“Peace, Be Still”
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to obey. Not only did they tell their own households and neighbors
about Jesus, but they went throughout Decapolis, everywhere declaring
His power to save, and describing how He had freed them from the
demons. In doing this work they could receive a greater blessing
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than if, merely for benefit to themselves, they had remained in His
presence. It is in working to spread the good news of salvation that we
are brought near to the Saviour.
The two restored demoniacs were the first missionaries whom
Christ sent to preach the gospel in the region of Decapolis. For a few
moments only these men had been privileged to hear the teachings of
Christ. Not one sermon from His lips had ever fallen upon their ears.
They could not instruct the people as the disciples who had been daily
with Christ were able to do. But they bore in their own persons the
evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. They could tell what they knew;
what they themselves had seen, and heard, and felt of the power of
Christ. This is what everyone can do whose heart has been touched by
the grace of God. John, the beloved disciple, wrote: “That which was
from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with
our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled,
of the Word of life; ... that which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you.”
1 John 1:1-3
. As witnesses for Christ, we are to tell what
we know, what we ourselves have seen and heard and felt. If we have
been following Jesus step by step, we shall have something right to
the point to tell concerning the way in which He has led us. We can
tell how we have tested His promise, and found the promise true. We
can bear witness to what we have known of the grace of Christ. This is
the witness for which our Lord calls, and for want of which the world
is perishing.
Though the people of Gergesa had not received Jesus, He did not
leave them to the darkness they had chosen. When they bade Him
depart from them, they had not heard His words. They were ignorant
of that which they were rejecting. Therefore He again sent the light to
them, and by those to whom they would not refuse to listen.
In causing the destruction of the swine, it was Satan’s purpose to
turn the people away from the Saviour, and prevent the preaching of
the gospel in that region. But this very occurrence roused the whole
country as nothing else could have done, and directed attention to
Christ. Though the Saviour Himself departed, the men whom He