We bow before you as we read your Word. Help us to understand more fully our role as your royal priesthood. Amen.
Scripture Reading - Mark 5:1-20 (ESV)
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!”
And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country.
Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.
And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.
As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
Thank you, Father, for being gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love! We see the display of your cleansing power through your Son as he has authority over unclean spirits. By your cleansing power, you remove our sins - as far as the east is from the west! As your children, we thank you for your compassion on us. You know that we are but dust. (Psalm 145, 103)
Jesus, we confess that we have not always given testimony to how much you have done for us, how you have lavished your mercy on us. By the rich mercy of God, we have been made alive to live with you into eternity! We boldly approach the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. Help us to bear witness to your mercy today. (Ephesians 2:4-7, Hebrews 4:16)
Lord Jesus, by the power of your Spirit living in us, help us to be merciful even as our Father in heaven is merciful. May we love our enemies and do good to them. For then, we too will be sons and daughters of the Most High! For he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. May we faithfully do the will of the Father. Amen! (Luke 6:35-36)
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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