Jesus Casts Out Many Demons
Notes
Transcript
Opening Illustration
Opening Illustration
Late one dark night, two men were walking home after a party.
They were tired and desperate to get home, so they decided to take a shortcut through a cemetery.
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They got to about the middle of the graveyard, and they were startled and stopped moving.
There was a terrifying noise, “TAP-TAP-TAP” coming from the shadows.
Trembling with fear, they spotted an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at one of the headstones.
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“Hey Mister,” one of them said after catching his breath.
“You SCARED us half to death.
We thought you were a GHOST!
What are you doing working here so late at night?”
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“Those fools!” the old man grumbled.
“They spelt my name wrong!”
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Needless to say...
The two men ran out the cemetery so fast you would think they were trying to qualify for an Olympics 100 metres race!
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Cemeteries can be a very scary place...
But even scarier than this account is the very real event recorded in Scripture nearly 2,000 years ago...
For at that time in a gentile town of the Sea of Galilee something far scarier than a ghost roamed the cemetery...
At that time, there were maniacs, one of which was possessed by thousands of demons, who terrorized all who approached them...
That is until they encountered Someone far more powerful than them...
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
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So, please turn your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke.
We will conduct our study in Chapter 8 and focus on verses 26 through 39.
Our message this morning is titled, “Jesus Casts Out Many Demons”
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This message today will focus on what happens when a legion of demons come face to face with the Creator of all things seen and unseen...
Will this be a nail-biting encounter and epic battle that will be at times to close to tell?
Or will this be a lopsided and overwhelmingly decisive victory for one party?
What will happen to those men who are possessed?
What will the town think when they see the results of this encounter?
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Today’s message will answer those questions and more.
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So, this morning we will cover three main points:
1) The Demonic Problem...
2) The Divine Miracle...
And...
3) The Maniac Turned Missionary.
Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Before we consider our text, please join me in prayer...
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Heavenly Father...
You are the Ancient of Days!
You are the Rock of Ages!
You are the One True God!
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Thank You for who You are...
Thank You for being the very definition of a good Father...
For you are a perfect Father!
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You have loved the unlovable...
You have had mercy on those who were merciless...
And You have had patience with inpatient!
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Guide us in all our ways to honor You...
Guide us into an understanding of You eternal truths...
And Guide us to be Your ambassadors in this world of darkness by reflecting Your light!
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And it is in Jesus’s name we pray all these things...
Amen.
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Let’s turn to our text for today:
Reading of the Text
Reading of the Text
26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee.
27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”
29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)
30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.
31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission.
33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.
35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.
36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
So, let’s look at our first point...
1) The Demonic Problem
1) The Demonic Problem
Verses 26-30: Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.
This passage reveals the goal of Jesus’ intended trip mentioned back in Luke 8:22 which says:
22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out,
This was the trip when Jesus calmed the storm that we discusses in great detail in our last message on the Gospel of Luke...
And in that message we witnessed the incredible power and authority Jesus possessed over nature.
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Today, in our passage we will witness the kind of power and authority He has over the spiritual realm...
But first, we need to define a few terms.
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“Gadarenes” is a small town on Sea of Galilee opposite Tiberius...
Scholars believe it was located where now sits the modern village of Kersa.
Additionally, it should be noted that some ancient tombs are there, and the shoreline descends steeply into the water...
These details match exactly the description of the terrain as found in the Gospel accounts...
And this is yet another proof of the validity of the Word of God.
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Now, it is important to note that this town is a Gentile town...
So, this is the first and only time in Jesus’ earthly ministry that He crossed over into a predominantly Gentile territory...
And His action on this day will foreshadow the eventual spread of the Gospel to Gentiles that we will see recorded in Acts and the epistles.
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Then in verse 27 it says:
“When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons”
Now, Luke is focusing on the main individual that Jesus will be speaking to but it should be noted that there is actually two men who are possessed...
How do we know this?
We just need to look at Matthew’s account of the same event.
So, look with me at Matthew 8:28 which says:
28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.
