Study Focus: Mark 5:1-20, Mark 16:1-11, Acts 4:1-20, Acts 26:1-32.
Part I: Overview
There is unusual power in personal testimony. When an individual accepts Christ and his or her life is dramatically changed, people notice. Not all conversions are sudden and instantaneous. Stories of drug addicts accepting Christ, alcoholics transformed by grace, self-centered materialistic business leaders changed by God’s love, or rebellious teenagers converted are thrilling to listen to but are certainly not the only examples of conversion.
At times, and maybe even more commonly, the Holy Spirit works gently and gradually on human hearts. There are those who have been brought up in godly Christian homes who have a precious story to share. They may have never really rebelled against Christ but also were never fully committed to Him. They sense the moving of His Holy Spirit in their lives and commit themselves totally to God. Their testimony is just as powerful as the more dramatic, sensational conversion stories. None of us are born Christians. As Jeremiah candidly states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9, NKJV). The apostle Paul adds in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Because every single one of us has “sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, NKJV), we all need the grace of God. Conversion is not for a select few. It is for all of us, and because it is, we all have a story to tell. Your story is not my story, and my story is not your story, but each of us, redeemed by God’s grace and charmed by His love, has a personal testimony to share with the world.
Part II: Commentary
Here is your Bible trivia quiz for today. Who did Jesus send out as His first missionary? Was it Peter or possibly James and John? Maybe Thomas, Philip, or one of the other disciples? The answer may surprise you. It was none of the names listed above.
The first missionary Christ commissioned was a man, formerly possessed by demons, now transformed by His grace. This unlikely witness had a powerful impact on Decapolis, ten towns mainly to the east of the Sea of Galilee. The demoniac had been hopelessly possessed with demons for years. He terrorized the region and struck fear into the hearts of villagers living in the area. Yet deep down in his heart, there was a longing for something better—a longing that all the demons in hell could not quench.
Despite the demonic forces that held this poor man in bondage, Mark 5 records that when the demoniac saw Jesus, “he ran and worshiped Him” (Mark 5:6, NKJV). The Scripture says that this man was tormented and possessed by a “legion” of demons. A legion is “the largest single unit in the Roman army . . . at full strength [it] consisted of about 6,000 soldiers,” according to the Archeological Study Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishers, 2005) p. 1633. In the New Testament, the term “legion” represents a vast or huge number. Jesus never lost a battle with demonic forces, no matter how many there were or how large their number was. Christ is our all-powerful, victorious Lord. Demons are no contest for His mighty power.
Jesus’ ministry is always a complete ministry. Once the demoniac was delivered, he was found “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). Where did he get the clothes? It is likely the disciples shared their outer garments with him. He now sat attentively at the feet of Jesus, listening to His Words, eagerly absorbing spiritual truths. He was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually whole. His one desire was to now follow Jesus. He longed to become one of Jesus’ disciples.
Mark’s Gospel records that the formerly demon-possessed man “begged” Jesus to allow him to enter the boat and journey with Him (Mark 5:18, NKJV). The word “begged” is a strong word. It indicates a passionate desire. It can be translated “beseeched,” “implored,” or “entreated.” It means to make an appeal with emotion. It means to ask with intensity.
Jesus’ response is as equally amazing as the demoniac’s conversion. Jesus knew that this converted, transformed demoniac could do more in that region than He and the disciples could then do. The prejudice was high in this Gentile region against Christ, but they would listen to one of their own, especially one with a reputation like the demoniac’s. Eventually they would be prepared for Christ’s visit at a later date.
Therefore, Jesus said, “ ‘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’ ” (Mark 5:19, NKJV). The man’s response was immediate. “And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled” (Mark 5:20, NKJV). The word “proclaim” is kerusso and can be translated “to herald” or “to publish.” In the brief time that the demoniac spent with Jesus, his life was so radically changed that he had a story to tell. We can only imagine the impact his testimony had on the thousands in the ten towns in the Gadara region. When Jesus returned some nine or ten months later, the minds of this largely Gentile population were wide open to receive Him. (See Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 340, 341.)
