2nd Kings chapter 18 and it will
be a few moments before I get to it. I have entitled this message,
Am I a Witness? Now before I get into the meat
of this message. Let me say that religion has
confused proselytizing with witnessing. I had a man tell me just this
week, I witness to at least 100 people a week. And I just looked
at him and didn't know what to say. Going out and talking to people
about what your beliefs are and trying to win them over to your
side and try to make Christians of them, so to speak, is not
bearing witness. It's proselytizing. The Lord
frowns on that. A witness is someone who has
seen something. Now what I'm asking is in the
things of God, what have I actually borne witness to? What have I
experienced? What have I seen? Not just what have I been taught
or what do I believe, but what have I seen? What can I actually
bear witness to? Now, the word witness or testify
is where we get the English word martyr from. One who bears witness
by his death. And surely the Lord Jesus Christ
bore witness by his death concerning the truth. Now, what we actually
bear witness to by grace is what we are willing to die for. Now, let me repeat that. I want
you to think about it. What we really bear witness to
is what, by grace, we are willing, right now, to die for. Now, I really believe 2 plus
2 equals 4. I'll bear witness to that, but
if you say If you say it equals four, you're going to be put
to death. I might just go ahead and say it's three. I'll take
that back. If someone, if I saw you entering
Kroger's yesterday and you said, well, if you say that, you'll
be put to death, I'll probably figure out a way to, maybe it
was somebody else, maybe it wasn't you. What you bear witness to,
it's got to be something that grips your soul, that you're
willing to die for. There are things that we see
and there are things that we believe that we're not willing to die
for. But what you bear witness to is what you are willing to
die for. Now, there are things that I
have seen and that I do believe that are not things that grip
my soul to the point that I'm willing to die for. What is a witness? He's one who
testifies. He testifies of what he's seen,
what he's experienced, what he's heard. Someone is a witness when
they've seen something for themselves. They're not passing along secondhand
information. They're speaking what they themselves
have seen and experienced. Now, what can I actually bear
witness to? Now, I can say all kinds of things,
and that doesn't mean I have. All kinds of people talk about
what they've borne witness to, but what have I really personally
borne witness to? What have I seen? Now listen
to this real carefully. A witness gives a subjective
presentation of the objective truth. I'm going to repeat that
statement and then I'm going to try to explain what it means.
A witness is one who gives a subjective presentation, what he's experienced,
of an objective truth. Now, by objective truth, that
means what was true before you and I had any experience of it
or any existence even. The truth is truth whether you
experience it or not. You know there's a bumper sticker
I've seen on cars, and you've seen this sticker too. God said
it, I believe it, that settles it. No. God said it, and that settles
it. Whether you or I believe it or
not. It doesn't really make any difference whether you believe
it if God said it. If God said it, it is settled. David said,
forever O Lord, thy word is settled. in the heavens. Now, the objective
truth is that which is just the truth, whether you and I know
it or don't know it. I think of what Paul said when
he said in 2 Timothy 1.9, don't be ashamed of the testimony of
our Lord. Now, the Lord gave testimony
to something. Don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.
And he goes on to give what that testimony is. He said, who saved
us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works. but according to His own purpose
and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began. The Lord testified of this, and
you know what? If you've experienced it, you
can testify of the same thing. This is not just something that
you've been taught. This is something you believe
in the very depths of your soul. He saved me. I know that by experience. I didn't help. I didn't contribute. He did it all. He saved me and
He called me with a holy calling, not according to my works. I
know that. I give testimony of that. but
according to His own purpose and grace which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began. I know that if I'm saved
it's because God purposed my salvation. It's not just something
that I'm talking about. I know it. I'm bearing witness
to it. Now, when the testimony of the
Lord is given, He's given the facts. The facts. You know, somebody says, don't
bother me with the facts or don't confuse me with the facts. Well,
facts are very important. And there's an actual content
to the gospel that the Lord is bearing witness to. When Christ
said he came to bear witness to the truth in John 18, 37,
the cross bore witness to the truth. Never has the truth been
more clearly borne witness to than when Christ was nailed to
that cross. There we have the true character
of who God really is. I see Him in His holiness. He
won't let sin go unpunished. No sin will go unpunished. No sin will be swept under the
carpet. God's holy. God's righteous.
