Pillows & Pigs

Jesus is full of surprises.

Mark 4:35-5:21

This is a wild section of Mark. It’s fascinating.

First we have Jesus sleeping. On a pillow. (Why does Mark include the pillow? He could have just said Jesus was sleeping.) There are few things in the gospels more interesting about the humanity of Christ than him fast asleep on a boat in a storm. It’s worthy of significant pondering.

Then there is this story of Jesus among a primarily Gentile people, the Gerasenes. In healing the man riddled with an evil spirit (many demons?), Jesus didn’t just send the spirit away, but into a whole lot of pigs who ran right into the waters of the sea he just calmed.

If nothing else today, just sit back in marvel as you read about Jesus’ antics. In the end, his compassion is for his scared disciples and a terribly outcasted individual.

Oh, and you. He loves you.

Happy Sunday.

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Mark 4:35-5:21

Later that day, when evening came, Jesus said to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” They left the crowd and took him in the boat just as he was. Other boats followed along.

Gale-force winds arose, and waves crashed against the boat so that the boat was swamped. But Jesus was in the rear of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They woke him up and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re drowning?”

He got up and gave orders to the wind, and he said to the lake, “Silence! Be still!” The wind settled down and there was a great calm. Jesus asked them, “Why are you frightened? Don’t you have faith yet?”

Overcome with awe, they said to each other, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the lake, to the region of the Gerasenes. As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out of the tombs. This man lived among the tombs, and no one was ever strong enough to restrain him, even with a chain. He had been secured many times with leg irons and chains, but he broke the chains and smashed the leg irons. No one was tough enough to control him. Night and day in the tombs and the hills, he would howl and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus from far away, he ran and knelt before him, shouting, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!”

He said this because Jesus had already commanded him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”

Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

He responded, “Legion is my name, because we are many.” They pleaded with Jesus not to send them out of that region.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the hillside. “Send us into the pigs!” they begged. “Let us go into the pigs!” Jesus gave them permission, so the unclean spirits left the man and went into the pigs. Then the herd of about two thousand pigs rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.

Those who tended the pigs ran away and told the story in the city and in the countryside. People came to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the man who used to be demon-possessed. They saw the very man who had been filled with many demons sitting there fully dressed and completely sane, and they were filled with awe. Those who had actually seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man told the others about the pigs. Then they pleaded with Jesus to leave their region.

While he was climbing into the boat, the one who had been demon-possessed pleaded with Jesus to let him come along as one of his disciples. But Jesus wouldn’t allow it. “Go home to your own people,” Jesus said, “and tell them what the Lord has done for you and how he has shown you mercy.” The man went away and began to proclaim in the Ten Cities all that Jesus had done for him, and everyone was amazed.

Jesus crossed the lake again, and on the other side a large crowd gathered around him on the shore.

Prayer

God,

You have called us to Christ, disciples following after him in all things. Thank you for the call, the privilege, and the responsibility. Help us as we seek further his way, Lead us in the specifics of our own lives, And call us to the community he’s established of mercy, grace, and love.

By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.