Mark 5 - The Bow

A filthy, naked, wild man runs from a cemetery to meet Jesus. No one was able to restrain him even with chains. He roamed the tombs shrieking and hitting himself with stones. He sees Jesus, and with a terrible scream, cries out, “Why are you bothering me Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”

He knows Jesus by name and falls at his feet because he recognizes God. Jesus asks his name. The man responds, “Legion, because there are many of us here inside this man.” A legion is about 6000. In one man.

Who is in control…the demons or Jesus?

A synagogue official finds Jesus and begs him to come and heal his dying daughter. Before they reach his house, messengers come with the news that she has died. Jesus ignores them and says to the official, “Trust me.” They reach the house and a crowd of people are there weeping and wailing. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen someone who is dead, but give it 10 minutes and there is no doubt. You’re not standing there wondering if they are or aren’t.

Jesus takes only three disciples and the girl’s parents into the room with the child. Jesus commands her to get up.

Who’s in control…death or Jesus?

A woman who had been bleeding for 12 years, is somehow able to get off the sofa and drag herself to Jesus. She had exhausted all her funds looking for a cure without success. She thought, “If I can just touch the hem of his robe, I will be healed.” Even though he was mobbed by people, Jesus suddenly turns and asks, “Who touched me?” His disciples are looking at him like, “Are you kidding?” He zooms in on one woman who is kneeling at his feet. She confesses.

Who’s in control…the woman’s medical condition or Jesus?

Our boss is in control, the Democrats are in control, our paycheck is in control, the nut in the Mideast is in control, the climate is in control. Who or what controls your life?

All were in a crisis situation. They were down to Jesus. If he didn’t work, there was no hope. They were doomed to either a miserable life or premature death. All three bowed at his feet. I’ve never bowed at anyone’s feet, have you?

In bowing, these three people acknowledged that he was ruling and they were not; he was all powerful and they were not; he was in control and they were not; he could dramatically change their situation, they could not. They were submitting themselves to him no matter…what he did. Because…he was God.

He was their last resort. Isn’t this so true? When the baby gets sick, people who never confess belief in anything, ask people to pray. But it’s for the baby to get well. For the baby not to die. There’s really no bowing. Just the request….pray for the baby to get well.

Kind of like Santa Claus. The kid is not sure he believes in him anymore but shoot, why not ask. Can’t hurt. And I might get what I ask for. All I have to do is sit on the big guy’s lap.

In all three of the Mark 5 instances, there was a stand up and shout result. All 6000 demons were cast out of the man who now sat clothed and in his right mind, the woman was healed, the little girl stood up, walked over and ate lunch. And these people were all strangers. Jesus had never met them before. In the next chapter however, Mark will relate the story about Jesus’ cousin John who was in prison. Bottom line of that story is that John is beheaded. There’s no way to dress that up or make it more palatable. A terrible ending to his story. And Jesus did not intervene. A good man dies because of a stupid request by a young girl with a grudge holding mother. Did Jesus drop the ball? This was his cousin for pete’s sake, …if he was going to intervene and save somebody, wouldn’t you think he’d have intervened for John?

What keeps capturing my attention though, is that all three in Mark 5 bowed.

Nebuchadnezzar ruled Babylon. He was a pagan king of an enormous kingdom who had an encounter with God. He summarized his take on who God was in Daniel 4. He said, “I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He has the power to do as he pleases among the angels of heaven and those who live on earth. No one can stop him or challenge him saying, “ What do you mean by doing these things?”

Do you think the king bowed when he said this? You bet.

Jesus interfaced with all three of these people one on one…not en masse. He healed and cast out demons and raised this child so each would know he was God in the flesh. But if you stop reading now, you’ll have stopped after the introduction. This has some ramifications. If he is God, then you don’t whiz in and just throw down your request/demand.

We’re coming to chapter eight. It begins here with bowing. If he is God, then you are not. I am not. He controls it all..demons, life, death, disease, jobs, presidents,you name it. And it might go either way. It’s up to him and it doesn’t hinge on whether we understand or not, whether we think it’s fair or not, whether we agree or not.

And... this is not a God who is just the creator of the universe. This is a personal God who was also born on earth, grew up and met people one on one in the hour of their deepest need. And he still does.

Recently a friend’s friend, lost her baby when she was seven months pregnant. She no longer felt him move. The doctor told her to come in and they would do a sonogram. She turned on the radio as she drove herself….alone, to the doctor. “Worthy is the Lamb” was the song that was playing and she knew then that her baby was in the arms of Jesus.

Is she grieving? Yes. Crushed? Yes. Does she weep for a child she never rocked to sleep at night or sang to? I cry for her as I write this and I don’t even know her ... I can only imagine.

The difference is, she knows a personal God….the same one the three in our story met. He touches her life, she knows his presence so when the call goes the other way, she knows He has not changed or moved. He’s there. Although she cannot explain it, that knowledge brings deep peace to her soul. He loves her more than she can ever imagine. He is her Father. She will come out on the other side profoundly changed because her life once more has intersected with the divine.

And she bowed in his presence.