Jesusis afar off in the sinner’s apprehension, and the sinner is in very deed far off from God.
1. As to character. What a difference between the demoniac and Jesus.
2. As to knowledge. The demoniac knew Jesus, but knew little of His love.
3. As to hope. This man had no hope of recovery, or but a faint one, and that hope the demons tried to extinguish.
4. As to possession. The demoniac had no hold upon the Saviour; on the contrary, he cried, “What have I to do with Thee?” Immeasurable is the distance between God and a sinner; it is wide as the gulf between sin and holiness, death and life, hell and heaven. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The sinner’s wisest course
The demoniac was all in confusion, for he was under contending influences: his own spirit and the evil spirit strove together. He ran towards Jesus, and worshipped Him; and yet in the same breath he cried, “What have I to do with Thee?” Thus are sinners tossed about. But it is the sinner’s wisest course to run to Jesus; for-
1. He is the Son of the Most High God.
2. He is the great Enemy of our enemy, the devil.
3. He is abundantly able to drive out a legion of devils.
4. He can cause us to be clothed in our right mind.
5. He permits us, even now, to draw near and worship Him. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The law of attraction
A needle will move towards a magnet, when once a magnet has moved near to it. Our heart manifests a sweet willingness towards salvation and holiness when the great and glorious goodwill of the Lord operates upon it. It is ours to run to Jesus as it all the running were ours; but the secret truth is that the Lord runs towards us, and this is the very heart of the business. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
