This Week's Story
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Jesus demonstrates unique power with nature's forces and a man possessed with demons.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Don’t think you know what He will or can do!
“We have to wake Jesus up!”
“How can he sleep through the storm?”
“I don’t know., but we need help. Our boat is going to sink. Winds and waves have filled it with water to the topsides.”
The men went to him. Jesus was in the back part of the boat, asleep on a pillow, and totally exhausted. He had spoken to crowds of people that day.
“Jesus, wake up. Don’t you care that we are going to die?”
He stood and spoke to the wind and the Sea of Galilee. “Peace! Be still.” The wind stopped. There was calm.
He looked at his disciples. “Why are you afraid? How come you have no faith?”
They had no answer. They were filled with awe. Among themselves
they asked, “What kind of man is Jesus that even the wind and sea obey him?”
The boat moved to its destination in the Gadarenes territory.
As Jesus stepped onto the shore, a man ran to him and fell onto the ground worshipping him. He shouted, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, son of the most-high God? I beg you, do not torment me.”
As he spoke Jesus was saying, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit.” Then he asked, “What is your name?”
“Legion, for we are many. Do not send us out of this country.”
In the nearby hills there was a large herd of pigs feeding. Legion spoke with voices of unclean spirits entreating Jesus, “Let us go into the pigs.” Jesus gave permission.
The herd of 2,000 pigs raced down a steep hillside and into the Sea of Galilee. The men tending the pigs raced into a nearby town telling people what had happened. People flocked out to see what more they could learn of such bizarre happenings.
They saw Jesus. Legion was sitting nearby, dressed normally, and acting in his right mind. They asked questions and heard again what had happened. What did it mean? They became afraid and begged Jesus, “Leave, we do not want you here. Why did you cause 2,000 pigs to race into the Sea of Galilee?
“Who are you?”
“What did you do to Legion?
“You have strange power we do not have! We know Legion lives among the tombs. When he acts wild, no one can catch him and put him into chains. In the past he was often bound with ropes and chains. He would get out of them, somehow tearing the ropes apart. He was a wild man that could not be tamed.”
“We have heard him in the hills, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”
“How terrible for him!”
“Yes, but now look at him.”
Jesus and his disciples returned to their boat. Legion asked Jesus, “May I come with you?”
Jesus answered, “Go home to your friends. Tell them the great things that the Master has done for you and the compassion he has for you.”
The man did as Jesus asked him to do, and many people marveled.
This account can be found in Mark chapter 5 of the Bible. Carlos Gamez, Barbara Steiner, and I, Todd Warren, invite you to return to thisweeksstory.com or follow us on X, formerly Twitter, at This Weeks’s Story @Story 26502.
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