So, as Matthew’s account reveals, that there were actually two men who were demon possessed...
However, since only one of those demon possessed men did the talking Luke and Mark only recorded that man in their accounts.
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Now, focusing on that man, we are given a vivid picture of what he was going through...
As verse 27 says:
“For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.”
And in verse 29 we learn that:
“For many a time it had seized him.
He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.”
In Mark’s account we get some more information regarding the plight of this man...
Let’s look at Mark 5:4-5 which says:
4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
So, this men was being tortured by these demons in horrible ways...
As the Reformation Study Bible says:
“This man is deranged, unnaturally strong, and, according to Mark 5:5, self-destructive.
His nakedness reveals the absence of normal shame, and his preference for tombs over a house shows his attraction to death.”
We can assume that the other man was likewise tortured just as badly...
How these men became demon possessed is not known...
However, a warning needs to go out that all unbelievers are part of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and are hence vulnerable to demonic possession...
Without Jesus as one’s personal Lord and Savior one risks having demons seized control of them...
And demons, as we have seen here, compelled their victims to behave in a bizarre manners that cause harm to others along with the individuals they inhabit.
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This is not some Stephen King book or Wes Craven horror film...
This is real-life!
Demons are real!
Demonic possession is real!
Satan is real!
Hell and eternal punishment is real!
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But, do you want to now what else is real?
Jesus is real!
The Son of God is real!
Jesus who is God in the flesh is very real!
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So, look with me at verse 28 of our passage as it says:
“When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, ‘What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?
I beg you, do not torment me.’”
In the presence of Jesus even demon’s knees hit the ground!
You see Beloved, when the man ran and fell down before Jesus, it indicates an involuntary submission of the demons to Jesus’ greater power!
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And these demons that have caused so much havoc are powerless against Jesus...
They are at His mercy!
They are under His authority!
This is no epic battle...
This is not the Avengers vs Thanos!
This is no close grid iron match betwen equals...
This is a lopsided..dominate...shutout!
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Somebody get the referee’s attention to stop the game and call for a Mercy Rule!
You see Beloved, according to Wikipedia:
“A mercy rule ends a two-competitor sports competition earlier than the scheduled endpoint if one competitor has a very large and presumably insurmountable scoring lead over the other.
It is called the mercy rule because it spares further humiliation for the loser.”
That is what we have going on between these demons and Jesus...
That is why we see them begging right when they encounter Him.
In fact, the phrase “I beg you” reveals the subservience of the demons to Jesus.
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We have witnessed Jesus’ clear authority over demons in passages like Luke 4:41 which says:
41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
With a word Jesus silences demons...
And a larger gang of them makes no difference to the One who created all things!
In fact, the demons not only beg fro mercy from Jesus...
They also recognized the deity of Jesus...
And their declaration that Jesus is “the Son of the Most High God” is the revelatory answer to the question of the previous story we covered in our last study...
When Jesus commanded the sea and the storm to stop the disciples asked, “Who is this man?” as recorded back in Luke 8:25...
Now we see the demons answer that question...
Jesus is undeniably “the Son of the Most High God!”
Yes, even the demons know it!
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Additionally, these demons also recognize that there is a divinely-appointed time for their judgment and Jesus would be their judge...
They intellectually know these facts...
However, it is one thing to know the truth, and quite another thing to trust in it...
It is one thing to be aware of the reality of Jesus and His role, and quite another thing to surrender to Him as one’s personal Lord and Savior!
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Next, in our passage Luke records in verse 30 that,“Jesus then asked him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Legion,’ for many demons had entered him.”
We have already seen in this Gospel other individuals who had multiple demons posses them...
Recall with me what was recorded earlier in this same chapter in Luke 8:2 which says this:
2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
But we are not talking about just seven demons here in our passage...
You see, Beloved...
The term “Legion” defined a Roman military unit of 6,000 infantrymen...
So, such a name denotes that the man was controlled by an extremely large number of militant evil spirits!
