Lessons Learned from a Demon
Text: Luke 4:33-37: (33) And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, (34) Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God. (35) And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not. (36) And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out. (37) And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
1) Context of passage: Luke has previously described: Jesus birth and early life (1:5- 2:52); Jesus’ early ministry (baptism, temptation) (3:1- 4:13). Here, after being rejected in Nazareth, is the beginning of Jesus’ early Galilean ministry (4:31- 6:11). According to Guzik, “The region of Galilee was a fertile, progressive, highly populated region. According to figures from the Jewish historian Josephus, there were some 3 million people populating Galilee, an area smaller than the state of Connecticut.” Ref: Preceptaustin.Org; Guzik, David. David Guziks Commentaries on the Bible. Luke Chapter 4. http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/view.cgi?book=lu&chapter=004. Accessed January 1, 2011.
2) The city of Capernaum (31): Jesus, fresh from his temptation, is confronted by an unclean demon who is working through a possessed man (33). Notice: Capernaum was considered the center in which Jesus performed multiple miraculous wonders. Many believe this was Peter’s home town.
3) Before we look at our study text it must be stressed that we are dealing with an unregenerate man, not a child of God. Stephen Cole states, “Believers are indwelled by the Holy Spirit and thus cannot be possessed by demons, but believers can come under demonic attack (Eph. 6:10-20) and opposition (2 Cor. 2:11; 1 Thess. 2:18).” Ref: Preceptaustin.Org; Cole. Stephen. Jesus, Lord Over All. April 26, 1998. Pg. 5-6. http://www.fcfonline.org/content/1/sermons/042698m.pdf. Accessed January 1, 2011.
I. The Enemies of Jesus- Today, you either CURRENTLY ARE or IN TIMES PAST WERE an enemy of God.
Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”
Colossians 1:21: “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.”
Reconciled is defined as: “an end [of] the enmity and estrangement that exists between God and humankind. Ref: Ericson, Millard J. Christian Theology (Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academics; 1998) 832.
A. These demons [Enemies]: Acknowledge His True Character – Jesus is the God-man: 100% God, 100% man.
1. “Jesus of Nazareth” [man] and “the Holy One of God” [God] (vs. 34) – Note the references include both: the humanity and divinity of Jesus.
2. It was only because He was human that He could die and it was only because He was God that His death could be effectual for the world. Dr. Daniel R Mitchell
3. The final demise of all Jesus’ enemies:
Matthew 22:44: “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool” (Lk. 20:43; 1 Cor. 15:25; Heb. 10:13)
B. Enemies will question His Mission [vs. 34. Art thou come to destroy us] - Jesus’ mission is one of salvation, not destruction. Jesus defines it in Luke 4:18 as:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.”
1. Many today echo the words of this demon: “Art thou come to destroy us”? (vs. 34)
2. Jesus clarifies: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Lk. 19:10).
C. Jesus’ enemies try to shun His Presence- The lost try to hide or forget Jesus and His mission
1. “Let us alone . . .what have we to do with thee” (vs.34)
i. The absurdity of this evil demon asking such a moronic question to God?
ii. The absurdity of a lost man, dead in his sins asking the only One able to cure his diseased sin sick soul [Let us alone].
iii. In both cases: belief, acceptance and repentance are what is needed. Jesus is Lord, God in the flesh, Creator of all. He is ABLE!
Colossians 1: 15-18: “Col. 1:15-18 [Jesus] (15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
D. Jesus Enemies, Seek Rest in Their Sins
1. “let us alone” (vs.34)- Today there are many who will not receive the gift of deliverance.
2. The Gadarenes rejected Christ
Luke 8:37: “Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.”
II. The Word of Jesus is Authoritative
2Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”
A. Jesus Word is a Convicting Words
1. “Hold thy peace” [be muzzled](vs. 35) – “Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.” Ref: Oswald Chambers: My Utmost for His Highest; It is Finished- November 21Devotional (Grand Rapids MI: Discovery House Publishers,1992)
B. Jesus’ Word is a Converting Word
1. “come out of him” (vs. 35)- The absolute authority of Jesus is emphasized here!
2. Luke 4:40-41: “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them. (41) And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.”
3. Miracles are used here as a “. . . sign of Christ’s deity— a fundamental element of the revelation of God in Christ” His Messiahship. Ref:
III. The Work of the Devil is Destructive
A. “when the devil had thrown him in the midst” (vs. 35)- We find greater clarification in Marks account:
Mark 1:26: “And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.” TORN: To pull to and fro (convulse) to shake violently.
B. Eph. 6:12: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
IV. The Victory of Jesus is Restorative- Our Victory was (and is) Secured in Jesus
A. “Come out of him . . . he came out of him, and hurt him not” (vs. 35)
B. Eph 2:2, 4-7 (2) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: . . . (4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
V. The Astonished Onlookers
A. “they were all amazed . . . saying, What thing is this. . . for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out” (vs.36).
B. Gadarenes {GAD-uh-reens} account found in Luke 8:35:
“Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” ----- A picture of a new creation in Christ
LESSONS LEARNED:
1) We were (or still are enemies of God) but can be reconciled by acceptance of the death, burial, resurrection, ascension and Lordship of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:10). Where are you today?
2) Jesus mission was not one of destruction; but, to seek and save that which is lost (Lk. 19:10).
3) The word of Jesus is a convicting and converting word.
4) The work of the Devil is often accomplished through demonic activity. Our battle is a spiritual battle, not a personal battle.
5) Our victory is achieved, maintained and secured in Jesus Christ.
6) Isn’t this astonishing. We see the miracles of God on a daily basis.
