When Jesus cast the devils out of the man who had the Legion, the “whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them,” [Lk 8:37]. When Jesus got into the ship to leave, the man “prayed him that he might be with him,” [Mk 5:18]. Jesus refused to take him on board. Instead, he told him to “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee,” [Mk 5:19]. Jesus’ instructions to this man are instructive to us. Like this man, we are to tell them.
What are we to tell them? Lk 8:39 tell them the great things Jesus has done “unto” you. You have a personal testimony of salvation that is undeniable. Jesus has saved your soul and given you eternal life. You are born again. Not a soul without Christ has a testimony like that. And they need to hear what Jesus did to you. This man in the Gadarenes was a changed man [Mk 5:15]. You are not the same person today that you were before Jesus saved you.
Mk 5:19-20 tell them the great things the Lord has done “for” you. How often I try to think of what to say when I’m talking to someone about the Lord. I need to remember that the person whom the Lord used to get my attention was a young man who simply gave a testimony about what the Lord had done for him. Hasn’t the Lord done something great for you? I mean, people with a religion, like Jehovah’s Witnesses, testify of their religious beliefs, but they have no testimony of great things God has done for them. They testify but they have no testimony. You have a testimony. Tell them.
Mk 5:19 tell them about the love of Jesus. The Lord has had compassion on you. Jn 3:16 says, “God so loved the world…”. Rom 5:8 says, “God commendeth his love toward us…”. I’m reminded of a man in Ohio that used to say, “Can I tell you about the love of Jesus?” From there it is an easy step to preach the gospel and tell them how they, too, can be saved.
Who are we to tell? Lk 8:39 “thine own house.” Mk 5:19 “Go home.” We ought to tell our families. Jn 1:40-41 Andrew, “he first findeth his own brother.” Acts 10:24 Cornelius “called together his kinsmen.” Paul said to the Philippian jailer, “and thy house,” [Acts 16:31].
Mk 5:19 “thy friends.” Acts 10:24 Cornelius “called together his… near friends.” Talk to your friends; they need to know. After all, they should be able to see the difference in your life. And tell the new friends that you make. Neighbors are great people to befriend. Friday night we had supper with some neighbors. Tomorrow night we’re having supper with some of our other neighbors, making new friends.
Lk 8:39 “tell the whole city.” There are people all over our city who need to hear the gospel. Please be praying about how we can approach our city. I believe the Lord has been giving me some ideas. I just mentioned a few of them to Randy on Friday. We’re praying to be sure what the Lord wants us to do and how he wants us to do it. When you are committed to “publish” his word (to make known publicly) [Mk 5:20; Lk 8:39] the Lord will lead you where he wants you to go [like Philip to the Ethiopian eunuch, like Ananias to Saul, like Peter to Cornelius]. Dobbins said, “I go witnessing three times each week.” I need to be committed to telling the city. Take New Testaments and tracts with you every where you go.
Mk 5:20 “tell the region.” Decapolis means “ten cities.” Decapolis is the region where this man was. When the miracle first happened the men of that area were afraid. It was like, “Lord solve our problems but don’t kill our pigs.” They wanted Jesus out of town. But after this man had published what Jesus had done in his house, among his friends, and in his city, the whole region was interested. Mk 5:20, “all men did marvel.”
Conclusion: Do you realize that we can all tell them? We don’t need a program to publish the word. We just need to do what Jesus told this man to do. “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee,” [Mk 5:19]. Do you think you can do that?