Mental Well-being:
Throughout our lives, our minds are subject to various influences—sometimes positive, sometimes negative. At times we can control them; at others, we cannot. The mind is a realm that is very difficult to explore and define. One aspect of the mind is the torment it can endure.
Today, the world is mentally unwell due to the stress of being unable to overcome financial problems, anxiety, and loneliness.
Let us look at the passage in Mark 5:1–20 and see how Jesus set that tormented man free.
When we examine the causes of mental illness, we see:
1. Isolation. In the passage, we see this man living in isolation.
He was characterized as dangerous and tormented, wandering the hills and shouting within his isolated environment.
Drawing a parallel with today’s society, the place where he lived—the tombs—can represent a space where tormented people feel a sense of calm, yet remain isolated. They harm themselves and reject guidance from others.
How do human beings feel when facing such hardships? They either seek God or seek their own destruction.
These are mindsets that do not align with the Gospel, which brings life and liberation.
The presence of Jesus transforms that precarious state of loneliness, bringing complete peace to a tormented mind. Jesus’s authority lies not merely in power, but in an act of liberation. What does this liberation mean? Jesus frees the man from loneliness and self-destruction, and restores him to his home. Rather than having him follow Him immediately, Jesus advises him to return to his family to reclaim his life—specifically, his life with them.
2. Liberation: Jesus contrasts the condition of the “demoniac”—who represents the human being today tormented by society, whether through economic, political, or social pressures—with the freedom He offers.
We must share the Gospel that presents Jesus as the One who frees us from the storms within our minds. It is a Gospel of restoration.
Sermon by: Rev. Paulo Llanco
Pastor St Andrews UMC
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