There is an eternal truth that must not be overlooked in this story. Nor must this truth be overshadowed by the miraculous, sensational, and somewhat dramatic conversion of the demoniac, as important as that is. Christ desires to use all who come to Him. The demoniac did not have the advantage of spending time daily with Jesus as the disciples did. He did not have the opportunity of listening to His sermons or witnessing His miracles, but he did have the one indispensable ingredient for witnessing—a changed life. He had a personal knowledge of the living Christ. He had a heart filled with love for His Master. This is the essence of New Testament witnessing. As Ellen G. White so aptly states, “Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which is most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 347. New Testament believers witnessed for Christ through the uniqueness of their own personalities. They each had different encounters with Christ, but each of these encounters led them to enthusiastically share the Christ they loved.
In Monday’s study, “Proclaiming the Risen Christ,” the two Marys are transformed at the tomb. The last time they had seen Jesus, His bloodied body was taken down from the cross. Think of their despair at that moment. The last few days were difficult beyond belief. Now with fearful hearts anxious about the future, they approach the tomb, wondering how they will get past the Roman guards and who will roll away the stone for them to enter the tomb and embalm the body of Christ.
To their surprise the tomb is empty. Christ is alive. An angelic being announces, “ ‘He is risen, . . . go quickly and tell His disciples’ ” (Matt. 28:6, 7, NKJV). The record states, “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” (Matt. 28:8, NKJV). As they are running to tell the story, our resurrected Lord meets them and exclaims
“ ‘Rejoice! . . . Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me’ ” (Matt. 28:9, 10, NKJV). Good news is for sharing. Hearts filled with His grace and charmed by His love cannot be silent.
The repeated theme throughout the New Testament is one of witness. The Acts of the Apostles are acts of witness. The disciples witnessed of a Christ they knew, one whom they personally experienced. Is it possible to be a false witness? Let’s suppose you were called to a court of law as a witness of some accident or crime. Let’s also assume you were not present at the scene and made up a story to assist a friend. You could be imprisoned for lying to the court. The judge and jury require only witnesses with a personal experience of events. They want genuine witnesses, not imposters.
Only genuine, authentic Christianity can capture the attention of this generation. Unless we have had a personal, real experience with Jesus, our witness will fall on deaf ears. We cannot share a Christ we do not know.
New Testament believers shared a Christ they knew. Peter and John echo the reality of converted hearts when they proclaim, “ ‘For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’ ” (Acts 4:20). Before the cross, Peter was a vacillating yet self-assured disciple. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ changed his life. Before the cross, John was one of the “sons of thunder.” That’s not a title that you give to a meek, mild, timid man. But after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, John’s life was changed. Neither Peter nor John could be silent; they were transformed by grace and loved to tell the story.
Witness is not about us. It is not about how bad we were or even how good we are now after we’ve met Jesus. It is all about Jesus. It is about His love, His grace, His mercy, His pardon, and His eternal power to save us. The apostle Paul never tired of testifying of what Christ did for Him, but he never focused exclusively on how bad he was. Instead, he focused on how good God was. Have your class review Acts 26:1-28. Notice how the apostle Paul divides his testimony into three parts: his life before knowing Christ, how he met Christ, and his life after meeting Christ.
Part III: Life Application
Suppose you only had a few minutes with a friend who desired to know Christ. How would you give a three-minute testimony to a friend struggling to believe? What clues does Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 reveal? How does the outline of His testimony assist you in giving yours? What role did the Old Testament Scriptures play in Paul’s testimony?
Write one sentence under each of the following headings:
A. What was your life like before you met Christ?
B. At what point in your life did you meet Christ?
C. What difference has Christ made in your life?
If you have been brought up in a Christian home, was there ever a point in your life when you consciously accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Describe a time when you sensed Him working powerfully in your life.
