video that takes us on an eyewitnesses journey with none other than the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ. Have you started turning shovels of blessings into gold from the Gospels? There is a simple way to do just that:

In this journey –

  • Christ Jesus is held high – He is Divine
  • Christ Jesus is brought near – He is Human
  • Christ Jesus is seen clearly – He is Eye witnessed
  • Christ Jesus is shown eagerly – He is Here

First, Let’s see Jesus held high, and be deeply impressed – He Is Divine. The best way to do so is to see Him through the eyes of those who brushed against His robes, looked into His penetrating gaze and reacted. Look at a few of these on the scene eye witness reports of what it was like to be around Jesus.

Mark 1:22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  This was the response of a group of men who suddenly realized that it was actually God, a supernaturally powerful, beyond human comprehension person, who had sat with them in the boat! He controlled the atmosphere, the water, the force of 2 billion tons of water (that is the 44.6 billion cubic yards of water in the Sea of Galilee) violently foaming and crashing about them – with a simple word!

Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

For a moment get into the boat. Look at the waves, feel the wind nearly blowing you into the foaming water and then ask yourself some personal questions.

•    Does Jesus Christ astonish you?  He wants to
•    Does God’s Word grip your heart?  It can
•    Are you amazed at how great He truly is?  You can be if you want to be.

If that’s so, let me suggest some ways to build the relationship –
G – get alone with God daily in prayer
R – read the Bible daily
O– obey what God had written
W – witness to others – His hand is in your life

Mark 10:24-26 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

 

NOW BACK TO

FINDING CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL BY MARK

HIS ACTIONS:

What He did.

HIS SELF-DESCRIPTION:

What He said.

HIS REPUTATION:

What others said.

1.    Mark 2:5 when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

HE FORGIVES

Mark 2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

HE IS OUR BRIDEGROOM

Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

HE IS DIVINE

2.    Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

HE HEALS

Mark 2:28  “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

HE IS LORD OF THE LAW, SABBATH

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

HE HAS DIVINE TITLES KNOWN IN SPIRIT WORLD

3.    Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

HE MASTERS THE WEATHER

Mark 3:14-15  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: HE CALLS A NEW PEOPLE AND EMPOWERS THEM Mark 3:11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”

HE TERRIFIES DEMONS

4.    Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. HE CALMS STORMS Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

HE IS THE JUDGE OF ALL

Mark 5:7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

HE HAS THE POWER OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION

5.    Mark 9:3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. HE SHINES WITH GLORY Mark 9:31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”

HE EXACTLY KNEW THE FUTURE

Mark 8:29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” HE IS VERIFIED BY CLOSEST FRIENDS AS SUM OF ALL OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESIES
6.    Mark 9:33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” HE READS MINDS Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

HE IS LIMITED IN HIS INCARNATION

Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

HE IS VERIFIED BY ANGELS AS IMMORTAL

7.    Mark 14:36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” HE UNIQUELY RELATES TO GOD Mark 13:35  “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—

HE DETERMINES DESTINY AS MASTER

8.    Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. HE CHOOSES WHEN TO DIE Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

HE INAUGERATES THE GREATEST COVENANT

Mark 14:62  Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
HE IS MESSIAH

HIS ACTIONS: What He did.
HIS SELF-DESCRIPTION: What He said.
HIS REPUTATION: What others said.

  • Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. HE IS DIVINE
  • Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” HE HAS DIVINE TITLES KNOWN IN SPIRIT WORLD AND FROM ISAIAH (30 X) 10:17, 20; 17:7; 29:19, 23; 48:17
  • Mark 2:5 when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” HE FORGIVES SIN   
  • Mark 2:8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? HE READS MINDS
  • Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” HE HEALS PARALYSIS
  • Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” HE CALLS SINNERS
  • Mark 2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. HE IS OUR BRIDEGROOM ISAIAH 50:1; JER. 3:8; II COR 11:1-2
  • Mark 2:28  “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” HE IS LORD OF THE LAW, SABBATH
  • Mark 3:5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. HE RENEWS LIMBS
  • Mark 3:11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” HE TERRIFIES DEMONS (THERE ARE NO UNBELIEVERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD!)
  • Mark 3:14-15  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: HE CALLS A NEW PEOPLE AND EMPOWERS THEM
  • Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. HE MASTERS THE WEATHER    
  • Mark 5:7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” HE HAS THE POWER OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION

Sabbath observance was the heart of the Jewish legalistic system, and when Jesus violated the traditions as to how that day should be honored, He struck a raw nerve. Both the English Sabbath and the Greek sabbaton transliterate the Hebrew shabbat, which has the basic meaning of ceasing, rest, and inactivity. At the end of creation “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Gen. 2:3). In honor of that day, the Lord declared it to be a special time of rest and remembrance for His people and incorporated its observance into the requirements of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:9-11). But that law is the only one of the Ten Commandments that is non-moral and purely ceremonial; and it was unique to the Old Covenant and to Israel. The other nine commandments, on the other hand, pertain to moral and spiritual absolutes and are repeated and expanded upon many places in the New Testament. But Sabbath observance is never recommended to Christians, much less given as a command in the New Testament.

