GO TELL WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR THEE
(By Emerson Blythe)

(Mark 5:1-20)  "And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes. {2} And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, {3} Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: {4} Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. {5} And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. {6} But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, {7} And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. {8} For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. {9} And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. {10} And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. {11} Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. {12} And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. {13} And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. {14} And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done. {15} And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. {16} And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine. {17} And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts. {18} And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. {19} Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. {20} And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel."

Luke's account:
(Luke 8:38-39)  "Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, {39} Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."

ANALOGIES:
Lost in sin, we are in bondage to it like the man was the demons.

(Rom 7:14)  "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin."

(John 8:33-36)  "They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? {34} Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. {35} And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. {36} If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."

(2 Pet 2:19)  "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage."

(Rom 3:9)  "What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin."

(Rom 6:3-7)  "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? {4} Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. {5} For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: {6} Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. {7} For he that is dead is freed from sin."

(Rom 6:17-18)  "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. {18} Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."

We are not in our right minds, either.

The Prodigal Son: (Luke 15:17)  "And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!"

(Rom 1:28)  Speaks of people with "a reprobate mind."

(Rom 8:5-8)  speaks of people who are "carnally minded" and at enmity with God.

(Rom 12:2)  "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

(2 Cor 4:4)  "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

(Eph 4:22-23)  "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; {23} And be renewed in the spirit of your mind."

(Col 1:21)  "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled..."

(2 Tim 1:7)  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Like him, we need some help to make things right.

(Psa 49:7-8)  "None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: {8} (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)"

(1 Pet 1:18-19)  "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; {19} But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:"

(Eph 2:8-9)  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: {9} Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Once we are saved, we are clothed and in our right minds.

(Rev 3:18-19)  "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. {19} As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

THE MAN:
Was eager, wanted to be a disciple.

We, too, should be eager to share what God has done for us.

 (1 Pet 4:10)  "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

Why is it we are no more eager to share???
Do we not realize what the Lord has done for us???

HAS THE LORD DONE MUCH FOR US? 
--Jesus to the woman who washed His feet with her tears and dried them with the hairs of her head: (Luke 7:47)  "Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little."

Wanted to do more than capable of at the time.
The man had just been acquainted with Jesus, was a newly recovered demoniac. Jesus was not ready to take him into the twelve.

Sometimes we want to do something we are not ready for.  Jesus tells us to do something simple, something we can do.  "Return to thine own house, and show how great things God hath done unto thee."  WE CAN ALL DO THAT!

Jesus gave him a job he could be good at.

Why do we have such a hard time evangelizing?  We think we have to be master students and understand everything in the Bible, go out and set everybody straight about all matters of false doctrine! But we can "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."  

He was not discouraged, but went and began to publish.
So many times we become doscouraged at the thought of doing something simple.  But this man was not.  "And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel."  His simple mission was successful!  Have we stopped to think that our's might be, too?

WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR US?

So many "Christians" are not at all excited about what the Lord has done for them.
Some say the Lord hasn't done anything for them... yet...

Look at (Psa 103:1-5)  "A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. {2} Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: {3} Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; {4} Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; {5} Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."

Look at the physical realm.

Look at the spiritual realm.

Those  who don't know the Lord has done anything for them may need to be saved! 

SOME SAY WE CAN'T BE A WITNESS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN THE LORD

They cite the passages that state having seen the Lord as one of the qualificartions of an APOSTLE.   But we don't have to be apostles to witness!

The Bible says the real Christian has seen the Lord... through faith.

(1 John 3:6)  "Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him."

(3 John 1:11)  "Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God."

Well, if we havent "seen" the Lord, have we "tasted" Him?

(Heb 6:4-5)  "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, {5} And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come..."

(1 Pet 2:3)  "If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

WHAT AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN EVANGELISM THIS WOULD BE:
Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. 

Do we really know what the Lord has done for us?

Have we let him do anything for us?

Do we know that we are saved?

Do we want to share it with others?