A Graveyard Conversion

(Mark 5:1-20)

Someone has said that, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay."

This is no doubt true about this poor maniac in our Scripture passage. How did he end up a naked, devil possessed man, rejected by society & living in a graveyard? I'm not sure, but perhaps his downfall began with little indiscretions, seemingly innocent compromises, "harmless" disobedience, and certainly flirtation with sin. I am sure he never meant for things to turn out this way.

The following are a few observations of this "Graveyard Conversion:"

1. Notice His Conversion Was Preceded By Distress.  

   Mark 5:1-7, "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not."
   

   The distress of a depraved nature.

   
   

   This was not just the cry of devils, it was the cry of a sinful man. Sin brings sorrow! Sin distresses and destroys the life it controls.

   
   

   The distress of devilish assault. 

   
   

   Mark it down, the Devil is against a person coming to Jesus Christ. The Devil will fight soul winning Christians and churches. The Devil will fight to keep the unsaved lost and to keep Christians from being a witness and winning souls

   
   

   The distress of the divine presence.

   
   

   Notice his strange prayer, asking Jesus to go away! How sinful to attempt to push away that which he needed so desperately.

   
   

   Those who love sin are distressed by the presence of Christ and godly Christians. The presence of the Lord brings distress upon those bearing the burden of sin. I've watched many an unsaved man struggled during a Gospel invitation.
   

2. Notice His Conversion Rested In The Power Of Christ. 

   Mark 5:8-14, "For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done."
   

   Society could not conquer his sinful condition.

   
   

   He himself could not conquer his sinful condition.

   
   

   His only hope was in the saving power of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation.
   

3. Notice His Conversion Produced A Changed Life. (v.15-20) Mark 5:15-20, "And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel."

   
   

   Though Jesus certainly accepts us as we are, He never leaves us as we are. No sinner ever comes to Christ in faith and leaves in the same condition (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is possible to come to church a lost sinner & leave the same. It is possible to come to the altar a lost sinner and leave the same, but it is impossible to come to Jesus Christ as a lost sinner, in faith believing and leave the same.

   
   

   His conversion produced fear in the unbelievers (v.15).

   
   

   His conversion produced a follower of Jesus Christ (v.18).

   
   

   His conversion produced a fervent witness (v.20).

Every convert of Jesus Christ wants to do two things:

1. Follow the Lord Jesus in life.

   
   

2. Be a fervent witness for the Lord.