Don’t Bother Them

 

Mark 5:1 Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  2 And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,  3 who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains,  4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains. And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  6 When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  8 For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  9 Then He asked him, "What is your name?" And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.  11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.  12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.  14 ¶ So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.  16 And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.  19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.

 

Mark’s and Luke’s account only mention one man, but Matthew’s account tells us that were two men that Jesus dealt with.

 

  • No one could bind him or control him so they didn’t bother him.
  • Not even the demons in him wanted to be bothered, but they recognized who Jesus was.
  • No one else would help this men, but Jesus did.
  • It turned out for the best because he became a example of Jesus power and was living proof that he was the Son of God

 

We are often told not to bother certain people with the truth because either they are too far gone or because they seem religious enough.

 

Let’s take a look at some examples of some people that many today would say that we should not bother.

 

The Ethiopian Eunuch

 

Acts 8:26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is desert.  27 So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,  28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.  29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go near and overtake this chariot."  30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"  31 And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.  32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth.  33 In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth."  34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?"  35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.  36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, "See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?"  37 Then Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."  38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.  39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.

 

  • Here we have a man that would not be allowed to enter to the temple area, yet he was willing to travel hundreds of miles to worship God outside the temple area just so he could be close to God.
  • We even find him reading Scripture while he was traveling.
  • This guy be considered a religious fanatic and most would say leave this man alone he loves the Lord and he does not need to be bothered.
  • Philip bother him because he needed to hear the truth.

 

What about Cornelius:

 

Acts 10:1  There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment,  2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always.  3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, "Cornelius!"  4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, "What is it, lord?" So he said to him, "Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.  5 "Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter.  6 "He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do." 

 

  • Cornelius was Gentile and was the commander over many men. He was by all accounts a religious man who gave to the poor and prayed to God.
  • Many would say don’t bother a man like this he is a good person and doesn’t need to be taught about God.
  • If God had not told Peter to go with these men, he would have not went to them because they were gentiles.

 

27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together.  28 Then he said to them, "You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.  29 "Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?"  30 ¶ So Cornelius said, "Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,  31 "and said, 'Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God.  32 'Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.'  33 "So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God."  34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.  35 "But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.  36 "The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ -- He is Lord of all --  37 "that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:  38 "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  39 "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree.  40 "Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly,  41 "not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.  42 "And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead.  43 "To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."  44 ¶ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.  45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.  46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,  47 "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"  48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

 

What about Lydia and her household.

 

Acts 16:13 And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.  14 Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.  15 And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." So she persuaded us.

 

  • This was a hard working woman who loved God.
  • She took time out of her life to worship God and to pray.
  • Many would say a woman needs to be left alone because she is fine, but Paul new she needed to hear the truth.

 

What about the jailor.

 

Acts 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.  17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."  18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.  19 ¶ But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.  20 And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;  21 "and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe."  22 Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.  23 And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.  24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.  25 ¶ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.  26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.  27 And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.  28 But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here."  29 Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  30 And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  31 So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."  32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.  33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.  34 Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.

  • Paul and Silias and been falsely accused, beaten and thrown into jail.
  • This jailor was a part of the system and he watching over these men.
  • When the earthquake came and the jailor thought the prisoners escaped, he was going to kill himself.
  • Many today would say good riddance and they would even think about teaching this man anything.
  • Paul and Silias taught him and his family and they were baptized into the Lord.

 

One last example: what about Apollos?  

 

Acts 18:24 Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus.  25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.  26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

 

  • Here we have a man that was preaching the Word of God.
  • He knew the Scriptures well.
  • Most would say leave this man alone after all, he is a preacher.
  • Aquila and Pricilla took him aside and taught him.

 

While many may say that certain people don’t need to be taught the truth, we can see from these examples that everyone needs to hear the truth. It doesn’t matter if they are a religious fanatic, a good person who gives to the poor and prays to God, or hard working woman who loves God, a person who is working for the enemy who has no problem committing suicide, or a man that knows the Scriptures and boldly proclaims what he knows everyone is worthy to be taught the truth from the murder to the good person, we should never stop teaching the way of God more accurately.

 

So, I hope if you never have the attitude that certain people do not need to hear the truth because everyone does.