The Year I Read the Bible with Laurie Larsen

Episode 21: Jesus Is Not Afraid of Messy – the Story of Legion

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We all go through bad times.  It’s part of the human condition. Life is not easy or perfect for anyone. But sometimes life becomes so hopeless and out of control that you can’t imagine ever turning the tide.

Jesus wants to help you get your life back.  In Mark 5, Jesus got in a boat, dragging his hesitant disciples specifically visit a demon-possessed, dirty, smelly, ostracized man in a predominantly pagan area who had never heard his message of forgiveness and redemption.  WHY?  Because he will go to whatever lengths necessary to approach us and love us.  Even when it's messy. And human lives are always messy. 

Joining me as my repeat guest is the vivacious and inspirational Lisa Pritchard! Visit these links to follow Lisa:  www.Praying-Prodigals.com 

https://www.facebook.com/LisaPritchardWrites

https://facebook.com/prayingprodigals01/


Hi, I'm your host Lori Larson, and this is the year I read the Bible. Welcome a Lifelong Christian. I thought I was familiar with the Bible, but in 2023 I accepted the challenge of reading the whole thing, cover to cover. Whenever I encountered something I didn't understand or wanted to learn more. I jotted it down, but I kept reading to stay on schedule. Then I reached the end Imagine Confetti rating down on me, and a huge sigh of relief. I had 40 topics to research in 2024. I started diving into all those topics. I did research, I wrote blogs and I shared them with whoever might wanna learn too. And in 2025, the project continues. I published a book containing all my essays, and now a podcast. Is there something you can learn from that dusty book that sits on all of our shelves? Yes. Yes, there is. Let's dive into The year I read the Bible. Hello friends, it's Lori and I'm here for another episode of the year. I read the Bible podcast. This one is called Jesus Is Not Afraid of Messy. Does this relate to you in any way? Does it speak to your heart? Well, this one was based on the story of Legion in the New Testament. But we all go through bad times. It's part of the human condition. Life is not easy or perfect for anyone, but sometimes life becomes so hopeless and out of control that you can't ever imagine turning the tide. Is this speaking to you right now? Or someone you know? Well, let me just tell you this. Jesus wants to help you get your life back. Have you ever looked at the mess your life has become and sincerely wanted to return to Jesus, but you think he wouldn't possibly accept you back? Maybe you were raised in the Christian faith, but strayed away. You haven't been to church in years, and your life involves lots of unhealthy habits that God wouldn't condone. Maybe you've developed a substance addiction. Maybe you've been unfaithful to your spouse. Maybe you've broken the law and you're serving a sentence. These are all ways to mess up your life, right? And sometimes your life looks irredeemable. But I'm here to tell you that however messy and screwed up our lives get, we can still come to Jesus and ask for help. He won't turn us away. Consider the story of a demon possessed man called Legion. In Mark chapter five, Jesus and his disciples crossed the dead sea, really an inland lake to the Decapolis. A grouping of 10 Hellenistic cities. It was a center of Hellenistic or Greek influenced and Roman culture in a part of the world that was mainly populated by Jews. It was an area that the Jews stayed far away from. Because it was so foreign from the laws passed down from Moses for faithful Jews to follow pagan rituals, multiple deities, worshiped unclean sacrifices. Jews of the day wanted nothing to do with that evil place. But on this day, Jesus went there dragging his hesitant disciples with him. Mark five. Two through five. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs and no one could bind him anymore. Not even with a chain. He had tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him night and day among the tombs and in the hills. He would cry out and cut himself with stones. That was from the new international version. I'm sure Jesus went to that forbidden area because he specifically wanted to meet with this poor man, a child of God, so afflicted with what his life had become, that he miserably cried out and did physical harm to himself, possessed by demons. Isolated from humans. He had no control over his situation whatsoever. Talk about a person who can't imagine life getting better. He was at the end of his rope. Jesus spotted him from a distance and knowing that he was possessed by demons, spoke directly to them, ordering them to leave out of the man. Here's legion's response in Mark five seven. He shouted at the top of his voice, what do you want with me? Jesus, son of the most high God in God's name don't torture me. The demons knew who Jesus was and they were terrified of him. And his power. They probably thought they could safely inhabit this unfortunate man because why would Jesus king of the Jews ever venture forth into such a non-Jewish land? But Jesus did come to save this one lost sheep who had from his flock. Jesus asked his name and the demons replied, my name is Legion because we are many. The demons knew they were no match for the son of God, so they started bargaining with Jesus. Let's look in verses 10 through 13. He begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons beg Jesus, send us among the pigs, allow us to go into them. He gave them permission and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about 2000 in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Powerful in control, respected. All these words describe are Jesus. Can you imagine the reaction of the people watching that day? How could they not believe that Jesus was the son of God after watching such a spectacle, but Jesus was only interested in the man. Verse 15 describes him as sitting there dressed and in his right mind. The Bible doesn't tell us this, but in my mind's eye, I can see the man no longer named Legion and Jesus meeting gazes. He's astounded at what had just happened. Unable to comprehend what happened, or more likely why it happened. His life was a mess, totally out of control. His town folk were so done with him that they had bound him with chains and abandoned him in a tomb. No one wanted to be around him except Jesus. Jesus sought him out going out of his way to rescue him. Without being asked, I imagine that the man stumbled to his feet trying to wrap his head around this amazing and generous act of love from a total stranger. His life had just become 100% better due to one minute of time from Jesus. Jesus had been known to pull the people he'd healed into his arms and hug them. So it's not unreasonable to think that he did this with this man. He brought him into his arms and showed him how much he was loved. And at that moment, everything about the man and his life changed. But not for the townspeople. Verse 17 says, then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. They were probably scared and didn't want this man of God who healed and performed miracles anywhere near their secular home. After all, how could life go on as normal when a miraculous life changer like Jesus was in town? But the man who had been freed from demons knew what he needed. Verse 18 says, as Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed, begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him but said, go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you. Deli's first missionary for Jesus. Here's verse 20. So the man went away and began to tell in the Deis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. The man previously known as Legion was a mess. He was possessed by demons. He was unkempt, smelled horrible. Was chained up by his neighbors and forced to live in a tomb because none of them cared about him at all. He was just too messy for them to deal with, but not Jesus. Jesus was a total stranger to this man. He'd probably never heard of the goings on across the Dead Sea, but Jesus found him right where he needed him, and he worked miracles to save him. And then. He gained one witness to help spread the word of God's loving kindness. Think about your own life again. How does it compare to legion and all the challenges he faced? Jesus sought him out and found him and never hesitated to rescue him even though it was messy. He won't hesitate to save you either. Let's pray. Dear God, we thank you for always being there for us, for never turning away. No matter where we are in life or what we've done, we have faith that you can help us to rescue us from the messes we've made in our lives. You'll never give up on us, and we ask for your guidance in finding you where we are. Amen. And now stay tuned for a return visit from our guest, Lisa Pritchard.

