Jan 26, 2022
You can be assured that as you walk through the difficulties of this life, Jesus takes your troubles seriously and goes out of His way to walk with you. Allow this story to remind you to open your own eyes to witness the wonder and glory of God’s protection over you! (Matt 8:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)
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Currently we are walking chronologically through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Recently on our journey, we saw Jesus get into a boat with His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee. You may remember that Jesus slept in the boat as a storm came upon them, and you may remember, that we learned that it was important that Jesus was sleeping, because He knew that there was work to do when they got to their destination. Today, we see that work up close as we study Matthew 9:28-34, Mark 5:1-20, and Luke 8:26-39. Let’s begin in prayer…
Dear Most Holy God…we don’t know what today holds for each of us, but you DO know! And we know that you are here at this moment to prepare us, because you never leave us alone. So we give you this time. We ask that you open our hearts that we might each be receptive to the teaching that you have for us. I pray that your words will penetrate each listener’s heart, and that we would each be obedient to your guidance and your will for us today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Let’s begin reading in Luke chapter 8, verse 26 from the New Living Translation…
Luke 8:26-39
26 So they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes,[a] (JAIR i scenes) across the lake from Galilee. 27 As Jesus was climbing out of the boat, a man who was possessed by demons came out to meet him. For a long time he had been homeless and naked, living in the tombs outside the town.
Jesus had instructed His disciples to cross the Sea of Galilee despite the fact that He knew a dangerous storm would threaten to overtake them, not just to show His sovereignty over nature, but to get to this man who needed His help. And not only did Jesus brave a storm, but He went DIRECTLY to a burial area to seek out this man even when it was considered unclean for a Jewish man to have contact with the dead. Jesus moved mountains to meet this man where he was and save him from his hurt and pain…
Mark 5:3-5 describes the man this way…
3 This man lived in the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain. 4 Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.
When WE see someone overtaken by evil or hate or drugs or mental illness, it can be very difficult for us to see them as they were created to be. But Jesus ALWAYS sees our inner soul…our spirit…who we were created to be. And although we, as humankind will often give up on each other or even ourselves in fear or frustration, Jesus will NEVER give up on His children. Jesus sailed through a storm to meet this man…so that He could meet Him in His peril…and liberate Him…empowering Him to live the life that He was created to live. The man was so out of his own mind that he didn’t understand what was happening, but the demons who possessed this man immediate recognized the power of Jesus…Luke 8:28…
28 As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell down in front of him. Then he screamed, “Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Please, I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had already commanded the evil[b] spirit to come out of him.
We just saw Jesus sovereignty over nature as He calmed the storm, now we see Jesus’ sovereignty over the demon world as the evil spirits recognize Him, fall before Him, and BEG Jesus to NOT torture them. …verse 30…
30 Jesus demanded, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, for he was filled with many demons.
We don’t use the word legion much, and you may have learned somewhere along the line that legion means ‘many’….but the truth is that a legion was the largest unit in the Roman army…and consisted of between 3000 and 6000 soldiers. This man was possessed by thousands of demons. And yet, they only had to look at Jesus to know that His power was so much greater than all of their power combined! They knew their days of inhabiting this particular man were about to come to an end, but they weren’t willing to give up, so they proposed a deal to stay and continue to torment the region.
Verse 31…
31 The demons kept begging Jesus not to send them into the bottomless pit.[c]
32 There happened to be a large herd of pigs (Mark tells us there were about 2000 pigs) feeding on the hillside nearby, and the demons begged him to let them enter into the pigs.
So Jesus gave them permission.
But the trick was on them…Jesus knew exactly what He was doing…and Jesus had complete control of the situation…verse 33…
33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned.
While the drowning of the pigs is a testament to the power of the demons, showing that rampant evil WILL lead to death, it is also a tribute to the strength, control, wisdom and power of Jesus who forced the demons, who now no longer had a host, to vacate the area.