This truth is reiterated by the expression “for we are many” as recorded in Mark 5:9 which says:
9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.”
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So, what is Jesus going to do?
Well, the answer, is that our Sovereign and Mighty God will do whatever He pleases!
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For even a legion of 6,000 demons are powerless against Him...
So, let’s look our our second point to see what happens next.
2) The Divine Miracle
2) The Divine Miracle
Verses 31-36: And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.
We start this section off with the demons continuing to beg Jesus for mercy...
As verse 31 says:
“They begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.”
So, the “abyss” that is mentioned here is the final destination of Satan and his fallen-angels...
This is the eternal fire mentioned in Matthew 25:41 which says:
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
This is the eternal and forever residence of Satan, his demons, and all who reject Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior...
Yet, some fallen angels are free to plague mankind as demons while others are already imprisoned...
How do we know this?
Look with me at 2 Peter 2:4 which says:
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;
The most common interpretation of what Peter says in this verse is that these fallen angels that sinned and have already experienced judgment are the same angels mentioned in Genesis 6:1–4 which says:
1 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them,
2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.
3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
The term “sons of God” in this context actually means “fallen angels” and this is attested to by Old Testament Scripture and the proper interpretation that Jews would have had in the 1st century and even before that.
For further reference to this see passages like Job 1:6; Job 2:1 and; Job 38:7.
Jude also mentions these fallen angels who have already been thrown into the abyss in Jude 6–7 which says:
6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—
7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Those demons “did not stay within their own position,” meaning that they moved out of their proper sphere of existence and behavior...
That is “their proper dwelling.”
And these fallen angels as recorded in Genesis 6:1–4 possessed mortal men and then cohabited with women...
This egregious transgression of those demons was a clear violation of the boundaries God had set for them.
So, these demons feared going into the abyss before Judgement Day like these other demons.
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Next, verse 32 and 33 of our passage says:
“Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these.
So he gave them permission.
Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.”
In Luke’s account He records that Jesus gave the demons permission to go into the pigs...
But I love how Matthew’s account records exactly what Jesus said...
Look with me at Matthew 8:32 which says:
32 And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.
Did you see that Church?
One word...
“Go”...
With just a word, thousands of demons left these men.
In fact, Mark’s account reveals that this herd of pigs numbered about two thousand as Mark 5:13 says:
13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.
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Now, consider this note found in the New American Commentary on Luke which says:
“The swine’s destruction proves that the demons truly left the man as does the description of the man’s condition in Luke 8:35.
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None of the Gospel writers seemed to be troubled by the economic loss that the drowning of the swine would have caused their owners.
For the Evangelists the spiritual issues involved in the story are far more important than financial considerations.
Various commentators’ concern for the owners’ economic loss may be due to a greater sensitivity for the property of others than the Evangelists had, but it may also reveal a lesser concern for the spiritual issues involved.
The Gospel writers saw the story as involving a man’s deliverance from enslavement to the demonic.
The demoniac’s deliverance and the demons’ judgment were their primary concerns.
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[Furthermore,] Instead of being driven by the demon, [the once demon possessed man] was ‘sitting;’
Instead of being without clothes, he was ‘dressed;’
Instead of being among the tombs, he was ‘at Jesus’ feet;’
And instead of being ‘chained hand and foot and kept under guard,’
He was ‘in his right mind.’
This, even more than the drowning of the swine, demonstrates that the demons had left him.
The demons’ prisoner had been freed from their oppression.
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[Additionally,] Luke added the word ‘cured’ to his account.
The Greek word esōthē, or ‘saved,’ is a favorite Lukan word to describe the healing-salvation Jesus brings.
The man had not simply been cured of his demon possession but of everything that separated him from God.
Thus he sat at Jesus’ feet as a disciple.”
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So, when Luke records in verse 36 that:
“Those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed.”
When the man is being described as “healed” we can also properly translate that term as “saved” which is “sōzō” in the Koine Greek...
For the context in this passage gives evidence that the man was not just healed of demonic possession but he was also saved...