Moody indicated that the initial idea for his narrative of the demoniac came
from Christmas Evans.

Demoniac of Gedara
(Mark 5:1-20)

The demoniac was that wild man who lived among the tombs.  He was the terror of all the women and children for ten miles round, and a good many of the men besides.  They had tried to bind him even with chains, but he tore off the bands as Samson did the green withes and new ropes.  He was absolutely full of devils; but when Christ comes to him he has only to speak the word and the legion of devils is cast out.

The cure of this maniac made a great excitement all over that country, not so much because the poor man was freed from Satanic influence and made sane, as because of the loss of that great herd of swine that the devils got into and drowned.

It seems to me that is just the case with a great many people in Chicago–they are more interested in swine than in salvation.  You let the price of pork go up tomorrow, and there would be a much greater excitement over it than there is over all the sinners who are getting converted at the Tabernacle.

After the man is cured he wants to follow Christ–wants to be with him–is ready to follow him to the end of the earth;  but Christ sends him home.

I can imagine the children see him coming, and they run to tell their mother, “O, mother, mother, father is coming!”

“Is he?  Run and fasten all the doors and windows!  Quickly!”

They are all afraid of him.  When he has been there before he has acted like a madman; broken the chairs, tipped over the tables, dashed the furniture about, driven his wife out of doors, and nearly frightened the children to death.  Now they fasten him out, and the children hide behind their mother’s dress and listen.

Hark! he knocks at the door; but they dare not let him in.  He tries the door and finds it fastened,  Then he calls, “Mary! Mary!”

“Why,” says his wife, “that sounds as his voice used to when I first married him!  What can have happened to him?”  Then she goes to the door, and says softly, “James, is that you?

“Yes, Mary,  I have come home; you needn’t be afraid of me any more.  I am in my right mind now,”

The woman opens the door just a little; looks into his eyes; sees that he is gentle and kind.  Then she throws it wide open, and springs into his arms, weeping for joy, and saying, “O James! James! what has happened to you?”

“Jesus of Nazareth cast all the devils out of me, and then sent me
home to you all safe and well,” answers the man.

“Who is this Jesus that you say has cured you?” asked his wife.

“Jesus–did you never hear of him?  He is the great Galilean prophet.  The people think he is the Christ.  He goes all about healing sick folks, and casting out devils from people just like me.  Only the other day he opened the eyes of a man who was born blind.  You must go and see him, Mary, and take the children, and hear the wonderful words he speaks.  Maybe he would take up Johnny and Sarah in his arms, and bless them, as he did some other little children.”

I see them talking together of the great joy that has come to them through this Jesus of Nazareth, and I am sure they love him very much in that household for what he has done for them.  Pretty soon the children begin to get confidence in their father, and one after another they steal up to him and climb up into his arms.  And now all that broken-hearted family are united once more.  He kisses them all, hugs them, and tells them how glad he is to get back to them.

Then after a little they run out to see their playmates, shouting, “Papa is come!  Papa is come!  And he is good and gentle like your papa.  Jesus did it! Jesus did it!”

Ah, my friends, Jesus is the great deliverer.  I like to think of him as a physician who can cure every thing.  He never lost a patient, and that is more than the most skilled doctors in Tulsa (Chicago) can say.

Marks gospel is the apostle Peter recounting the greatest story ever told.  If you will let him, Mark will let you see, feel and experience what it was like to have God in a body, right here on earth.

Marks gospel is a dramatic, vivid, full of color action packed video that takes us on an eyewitnesses journey with none other than the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ.Have you started turning shovels of blessings into gold from the Gospels? There is a simple way to do just that:

In this journey –
1.    Christ Jesus is held high – He is Divine
2.    Christ Jesus is brought near – He is Human
3.    Christ Jesus is seen clearly – He is Eye witnessed
4.    Christ Jesus is shown eagerly – He is Here

TAGS: 000130PM

Mark’s gospel is the apostle Peter recounting the greatest story ever told.  If you will let him, Mark will let you see, feel and experience what it was like to have God in a body, right here on earth.

