A Life that was Changed

Luke 8:37-40

One of the many miracles that Jesus often performed during his earthly ministry was delivering people from demon possession.

Demon possession still occurs today, we just view it differently. But that doesn’t change what it is.

One man who was delivered from demon possession is found here in the Scriptures, and we don’t know his official name, we just know him as the Gadarene Demonic.

A man that was tormented by not one or two demons but by 6,000 demons. The scripture tells us a legion of demons.

Now this is something we should take serious. That there are spirits in this world that are influencing us. In some cases, possessing individuals and causing them to do horrific things.

I think of individuals who commit some horrible crime, and afterwards tell authorities that they know why they did it, are likely suffering from demonic possession.

As we come into our text, we find that Jesus has freed the man from this spiritual assault, he has sent the demonic horde into a herd of pigs. An unclean animal among the Jews, so it is likely that this is gentiles that Jesus is interacting with.

(Read Scripture)

Now what we read is quite astounding. Here is a man that has been healed from these demons, and there are different reactions in regards to this. Let’s look at verse 37 and see the “Multitude’s Reaction”.

Point 2. We don’t have to be hindered by our past to be with Jesus.

Point 3. We all have the job to tell people about Jesus.

Point 4. Are we anticipating Jesus’s return.

(vs 37) The Multitude’s Reaction

· The Lord has performed something amazing. Obviously these people can see that this is a man of God, but their response to the whole situation is very much like human society today.

· In the sense, that people really didn’t care so much about the man who had been tormented by devils for so long, and instead cared more about the pigs.

· Now, I know many of us here are animal lovers, we treat them very much like our family. They are our pets. Well, this is not the case here. This is not pets, this is livestock.

· When people hear the news that their herd of pigs have gone mad and jumped into the sea, they respond with greed instead of gratefulness for what the Lord had done for this man.

· Now this serves as an example, that many today could careless about a person’s relationship with the Lord, especially when it comes to money and wealth.

· So many feel the need to put Jesus aside and allow their lust for wealth to drive their lives, that they fail to see the miracle that Jesus performs.

· This is the world we live in today, much like this group of people, pushing Jesus away for self-interests and material wealth.

· Now what it says here in the scripture, is that these people who heard about what Jesus had done, come to see it for themselves, that they are taken with great fear.

· They are afraid of Jesus. They are afraid that he is going to change their way of life. He is going to change their comfortableness, what they are use too.

· These people were more afraid of a man sitting at the feet of Jesus, than a man that was possessed by demons.

· If Jesus could do this, and this man who no one could contain, is now sitting in his right mind, these people felt that Jesus would change their mindset as well.

· Here is the problem with these people, they didn’t want to change. They harden their heart to the Lord because of fear, and the scripture tells us that they wanted to Jesus to leave.

· Instead of welcoming Jesus into their community, they wanted instead, for Jesus to leave them.

· And this is the same scenario that occurs today. I’m afraid of having my life changed by Christ, so instead, Lord just leave me.

· Now, our Lord is a perfect gentleman. He does not force himself. He is not a dictator. He allows us the opportunity to decide. And if we decide to have Jesus leave us alone. He will do that.

· But here is the sad reality, we never find in the scripture, Jesus returning to these people again.

(vs 38) The Man’s Reputation

· Now as we move into verse 38, we see a man’s reputation being shared with us.

· What our Lord had done in this man’s life was not some band-aid repair, not a temporary fix, but a victory in this man’s life.

· No longer would this man be possessed by evil spirits. This is not to say that evil spirits didn’t ever come to tempt him.

· This man was freed, and he was only freed by Jesus. No one else could save this man, but Christ did.

· And because of what Christ did, here is a man with a powerful testimony. An account of his life that could be shared to many, of where he was, what Christ did, and where he is now.

· Now we all have a reputation. Things people associate with us. Some good, some bad.

· Our reputation ought to be defined by Jesus. By what he has done, makes us who we are today.

· When people saw him, they were not thinking here is the man who is possessed, instead they see a man that has been freed. That is the reputation that this man now has.

· Taking the bad, and turning it over to God for good. The man was not defined by the demons that he was possessed by, he was defined by Christ and the salvation he received.