He has truly become born-again!
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Now, before we jump to our next section...
Some of you may want to know what happened to the other man who was demon possessed...
Well, just look with me at Matthew 8:33 which says:
33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men.
Notice the plural word “men” in the phrase “demon-possessed men” indicating that both men were healed of their affliction...
So, although Mark and Luke are focusing on the one man...
Both are freed from their horrible ordeal.
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So, this would seem to be a time to rejoice, right?
The people in town must be cheering on Jesus for exorcising this legion of demons from these men, right?
The people in town must be thrilled that they no longer have to fear these manics, right?
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Not exactly...
And this takes us to our third and final point.
3) The Maniac Turned Missionary
3) The Maniac Turned Missionary
Verses 37-39: Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
After this amazing display of power...
After exorcising thousands of demons...
Instead of praising Him...
Instead of following Him...
The people of this gentile community ask Him to leave.
How sad it that?!
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So, when Luke records that the people “asked him to depart” it is most likely due to a combination of concern with the financial impact from the loss of the pigs...
And even more likely that since the people were all ungodly people...
They were frightened to be in the presence of Someone with such spiritual power like Jesus.
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As the ESV Study Bible puts it:
“While fearful reverence and awe are appropriate in the presence of Jesus, the fear of these townspeople is negative and seems to be a wrongful, superstitious fear of Jesus’ mysterious power, and perhaps a fear of further loss of their property, for their fear does not draw them to Jesus.”
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Many claim that is they just experienced a miracle or witnesses a divine sign then they would believe...
Yet, Scripture has shown time and time again that the same act of God that is undeniable can lead some to draw near to Jesus and other to draw even further.
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Additionally, the MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Luke says:
“Luke reiterates that the reason the people wanted Jesus to leave was that they were gripped with great fear.
Knowing that they were in the presence of God, loving their sin and blinded by Satan, they wanted only to be rid of the one whose presence intimidated and terrified them.
There was not a word of thanks for delivering them from the danger the man had posed; astonishingly, they saw Jesus as an even greater threat to their sinful lifestyle.
Thus they preferred a maniac to the Son of God;
To be terrified by Satan rather than offer reverence to God;
To endure the presence of demonic danger rather than the presence of divine deliverance;
The unholy to the holy;
A tomb dweller to the Lord of life.”
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The very same Gospel we share with others will have one of two responses...
Camp A, upon hearing the Good News, will rejoice, cherish, surrender, and be encouraged...
Or Camp B, upon hearing the Good News, will be indifferent, hardened or just flat out revolt against it with a visceral hatred...
There is no third option.
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Finally, Luke records in verses 38 and 39:
“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying,
‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’
And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”
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In Mark’s account this exchange is recorded in Mark 5:19-20 in these words:
19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.
So, we see that following Jesus involves the great responsibility to evangelize.
You see Beloved, the request of the man to join Jesus was not rejected...
The reality is that his request was refocused in that he was to join in the proclamation of the Good News to his own village...
We as followers of Christ are each uniquely called to serve Him...
Some stay in their home towns...
Some are sent as missionaries...
Some are behind pulpits...
Some are in behind an instrument...
Some are front and center...
And some are behind the scenes...
Wherever God calls you...
Just Go!
We all have a role in the Body of Christ!
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So, this once demon possessed man is restored to his community and given a commission directly by Jesus...
This would is really a significant since this is a Gentile territory...
And it is very reminiscent of the Samaritan woman at the well of John 4:28–29 which says:
28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,
29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”
So, share your testimony with others...
But not just that...
Share the Good News of Jesus Christ!
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You see, the word “proclaiming” in our passage is the same word for preaching...
So, the restored man did not just share his testimony...
He preached the Gospel message!
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Now, I would like to bring your attention to one more amazing takeaway from this passage...
Notice that the phrase what “God has done” in verse 39 is identified preciously with “what Jesus had done” which is also in verses 39.
This is further evidence that indicates that Jesus has the very same status as God for He is God in the flesh...
Fully man and fully God!
