Decapolis Welcomes Jesus: Mark 5:21 and 7:31
“31) Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.” Mark 7:31
This is a pivotal verse in the ministry of Jesus according to the Gospel of Mark. The last time the region of Decapolis was mentioned in the text was Mark 5:20. Let’s briefly review the story.
After delivering the Gerasene Demonic from a legion of demons, Jesus sent him into the region of Decapolis to tell his story. God used him to break up fallow ground and prepare for the coming of Jesus to that region.
I cannot prove it, but I strongly suspect that everything that happened between Mark 7:24 and 8:38 was building on the delivered man’s story and subsequent ministry. That includes such fruitful ministry, that this is the location where Jesus fed the four thousand. Through Jesus thousands more heard the gospel, were healed and fed. Their spiritual hunger and thirst was being satisfied way beyond their physical needs.
Never underestimate the power of your story. Just make sure your story is anchored in the Bible, accurately illustrates the gospel and portrays the power of the Holy Spirit to radically transform a life and free people from sinful bondage.
I know the ministry of the Holy Spirit was future tense from this vantage point in the Gospel of Mark, but the ministry of Jesus looked forward to the giving of the Holy Spirit. (Review John 13-17)
The book of Acts fulfilled the Promise of the Father in giving the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 1:3-8) We are now living in the age of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus has been building His Church for the past 2,000 years. The Epistles lay the foundation of our position “in Christ” and our authority to minister in the Name of Jesus Christ through His Spirit.
Pray, study, learn and embrace everything the Holy Spirit has for you “in Christ!” Pray Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11 and Colossians 1:9-23 over your life until they become your experience.
Put off the old self, be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self that transforms you into Spirit filled godliness. (Ephesians 4:17-24) Do your part in inviting the Holy Spirit to totally renew you into a fruitful soldier for Christ.
Don’t be religious but lost! Develop a deep and personal walk with Jesus Christ through His Spirit. Answer your calling “to God” with more zeal, focus and priority than your calling “for God.” Let ministry be the overflow of your daily walk with God!
Seek everything the Holy Spirit has for you “in Christ!” Pursue Jesus Christ with holy abandon and serve Him with your time, talents, spiritual gifts and financial resources.
Expect Him to greatly expand your boundaries, reach and influence for His glory. You will soon start walking in the ministry secret of 1 Corinthians 2:4-13 as you begin to live and walk in the power of God.
Join with other like minded believers in building “His Church” and impacting the world. Stop controlling Him or stuffing Him into your small humanistic and naturalistic boxes. He is not restricted, defined or limited to the small permitters of human experience.
The story of the man delivered from legion should be small compared to what Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit can do through any consecrated man, woman, teenager or child walking in the fulness of Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit. By Gods grace… be such a man or woman!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
“31) Again He went out from the region of Tyre, and came through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, within the region of Decapolis.” Mark 7:31
This is a pivotal verse in the ministry of Jesus according to the Gospel of Mark. The last time the region of Decapolis was mentioned in the text was Mark 5:20. Let’s briefly review the story.
After delivering the Gerasene Demonic from a legion of demons, Jesus sent him into the region of Decapolis to tell his story. God used him to break up fallow ground and prepare for the coming of Jesus to that region.
I cannot prove it, but I strongly suspect that everything that happened between Mark 7:24 and 8:38 was building on the delivered man’s story and subsequent ministry. That includes such fruitful ministry, that this is the location where Jesus fed the four thousand. Through Jesus thousands more heard the gospel, were healed and fed. Their spiritual hunger and thirst was being satisfied way beyond their physical needs.
Never underestimate the power of your story. Just make sure your story is anchored in the Bible, accurately illustrates the gospel and portrays the power of the Holy Spirit to radically transform a life and free people from sinful bondage.
I know the ministry of the Holy Spirit was future tense from this vantage point in the Gospel of Mark, but the ministry of Jesus looked forward to the giving of the Holy Spirit. (Review John 13-17)
The book of Acts fulfilled the Promise of the Father in giving the Holy Spirit. (See Acts 1:3-8) We are now living in the age of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus has been building His Church for the past 2,000 years. The Epistles lay the foundation of our position “in Christ” and our authority to minister in the Name of Jesus Christ through His Spirit.
Pray, study, learn and embrace everything the Holy Spirit has for you “in Christ!” Pray Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:14-21; Philippians 1:9-11 and Colossians 1:9-23 over your life until they become your experience.
Put off the old self, be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self that transforms you into Spirit filled godliness. (Ephesians 4:17-24) Do your part in inviting the Holy Spirit to totally renew you into a fruitful soldier for Christ.
Don’t be religious but lost! Develop a deep and personal walk with Jesus Christ through His Spirit. Answer your calling “to God” with more zeal, focus and priority than your calling “for God.” Let ministry be the overflow of your daily walk with God!
Seek everything the Holy Spirit has for you “in Christ!” Pursue Jesus Christ with holy abandon and serve Him with your time, talents, spiritual gifts and financial resources.
Expect Him to greatly expand your boundaries, reach and influence for His glory. You will soon start walking in the ministry secret of 1 Corinthians 2:4-13 as you begin to live and walk in the power of God.
Join with other like minded believers in building “His Church” and impacting the world. Stop controlling Him or stuffing Him into your small humanistic and naturalistic boxes. He is not restricted, defined or limited to the small permitters of human experience.
The story of the man delivered from legion should be small compared to what Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit can do through any consecrated man, woman, teenager or child walking in the fulness of Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit. By Gods grace… be such a man or woman!
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
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