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Key Text: Mark 5:1-20
Study Focus: Mark 5:1-20, Mark 16:1-11, Acts 4:1-20, Acts 26:1-32.
Part I: Overview
There is unusual power in personal testimony. When an individual accepts Christ and his or her life is dramatically changed, people notice. Not all conversions are sudden and instantaneous. Stories of drug addicts accepting Christ, alcoholics transformed by grace, self-centered materialistic business leaders changed by God’s love, or rebellious teenagers converted are thrilling to listen to but are certainly not the only examples of conversion.
At times, and maybe even more commonly, the Holy Spirit works gently and gradually on human hearts. There are those who have been brought up in godly Christian homes who have a precious story to share. They may have never really rebelled against Christ but also were never fully committed to Him. They sense the moving of His Holy Spirit in their lives and commit themselves totally to God. Their testimony is just as powerful as the more dramatic, sensational conversion stories. None of us are born Christians. As Jeremiah candidly states, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9, NKJV). The apostle Paul adds in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Because every single one of us has “sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23, NKJV), we all need the grace of God. Conversion is not for a select few. It is for all of us, and because it is, we all have a story to tell. Your story is not my story, and my story is not your story, but each of us, redeemed by God’s grace and charmed by His love, has a personal testimony to share with the world.
Part II: Commentary
Here is your Bible trivia quiz for today. Who did Jesus send out as His first missionary? Was it Peter or possibly James and John? Maybe Thomas, Philip, or one of the other disciples? The answer may surprise you. It was none of the names listed above.
The first missionary Christ commissioned was a man, formerly possessed by demons, now transformed by His grace. This unlikely witness had a powerful impact on Decapolis, ten towns mainly to the east of the Sea of Galilee. The demoniac had been hopelessly possessed with demons for years. He terrorized the region and struck fear into the hearts of villagers living in the area. Yet deep down in his heart, there was a longing for something better—a longing that all the demons in hell could not quench.
Despite the demonic forces that held this poor man in bondage, Mark 5 records that when the demoniac saw Jesus, “he ran and worshiped Him” (Mark 5:6, NKJV). The Scripture says that this man was tormented and possessed by a “legion” of demons. A legion is “the largest single unit in the Roman army . . . at full strength [it] consisted of about 6,000 soldiers,” according to the Archeological Study Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishers, 2005) p. 1633. In the New Testament, the term “legion” represents a vast or huge number. Jesus never lost a battle with demonic forces, no matter how many there were or how large their number was. Christ is our all-powerful, victorious Lord. Demons are no contest for His mighty power.
Jesus’ ministry is always a complete ministry. Once the demoniac was delivered, he was found “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15). Where did he get the clothes? It is likely the disciples shared their outer garments with him. He now sat attentively at the feet of Jesus, listening to His Words, eagerly absorbing spiritual truths. He was physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually whole. His one desire was to now follow Jesus. He longed to become one of Jesus’ disciples.
Mark’s Gospel records that the formerly demon-possessed man “begged” Jesus to allow him to enter the boat and journey with Him (Mark 5:18, NKJV). The word “begged” is a strong word. It indicates a passionate desire. It can be translated “beseeched,” “implored,” or “entreated.” It means to make an appeal with emotion. It means to ask with intensity.
Jesus’ response is as equally amazing as the demoniac’s conversion. Jesus knew that this converted, transformed demoniac could do more in that region than He and the disciples could then do. The prejudice was high in this Gentile region against Christ, but they would listen to one of their own, especially one with a reputation like the demoniac’s. Eventually they would be prepared for Christ’s visit at a later date.
Therefore, Jesus said, “ ‘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’ ” (Mark 5:19, NKJV). The man’s response was immediate. “And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled” (Mark 5:20, NKJV). The word “proclaim” is kerusso and can be translated “to herald” or “to publish.” In the brief time that the demoniac spent with Jesus, his life was so radically changed that he had a story to tell. We can only imagine the impact his testimony had on the thousands in the ten towns in the Gadara region. When Jesus returned some nine or ten months later, the minds of this largely Gentile population were wide open to receive Him. (See Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 340, 341.)
