Among the Tombs

Mark 5:1-20

Night and day he roamed, the epitome of darkness personified.  He was a possessed man, tormented and lost.  Naked and alone with the voices of demons in his mind, he perpetually cut himself with stones.  How his anguished cries must have echoed as he wandered the solitary tombs.  Almost fittingly, this dead man walking had made his home among the dead.  And though he could not be bound by the chains of man, he was spiritually bound by the Enemy.  He had no hope of rescue, for he could do nothing to free himself.  

But seeing Jesus from afar, this afflicted man ran from the tombs onto the shore.  Falling at Jesus’ feet, the spirits through him cried, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”  Yet, they knew he had come for their destruction.  By the simple word of the Master the evil spirits came out, fleeing at once into a herd of pigs.  For who but the King of Kings can command even the demons?  

And of the man once possessed?  No longer resigned to roam the tombs, he was now a picture of restoration.  Sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, there was no hint of darkness, only that of light.  Though he longed to be with the One who had saved him, he was instructed to return home to his friends so that he might share with them the mercy of the Lord.  Home.  How long had it been?  And how he must have wept for joy knowing his home would never again be among the tombs.            

Amazingly, the miracle of this story is that it shows us our own.  For we too were once bound by the Enemy.  Unable to free ourselves, we were held captive to sin.  Born with stone hearts that were made dead in Adam, we lived spiritually among the tombs.  Dead in sin. Dead in hope.    

But while we were a long way off, our Father in Heaven saw our plight.  Planned from all eternity, the Son of Man came to give his life for ours, to take upon himself the punishment we deserved.  And finally, to defeat our ancient foe by walking out of a tomb.  For who but the King of Kings can conquer even death?  All of this, so that falling at his feet we may receive new hearts- hearts of flesh that are made alive in Christ.  

Just as the demoniac would have no future among the bones of dead men, so our home is no longer among the tombs.  Rather, our home is in the heavenly places with our Lord, seated among the saints.  As we revel in this truth, may it be our joy to proclaim how much the Lord has done for us, how he has showered us in mercy.  And by our testimony may everyone marvel.