We see the character of His graciousness that He would give His Son for
sinners. We see the character of His wisdom,
how He's made a way to be just and justify the ungodly. The
Lord bore witness to the truth by His death, didn't He? He said,
I came to bear witness to the truth. Now, the truth's the truth,
whether you and I experience it or not, or whether you and
I believe it or not. God's sovereign. Somebody says, I don't believe
that. Well, I know you don't, but it doesn't change the truth.
He is. He is. That's who he is. Whether you
and I believe it or not, he is who he is. I love the isness
of God. He that cometh to God must believe
that he is. However he is, that's how he
is. And he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Now,
Witnessing is testifying, giving my personal subjective experience
of the objective truth. Now you can tell whether or not
I'm a true witness or a false witness by whether or not what
I say lines up with the Word of God. Now, if I say I'm bearing
witness to this and I'm giving you my experience and that experience
is not lined up with the Word of God, I'm a false witness.
I'm a phony. I'm telling a lie. I'm not telling
the truth. You see, in true witnessing, the subjective experience of
that person telling what he has seen and what he has heard and
what he's experienced always lines up with the written Word
of God. And if it doesn't, The man or
the woman is a false witness. They are not telling the truth. So if I'm a witness, I am bearing
by my subjective experience what I have seen, and you have the
Bible. to see if I'm a true witness
or a false witness. I love that scripture in Isaiah
chapter 8 verse 20, where the prophet said, to the law and
to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it's
because there's no light in them. Now we have a beautiful illustration
of this in 2 Samuel chapter 18, if you'll turn there. But let me give you the setting
of this passage of scripture. You will remember how Absalom
turned the hearts of Israel toward him and against David. Look in
2 Samuel 15. And it came to pass after this
that Absalom, David's son, prepared him chariots and horses and 50
men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early and
stood beside the way of the gate. And it was so that when any man
had a controversy to come to the king for judgment, then Absalom
called unto him and said, Of what city art thou? And he said,
Thy servant is one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto
him, See, thy matters are good and right, but there is no man
deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said, Moreover, O that
I were made a judge in the land, that every man which hath any
suit or cause might come to me, and I do him justice. And it
was so that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance,
he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this
manner did Absalom do all of Israel that came to the king
for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. I mean, they no longer look to
David as their king. They look to Absalom. Absalom
used his political maneuvering and his, you know what, to steal
their hearts. And their hearts were stolen.
And for the next three or four chapters, we find David in great
grief running from Absalom. Absalom was trying to kill him.
And Absalom was trying to make himself king. You know, this
is actually in answer to what God said would take place. He said, Behold, I'll raise up
evil against thee in thine own house. God said that to David
because of the matter with Bathsheba, and this is simply God's providence
unfolding. It was very grievous to David,
but let's look at his heart. Turn with me to verse 25 of 1
Samuel 15. Zadok the priest wanted the ark
to follow David. He remained loyal to David, although
no one else did. And the king said unto Zadok,
carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find favor
in the eyes of the Lord, he'll bring me again and show me both
it and his habitation. But if he thus say, I've no delight
in thee, behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seemeth good
unto him. Isn't that beautiful? That attitude
of David, let him do to me whatever seems good to him. If he's not
going to have any favor, if he's going to have me out of the kingdom
and put Absalom in, let him do what seemeth me good. Don't you
want to have that attitude? Toward everything the Lord says,
let him do what seemeth me good. At any rate, Absalom's rebels
are defeated, and David had asked Joab. Even when Absalom was trying
to kill David, David asked Joab, have mercy on my son. Be gentle
with him. Don't kill him. Don't hurt him.
