Luke 8:26-39 Basingstoke 24th February 2008 Go Away!
The decisive moment in the last war took place on 6th June 1944
The campaign to liberate Western Europe was code named “Operation Broadsword”
As US, British & Canadian troops landed on beaches of Northern France = D-Day!
Imagine the scene - landing craft get to the beaches, soldiers spill onto the shore
In many cases were met by a well, entrenched powerful army.
A bit like that as Jesus steps ashore the other side of lake Galilee
He’s confronted by a well entrenched army! A Legion, seeking to repel him
As he comes ashore, Jesus invades territory that this powerful enemy thinks of as theirs.
Jesus had planned come to the region of the Gerasenes all along
Even as he travelled there his progress over lake was being challenged
v22ff a huge storm arose threatening to sink his boat destroying him & his followers.
I imagine the storm as a show of force by the legion of demons who knew Jesus was heading their way and they want to stop him dead before he could reach them.
The storm on the lake was like an artillery barrage to prevent him landing!
But the Lord Jesus is Supreme Lord over all creation, over the wind and the waves
Nothing can stop him, in fact quite the opposite, he pushes forward to meet the enemy!
It wasn’t just Jesus who was told to go away in this story
As the story unfolds there are several points where someone is told to go away
1. THE WILD MAN WAS TOLD TO GO AWAY v27
No doubt after the storm the disciples want to go home – change wet clothes, tell their wives what happened on the lake, but Jesus wants them to go on.
• Doesn’t he know what’s over that side of the lake? Its Gentile country!!
• We’re not supposed to go there. It’s dangerous, & dirty, they even keep pigs there!
• And you know who lives there? THE WILD MAN OF THE GERASENES!!!
Everyone knows he lives there, because no one wants him living next door to them!
Everyone has told him to go away! I imagine how parents scared their children to obey them
warning them to watch out or “the wild man of Gerasenes will get you!”
Jesus knows all this, but despite that, he still insists on going there so they land on the beach
Disciples hoped maybe the wild man would stay hidden in the grave yard, but no there he is!!
Mark says he ran towards them. Listen to Mark’s description
This man lived in the tombs, and no-one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No-one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
Luke tells us he was naked, refusing to live in a house preferring the graveyard instead
Sounds like a scene from a horror movie. Here he is –
Lonely no longer welcome in the villages, no home no family
Lawless violent, so strong no one could restrain him as over and again he broke free
Restless tormented and shrieking out day and night
Suffering – no clothes cold at night, self harming cutting himself scarred bleeding bruised wanting to end his own life
Q? Why is he like this? Luke simply tells us he was “demon possessed”
Today in the west people try to rationalise this and put it down to some form of mental illness Refuse to take seriously the testimony of the Bible that this was a spiritual problem.
Do I believe in Demons? No, But I believe against them!
Yes they exist , but I don’t believe in them because they’re not God or a god
In baptism we believe in God but we reject the devil and all his works!
Demons are a fallen part of God’s creation. The Bible says the angel Lucifer rebelled and tempted Adam & Eve, taking 1/3rd of the angelic host with him in his rebellion (Rev 12:4)
Demons weren’t created by God as evil beings they became evil by rebellion!
They are the corrupted sinful wrecks of what were once angels
They once looked upon the face of the Father (Mat 18:10) but no longer
They remember the presence of God but now are filled with hatred against him
Everyone else had rejected this man from the town but Jesus has a deep concern for him
Everyone else told the man to go but Jesus looks for him and comes to deal with the evil
v30 Jesus asks him his name and the reply is
“Legion” because many demons had gone into him
Some in the NT had only1 spirit, Mary Magadelene had 7 but here’s a Legion!
According to Wikipedia a Legion = body of infantry soldiers or legionaires plus a whole load of others including cavalry somewhere between 4000-6000 in number.
A vast strong spiritual army of occupation overtaking this man’s personality destroying him, turning him into an outcast
We could take this story as a parable warning us of the destructive effects of sin
But we must also take it at face value. We should heed the warning of the reality of demons
Today many people are affected by demonic evil in varying degrees – all of it is harmful
Obsession can lead to Oppression: Watch out for fascination with the occult the supernatural – plethora of material in book shops in town a sign of the fascination people have. Avoid it! Walk away from Ouija & Tarot! Avoid clairvoyance & psychic healing! Keep your distance from Wicker Witchcraft and Satanism. Watch out!!