Marks gospel is a dramatic, vivid, full of color action packed video that takes us on an eyewitnesses journey with none other than the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ. Have you started turning shovels of blessings into gold from the Gospels? There is a simple way to do just that:

In this journey –

  • Christ Jesus is held high – He is Divine
  • Christ Jesus is brought near – He is Human
  • Christ Jesus is seen clearly – He is Eye witnessed
  • Christ Jesus is shown eagerly – He is Here

First, Let’s see Jesus held high, and be deeply impressed – He Is Divine. The best way to do so is to see Him through the eyes of those who brushed against His robes, looked into His penetrating gaze and reacted. Look at a few of these on the scene eye witness reports of what it was like to be around Jesus.

Mark 1:22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

Mark 4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”  This was the response of a group of men who suddenly realized that it was actually God, a supernaturally powerful, beyond human comprehension person, who had sat with them in the boat! He controlled the atmosphere, the water, the force of 2 billion tons of water (that is the 44.6 billion cubic yards of water in the Sea of Galilee) violently foaming and crashing about them – with a simple word!

Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

For a moment get into the boat. Look at the waves, feel the wind nearly blowing you into the foaming water and then ask yourself some personal questions.

•    Does Jesus Christ astonish you?  He wants to
•    Does God’s Word grip your heart?  It can
•    Are you amazed at how great He truly is?  You can be if you want to be.

If that’s so, let me suggest some ways to build the relationship –
G – get alone with God daily in prayer
R – read the Bible daily
O– obey what God had written
W – witness to others – His hand is in your life

Mark 10:24-26 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!25 “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”26 And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then can be saved?”

 

NOW BACK TO

FINDING CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL BY MARK

HIS ACTIONS:
What He did.
HIS SELF-DESCRIPTION:
What He said.
HIS REPUTATION:
What others said.
1.    Mark 2:5 when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

HE FORGIVES

Mark 2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

HE IS OUR BRIDEGROOM

Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.

HE IS DIVINE

2.    Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

HE HEALS

Mark 2:28  “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

HE IS LORD OF THE LAW, SABBATH

Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

HE HAS DIVINE TITLES KNOWN IN SPIRIT WORLD

3.    Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

HE MASTERS THE WEATHER

Mark 3:14-15  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: HE CALLS A NEW PEOPLE AND EMPOWERS THEM Mark 3:11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”

HE TERRIFIES DEMONS

4.    Mark 6:51 Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. HE CALMS STORMS Mark 8:38 “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

HE IS THE JUDGE OF ALL

Mark 5:7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.”

HE HAS THE POWER OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION

5.    Mark 9:3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. HE SHINES WITH GLORY Mark 9:31 For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.”

HE EXACTLY KNEW THE FUTURE

Mark 8:29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.” HE IS VERIFIED BY CLOSEST FRIENDS AS SUM OF ALL OLD TESTAMENT PROPHESIES
6.    Mark 9:33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” HE READS MINDS Mark 13:32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

HE IS LIMITED IN HIS INCARNATION

Mark 16:6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.

HE IS VERIFIED BY ANGELS AS IMMORTAL

7.    Mark 14:36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” HE UNIQUELY RELATES TO GOD Mark 13:35  “Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—

HE DETERMINES DESTINY AS MASTER

8.    Mark 15:37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. HE CHOOSES WHEN TO DIE Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.

HE INAUGERATES THE GREATEST COVENANT

Mark 14:62  Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
HE IS MESSIAH

HIS ACTIONS: What He did.
HIS SELF-DESCRIPTION: What He said.
HIS REPUTATION: What others said.

  • Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. HE IS DIVINE
  • Mark 1:24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” HE HAS DIVINE TITLES KNOWN IN SPIRIT WORLD AND FROM ISAIAH (30 X) 10:17, 20; 17:7; 29:19, 23; 48:17
  • Mark 2:5 when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” HE FORGIVES SIN   
  • Mark 2:8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? HE READS MINDS
  • Mark 2:11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” HE HEALS PARALYSIS
  • Mark 2:17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” HE CALLS SINNERS
  • Mark 2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. HE IS OUR BRIDEGROOM ISAIAH 50:1; JER. 3:8; II COR 11:1-2
  • Mark 2:28  “Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” HE IS LORD OF THE LAW, SABBATH
  • Mark 3:5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. HE RENEWS LIMBS
  • Mark 3:11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” HE TERRIFIES DEMONS (THERE ARE NO UNBELIEVERS IN THE SPIRIT WORLD!)
  • Mark 3:14-15  Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach,15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: HE CALLS A NEW PEOPLE AND EMPOWERS THEM
  • Mark 4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. HE MASTERS THE WEATHER    
  • Mark 5:7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” HE HAS THE POWER OF ETERNAL DESTRUCTION