Laurie:

And here we are. We are back from the essay, and I am so excited to Rewe my guest from last week, and I know that if you listened to last week's episode, you love her as much as I do. Lisa Pritchard, welcome back Lisa.

Lisa:

you, Laurie, for having me. I really enjoyed the last episode, so I can't wait for today's session.

Laurie:

It's gonna be another great one. I just love these essays as you well know. I spent quite a bit of time in the Old Testament, but I'm so excited to be telling the stories of Jesus and sharing the essays of my thoughts about him. So

Lisa:

need to

Laurie:

here's another one. That's right. Today's essay is called Jesus Is Not Afraid of Messy, and I tie in the story of Legion, which is a story from the gospels of Jesus when he took his disciples across the Dead Sea to the Decapolis, which is a very Hellenistic non. Spiritual, non-Jewish place, that most Jews tried to avoid, because of, all the evil things that were going on there. But there was a man that Jesus must have known about because that was the purpose of the entire trip across the water in the boat, was to meet this man who was filled, with evil demons. Jesus wanted to free him from that terrible, messy situation. Human lives are messy. We may not see people filled with, demons. But sometimes we make mistakes that make a mess of our own lives. Sometimes the mess is not necessarily because of our own actions. To whatever extent that you feel comfortable, Lisa, what are some of the messes that either you or your family members, your friends or acquaintances have faced that ultimately they overcame because of their faith in God?

Lisa:

Well, let me first just say I am very thankful that. Jesus is not afraid of messy because I

Laurie:

Mm-hmm.

Lisa:

Plenty of mistakes, along with other. People in my life have made mistakes that affected me. But you know, I've done enough on my own, to create havoc. But God worked several miracles, in my life. And I'll share one. These miracles though. My faith, to keep me praying for unresolved issues in the lives of, family members and friends, and so I believe that God can fix anything. let me tell you what, happened, what I'm gonna share with you tonight. and I had been married for seven years or so. We have a blended family, and that can produce some fairly serious and complex issues, especially when there are four kids with an age range of 10 years between them and there's two other parents involved that don't necessarily have the same parental principles. So long story short. We were a day or two away from, visiting attorneys and dissolving our marriage my oldest daughter, told one of her friends what was going on, and that friend told his mother about it. Well, she asked to, meet me and talk with me. Well, I didn't really know her. I knew of her. She went to the same church that I went to. but I did, I met up with her. And she talked to me at McDonald's for hours.