· The same holds true for us here today, people might have known you as a different person, a person of regrets, mistakes, and issues. But when Christ comes into our lives we are made new.

· To walk in the newness of life. Our reputation is not here is a drunk, or an addict, or a cheat, or a know-it-all, but instead here is a child of God.

· Now the man’s life has been changed. His reputation for howling at the moon and cutting himself is no longer who he is. He wants to build a new reputation and his desire is to go with Jesus.

· It is important that we get the point of this verse, and that is, we are no longer held to our past when Jesus comes into our life, he gives us new life and new purpose.

· We take up a new life, that people should see and recognize. From that point on that man was recognized as a man that was freed by Jesus. And the same should be said about us.

(vs 39) The Master’s Request

· As we move into verse 39, we find the “Master’s Request”.

· Now just think about this man and what he has experienced. Being freed from his oppressors. His response is to go wherever Jesus is going.

· And I could not fault the man, I think if I were in his shoes, I would respond the same way. But that is not what the Lord desires of him.

· You see, Jesus saw the purpose in this man. The purpose to glorify God by helping others see the truth. So, the Lord speaks to him and tells him to speak about the great things God has done.

· This should be the same conversations we are having with people also. That as we go into this community of people, be it in person or online, that we are speaking of the great things God has done.

· We live in such a negative society, a place where only the bad or evil is emphasized. What really should be published in news outlets and media abroad, is the wonderful things that Christ has done in our lives.

· Now Jesus gives him a specific place to start doing this at. He tells him to go back to his own home and share this.

· This is critical, if we cannot share what Christ has done with our family, then how can we share it with others.

· It is the responsibility of a father, if we love our wives and children, that we tell them what the Lord has done for us.

· If Jesus has saved us from the pits of Hell, we have a story to share. No matter what you have been delivered from, we all have a common denominator, that is Jesus.

· Note, the man takes it a step further. He shares it throughout the whole city. Just like the song lyric says “shout it from the roof tops what the Lord has done for me.” Here is a man who proclaims Jesus in an entire city.

· Our community is growing on a daily basis. A few weeks back, we received a phone call from Johnston County Schools and in that call, the information was given that Johnston County was the fastest growing county in the state, and 9th among the nation.

· With so many people coming in, this gives us a greater opportunity to share what Christ has done.

· We should not give excuses of why we cannot reach this community, we find here one man, who goes and tells a whole city what Christ did.

· Jesus has called each of us to do the same as this man, start with your home, and it grows from there.

(vs 40) The Messiah’s Return

· The final thing we find from this passage is found in verse 40, and this is the “Messiah’s Return”.

· As Jesus leaves this area of the gentiles and returns back to his home base, we find that those people who were there, were waiting and glad for his return.

· I think this verse speaks to how we all should feel about Christ. That we are waiting for his return and glad for his return.

· I hear of people who sometimes say, I want the Lord to return, but just not yet. How foolish of us to want our selfish desires to be fulfilled above the Lord.

· Our hearts should long for his return and that we are looking for him to come.

· You see, the latter part of this verse indicates that these people were together and actively waiting, they were looking out for his coming from all directions.

· And when he returned there was a sense of relief, there was gladness amongst the people.

· Friends, this should be the same mindset that we have today. That we are actively looking for his return. Not to the point that we fail to do what the Lord has called us to do.

· I think that to some degree, that anytime a person came walking that way, that the people gathered together to see if it was Jesus. That they put down what they were doing to see if the master had returned.

· Jesus has told us he is coming again, I wonder if we are anticipating that return? Friends, Jesus went away to change this man’s life, but he came back.

· And in like manner, Jesus went away to change the hearts of men and women of this world. And when he has accomplished that, guess what? He is coming back.

Conclusion

· There was two groups that responded to Jesus very differently. One group wanted the Lord to leave. The other group wanted the Lord to come.

· In similar manner, we are just like these two groups. We can be afraid of what the Lord can do in our lives and have him leave us alone. Or, we can welcome him in our hearts gladly.

· What is your choice? A changed life? Or a condemned life?