get out, jesus
"Before long they were begging Him to go away from their district." —Mark 5:17
The Gerasenes were terrorized by a demoniac who lived amid the tombs, screamed uninterruptedly, and gashed himself with stones (Mk 5:5). They tried to chain and handcuff him but he pulled the chains apart (Mk 5:4). Jesus drove a legion of demons out of this man into a herd of swine (Mk 5:13). Jesus had done a great service to the territory by dealing with public enemy No. 1. However, the Chamber of Commerce was threatened by Jesus' actions and begged Him to leave the district (Mk 5:17).
Have you ever thrown Jesus out of town? He was expelled from our public schools when public prayer was banned. Students are allowed to talk in class to anybody but Jesus. Jesus has been for the most part expelled from mass media. Except for a few Christian programs and stations, the Lord is excluded. Moreover, we support this intolerable situation by watching, hearing, or reading secularized media and buying their sponsors' products.
The state of education and entertainment indicate that Jesus has been thrown out of millions of lives and thousands of towns, businesses, and activities. Is Jesus Lord of every detail of your life, or have you expelled Him?
Prayer: Jesus, forgive me for ignoring when You're ignored.
Promise: "Perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction and make it up to me with benefits for the curses he is uttering this day." —2 Sm 16:12
Praise: Rhonda does not shrink from showing her allegiance to Jesus publicly by wearing Christian T-shirts and holy items such as medals and crucifixes.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape series on Living in Reality, four audio tapes starting with AV 38-1 or two video tapes starting with V-38.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 19, 2005
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