Laurie:

Oh wow.

Lisa:

yeah, she gave me some very good Christian advice and I came home and shared that with my husband. But here's what she told me, Lori. She said that I was to love him and humbly submit to him. And then she said, you need to pray with him, and if he refuses to pray, then you pray for him. She also said that I'm not supposed to do the things only if he acts right or the way that I think he should, because God's not going to hold me responsible for his actions or anyone else's actions, but my actions and how I respond, and I knew, the words that were coming out of her mouth. true. I was convicted and I can say now that we celebrated our 23rd anniversary, this

Laurie:

Oh, hallelujah.

Lisa:

know, I know that is the work of the Lord.

Laurie:

Oh my gosh. So that faithful Christian woman. Made such a huge difference in your marriage and your life and your family's lives because of her bravery. Well, first of all, her knowledge of what the Bible says about marriage and about relationships between married people and her willingness to speak up. I mean imagine the courage that took,

Lisa:

even, she didn't know me either. You know, I

Laurie:

wow.

Lisa:

know me. And, she was forward enough to ask that and courageous enough to do that. And I really appreciate it because you know what, with my husband and I, if we had gone to attorneys, we weren't just going to affect my life and his life, but it would've been the lives of our children, our friends, our neighbors, everyone around us. We don't

Laurie:

Mm-hmm.

Lisa:

about how we affect other people with our own mess.

Laurie:

Yeah. And I, did an essay earlier in this season about God Hates divorce. Look it up in the list of episodes. It's called, divorce on the Modern Christian, and it is specifically stated in the Bible, God hates divorce and the Bible goes into why he doesn't want us to be miserable. He doesn't want us to be in an unhappy or dangerous or an unfaithful marriage, but he wants us exactly as your friend described, he wants us to submit ourselves to each other and to him.

Lisa:

Yes.

Laurie:

And to not just stay married, but to lead the kind of marriage that he divinely designed where the man is, the head of the household and the woman supports him and together they, share, a godly love for each other.

Lisa:

That's right. And you know, the truth is after that all happened and with some time and everything, and John would would tell you this too. So I know that I'm not speaking out of turn here. He actually just, wrote something for someone, saying that I was the one that led him. back to where he needed to be. But it was

Laurie:

Mm-hmm.

Lisa:

of this woman. It was, and because, the Holy Spirit worked in me. It wasn't anything that I

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

because of others that cared enough to do something about it. And I just can't say enough about that, that when we see something, we need to speak up and try to help if we can in love,

Laurie:

but you know what? She did bravely approach you, but you were willing to listen and you were willing to scour you heart and probably lift up a prayer to God asking for direction, and I think it all worked out the way he wanted.

Lisa:

that was the beginning of. A deeper commitment to the Lord right there. That was when I really became committed. Like I wanted to read my Bible. I wanted to be in prayer. And my husband saw me doing those things and I asked him one day, why don't you get up early and read with me? And so he did. And not much longer after that, maybe a few months after that, I said, let's, pray together. So he was starting to pray silently and I was like, no, let's pray out loud and so we can hear each other. And I'm gonna tell you that there is nothing sweeter than the sound of my husband's voice when he is praying to God for me. I

Laurie:

Oh,

Lisa:

feels the

Laurie:

I,

Lisa:

way. You know, there's nothing better

Laurie:

yeah.

Lisa:

wife pray for him.

Laurie:

Yeah. Yeah, and I'm willing to bet that your lives still get messy sometimes. It doesn't mean that it's perfect and easy and no challenges,

Lisa:

Exactly.

Laurie:

but you're following God's will being together as a devoted couple. That's a great story. Congratulations.

Lisa:

thank you for letting me share it.

Laurie:

Sure. Let's talk for a little bit about Legion. Legion was a man who was possessed by multiple demons or impure spirits. He was ostracized by the village people, and he lived a existence alone in the tombs. But Jesus, like I said before. Sought him out and he went out of his way to seek him out. What are your thoughts about Jesus seeking out someone who was so far gone?