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So, in Summary, I would like us to consider what New Testament scholar Robert H. Stein has to say about our whole passage:
“The story of the demoniac in its present context serves primarily a Christological function.
Jesus’ greatness is shown in his mastery of the demonic.
Jesus defeated the demons, a legion in number and with superhuman power to break chains.
The supernaturally powerful demons, however, could only ‘beg’ Jesus, for they had no ability to counter the power of the ‘Son of the Most High God.’
The attempt to see in this story a ‘duped demon’ who sought to circumvent Jesus’ power by not giving their name but only their number and by asking to enter swine rather than the abyss (only to be ‘fooled’ by Jesus, who caused them to drown) is highly imaginative.
Luke, however, did not in any way suggest such an interpretation.
Jesus did not outwit the demons.
He dominated and defeated them.
Jesus’ mighty works are such that to proclaim them is to proclaim what God has done.
‘Who is this?’
He is the Son of God, the Lord of all creation, whether the physical world (wind and waves) or the spiritual world of demons.
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For Luke this story also prefigured the future mission to the Gentiles.
Already in Jesus’ ministry a Gentile was converted, for this took place across the Lake of Galilee among people who raised swine.
Already in his ministry Jesus had a concern for Gentiles and ministered to their needs.”
Closing Illustration
Closing Illustration
So, as this message comes to a close...
I would like to share this that I came across in my study this week:
The following in the words of Chuck Swindoll:
“Jesus met the man in the tombs, healed him, cast the demons out. Now he is a sane man.
Now he can take his place in society.
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I can imagine him coming home that evening after he met Jesus.
His children look out the window and the cry out, ‘Mother, father is coming.’
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She runs and locks the door.
She tells the children, ‘Don't be afraid, the door is locked, He can't hurt you!’
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The children are still looking out the window.
They say, ‘Mother that isn't like father at all.
He isn't running and yelling and screaming.
He's calm.
He's walkning slowly.
He's very quiet.’
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‘Keep still!’ mother whispers.
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Their hearts beat faster as they hear his hand upon the latch.
The door will not open, the man knocks gently.
His wife does not answer the door.
She remains still, hoping he will go away.
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Then he says, ‘Mary, open the door.
I am all right.
I met Jesus today and I am a changed man.’
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She fearfully opens the door while the children shrink in the corner.
The man says, ‘Don't be afraid children.
I met Jesus today, and I am different.’
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They approach timidly.
He puts his arms around them and loves them.
He speaks kindly to his wife and with a prayer of thanksgiving she prepares supper.
When they sit down at the table he bows his head and says a blessing.
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They talk until bedtime then he gathers them around him and thanks God for the miracle that has happened.
They put the children to bed.
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He sits with his wife beside the fireplace.
He takes her hand.
He says, ‘Thank God Mary, the old life is over.
I met Jesus today and I'm a changed man.’”
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So, let me ask you all now...
Have you already met Jesus?
Have you surrendered to Him?
Can faithfully claim to have been changed by Him?
Is the old man dead and the new man now alive?
Have you had your filthy rags replaced by splendid and royal attire?
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When you see God’s powerful hand moving...
Do you want Him to depart or do you fall to His feet?
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Today I implore you to make the wise choice and put your trust in the finished work of Christ...
The work He completed on the old rugged cross nearly 2,000 years ago.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray...
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Heavenly Father...
If anyone hearing this message right now does not know You in a saving way...
Overwhelm them with a true and genuine desire to follow You.
Open their mind to understand Your truths that can only be understood with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Draw them closer to You.
I appeal to Your Name sake!
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For those hearing this message who already know You...
Overwhelm them with an assurance of their salvation which is founded in the work of Your Son.
Search their hearts and reveal any shortcomings so they may address those issues.
Continue to sanctify them and mold them into the image of Your Son.
I appeal to Your Name sake!
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And it is in Jesus’s name we pray all these things...
Amen.
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To God be all the glory.
Amen.
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Please join us for one more song from the Praise Band.