As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.

When Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him while He was by the sea. One of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at His feet and kept begging Him, “My little daughter is at death’s door. Come and lay Your hands on her so she can get well and live.”

So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following and pressing against Him. (Mark 5:18-24)

Not everyone gets to sit on the front row. Jesus had many followers besides the twelve apostles. There were both men and women following him all over the countryside. Crowds gathered everywhere he went. There were the seventy that Jesus sent out to proclaim the Good News of the kingdom. After his resurrection, a hundred twenty gathered at the time of Pentecost. There was more than one person who could take the place of Judas, people who had been with Jesus from the time of John’s baptism until his resurrection.

But when Jesus healed a man filled with demons who called themselves “Legion,” Jesus refused to let him come with him, no matter how hard he pleaded. How come? Was Jesus’ boat overloaded? Not at all. Jesus had a job that only he could do. Jesus told him to return home and tell the people he knew all about what Jesus had done for him. Like the seventy, Jesus was sending this man off to proclaim the news of the kingdom.

Jesus has many jobs for his people. Some will go to foreign lands as missionaries. Some will become pastors in small churches. Some will be husbands, some will be wives, some will work in factories, some will be fire fighters, doctors, nurses, clerks, bankers, or soldiers. God has a role for you in this life that only you can do. And when people hear what Jesus has done for you, they will be amazed.

Send to Kindle