The tale of two towns - Bro Jesse Howell 2-14-2024

If you do. It is good to be in the House of the Lord

here tonight, though shit, all these weights. We ain't gonna be sin

in there. Though I have some wits, No, I do appreciate this

spirit of the Lord that we feel here tonight. We're gonna get in the

the word here. I don't feel like I'll be that long tonight. I'll

be honest with you. I feel like I got something that's short. If

God gave me, that's all he give me, So that's what I'm gonna

give you. I can I can promise you. I fasted meals over this

service. I fasted meals over this message. I've spent countless, countless amount

of time on my knees before the face of God. And I'm not bragging.

I'm just coming to tell you that I'm not up here just because Pastor

said. I mean, that's why I'm up here, because Pastor told me

to be ready to be But I take it serious. I'm not just coming

up here trying to shoot from the hip. I've not read any my any

sermon books. I've not been online. I never have, I don't plan

to. They probably wouldn't find this in there anyways. Appreciate my pastor.

I love him with all of my heart. He texted me earlier, told

me he was praying for me, and my mom texted me. That means

the world to me. Appreciate the prayers, Appreciate the spirit of the Lord.

We feel you could be turning to the Book of Mark. We're gonna

read two places, but they're right close beside each others. I don't have

to worry about. Like I said, I'm gonna be short here tonight,

So just get here. Get in here with me and pick up what you

can. I feel like God's give me this. I feel like I have

the mind of the Lord for this service, for this message anyways, So

just get in here with me. Try to follow along. About be a

little hard to follow. I'm gonna try to make sense of all of this.

Mark the fifth chapter. Mark the fifth chapter will begin reading in the

fifteenth verse. Will read three verses, verse fifteen. And they came to

Jesus and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legions

sitting in clothing in his right mind. And they were afraid. And they

that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the

devil, and also concerning the swine, and they began to pray him to

depart out of their coasts. My bible is two pages over. We're gonna

flip over to the sixth chapter, beginning in verse number fifty three. We'll

read the rest of that chapter. And when they had passed over, they

came into the land of Gennesaret and drew to the shore. And when they

were come out of the ship straightway, they knew him. They knew who,

they knew Jesus. They ran through that whole region around about began to

carry about in beds those that were sick where they heard he was, and

whithersoever he entered into villages or cities or country, they laid the sick in

the streets, besought him that they might touch if it were but the border

of his garment, And as many as touched him were made hole. If

the Lord will help me here tonight, I want to spend just a few

moments of time and preach for just a little while on a tail of two

towns. Would you lift your hand and ask God to help us here tonight.

And God, we thank you for your goodness and your mercy. God,

Be thank you for your praise and your kindness that you can be start

upon us. God, be asked that you would help us right now,

that you would annoit my life to say what you're happy to say. God,

annoy my mind and clarity you thought, God. God, let me

say not say anything out of the way, God, but only that you

would happy to say. God. God, let us to part this place.

Join me is heart, God, sorten to God. God, let

us understand what you were speaking to the church. God, where you are

speaking expressly, we give your glory and the praise and honor that is do

your name. We thank you and we praise you in your wonderful name of

Jesus. Amen and Amen. These passages of Scripture a very similar, are

very similar while also being completely and utterly opposite. They're similar in the fact

that Jesus arrived Babo to these two places. Says the land of the Gatherings,

or I think in the Bible it says the country the country of the

Gatherings and the land of Jennisaret. Jesus has arrived by Bote both places.

Jesus traveled a lot by Bote. He was recognized in both places as the

son of God. The land of the Gatherings, Legion recognized him. The

Bible says he ran to him and worshiped him. That was before he was

delivered, and that was before before he experienced the healing power of Jesus.

But the acceptance of Jesus was completely completely different from from one from one from

one town, if you will, to the other, from the land of

the Gatherings to the land of Jennisarette. It's too totally different acceptance of of

of salvation, of healing, of Jesus's power. Jennisaret embraced the healer.

We read that in Mark chapter number six, verses fifty three through fifty six,

they embraced the healer. Matthew, chapter number nine and verse thirty five

said that Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues

and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness, in every

disease among the people. So Jesus didn't have any less power in the land

of the Gatherings than he did in the land in Jennisaret. The same the

same healing virtue that was in that he possessed in one town. He possessed

in the other. He's the same today, yesterday, and forever. Had

he had justice much healing power in one place as he did the other body

in the in the land, in the country of the gatherings, we only

read a legion being set free, while a few a few verses later,

which we read in chapter number six, everyone that could get a hand on

the Master, everyone that could get a hand on the healer, got healed.

So what made the difference? What what made the land of genis the

rent? So many more miracles were done in that town. Why was so

much healing manifested and take place in one town versus the other town? We

read in Matthew nine that he went to all the cities to heal. Jesus

went to all the all the all the all the synagogues to preach the Gospel,

to teach to heal every sitians in every disease. He went to every

town, everywhere he went. That was the plan of God. Every every

time he stepped off the boat, he was looking, hoo, can I

heal? The Bible said he had great compassion. He had compassion for everyone.

