A deranged man, who had lived in small caves used as tombs, was the first to greet Jesus on the shores of the Gentile side of the lake. Jesus freed him from the demons that were the source of his madness, and he found peace. The local community was terrified of Jesus and begged him to leave, so Jesus left.

This is incredibly anti-climactic. Jesus had crossed the lake in the midst of a violent storm, risking the lives of his followers. Upon arriving among the Gentiles Jesus performed one of his most dramatic miracles. Jesus appears to be poised to make a profound impression on the region… But then he gets back in the boat and returns to the side of the lake he had just come from. If Jesus were anything like us, we’d expect him to push on in the face of those who asked him to leave. Wasn’t his mission more important than their objections?

How do we respond when we aren’t met with a warm welcome? How do we respond when those we intended to share the Kingdom of God with reject us and the Kingdom?