The Power of a Testimony

"Go away! Leave us alone! We don't want to have anything to do with you!" the people cried.

Turning away from the people, Jesus starts getting back into the boat. 

"Wait, let me go with you," a man cries, "please"!

Jesus turns with compassionate eyes on the man who has just been healed. "No", he firmly replies. "No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."

Turning around, the man immediately starts off on his mission. He goes around and visits the Ten Towns of that region and begins to proclaim the great things Jesus has done for him.

As a result of his testimony, everyone is amazed. 

Follow the arrows from dark to light

In the meantime, Jesus passes back to the other side of the lake to Capernaum and raises Jairus' daughter from the dead. Then Jesus travels to Nazareth where he is also rejected. Jesus then goes from village to village, teaching the people. He also sends out his twelve disciples in pairs to share about him and to bless the people by healing the sick and casting out evil spirits. After they return from their missionary journeys, Jesus takes them to a quiet place near Bethsaida to rest awhile, but people follow them and here he ends up feeding the 5,000 men with their families. Jesus sends his disciples away by boat to Bethsaida and comes walking to them on the water during the night. After crossing the lake, they land at Gennesaret where Jesus heals many people and speaks to the Jewish leaders about inner purity. From there, Jesus travels north to the region of Tyre. Here, Jesus casts a devil out of a Gentile girl in response to her mother's faith in him. Then Jesus leaves Tyre and goes up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns.

Ah, so now Jesus is back where we started our story. This time a large crowd gather to listen to him. They are receptive this time. They have heard the testimony of the man who was possessed with the evil spirits. They bring a deaf man to Jesus and beg him to heal him. Jesus heals the man and the people are completely amazed and say again and again, "Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak."

The people stay there for three days with Jesus and run out of food. Jesus feels sorry for them and gathers together the seven loaves and few small fish which they have left and multiply it so that there is enough to feed the 4,000 men and their families which are gathered there. After everyone has eaten enough, they gather together seven large baskets of leftover food and then Jesus sends them all home. 

Wow, what a turnaround! From rejection to acceptance. What made the difference? The sharing of a personal testimony. The man didn't know much about God, but he did know what God had done for him so he shared that. That opened the way for Jesus to return and share more.

Story from Mark 5:17 - 8:9. Image generated using Advent AI.