Mark 5:7 “With a shriek he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, son of the most high God? In the name of God, I beg you, don’t torture me!”
This is such a weird story and encounter that Jesus has with this man and the ensuing conversation and reaction with the people of this possessed man’s community. As Jesus comes on shore, the demons call out to Jesus by name. The demons know the name of Jesus. They speak from belief; the demons believe in Jesus; the demons have faith in Jesus. Does this mean that the demons are saved? Does this mean that just believing or calling Jesus by name doesn’t really mean anything other than recognition? How is our believing and calling Jesus by name different from the demons? Why doesn’t the possessed man say he believes? Did he? But yet he is transformed because of the action of Christ and he goes to live a different life. Is his living the testimony to his belief? How is this not works righteousness? How is his belief different from the demons? Its as if the demons believe to prevent something bad from happening and the man believes because of the invitation to a new life.
In my culture I am immersed in a way of Christianity that only focuses upon a confession of belief that Jesus is the son of God. I am immersed in a “demon” confession of faith. In fact, these demons in this verse would be good church going folks in my culture. We have reduced following Jesus to one simple sentence and then the rest is gravy. It really is a practice of a faith to prevent something bad from happening; there is no transformation faith in this “demon” confession practice of Christianity. Yet, the piece that seems to be missing is the one of the transformed life. See like the demons, most that I see today want to be believe to prevent something bad from happening but they don’t want to change who they are; they want to remain “demons.” Yet, both believe in this text, but only one sees Jesus as an agent of transformation. I think it is safe to say that the follower of Jesus in this text is the man and not the demon. There must be something to this transformation because of belief. There must be something more than just belief; it must be the kind of belief that opens up the door for transformation to occur. Belief without transformation is really just demonic faith because after all, even the demons believe that Jesus is the son of God.
Gracious God, I come to you this morning seeking to be in your will and an instrument of your gospel within the world. I so relate to Psalm 28 today even though that is not the verse I wrote about. I find myself crying out to you knowing that unless you show up I am doomed. I feel overwhelmed at the task ahead of me and in many ways don’t know where to begin. I feel evil trying to weigh down on me and keep me locked in a shell that there isn’t even a space for you to work. I pray God that you would free me from this lie and empower me to go to spaces where you are able to use me. Put together some times of prayer and fasting that we may grow closer into you and allow you to make space to bring others into the family. I give you thanksgiving and praise for the work you are doing and are about to do in the life of Crossroads. Guide my path and light my way, use my gifts as your own to free those from the chains and demons that keep them from living out transformational faith. Amen.
Following Jesus is not just to believe but is to be transformed through the belief.
Click here for Crossroads Church!