Before you know it, having opened the door just a bit, a whole lot of lodgers move in and you end up being oppressed and feeling the evil effects on your personality.
When responding to people who are oppressed or demonised by demons we should
• Remember to treat troubled people with the same compassion & care Jesus showed! No room for rituals or abusive violence some employ to help them!
• Be Reticent in acknowledging demons. There’s no doubt when its evil! Rule out the medical possibilities first – If drugs & medical help cure it, its not the devil!!
• Refuse to give demons too much attention looking for them every where. Some people seem to see a spirit of this and that behind everything. Under every bush!
• Be Responsible for your own sin - Danger of blaming demons - its not my fault Satan made me do it!! As old as Eden that one!! Accept what is your fault!
• Be Pastoral. Sensitive to avoid seeing demons in everyone else’s life – you’re sick it must be a demon!! That tragedy or disability must be a demon we must drive it out!! (Mandy) Danger of adding burden when they’re already very vulnerable.
• Relax. You don’t need the emotional anxiety of living in a fear of evil spirits as if walking on thin ice all the time as if anything you say or do may give access to a demon. We have the full armour of God – put it on and stand firm! We live in the authority of Jesus! He is God. All authority is given to him! There’s not an inch of this planet where his authority does not have power. Satan may usurp power but if we’re in Christ we’re sons & daughters under his protection we’ve nothing to fear!!
This man was clearly demonised – his character affected, his voice taken over, his personality changed, his face distorted, physically violent. Humanly speaking = a lost cause!
Just as none other than Jesus could still the storm, the same is true here. This man faced a storm of evil but all human help failed – they said go away! He needed Jesus
Which takes us on to the next point.
2. THE DEMONS WERE TOLD TO GO AWAY v29
You’ll see from v29 Jesus simply steps ashore and commands them all to go!
“For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man”
No hype! No theatrics just “Go away! Come out of the man!”
Until then the demons repelled all forces against them, but Jesus disarms them with a word! They offer no resistance – v28 the man just roars in anguish & falls down in front of Jesus.
All Jesus did was speak to them! Despite the noise and threats it happened!
As soon as Jesus commanded them the battle was over!
Important to grasp this truth about the battle against evil
This is not an evenly matched battle as if the forces are the same on each side
The forces of good are not the same as the forces of evil
Listen to Paul’s words about the battle in 2 Thess 2:8
“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth & destroy by the splendour of his coming”.
Jesus can destroy the evil one with his breath – just one puff and they’re gone! It’s that easy!
You may have expected a great battle or struggle but the battle was over before it begun. The truth is that the forces of evil cannot resist Jesus for a moment
The legion of darkness is reduced to begging as Jesus commands them to leave.
“I beg you don’t torture me” how pitiful!
The legion of demons speak as if Jesus were about to torture the man himself!
But Jesus won’t let them get away with that - He asks them their name v31
It’s quite clear then that it’s the demons not the man who are begging!!
Look more closely at what they say:
v28 “What do you want with me Jesus son of the most high God, I beg you don’t torture me
They knew exactly who Jesus is. They knew He was the Son of the most high God
When they beg Jesus, it’s not for anything positive at all to be restored in them
They aren’t pleading to be forgiven! They are asking not to be sent into the abyss! v31
Q? What is the Abyss? Gen 1:2 “ the “deep” says God as Creator had power over the darkness of the abyss - and these demons know Jesus still has that power.
• Why do they fear it? Because Rev 20:3 says the devil will one day be chained up and thrown into the abyss under the reign of Christ.
• They know their fate is to be thrown under the authority of Jesus into this bottomless pit of a prison and they don’t want to go there before their time!!
• They realise here on this beach is the time for their imprisonment, their day of doom has come and they’re desperate for their fate to be postponed!
• They cower before Christ in gibbering terror.
Be assured Christ is far more powerful than demons!
If you ever need help in this area turn to Jesus. We don’t need gurus turn to Christ!