There is an eternal truth that must not be overlooked in this story. Nor must this truth be overshadowed by the miraculous, sensational, and somewhat dramatic conversion of the demoniac, as important as that is. Christ desires to use all who come to Him. The demoniac did not have the advantage of spending time daily with Jesus as the disciples did. He did not have the opportunity of listening to His sermons or witnessing His miracles, but he did have the one indispensable ingredient for witnessing—a changed life. He had a personal knowledge of the living Christ. He had a heart filled with love for His Master. This is the essence of New Testament witnessing. As Ellen G. White so aptly states, “Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven’s chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which is most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 347. New Testament believers witnessed for Christ through the uniqueness of their own personalities. They each had different encounters with Christ, but each of these encounters led them to enthusiastically share the Christ they loved.
In Monday’s study, “Proclaiming the Risen Christ,” the two Marys are transformed at the tomb. The last time they had seen Jesus, His bloodied body was taken down from the cross. Think of their despair at that moment. The last few days were difficult beyond belief. Now with fearful hearts anxious about the future, they approach the tomb, wondering how they will get past the Roman guards and who will roll away the stone for them to enter the tomb and embalm the body of Christ.
To their surprise the tomb is empty. Christ is alive. An angelic being announces, “ ‘He is risen, . . . go quickly and tell His disciples’ ” (Matt. 28:6, 7, NKJV). The record states, “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word” (Matt. 28:8, NKJV). As they are running to tell the story, our resurrected Lord meets them and exclaims
“ ‘Rejoice! . . . Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me’ ” (Matt. 28:9, 10, NKJV). Good news is for sharing. Hearts filled with His grace and charmed by His love cannot be silent.
The repeated theme throughout the New Testament is one of witness. The Acts of the Apostles are acts of witness. The disciples witnessed of a Christ they knew, one whom they personally experienced. Is it possible to be a false witness? Let’s suppose you were called to a court of law as a witness of some accident or crime. Let’s also assume you were not present at the scene and made up a story to assist a friend. You could be imprisoned for lying to the court. The judge and jury require only witnesses with a personal experience of events. They want genuine witnesses, not imposters.
Only genuine, authentic Christianity can capture the attention of this generation. Unless we have had a personal, real experience with Jesus, our witness will fall on deaf ears. We cannot share a Christ we do not know.
New Testament believers shared a Christ they knew. Peter and John echo the reality of converted hearts when they proclaim, “ ‘For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’ ” (Acts 4:20). Before the cross, Peter was a vacillating yet self-assured disciple. The crucifixion and resurrection of Christ changed his life. Before the cross, John was one of the “sons of thunder.” That’s not a title that you give to a meek, mild, timid man. But after the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, John’s life was changed. Neither Peter nor John could be silent; they were transformed by grace and loved to tell the story.
Witness is not about us. It is not about how bad we were or even how good we are now after we’ve met Jesus. It is all about Jesus. It is about His love, His grace, His mercy, His pardon, and His eternal power to save us. The apostle Paul never tired of testifying of what Christ did for Him, but he never focused exclusively on how bad he was. Instead, he focused on how good God was. Have your class review Acts 26:1-28. Notice how the apostle Paul divides his testimony into three parts: his life before knowing Christ, how he met Christ, and his life after meeting Christ.
Part III: Life Application
Suppose you only had a few minutes with a friend who desired to know Christ. How would you give a three-minute testimony to a friend struggling to believe? What clues does Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 reveal? How does the outline of His testimony assist you in giving yours? What role did the Old Testament Scriptures play in Paul’s testimony?
Write one sentence under each of the following headings:
A. What was your life like before you met Christ?
B. At what point in your life did you meet Christ?
C. What difference has Christ made in your life?
If you have been brought up in a Christian home, was there ever a point in your life when you consciously accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Describe a time when you sensed Him working powerfully in your life.