Be gentle with him. He asked Joab to promise that,
but Joab didn't do it. Look over in 2 Samuel 18, verse
9. And Absalom met the servants
of David, and Absalom rose up upon a mule, and the mule went
under the thick bows of a great oak, and his head caught hold
of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the
earth, and the mule that was under him went away. He was hanging
there in a tree by his hair and couldn't get out. And a certain
man saw it and told Joab, and he said, Behold, I saw Absalom
hanging on an oak. And Joab said unto the man that
told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite
him there to the ground? I would have given thee ten shekels
of silver and a girdle. And the man said unto Joab, Though
I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would
I not put my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing,
the king charged thee, and Abshi and Atai, saying, Beware that
none touch the young man Absalom, otherwise I should have wrought
falsehood against mine own life. For there is no manner he hid
from the king, and thou, thyself, wouldst have set thyself against
me. Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he
took three darts in his hand and thrust them through the heart
of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
And ten young men that bear Joab's armor compassed about and smote
Absalom and slew him. And Joab blew the trumpet, and
the people returned from pursuing after Israel. For Joab held back
the people, and they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit
in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him.
And all Israel fled away, every one to his tent." Now you can
imagine the grief that David would experience when he found
out this happened to his son. Even though his son had done
all these horrible things, he loved him! And he didn't want
anything to happen to him. Now look down in verse 19. Now this is after Absalom has
been killed and his followers have been dispersed. Then said
Ahimeaz, the son of Zadok, let me now run and bear the king's
tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies. Now
there's something suspect when somebody volunteers to be a witness. Something suspect. But this man
volunteered to be a witness. He wanted to come and Tell David
that the Lord had avenged his enemies. Verse 20. And Joab said
unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt
bear tidings another day. But this day thou shalt bear
no tidings, because the king's son is dead. Then said Joab to
Cushi, Go tell the king what you've seen. Now that's very
important. Go tell the king what you've
seen. Not what you've been taught to
say. Go tell the king what you've seen. Now that is what a witness
does. He goes and tells what he himself
has seen and that he himself has experienced. Go tell the
king what you have seen. And Cushie bowed himself unto
Joab and Ran. These were runners who were going
to bring news to David. Then said Ahai-maz, the son of
Zadok, yet again to Joab, but hast thou ever let me, I pray
thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt
thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready? You
have never really seen anything. You would not know what to say
to him. 23, But house wherever said he, let
me run. And he said unto him, run. Then
Ahimeiz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi. Now, there are men who were never
really sent, and they really have nothing to say. Such was
Ahimeiz, or however you say his name. He just wanted to be a
witness, but he hadn't really seen anything. Verse 24. And
David sat between the two gates, and the two watchmen went up
to the roof over the gate and to the wall and lifted up his
eyes and looked, and behold, a man running alone. And the
watchman cried and told the king, and the king said, If he be alone,
there's tidings in his mouth. And he came apace and drew near,
and the watchman saw another man running, and the watchman
called unto the porter and said, Behold, another man running alone.
And the king said, He also bringeth tidings. And the watchman said,
Methinketh the running of the foremost is like the running
of Ahai-maz, the son of Zadok. And the king said, He's a good
man, and come with good tidings. And Amaias called, he'd outrun
Cushie. And he said unto the king, All is well. And he fell
down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed
be the Lord thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted
up their head against my lord the king. Now he had a general
message, and his message was true. But what was it that the
king really wanted to hear about? Well, let's go on reading. And the king said, is the young
man, Adsalom, safe? That's all he was concerned about.
He wanted to hear about his son. And when God the Father hears,
that's what he wants to hear from the witness, that concerning
his son. And Ammiah answered when Joab
sent the king's servant, and me thy servant. I saw a great
tumult. I saw a fight going on, but I
knew not what it was. And the king said unto him, Turn
aside and stand here. And he turned aside and stood
still. Get on out of the way. Step back.
You haven't given me the information that I want. You've not been
a true witness to anything. You've got some general truths
concerning what took place, but you've not borne witness to that
which is regarding my son. Verse 31, And behold, Cushie
came, and Cushie said, Tidings, my lord the king, for the Lord
hath avenged thee this day of all that rose up against thee.
And the king said unto Cushie, Is the young man Absalom safe?
And Cushie answered, The enemies of my lord the king and all those
that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as the young man
is. And the king was much moved and went up to the chamber over
the gate and wept. And he went thus, he said, O
my son Absalom, my son Absalom, would God I died for thee, O
Absalom, my son, my son. Now he, it wasn't good news to
him, but he got the truth regarding his son. Now, here's the point. When we're witnessing. We're
not trying to convince anybody or win them over to our point
of view. That's proselytizing. Doesn't mean I don't want people
to believe what I'm saying when I'm testifying and when I'm preaching.