Imagine the scene - Jesus gives permission for the demons to go into the pigs
2000 pigs snorting, chortling noise & confusion – slow motion, one by one go over the edge.
Q? Why does Jesus allow this? A visual aid?
• It shows the nature of demons is to destroy – if it can’t be a man then animals will do. Satan is called “The Destroyer” its no surprise his servants do the same!
• It’s proof to the man they’d all left and been destroyed. As 1000s of demons enter the pigs it helps him see that he still exists as a person while the “Legion who are many” go.
The Pigs are a sign of God’s power over evil. Today we don’t look to a herd of pigs to remind us of God’s power- W look to the Cross where supremely Christ has destroyed the power of the evil one by dying for our sin and rising again defeating the power of Satan Sin and Death!
The Wild Gerasene man was told to go away. Jesus told the Spirits to Go away
3. JESUS WAS TOLD TO GO AWAY v 34-37
v34ff When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
Isn’t it tragic – they were rejecting Jesus in spite of all they saw and witnessed.
• They arrive to see this man with the awful reputation sitting at Jesus feet – posture of a disciple. Changed from being demonised into disciple!
• They see him clothed. No longer naked and exposed – I imagine at least one other disciple was shivering having given him his cloak.
• They look over the edge of the cliff to see 2000 carcasses floating in the lake
Their terror is transferred to Jesus and they are begging him to leave
Why so terrified? The loss of pigs? Too costly to have Jesus around? Angry yes but Afraid? They coped with the power of demons but couldn’t cope with God’s power!!
So they asked Jesus to go away v37 and we’re told he got into the boat and left.
Important to note! Jesus doesn’t force his way into their lives. OK I’ll go
They were surprised by his power. Who knows where this might lead to if we welcome him?
Perhaps they were thinking “Better the devil you know!!”
Warning!! It’s possible to witness the power of Jesus and chose not to believe in him!!!
At the heart of the Christian faith is not only a truth issue but an allegiance one too!
It’s not enough to recognise Jesus as the Truth, He is also the Way and a life to be lived!!
Believing in Jesus means change is needed.
Don’t be like these people who turned Jesus away. Not “Abba Father, Let me be!!
The gospel stories were all written asking for a verdict from us. No fence to sit on!!
Q? Are you willing to accept the sovereign power and authority of Jesus in your life?
Q? Are you ready to embrace his truth and accept his way and live his life?
Or will you like these people turn him away? Too much to lose? Is your life too comfortable to be disturbed? Too risky to accept new standards or accept his leadership in your family in your work and future career, over your money and possessions, in your friendships?
4. THE RESTORED MAN WAS TOLD TO GO AWAY v38-39
The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over the town how much Jesus had done for him.
The man restored from living in the tombs begs to live with Jesus the one who could not be held by a tomb. He begs Jesus, but Jesus says no telling him to go away home and tell others what God had done for him
It’s strange isn’t it the way Jesus responded to requests made in this story
The Demons begged to go into the pigs – and Jesus grants it v32
The Citizens begged him to go away v37 he grants it and gets into the boat and goes
The Restored man begs to stay with him v38 and Jesus denies it!! How strange!! Jesus grants requests of his enemies and denies it of his friend. Why?
The Gerasene region needed a gospel witness.
This man must have dominated the headlines a long time for his past problems
He’d surely grab the headlines now! He had short years to witness to his neighbours while he’d have eternity to be with Jesus
He had no training. He had to reconstruct his life from nothing, but Jesus had appointed him to reach his family and his town to tell everyone what God had done for him.
Sometimes I think we make witnessing too complicated
Yes it helps to know the Bible and understand it but at the heart of it surely is being able to say “What God has done for you” Can you do that? The change he’s brought into your life
The Forgiveness, the peace, the joy and the love? The power of his spirit, the guidance from his word the answers to prayer, the strength and grace you’ve needed not to mention the sure and certain hope of eternal life!!
The Wild man was told to go way. The Demons were told to go away.
Jesus was told to go away and The Restored man was told to go away?
Q? How will you go away this morning? Confident in Christ who is Lord of all, who welcomes us into his care and protection. Christ who sends us out to tell the world that he is the Lord of all the unseen powers of the cosmos. To Him be all the power & majesty for ever Amen!
