The Unlikely Evangelist

Daily Devotional – Thursday, February 9, 2023
“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.”
Mark 5:19 (NKJV)

Every disciple of Jesus is supposed to be an evangelist. To each one of us, Jesus gives the same invitation he made to Peter and Andrew, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19). Even then, there are evangelists who seem to defy the norm, like the demon-possessed man Jesus healed in the land of the Gadarenes.

Bearer of Good News

As soon as Jesus’ feet had touched the shores of the lake, a rugged, disheveled, menacing man approached him from nearby tombs. The locals would not dare come near the demoniac. He had broken all the chains and shackles they had used to restrain him.

They were accustomed with his nocturnal loud screams and moans. His body was full of self-inflicted scars. Theirs was a mixture of dread and pity. There were surprised, therefore, when the man approached Jesus and shouted, “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.” (Mark 5:7).

Tell Them What the Lord Has Done For You

What followed was more dramatic but miraculous. Jesus expelled the legion of demons that had built a home in the poor man and sent them to a pack of pigs. The demon-possessed swine ran down a cliff into the ocean and drowned. The Gadarenes considered the loss of about two thousand pigs more important than the healing of the man. They asked Jesus to leave their region.

The now sane and calm former demoniac felt indebted to Jesus. He wanted to follow Jesus and remain in the presence of his Deliverer. Jesus refused. He had a better plan for His newest disciple. Jesus instructed the man, “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).

The Improbable Preacher

The former demoniac was to become an evangelist! What a calling for man of his history and experience! Was he suited for the job? You bet he was. Who could witness more effectively about the unfathomable love and power of Jesus than he who Jesus had healed so powerfully? No one who was familiar with this man’s past could discount his testimony.

Mark further narrates, “And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.” (Mark 4:20). Because of the witness of this improbable evangelist, many came to know Christ. The healed man prepared the way for Jesus ministry in the Decapolis through a powerful personal testimony.

The Unlikely Evangelist

You too can become an unlikely evangelist of Jesus. You may not be a trained minister but your testimony of encountering Jesus will point other needy souls to Jesus. No sermon is more powerful than the testimony of a transformed Christian. The deeper the pit Jesus pulled you from, the more effective your testimony.

Take a moment to reflect on your journey with God so far. Describe your condition before you met Jesus. In addition, meditate on the goodness of the Lord and His miracles in recent days. Now, become an unlikely evangelist by sharing your testimony with a person who does not know Christ or one who is going through a rough patch

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me and for Your unceasing intervention on my behalf. Lead me to a person that needs my testimony to lead him or her back to You.