I want everybody to believe. I'm not saying I'm indifferent
about that. But a witness is not trying to convince somebody.
A witness is doing one thing. He's telling what he's seeing.
He's telling what he's experienced for himself. You can't tell what
you've seen, what you've not seen or experienced, any more
than you can come back from a place where you've never been. You
see, Cushie had seen something. He had the information regarding
the king's son. I want you to believe my testimony,
but if you don't, that doesn't change my testimony. As our Lord
said, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen. And so does the Lord said that,
and so does every believer. The Lord said to his disciples
before his ascension, you shall be witnesses unto me. Now, what can I bear witness
to. Now, like I said, I could talk
about all kinds of experience and make up stuff and impress
people and tell you about all the things I've experienced and
all the things the Lord has taught me, and religious people do that.
They always kind of butter it up and make it a little bit more
exciting and glorious, but that stuff is not even real. It's
not bearing witness anyway. What can I bear witness to that
I have actually seen? Can I bear witness to Him? Have
I seen Him? You know, the Lord did say, He
that seeth the Son and believeth on Him has everlasting life. I've seen Him. I've heard His
voice. Now, you can say, well, how do you, how do I know you
heard his voice? Well, I'm not trying to convince you that,
but I'm saying this. I have seen him. I've heard his
voice in this sense. I've heard his voice in his word,
the hour is coming. And now is when the dead shall
hear the voice of the son of God and they that hear shall
live. I've heard his voice. I've seen
him. I'm speaking as a witness. Now, I want you to believe my
testimony, but if you don't, it doesn't change the testimony.
Turn with me for a moment to 1 John chapter 1. John says in verse 1, that which
was from the beginning. There's the objective truth,
isn't it? He's the great eternal one. He was, He is, He always
will be. Whatever He is now, He was then. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. Now, John is giving the objective
truth. 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, for the life was manifested." I love the way he calls the Lord
Jesus Christ the life. You know, I know that his life
is the only life there is before God. I can testify that. I know
his life is my only hope of having life before God. I bear witness
to that. I'm testifying. John was testifying. He said,
and we've seen it and bear witness unto you and show unto you that
eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested unto
us. We're speaking of one we know.
I know the Lord. I'm not talking about somebody
I'm name dropping. I'm talking about someone who
I know and knows me. He knows me. That's the most
amazing thing. He knows me. He knows my name. I'm His. And
I speak as His witness. I'm speaking that which I've
seen regarding Him. You know, we're witnesses of
His resurrection. We're personal witnesses of His
resurrection. I love the way... Festus said to Paul, he said
concerning Paul when he was speaking to Grippe, he spoke of one Jesus
who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. He was dead, no
doubt about it. He died on a cross. We put him
to death. The government put him to death. Put him in a tomb.
Set a watch over him. He was dead. We know that. But
Paul affirmed him to be alive. Paul knew something that Festus
did not know. He had seen something that Festus
had never seen. Paul said, I know whom I have
believed and am persuaded that he's able to keep that which
I've committed to him against that day. In Acts 4.33, it was
said of the early church that with great power gave the apostles
witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace
was upon them. And we bear witness to this.
I bear witness that Christ lives. I serve a risen Savior. He's
in the world today. He lives, and I'm bearing witness. Turn to Luke 24 for a moment. Verse 44, And he said unto them,
These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with
you, that all things must be fulfilled. which were written
in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me. Then opened he their understanding
that they might understand the Scriptures. And he said unto
them, Thus it's written, and thus it behooved." It was necessary
for Christ to suffer. It was absolutely necessary for
Christ to suffer. Why? Because he was made sin. That's why. And it was necessary
for him to be raised from the dead. We're speaking as a witness.
It was necessary for him. This is what the Lord is saying
about himself. This is what I've taught you. It was necessary for him
to be raised from the dead. Why? Because sin was put away.
He was actually, literally, completely put away. Now once in the end
of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. Let's go on reading. It behooved
it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead
from the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning
in Jerusalem. And you are what? Witnesses of these things. Now, let me tell you something.