Lisa:

First of all, let me say I'm just delighted. I am delighted that he did because it gives me hope that he can save all of us. We are all a mess. This Legion is not the only one that he went out of his way for. I think of the woman at the, well, he went out of his way for her as well and others. But, just like the center on the cross that acknowledged that he was the son of God, like the prodigal son, the woman at the well, Mary Magdalene, who was possessed by seven demons and became a devoted follower and then saw who. Persecuted and slayed Christians, but then, heard from the Lord and became Paul and was, a writer of a great deal of the New Testament. I can't say enough about how happy I am that Jesus will reach out, that He will seek after, and I know that he sought after me.'cause here I am and I didn't get here by myself. but what I know is that the people who go to heaven won't be because Jesus shunned them. It will be because they hardened their hearts against him. You know, he, he

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

anyone.

Laurie:

Right. And there's always second chances and there's always third chances. And,

Lisa:

Thank goodness. Thank you, Lord.

Laurie:

Most of us need those second and multiple chances.

Lisa:

in. I'm in that line, the multiple chance line.

Laurie:

That's good. By Jesus' command, the demons left Legion or left the man previously known as Legion, and took residence in a herd of pigs, which quickly drowned themselves in a lake And. The townspeople watched this amazing event with their mouth open. Then quickly begged Jesus to leave. They wanted nothing to do with him. Remember, this was a very pagan area. What are your thoughts about that?

Lisa:

Well first, this one is really easy. To me it is a problem of misplaced priorities. Definitely out of order priorities. And it's much like we see in our culture today where folks care more about their livelihood and about themselves and how they're affected over, being ecstatic that this demon possessed man was healed. I can't even imagine how horrible that would be. But if I may, I would like to share something that I heard today about Charlie Kirk, when I listened to his wife speak in the Rose Garden at the White House, she said, Charlie shared the truth even when it was costly and unpopular. he stood courageously for the truth without fear, and he loved others when it wasn't convenient. These people were not that way. And sometimes. of us are not that way. Sometimes

Laurie:

Mm-hmm.

Lisa:

and we don't want to deal with things, but we need to keep that in mind that, it wasn't convenient for Jesus either, to do the things that he did, but he did them because he loved people, and we all need to love people like he did.

Laurie:

Yeah, bringing to my mind when Jesus said, you didn't feed me or you didn't visit me in prison, or you didn't. Help me when I was sick. And he was talking about, anytime that you don't do it to your fellow man, when you don't visit, when you don't feed, when you don't heal, you're not doing it to me. I, I've got it in the wrong order, but

Lisa:

Yeah, what you do for the least of these you're doing for me. I think that there's a man that asks in that scripture that says, you know, when did I see you in Fiji? When did I visit you? And he says, what you do for the least of these you're doing for me. And that's

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

for us to remember. I know that it's important for me because many times I get really busy if I'm writing and, I'm just busy and I don't wanna be disturbed. But we need to remember that, those disturbances or those distractions that come, there may be a reason for those. And that's something I am learning.

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

in process of that, by the way. I haven't perfected that yet.

Laurie:

I think the way Jesus said it in the Bible, those that you did, for the least of me, you did it for me. But I think it's also true and probably more appropriate to our lives, the reverse of that if we had a chance to help a poor person or a homeless person, or a sick person and didn't do it. It's like turning our back on him.

Lisa:

that's right.

Laurie:

And I think it hurts him as much as it, would hurt the person that we're doing it for. And that's where you get into the messiness of lives. There's always gonna be people who need our help. Of course we have to make a decision. Can we help them? Can I safely help them? Can I, make a difference? Do I have the time, do I have the resources? And, I don't think he's asking us to do it every single time we're approached. But we have to, to be like him. We need to make that effort.

Lisa:

agree, Laurie, we just, we got to sometimes let the things that are important to us go so that we can help someone else.

Laurie:

Right. Absolutely. Jesus showed love and affection toward the man previously known as legion. After his legion of spirits were out of him. I can picture him maybe quite possibly pulling him into an embrace despite the fact that he was probably filthy and hungry and un bathed. He encouraged him to live a brand new life and tell people what had happened to him, be a witness for him. So what do you think that interaction was like between Jesus and Legion? And what does that tell us about how Jesus would accept any and all of us back if we asked him?

