Life-changing Gospel --

Rough week for me, my ex-husband Rich, and the kids. I had mentioned last week about Rich's father being in the Hospital for a week or so. He had gone in due to fatigue from Bacterial Pneumonia and Covid. They had put him in ICU on Friday the 6th, I believe, ahead of a transfer for a Tracheotomy. During that time, they also discovered Lung Cancer. He went into Hospice early Monday and passed Tuesday morning. My oldest, Carissa, was already on the way with her husband Greg. They were going to pick up Ben and Jasmine, then head to PenBay Med. when Carissa got word. They were going through Portland when she called me. Later, I got the opportunity to video chat with all 3 kids. Services are on hold due to the Pastor being sick. Prayers for all of us, but especially for Rich during this time of hard adjustment. We just lost his mother 2 yrs ago in early June, so this is particularly difficult for him. I also had word from Rob yesterday that there was a 5 cart pile-up at Londonderry Raceway in the Sr. Champ division. Two men went unconscious and one of those had his seat break and leg caught on the clutch chain. Good news from Mike!! He's FINALLY able to get the official form he needs to file for his Veteran's Benefits!! It still may take some time, but at least that ball is actually rolling. :D It's also his birthday this Wednesday, so watch for my card on the craft page. Continued prayers for my parents as they look to future plans. God will provide in His time. I trust that.

So you will have noticed a different sermon title today. That's because both Pastor Matt and Pastor Joe have been sick this past week. Our guest is a wonderful older gentleman and Pastor elsewhere. His name is Gordon Macdonald. I pray your spirit will be encouraged just as much by his message as by any others. I trust that we will return to our "regularly scheduled programming" next week. :)

We all have certain conversations in life that stick with us for various reasons. Some of the details may fade over time, but the essence and messages don't. I could pick from a number in my own life, but two that really stand out for me are both based from HS although the 2nd happened far more recently. The first took place on my Senior Class trip to Washington D.C. Long story short, my crush and I ended up alone in the elevator after he had been headed downstairs and saw me in the hall crying after his best friend (my tormentor for 7 yrs of school) had shut my wrist in the Hotel Room door during an all-out water gun fight*. He invited me to head down with him. He knew how I felt about him and was kind to me as a friend, but didn't reciprocate my level of feelings. He stopped the elevator before reaching the Lobby and I knew... His gentleness in letting me down easy was absolutely amazing. I'll never forget that*. The 2nd just took place in October of 2015 on Messenger. It was with a guy who was my classmate all 4 yrs of HS. We rarely spoke back then, but he was never cruel like some others. As of Summer of 2015, we had been FB friends for a few years, but didn't converse that much. Anyway, between July and October and some time following, we ended up chatting a lot. The specific conversation I'm speaking of involved a Word for me that God had given him to do something more with my life. He didn't know what it was, only that I was supposed to be doing "something big". My first thought turned to Interior Design, but nothing much came of that. So once again, long story short, here we are on my blog. When I spoke to my friend again after starting up last year, he confirmed my path by saying, "Just keep pushing, you don't know what's around the corner." Well, I haven't "pushed" much yet, but I'm still here and plan to be for the duration...

So now on to our message --

Gordon opened the body of his sermon by saying that, as an older Pastor, Speaker, or Counsellor; people will sometimes ask, "What has been your most memorable conversation with a guest/client??" The following is what he shares every time --

There was a woman who had come to see him some years back. After some introductory conversation, Gordon asked her why she thought this visit was so important. She replied that she had been visiting at his Church with a friend for several weeks and truly enjoyed it, but something bothered her. She truly desired to accept Jesus as her Savior, but feared that Jesus wouldn't want someone like her. She proceeded to explain a rough background of teen pregnancy, drug use, alcoholism, attempted suicide, and a live-in boyfriend. As she spoke, he prayed to God for guidance in helping this woman understand His mercy and love for people in seemingly "impossible situations". His mind went to a chapter of the Bible with 3 amazing stories... Turn with me to Mark 5 --

Mark 5 New International Version

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man 5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones. 6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!” 9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. 11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman 21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. 30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” 35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing[c] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

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So our first story is told in verses 1-20. The Demoniac of Gerasenes*.