I'm a witness to you. Repentance. I've changed my mind. God changed my mind. I've changed
my mind. I haven't changed my mind. I
don't believe like I used to. God gave me that repentance,
and I bear witness to that repentance. And I bear witness to this thing
of the remission of sins. I've had a complete change of
mind regarding the remission of sins. I used to think, oh,
if I can get this done and do that and start that, then I'll
have the forgiveness of sins. I don't believe that anymore at all.
Salvation begins with a full, free, complete remission and
putting away of sins. And you know if you're a believer,
you know that's the way it is. I don't have to convince you
of that. You know there's nothing you did to earn or achieve forgiveness. But you know by experience that
God granted you repentance. He gave you a new mind, a new
thought, a new heart. And you know that the remission
of sins comes wholly for Christ's sake. You bear witness to that.
It's not something you try to argue about or convince somebody.
You bear witness to it. Turn to Acts chapter 22. Acts chapter 22. This is Paul speaking
of his experience in conversion. This is when Ananias came to
him. Verse 12, And when Ananias, a
devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the
Jews which go up there, came unto me, and stood and said unto
me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked
upon him, and he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee,
that thou shouldst know his will, and see that just one, and shouldst
hear the voice of his mouth, for thou shalt be his witness
unto all men. of what you've seen and what
you've heard. God has chosen you, first, to
know His will. And you know every believer knows
the will of God. This is the will of Him that
sent me, that of all which He hath given me, I should lose
nothing. raise it up again at the last
day. And this is the will of Him that
sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son. You see the Son in this
sense. You see the only way God can
look in favor on you is through the Son. And you see Him as altogether
lovely. You see Him as altogether sufficient.
You see He's all you need and He's all you want. You see the
Son. And see that just one. I love this name of our Lord.
You know, there's just one, just one. The One who is able to be
just and justify the ungodly. You've seen that. You've seen
that. You can bear witness to that. That just One. And hear the voice of His mouth. Hear the words of His... You've
heard Him speak in the Scripture. You've heard Him speak in the
preaching of the Word. You've heard His voice. You shall
be His witness. Look in Acts chapter 20. Turn
back a page. Paul said, but none of these
things move me. Verse 24, Acts 20, 24. But none of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might
finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received
of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Now, I can bear witness and testify
that salvation is by grace. I'm not just trying to teach
doctrines. I'm bearing witness. When we
talk about the doctrine of grace. Tulip. Total depravity. I can testify total depravity
is true. I can testify. Oh, I can testify
that. I can testify that the only way
that I can be saved is for God to choose me. I can give testimony
to the glorious atonement of Christ that the only way my sin
can be put away is if He paid for them all and actually accomplished
my salvation. And I can give testimony that
God's grace is irresistible and invincible. I can bear witness
that the only reason I persevere is because He preserves me. See,
this is not just trying to turn people into our way of thinking
or change their doctrine, not at all. We're bearing witness.
We're testifying of what the Lord has caused us to see and
experience and believe. Turn with me to Revelation 22.
12, I'm sorry, Revelation 12. Verse 9, And the great dragon
was cast out, that old serpent called the devil, and Satan,
which deceiveth the whole world. He was cast out into the earth,
and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven, Now has come salvation and strength and
the kingdom of our God and the power of His cross. For the accuser
of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our
God day and night. And they overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and
they love not their lives unto death. Now we hear of the accuser
of the brethren. What a name for the devil. You
think of all the accusations he could make against you. I
think of all the accusations he could make against me. And
you know what? Every single one of them are
true. Every one of them. He's the accuser
of the brethren. He accuses them before God day
and night. Now, how can He be overcome with
these true accusations? They overcame Him by the blood
of the Lamb. Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who
is He that can condemn? It's Christ that dies. They overcame
him by the blood of the Lamb. All those accusations that have
you thinking all the different things. Could I possibly be saved
and do things like this and think things like this and be this
way? All the accusations that come, but they're all answered
by the blood of Christ. And I can give testimony to this.
