Contemplative Bible Reading

Mark 5:18-20 (New Living Translation)

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

These verses are at the end of the (hi)story of the man possessed by a legion of demons in the region of the Gerasenes. This was literally a mad man who lived among the ruins and could not be restrained by chains or anything. The locals simply gave up on him and told their children not to play among the ruins because—no kidding this time—they boogey man would get you.

After meeting Jesus, the man was in his right mind and appeared normal. Jesus rejected his plea to come with Him. Instead, “Go home, tell them everything the Lord has done for you.”

With that charge, the man went to the ten towns or Decapolis. No training. No education. No funding. Nothing. He went.

And everyone was amazed at what he told them.

There you have it. One of the great evangelists of the Bible. Doesn’t make any sense, does it? Madman to evangelist.

Met any great evangelists this week? We probably have, but we didn’t notice them. God works in ways we still don’t understand.