Now we know this story well enough, but have you ever thought about this man's family and friends and how life was for him before?? He had grown up just as normally as most anyone in the area. He may have even been one of the most popular guys in school, athletic and the whole thing. He grows up, gets married, probably has a few kids. Everything is good. Or so it seems... We aren't told how things exactly happened; but now here he is, demon possessed and uncontrollable. He's been this way for a while. Everyone has abandoned him due to his uncouth behavior and probably language as well. He's just chained up out in the field and left to his own devices.

Then Jesus comes along. The man is desperate. He falls at Jesus' feet pleading for help. After a brief conversation with the demons, He sends them out into the herd of pigs and drowns them. The man is freed. Verse 15 paints a remarkable picture for us that was seen live by those tending the pigs. The man was, "sitting there, dressed, and in his right mind." Needless to say, those who saw it happen were pretty freaked out!! (Can't say I blame them)* They were so scared that they sent Jesus away though, rather than recognizing His power to heal. The man himself was so excited that he wanted to follow Jesus right then and there!! But Jesus clearly had other plans for him to simply share his story around the towns*. He was simply meant to rejoin the life he had known before.

Our second story is equally well-known. Verses 21-34 speak of the Woman with the Issue of Blood.

In her 12 yrs of suffering, she had been to every "Healer" she could get to. None could help her. Like the man in the story above, she became isolated from society due to her condition. Jewish Law was very clear about blood. She could neither touch nor be touched by others. She was ceremonially unclean. And we're not given the background on her, either. We don't know what started her suffering. All we know is that when Jesus came to town, she found the courage to approach Him and touch the hem of His garment. If she had been caught, she would likely have been killed for such brazen behavior. And in this case, Jesus didn't even know who had been healed at first. He only knew that something had happened because He felt the power of it. She only approached Him openly after she realized the problem was gone. It was nothing more than her act of faith that healed her. She was then able to rejoin society and live out her days normally.

The third story is told in verses 35-43. While Jesus is still speaking to the woman above, a servant from the Synagogue Leader's house runs up, begging for Him to come help his master's daughter. The girl's father is heartbroken at having lost his daughter. Jesus makes his way past the mourners*, telling them that there's no need for their services. He goes in, takes the child's hand, and tells her to get up. Afterward, He instructs someone to get her a snack.

These stories all connect not only because of Jesus' involvement, but they show a variety of ways and situations in which God brings new life to even the most desperate of people.

So, after all of that, you may be curious what happened with the woman in Gordon's office. She was so touched by the stories above that she accepted Jesus in the next moments. A few weeks later, at the Easter Service, Gordon sees her by the doors in the back with her boyfriend in tow. He accepts a Lunch invitation for later in the week with Gordon. They meet at a bar suggested by the boyfriend. Gordon realizes that he's going to have a few drinks on the expense account, but understands that it's worth it to get this man relaxed enough to share his story. By God's grace, he not only ends up accepting Christ, but a few months later, asks Gordon to marry him and the woman. He does. Now the couple, along with a number of their guests from the wedding are faithful servants in his Church!! You just never know what a single conversation could lead to. Or how it may impact others later. The bottom line is that the Gospel changes lives. Even the most desperate ones...

-- God Bless!!

Footnotes --

For the purposes of the water fight, I had brought an old Amway spray bottle and was shooting in "stealth mode" from inside my room. If you know those bottles, you know they can stream to 30'!! LOL
We are long-time FB friends now and the Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayer" has become a "theme song" of sorts for us. :) I'll include it below.
The town the Demoniac was from has different spellings in different texts.
I would be pretty freaked to see something like that as well!! And as much as for that reason, the townspeople sent Jesus away also for the lost income from the pigs. You really can't blame them for that, either. I mean, 2000 pigs is a lot of meat!! And then there's the skins...
Jesus wanted the man to stay in the area and share his story. Another whole sermon could be preached just on that!!
These were professional mourners, which means the girl had likely been dead for a couple of hours already. I found this brief article that provides more insight https://www.bibleref.com/Mark/5/Mark-5-38.html