The blood of Christ, God's Son, really does cleanse us from all
sin. And that satisfies my conscience. And it's the only thing that
satisfies my conscience. I'm bearing witness, testifying to
this. The only thing that'll satisfy
a sinner's conscience is Christ putting that sin away. Not by
you doing anything, but by Christ doing everything. I bear witness
to that. They overcame Him by the blood
of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. And look what it says
next. And they loved not their lives
unto the death. They're willing to die for this. Now this is witnessing. It's not proselytizing. It's
bearing witness to the power of the blood of the Lamb That's
actually your testimony. Here's my testimony. Here's my
personal testimony. I'm only saved by the blood of
the Lamb. You got anything else to say?
Nope. I'm satisfied to stop right there. That's my testimony. And
by the grace of God, I'm willing. I sure hope I am. I'm talking
right now. And I know that if I was put in a position, if the
Lord didn't enable me, I'd chicken out. I know that. But by the
grace of God, I'm willing to die for this. They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb. Now, last scripture, turn to
Mark chapter 5. I ask again, what have I seen? Not what have I been indoctrinated
into, but what have I seen? What do I myself really believe? What have I experienced? Mark chapter 5. And they came over under the
other side of the sea into the country of the Gadarenes And
when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out
of the tombs, the place of death, a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the
tombs, and no man could bind him, no, not with chains, because
that he had been often bound with fetters and chains. the
shackles of religion, and the chains when sin would call. The
chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken
in pieces. Neither could any man tame him. And always, night
and day, he was in the mountains and the tombs, crying and cutting
himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, now, beloved, Anybody who sees
Jesus, I don't care if it's far off. This is where salvation
begins. When he saw Jesus afar off, he
ran and worshiped him. You know, that's the only thing
to do when you see Jesus, isn't it? You don't need to tell him
anything. You don't need to make any suggestions. Bow down. Worship him. Whatever he does
is right. And he cried with a loud voice
and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of the
most high God? What connection is there between
me and you? I'm darkness, you're light. I'm
bad, you're good. I'm evil, you're holy. What connection
is there? He didn't even suspect mercy
at this time. I adjure thee by God that thou
torment me not, for he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou
unclean spirit. And he asked him, the Lord Jesus, what's your
name? And he answered saying, my name is Legion, for we are
many. And he besought him much that
he would not send him away out of the country. This is the demons.
You know, I think it's interesting. It's the man speaking, he besought,
but it's also the demons. You can't tell who's speaking.
And he besought him much that he would send him away out of
the country. Now there was there nigh into the mountains a great
herd of swine feeding and all the devils besought him saying,
send us into the swine that we may enter into them. And forthwith
Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went
out and entered into the swine, and the herd ran violently down
in steep places into the sea. There were about 2,000, and they
were choked in the sea. And they that fed the swine fled
and told it to the city and the country. And they went out to
see what it was that was done. And they came to Jesus and see
him that was possessed with the devil and had been legion sitting, clothed. and in his right mind. Sitting at the feet of Christ,
clothed in his very righteousness, and in his right mind. You see,
a lost man is crazy. Somebody that believes salvation
by works is crazy. Crazy. But now, he's in his right
mind. The Lord put him there. And I
think it's interesting, they were afraid. They liked him better
when he was running around naked in the tombs. The people were
afraid. And they that saw it told them how it befell him that
was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
And they began to pray him to depart out of their coast, leave
us. And when he was coming to the ship, he that had been possessed
with the devil prayed him that he might be with him. I want
to go with you wherever you're going. Albeit Jesus suffered
him not, but he saith unto him, Go home to thy friends and tell
them how great things the Lord hath done for thee and hath had
compassion on thee. Now there's a witness. That's
a witness. You go home and you tell them
what the Lord has done for you. Now, most religious people would
be talking about what the Lord is doing in their lives. The
Lord is doing this in my life. The Lord is doing that in my
life. And I'll be honest with you, I don't have any idea what
he's doing in my life. I really don't. But I know what
he's done. I know what he's done for me. And he departed and began to
publish in Decapolis. He became a witness how great
things Jesus had done for him. And all men did marvel. He spoke as a witness. Let's pray together. Lord, we can't be your witness
unless you do something for us. Unless you show us who you are.
and who we are, unless you show us thyself, we can't bear witness
to what we've never seen. So, Lord, we ask that you would
give us a sight of your son in his word, that we might be witnesses
of him. Bless this message for the Lord's
sake. In his name we pray. Amen.