CHANGED BY CHRIST

Text: 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” (Luke 8:35).

A man who was possessed of demons met up with Jesus Christ and the demons were cast into some nearby hogs who went wild and ran in a suicide rush into the sea that was close by. The owners were upset about this because they lost their business with the hogs which was a forbidden business for the Jews. So they came out to see what was going on and long and behold, they found the demon possessed man, who had caused much disturbance to everyone, completely changed. He had met up with Jesus and and this resulted in some great changes in his life. The application is to souls that get saved. When you receive Jesus as your Savior, you will be changed. We note four of these changes in this man who had the demons cast out of him by the Lord.

FIRST—RESTING

“Sitting.” This was a new posture for the man. Before Christ cast out the demons in the man, the man was constantly roaming about the tombs and mountains and wilderness day and night. But Christ gave the man a rest he did not have. Christ speaks of this soul rest when He said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). One of the characteristics of sin is restlessness (Isaiah 57:20, 21). But when Christ enters your life, He will bring a rest for the soul that the world cannot give.

SECOND—RESPECT

“Sitting at the feet of Jesus.” Before the man was delivered from the demons, he wanted nothing to do with Christ (Luke 8:28). But after Christ changed his life, the man now greatly respected and revered the Lord. Animosity towards Christ ends with redemption. People who get saved have a change in attitude towards a lot of things especially spiritual things. Profanity goes. Dirty jokes end. The Bible is now a very open book to them. No one changes a life for good, better than Jesus Christ does. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

THIRD—ROBED

“Clothed.” Before Christ came to this man, he “wore no clothes.” This robing of the man pictures the righteous robe of salvation (Isaiah 62:10) and also pictures the improvement in morals (seen in more modest dress) of a person when he or she gets saved.

FOURTH—RATIONAL

“In his right mind.” Satan would have folk think that to follow Christ is crazy, unintelligent, and stupid. When this man was possessed by demons, he acted insane, When Christ came into his life and changed it dramatically, the man became rational, sane, and sober. Sin, not Christ, causes people to act foolish and irrationally.