The Less Pursued Mission

  

"As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging him to let him go with him. But Jesus wouldn't let him. Instead, he told him, "Go home to your family, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been to you." So the man left and began proclaiming in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was utterly amazed." (Mar 5:18-20)
 
The gospel of Mark reveal to us that great deliverance that the Lord had done to a man who had been demonized by many evil spirits (Mark 8:2-13). The experience of that man may not be a common oen, especially to everyone who wishes to come along a particular evangelistic mission but his desire to join a trip (a.k.a. a road trip or a mission) is not only common but even popular to many of us.
 
The deisre of that man that had gone through the mighty deliverance of Jesus- to join the Lord's bandwagon or caravan, is not surprising. Anyone who truly experienced the love of God and His miracles will obviously be attracted to the magnetism of joining the Mission Exposures and the personal discipleship of Jesus. (In our times that can be compared to being favoredly chosen to be one of the pesonal disciples of Cesar Castellanos). But the Lord desire that we look beyond the excitement of being identified and the joy of walking along with the "forceful men" (or the violent ones as described in Matt 11:12) of our times. 
 
Some are called to wreak havoc in the kingdom of darkness not by the following the spiritual trendsetters of any given generation but by going back to where we think is always boring and we don't feel we're really loved. 
 
I could just imagine how sad that man was when he heard Jesus saying to him to go back to where he was really known. The advise of Jesus could've made an impression to him that he was not not qualified to join or that he is just a burden rather than a blessing, much more in thinking of going back to where he may have thought that he's not welcome anymore. But after awhile (probably when Jesus and His disciples were already in the ship far from the shores of Gadarene) he settled in his mind that he will return to his place called Decapolis.
 
It is only when he came to his friends (he may have thought earlier, back when he was still not affected by those oppressive demons that there are nobody who's concerned of him anymore, but the truth is he still has many friends, Jesus told him of this and He mean it) that WOW! a mighty great awakening and revival had happened and Jesus or at least one of the firsthand disciples are not even with him.
 
Robertson's Word Picture of the New Testament (a NT commentary) says that there are about 2000 pigs that jumped and drown in the lake and conservatively speaking there are at least 2 to three demons that enterred in each pig. Imagine how many demons had oppressed that man. But the greater revelation of it is how much impact that man had made when he returned to the ten (10) cities ("DECA" mean ten and "POLIS" mean cities).
 
Some of us will have a very promising "day" (so to speak) like that man if we will not remain leaning on our own understanding. In conclusion, I will finish with this word of the Lord to the Israelites who have obeyed the word of the Lord through Jeremiah even though they find it very difficult to leave their homeland, much more, to get themselves subjected to the rule of foreign agressor caled the Chaldeans-
 
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. AND SEEK THE PEACE OF THE CITY WHITHER I HAVE CAUSED YOU TO BE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVES, AND PRAY UNTO THE LORD FOR IT: FOR IN THE PEACE THEREOF SHALL YE HAVE PEACE.”  
(Jer 29:4-7)            
             
"(Heavenly) Father, I don't ask you to take my followers out of the world, but keep them safe from the evil one. They don't belong to this world, and neither do I. Your word is the truth. So let this truth make them completely yours." (John 17:15-17 CEV)
 I believe I can relate to many Christians who are at least thinking, if not already saying that it is easier to join a mission without  money than to stay where they're always misunderstood and not given with much freedom and opportunity to get involved.
 
Actually our homes, our families, our neighborhood, and to married ones like me- our wives/husbands, is God's "crucible" (the purifier and developer of our characters). Proverbs 17:3 said it perfectly. It says, "The crucible a  is for refining silver and the smelter for gold, but the one who purifies hearts by fire is the LORD."
 
If we will really allow God to purify our hearts and develop our characters we will not end up like "fancy" jewelries or worse, like "GSMs" (stolen items; literally: "galing sa magnanakaw") being sold at "bangketas" (sidewalks). Literally I mean that though we will not just persuade others by outward courtesy and our persuasive skill, but people will really see God's glory and get convicted by the Holy Spirit. Christians who learned and accepted this process will be counted more valuable than the royal crown of the King/Queen of England.
 
"Do you see a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before unknown men." (Proverbs 22:29)
 
I don't know what this means to you but his tells me that I should not ignore God's first leading and this is that I should first be a good steward and witness of Christ in my home and my neighborhood I really want  to be successful and fruitful in my desire for true progressive mission.
 
"For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance." (Psa 66:10-12)
 
Is this the last of the missing ingredient to really becoming Christlike- the missing link that connects with the love of God, that even the hardest hearted backslider can't resist and ignore (they're classified with the offended ones, the ones who are most difficult to win- Proverbs 18:19)? 
 
*Footnote: (a) "crucibles" are small melting and refining pots used by jewelers to produce high-value jewelries. They are use to contain and keep melted precious metals from scattering or going to waste.
 
Rev. Ruben A. Salvatierra Th.D
Board of Director