With a Troubled Man

What we’ve been trying to do is find who the real Jesus is. And most of us, when we read these passages about Jesus casting out demons, say, “Ah, yes. The gospel writers and Jesus were men of their time. They didn’t understand what we understand now–viruses, the bases for diseases, mental illnesses. That’s why they attributed these things to devils and demons.”

But both the gospel writers and Jesus understood there was paralysis, madness, and ailments of a kind that had a demonical base and a kind that did not. Jesus Christ did not believe in demon possession out of ignorance, but out of conviction. If you screen these things out, you won’t understand who the real Jesus is and you’ll miss very important, profound insights these passages give you for living your life. This passage teaches us at least three things about evil–the power of evil, the pattern of evil and the pattern of healing.

This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 2, 1997. Series "The Real Jesus Part 2; His Life". Scripture: Mark 5:1-20.

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