Lisa:

The picture that I have in my head is this dirty, and sad man who? His joyful tears just are running through the dirt on his space and he's full of gratitude. because I, can imagine that being possessed by that many demons would be terrifying. Horrible and tiring. think it would be a tiring experience in that his whole mind, body and spirit would just be poisoned with this demonic force. But now, he is free. The chains are broken. And he's, free. Jesus is freedom. And so it,

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

me wonder, in our culture, would we care if someone was dying and going to hell? Not even that they were possessed, but just that we knew that their eternity was in question. Would we help them or not help them because it might affect our own livelihood or that we would be afraid of being ostracized? Would we witness. Or would

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

them any information about who Jesus is? Like what would we do? It doesn't matter if people are dirty, figuratively or literally, doesn't matter. We need to give them the truth and the living water. Which will clean them, spiritually and on the outside, we've got to share that. Recently, I studied the book of Ruth and I shared that woman of the Bible with a group of ladies. And it was, a wonderful thing. And there's a lot of facets of Ruth. But here's the one that's important in applause here, and that is that Jesus salvation and forgiveness is extended to everyone. Jew and Gentile, regardless of what we've done.

Laurie:

That's absolutely right. And tying in what you are saying about. Would we have the courage to share information about Jesus and, how he can save someone who is sick and towards the end of his life? It's not up to us to save the person. It's up to us to let them know so that Jesus can save them. So.

Lisa:

did for us.

Laurie:

Yes, that's right. Once we know that it removes some of the pressure, of Oh gosh, I, shared, what Jesus is like for me to him and, I don't know if it worked. I don't know if it saved him. Well, it's not up to us to save him. It's, it's up to Jesus to save him.

Lisa:

exactly right. And sometimes, you

Laurie:

Yeah.

Lisa:

or fearful of rejection. But here's the thing, when people do reject. This truth, it is not us that they're rejecting. It's Jesus. So

Laurie:

Yeah,

Lisa:

continue to keep trying because, I don't know about you, but I don't really like a lot of rejection. But it is true that they're not rejecting us. They're rejecting Jesus. So we just need to keep, plowing away. Just keep plowing away.

Laurie:

And maybe our testimony or our witnessing towards that person is just one in a line that God has sent to that person to hear. And maybe we are the second. Maybe we're the third, maybe we're the first, maybe we're the last. But we are doing, what is in God's plan for us and for that person to do. So we can't take it personally if, we aren't the one that sees the results,

Lisa:

Well, and that reminds me of a point, I have a friend that gave me a book that I read, and in the book it said that a person on average has to hear the gospel. I think it was 7.5 or 7.6 times, before they believe. Now that doesn't mean it's like that for everybody. Some people will believe the first time, but some people it might take 15 times. Knowing that. That should help us realize that, we might just be the second one. Maybe there's five more to come before they get it, but

Laurie:

Yeah, I think that same statistic is in order to remember something or to learn it or to memorize it, you have to hear it seven times. So yeah, it definitely sounds true.

Lisa:

Well, I had two scriptures that I wanted to, bring into this, and one was Luke.

Laurie:

Please do.

Lisa:

31 through 32 and it said Jesus answered them. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. And then,

Laurie:

Mm-hmm.

Lisa:

8 32 that says, then you will know the truth, and the truth set you free.

Laurie:

Oh, I love it. Those two are so powerful. I love those. Yes. Oh, well, Lisa, it's been another such an inspiring and uplifting conversation with you. Thank you so much for coming. Did you have anything else that you wanted to talk about before we wrap it up today?

Lisa:

Well, I think that's about

Laurie:

I.

Lisa:

I have, but I'll tell you this, I have really enjoyed this. Just so you know, this is only my second podcast ever, and you have made it very easy for me, and I hope that you'll have me back sometime.

Laurie:

I would look forward to it. And also, I know in last week's episode we talked a little bit about your writing, and your, books that you have coming out. I'm gonna go ahead and, link your website into the show notes of this episode as well, so that people can learn more about you if they wanna

Lisa:

love for

Laurie:

you up.

Lisa:

come in and check me out and, also contact me and let me know if there's anything that I can do.

Laurie:

that's such a nice, nice offer. Thank you again, Lisa, and you have a wonderful evening.

Lisa:

Thank you, Lori.

Laurie:

Good night.

and that's it for today. Thank you very much for being here with me on the year I read the Bible Podcast. We'll be back with another episode next week. If you enjoy this podcast, please do all the normal things to spread the word like it. Review it, share it with your friends. If you are interested in additional the year, I read the Bible resources such as the book, the video channel, and the blog, I will certainly include the links in the show notes, and I'd love to hear about your own journey to read the Bible cover to cover. Have you done it or are you doing it right now? Please reach out to me and let me know how it's going. Until next time, it's Lori Larson with the year I read the Bible. Bye.

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Laurie Larsen

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