This was Jesus’ first exorcism in a Gentile area…although the demons had known who Jesus was at first glance, the Gentiles – or non-Jews – had likely never heard of Jesus…but obviously, word spread quickly…verse 34…
34 When the herdsmen saw it, they fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran.
Let that single phrase sink it…When the herdsmen saw it…actually…just let the word “it” sink in. That single word it is a prime example of why we need to read scripture slowly and thoughtfully. When the herdsman saw it…let’s remember what they saw…
For a “long time” scripture says…years…months…we don’t know…but for a “long time” there was this man…running around the cemetery naked…he was unruly and scary…forcing people to avoid the area. The authorities had tried to shackle and chain him, but he kept breaking away and causing havoc…I imagine children needed to stay indoors…people had to walk in groups…only the pig herders dared to go in the area…
The “it” the herdsmen saw was a small boat coming ashore with a ragtag group of men who had been out in a storm. One man was in the lead…and he was approached by that town madman, running toward the boat…but then the crazy guy bowed before the man from the boat, and begged Him for mercy. The man from the boat then commands the evil to leave this madmen, and the demons …thousands of demons…rush out of the man and into a herd of pigs…who, by the way, were worth a pretty penny to the pig farmer and made up the financial structure of the area….the demons rushed into these pigs, who start going crazy, probably squealing and running into each other, likely foaming at the mouth…and then, as a whole run themselves over the side of the cliff…leaving a cloud of dust and making a huge splash as they vanish into the sea…and then it probably got quiet for a moment as the once naked crazy madmen was left behind, calm and peaceful..
It’s no wonder that the herdsman ran away shouting their tale…and its no wonder that people came running from where they were to see if the tale was true…
Verse 35…
35 People rushed out to see what had happened. A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been freed from the demons. He was sitting at Jesus’ feet, fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. 36 Then those who had seen what happened told the others how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
And then something that you might find surprising happened…verse 37…
37 And all the people in the region of the Gerasenes (JAIR i scenes) begged Jesus to go away and leave them alone, for a great wave of fear swept over them.
We can’t quite imagine what made them so fearful…except that the force that formerly had control of this man was crazy powerful…and now it seems that this one lone man from the boat had a power even greater. They may have sensed Jesus’ sovereignty, but what they clearly didn’t understand was His goodness.
I can remember being in a Bible study one day and hearing a woman marvel at our fortune, that the God of the universe, who is omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign and in complete control…is also good! He loves us each of us individually and would brave ANY storm and confront ANY demon for us. He would. And He does. And He will win EVERY. SINGLE. BATTLE!
The townsfolk didn’t understand yet understand this…and Jesus graciously gave them time for it to sink in.
Verse 37 continues…
So Jesus returned to the boat and left, crossing back to the other side of the lake.
But the man himself…now calm and FREE, understood completely…and Luke tells us that he BEGGED to go with Jesus…but Jesus sent him home, saying…
go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you.”
And he became the first evangelist of that area…Luke says…
So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.
Not only did Jesus love THE MAN so intensely, He also loved THE PEOPLE of the area enough to leave them a witness. The formerly possessed man was a daily, visual reminder to the people in that town that a God they didn’t quite yet understand had come for them as well as for the Jews. He was sovereign, in control, and offered His power to save THEM from any evil that would come THEIR way. Jesus reached across the Sea of Galilee to save the man and the town, and today He has reached across time and space to save you and me. His power, love, and grace are so far beyond our scope of understanding – but we need not be afraid. He is GOOD! And He wants us to join Him in joy – to GIVE Him the control – and to live our lives sold out in obedience to Him.
Unchecked evil does have the power to kill, but, thankfully, we have a God whose power is stronger than any other, who is perfect in goodness, AND who loves you more than you can possibly imagine. He will battle ANY storm and ANY force of evil on your behalf…and He will win…EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Dear Most Holy, powerful and good God! Thank you for calling us your own. Thank you for going before us, for battling on our behalf, and for claiming victory and holding on to US as your prized possession. God…you are beyond our understanding…so we accept in faith and say thank you!! Help us each to remember as we walk through today, that there is nothing that you cannot and will not overcome. We can always count on you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.