I believe he had just as much compassion for Legion's hometown as he did

for the for the land of Jennisaret Mark chapter number fifties fifty six tells us

the reason that such that such miracles took place in the land of Genisaret we

rather than our texts. It tells of great faith being demonstrated. The Bible

said, they brought all the sick out of the villages, the cities,

and the country. Everywhere he went. They laid him in the streets,

just hoping that they could touch the healer, just hoping that they could taste

the healing power of Jesus. There was someone running ahead and saying, Hey,

do you need anything. He's coming this way. He's coming down your

dusty street that was in the land of jennisare in, Hey, he's coming

down. Bring them out, Bring the sit out, Bring your children that

that is struggling, bring them out, Bring those out that that that were

like the men we heard about in the neighboring town, bring them, Bring

your children out that are battling devils. Bring your children own that are that

have sicknesses and they can't seem to get over. They ran ahead of Jesus,

is what the Bible said. And they were telling them bring them out

the Master's coming this way. That was in the land of Jennisa vent because

of their faith. The Bible says, as many of us touched him were

made whole. God can do so much with faith, acceptance, and surrender.

God can do can move bountains, He can heal sicknesses. These people

in the land of Keniiceret, they admitted that they needed help. They welcomed

Jesus with open arms. I'm I'm sure they had heard the healer was going

around healing all these people, all these miracles that were going on. They

had heard. Yeah, they had heard about the sick folks being healed.

They had heard about raising of the dead. They had heard about the delivering

of the bound and afflicted. They might have heard about Legion. They had

not, because this happened after Legion. Now, I do want to point

this out. Just because the land of the Country of the Gatherings told Jesus

please leave, Jesus didn't stop his his his healing career. He didn't stop

his healing journey. He kept right on healing. Who missed out? Yeah,

their babies did their parents did that? Who missed out because of their

lack of faith or whatever it was. If they were mad, they lost

the herd of swine. So petty, I don't know why, why they

weren't even to leave it says they were. They were afraid. But and

I this might be different tonight, but this is the way I feel on

the spear of the Lord needed me, they said in the In the he

said, this is someone that we need in our town. This is someone

that we want walking up and down our streets, touching our little children.

Words spread like wildfire through the land of here the ceret that the healer was

in town. They were happy about it. Jesus did many miracles as he

walked up and down their streets. As he walked up in front of their

houses, and people were laying there on the side of the road on their

blankets or whatever they have. Maybe they're sitting there, they're just maybe there

was someone that was blind sitting there. I can hear him. I know

you're out here, Jesus said, And he finally got a touch it.

He said, I can see because of faith. Because of faith, they

brought their sick in the streets. Jesus began to walk up and down the

streets, and there are many miracles that were done in the land of here

Tharett, that we will only hear about out in heaven. The Bible said

in verse Thumber fifty six, as many as touched him were made hole.

That's all we know about. We never hear about these people. But maybe

one day we'll sit down the side of them and yeah, I was one

of their people that laid out in the street in the land of pennis are

At, just trying to get a touch. I was a one that you

you heard about, but you didn't know who I was. I was that

one that the Master passed by, and I got a call on his garnment,

on the border of his garment, and I was healed. This could

have been the same testimony for Legion's hometown. We could have met someone over

in Glory and Land that said, right after Jesus healed Legion, I was

Legion his brother. I was Legion's father. I was his great cousin.

But we don't hear about that. We never will because they rejected the healer.

And I'm not saying that that Legion's cousin needed anything, but baby,

he needed a healing. You know what I'm saying. We'll never hear about

that because they rejected and we'll never hear about the testimony because they wanted him

to leave. Jesus will never ever impose himself. He has never, nor

will he ever forced someone to accept him. It's not the planet grace.

It's a free will. We had to accept him. This town didn't accept

him. They rejected it. They rejected the healer, they rejected the deliverer.

Jesus performed a mighty miracle in the life of Legion, and I just

have to believe that Jesus wasn't done there right. This is positive proof for

me that you have to want something, you have to want it from you

want. You have to want help from the Master if you're going to receive

it. Legion wanted help. We read it in our text. We might

not have read it. I know I mentioned it. Legion wanted help because

as soon as he as soon as Jesus stepped on the shore, the Bible

says, he ran straight out to him and began to worship you and your

pastor. He can preach until he vomits in the trash can under the poop,

and I've seen him do it. He can preach until he's blue in

the face. God can do all he can do. God can do anything

except make you accept him. He never will, he never has, and

he never will. He gave us a free will. Pastor can preach,

the singers can sing, the testifiers can testify. But if you don't want

help, you'll never receive it. If you don't want to be delivered,

you'll never be delivered. I've heard Pastor preach so wonderfully, and I thought,

for sure, this will be the turning point, this will be the

one eighty. But it was rejected. This city wanted Jesus to leave.

They wanted them, They wanted him to leave. One alone. Legion got

his deliverance, Legion god deliverance because he worshiped Jesus. He accepted him.

