“Return to thine own house…”

Luke 8:39

First, we see that Jesus has healed a man who had an “unclean spirit”, in fact, he had been possessed of devils for a long time and no one could help him!

“he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and 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 in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.”

His life was in ruins.

“But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,” and… his life changed!  (Mark 5:4-6)

It was a change that others could see!

“And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” (Mark 5:15)

Then we see that when the man wanted to follow Jesus, like one of His disciples, “Jesus suffered him not, but 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.”

And in Luke we read that Jesus said, “Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” (Mark 5:19, Luke 8:39)

Now, here’s the point:  Be encouraged by this to tell our family and friends, and to keep telling them about Christ!  Our first responsibility is to our family, i.e. our children, parents, brothers, sisters and friends, those people who have known us and should know there has been a change!  And be encouraged to keep praying that our family and friends will come to Christ!