PIGS OR PEOPLE; SWINE OR SOULS (22 OF 70)
by Jerry Watts
Scripture: Mark 5:6-20
This content is part of a series.
Pigs Or People; Swine Or Souls (22 of 70)
Series: Mark - God's Message for Today
Jerry Watts
Mark 5:6-20
Chapter 5 is very interesting. It contains 43 verses with 2 major stories. Each of these stories, as we'll come to see, has a 'story in a story'. It is the kind of narrative which escapes the casual or superficial reader. Certainly the healing of the demoniac was a miracle of major proportions. Yet, Jesus still got into trouble with society because, like most, His work didn't fit their desires.
Taking this 'story within the story', we cut away the fat and go for the jugular of reality. Because Mark has reveals or exposes the things many desire to hide. As I read this text, my mind always runs to one question, "Pigs or People, which one are we more interested in?" Swine or souls?
This message comes down to one word; focus or even 'priority.' Our focus or priority is revealed by what it is that we protect, that we promote, and that we preserve. For instance, the focus of many lives concerned their making of money and protecting that money for retirement. And they'll do that at all cost. For others they protect their leisure time. In 1990, George Barna released the book "The Frog in the Kettle" which has a complete chapter telling us (churches) to not try to mess with the leisure time of America because they had a high price tag on it.
You can name what it is that you focus on: (Activities, hobbies, vocation, avocation, etc)
To unpack this story and lesson is to admit that Christ has one focus and the culture has another, But the question really is: Which one to we honestly align with?
1) THE Focus of the Christ - This is easy, Jesus was, is, and always will be focused on the souls of men. Rarely does He allow anything to distract His focus. He came with the purpose of seeking and saving the lost. He began His ministry with this thought, lived His life with this thought, and died because this was His thought, purpose, priority ...
Series: Mark - God's Message for Today
Jerry Watts
Mark 5:6-20
Chapter 5 is very interesting. It contains 43 verses with 2 major stories. Each of these stories, as we'll come to see, has a 'story in a story'. It is the kind of narrative which escapes the casual or superficial reader. Certainly the healing of the demoniac was a miracle of major proportions. Yet, Jesus still got into trouble with society because, like most, His work didn't fit their desires.
Taking this 'story within the story', we cut away the fat and go for the jugular of reality. Because Mark has reveals or exposes the things many desire to hide. As I read this text, my mind always runs to one question, "Pigs or People, which one are we more interested in?" Swine or souls?
This message comes down to one word; focus or even 'priority.' Our focus or priority is revealed by what it is that we protect, that we promote, and that we preserve. For instance, the focus of many lives concerned their making of money and protecting that money for retirement. And they'll do that at all cost. For others they protect their leisure time. In 1990, George Barna released the book "The Frog in the Kettle" which has a complete chapter telling us (churches) to not try to mess with the leisure time of America because they had a high price tag on it.
You can name what it is that you focus on: (Activities, hobbies, vocation, avocation, etc)
To unpack this story and lesson is to admit that Christ has one focus and the culture has another, But the question really is: Which one to we honestly align with?
1) THE Focus of the Christ - This is easy, Jesus was, is, and always will be focused on the souls of men. Rarely does He allow anything to distract His focus. He came with the purpose of seeking and saving the lost. He began His ministry with this thought, lived His life with this thought, and died because this was His thought, purpose, priority ...
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