Sabbath observance was the heart of the Jewish legalistic system, and when Jesus violated the traditions as to how that day should be honored, He struck a raw nerve. Both the English Sabbath and the Greek sabbaton transliterate the Hebrew shabbat, which has the basic meaning of ceasing, rest, and inactivity. At the end of creation “God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made” (Gen. 2:3). In honor of that day, the Lord declared it to be a special time of rest and remembrance for His people and incorporated its observance into the requirements of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:9-11). But that law is the only one of the Ten Commandments that is non-moral and purely ceremonial; and it was unique to the Old Covenant and to Israel. The other nine commandments, on the other hand, pertain to moral and spiritual absolutes and are repeated and expanded upon many places in the New Testament. But Sabbath observance is never recommended to Christians, much less given as a command in the New Testament.

Moody indicated that the initial idea for his narrative of the demoniac came
from Christmas Evans.

Demoniac of Gedara
(Mark 5:1-20)

The demoniac was that wild man who lived among the tombs.  He was the terror of all the women and children for ten miles round, and a good many of the men besides.  They had tried to bind him even with chains, but he tore off the bands as Samson did the green withes and new ropes.  He was absolutely full of devils; but when Christ comes to him he has only to speak the word and the legion of devils is cast out.

The cure of this maniac made a great excitement all over that country, not so much because the poor man was freed from Satanic influence and made sane, as because of the loss of that great herd of swine that the devils got into and drowned.

It seems to me that is just the case with a great many people in Chicago–they are more interested in swine than in salvation.  You let the price of pork go up tomorrow, and there would be a much greater excitement over it than there is over all the sinners who are getting converted at the Tabernacle.

After the man is cured he wants to follow Christ–wants to be with him–is ready to follow him to the end of the earth;  but Christ sends him home.

I can imagine the children see him coming, and they run to tell their mother, “O, mother, mother, father is coming!”

“Is he?  Run and fasten all the doors and windows!  Quickly!”

They are all afraid of him.  When he has been there before he has acted like a madman; broken the chairs, tipped over the tables, dashed the furniture about, driven his wife out of doors, and nearly frightened the children to death.  Now they fasten him out, and the children hide behind their mother’s dress and listen.

Hark! he knocks at the door; but they dare not let him in.  He tries the door and finds it fastened,  Then he calls, “Mary! Mary!”

“Why,” says his wife, “that sounds as his voice used to when I first married him!  What can have happened to him?”  Then she goes to the door, and says softly, “James, is that you?

“Yes, Mary,  I have come home; you needn’t be afraid of me any more.  I am in my right mind now,”

The woman opens the door just a little; looks into his eyes; sees that he is gentle and kind.  Then she throws it wide open, and springs into his arms, weeping for joy, and saying, “O James! James! what has happened to you?”

“Jesus of Nazareth cast all the devils out of me, and then sent me
home to you all safe and well,” answers the man.

“Who is this Jesus that you say has cured you?” asked his wife.

“Jesus–did you never hear of him?  He is the great Galilean prophet.  The people think he is the Christ.  He goes all about healing sick folks, and casting out devils from people just like me.  Only the other day he opened the eyes of a man who was born blind.  You must go and see him, Mary, and take the children, and hear the wonderful words he speaks.  Maybe he would take up Johnny and Sarah in his arms, and bless them, as he did some other little children.”

I see them talking together of the great joy that has come to them through this Jesus of Nazareth, and I am sure they love him very much in that household for what he has done for them.  Pretty soon the children begin to get confidence in their father, and one after another they steal up to him and climb up into his arms.  And now all that broken-hearted family are united once more.  He kisses them all, hugs them, and tells them how glad he is to get back to them.

Then after a little they run out to see their playmates, shouting, “Papa is come!  Papa is come!  And he is good and gentle like your papa.  Jesus did it! Jesus did it!”

Ah, my friends, Jesus is the great deliverer.  I like to think of him as a physician who can cure every thing.  He never lost a patient, and that is more than the most skilled doctors in Tulsa (Chicago) can say.

Marks gospel is the apostle Peter recounting the greatest story ever told.  If you will let him, Mark will let you see, feel and experience what it was like to have God in a body, right here on earth.

Marks gospel is a dramatic, vivid, full of color action packed video that takes us on an eyewitnesses journey with none other than the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ.Have you started turning shovels of blessings into gold from the Gospels? There is a simple way to do just that:

In this journey –
1.    Christ Jesus is held high – He is Divine
2.    Christ Jesus is brought near – He is Human
3.    Christ Jesus is seen clearly – He is Eye witnessed
4.    Christ Jesus is shown eagerly – He is Here