But all the other herding, all the other sick people, all the other

oppressed people, was left with a testimony of Legion, of what could have

been. They looked out and they seen Legion working a normal job. Now

he's not in the tunes, no more cutting himself, he's not screaming day

or night in the tunes. And they see what I could have, They

see the peace that I could have, but they're left with nothing. It

didn't matter if Legion said, what are you doing? Why do you wanted

to leave? Can't you see what it did for me? It didn't matter

if Legion was standing there for all day and all night, preaching the good

things of God, telling this testimony, the Bible said, he departed and

began to publish it in the capitalist how great thing Jesus had done for him,

and all men did marvels. So these men marveled. I can't believe

he did that for him. Yeah, he could have did it for you.

The same power that did it for him is here to do it for

you, the same power that did it for me. They better stare it.

They better wrong. Tap gotta Jonathan, it's a same power. They

didn't do it for you. It didn't matter the sweet victory that was in

the Legion's life. It didn't matter the hand of God that they see.

No Legion, they him to leave, Just leave me along light. The

Bible says, Jesus did just that. He packed up the ship, and

all right, boys, at least we got one the trip one wasted because

legions over the preaching, legions over there telling the great things that I did

for it. At least we got one they don't want us, but they

can't get rid of Legion. Somebody my few needs carted off to. Anyways,

Jesus continued healing. He continued healing, but not in that land right.

God has made it clear since the beginning of time Genesis six and in

verse three. God, I believe he was speaking in Noah's day. He

said, my spirit shout out always strived with man. I don't know if

Jesus went back. I don't know if Jesus went back and visited Legion.

I don't know if he went back to the gatherings. Is that a chance

that you're really willing to take? Leave me alone? They had an overwhelming

opportunity before them, and one man ready to hold and grabb it that offered

unity. Titus to and eleven says, for the grace of God that bringeth

salvation, hath appear to all men. It appeared to this land and what's

rejected. It appeared to the land of geniiret, and it was accepted by

the things we read. Salvation appear to Legion, and he accepted. Salvation

has appeared to your pew bodies. But what you do with the grace of

God? What to do with the opportunity that set before you is completely up

to you. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, if

we neglect it, if we neglect the rest our hand of God, how

will we fair? John one of the eleven, says he came into his

home, his own received him. Not. The sad part about Jesus' rejection

in the country or the land of the of the Gatherines was it wouldn't be

the last time that Jesus was rejected. Moved twenty three and verse eighteen says

that they cried away with this man, and release them to us for rabus.

Give us this murderer. Yeah, away with this man that's done nothing

but good, Away with the hero, Away with the miracle worker, Away

with the peacegiver. That's what they cried and pilnce Hall. The people in

Legion's hometown were saying, give us, Legion, that man that no one

coultain, Away with the miracles, Away with the plan for our sons and

our daughters, with this sound mind that you're offering, this peace that passed

it passive understanding. Away with this leave it, leave by clost, leave

by land. He's not going to force you to accept the change that He

wants to give in your life. You've got to be willing, like the

land of Genessaret was. You know, you can frustrate the grace and mercy

of God. His love is everlasting. The cry at Pilot's Hall sounds to

me so familiar. It sounds to me like the cry that went forth and

lead us hometown away with him. Mhm hm. The choice is up to

you. Which town will you be liking to? What will your testimony be?

He came and he walked on my shorees, But I turned around and

I walked away. He was here in the river, but I turned and

I walked away away with this man leave me alone? Could we stand here

tonight? What else can God do? M hm? How much further can

he read? How much more annoyance can our pastor get? If it gets

much more annoyed, He's going to be in the third heaven. If preaching

no help and singing no help? What does what is it going to take

to get your attention, to get you to accept the change? Jesus came

to earth to seek and save that which was lost, but was rejected again

and again and again. He has been accepted by many and rejected by many.

I'm done. I don't know what else to say. I preached what

God gave me. I don't think I missed it. It's decision time.

It's time to settle it once and for all. Mm hmmm. Let me

introduce you to cheeses as. Let me intruduce you. You say, right

way, offside and shi again. Let me introduce you to Jesus. Let

me intradition. Ething I can't wait I wanted for friends. Is the rebdo

that you've been facing. You can't see the solve it your mind and all

see you. Oh deal, It's the way of work. Their owner shoulders.

I've got to screw my fred. It's not a better. Let me

intradition, Jesus. Let me in judition. You can take a fround away

and Lee descries. Let me intradition, Jesus, Let me judition. I

can't wait for you, mate, now, runer for way. It looks

like there's paining rides. I can sit you, I would imagine, so

long after you trive alone to this, you must be heard in inside.

I know the strong. What if I told you there's someone who cares about

your trouble? Let me a judicition Jesus. Let me in judition you can

take a rain way man decide M. Let me introduced you to to j

Jesus. Let me into wait for you made my honor friend. Want me

in juduced you to Jesus. Let me introduce you turning mid st miche short,

Let me in chanduce you to Jesus. Let me introduced video. I

can worry for you, my wonderful for want me to shooting Jesus. Let

me change your shooting you know, and it's like run away if so,

M to try again. Let me introduce you to Jesus. Let me introduce

you to him. I can't wait for you to me my wonderful food. M