Luke 8:22-39: Faith Over Fear

Introduction

Side hustles are popular… Uber, Teaching @ CSU, etc.

If you’re a king, what do you do for a side hustle? How about airline pilot? https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/air-france-klm-group/klm-royal-dutch-airlines/dutch-king-willem-alexander-as-pilot-on-his-flight-to-norway-for-a-state-visit/#:~:text=In%20addition%20to%20being%20the,completely%20different%20from%20royal%20duties.

What if you got on a plane and your pilot was the king? This passage this morning is reminder that the King of kings and Lord of Lords is piloting your life - in control - and because of that reality - you can have faith over fear.

Faith over fear a popular expression the last couple of years. But… what does it mean to have faith over fear?

Many struggle with fear. We fear sickness, we fear people, we fear the unknown. Some of us fear faith itself. We fear letting Jesus have control. We fear obeying God. We fear living on His mission because it might cost us too much or we might experience rejection.

If you are in Christ you have every reason to not fear, and you have every reason to walk by faith.

Looking at two stories this morning where there is much fear. In two very fearful situations, Jesus works powerfully showing us that we can exchange our fear for faith. Two truths from these two stories that will help us exchange fear for faith.

You don’t have to fear the storms because Jesus is with you.

“Let’s cross over to the other side of the lake.” This was more than a boat ride - a divine setup. Jesus knew what was going to happen on the lake. Jesus knew what was going to happen on the other side of the lake, and Jesus knew a storm was coming. Jesus knows what’s going to happen is going to be awesome.

Disciples have NO IDEA they are about to face the biggest storm of their lives.

Sea of Galilee known for fierce storms. Sea of Galilee - 13 miles long, 8 miles wide, 700 ft. below sea level - surrounded by mountains. 30 miles away is Mt. Hermon - 9,200 feet above sea level - cold air coming from the mountain clashing with warm air rising from Sea of Galilee produces awful storms - but storms that experienced sailors very familiar with.

BUT… Must have been a storm like the disciples had never experienced. They fear they will drown. Disciples are fearful, but Jesus is peaceful. He’s sleeping… The storm doesn’t wake him, but the lack of faith of the disciples does… “Master, we’re going to die...” (Luke 8:24).

Jesus didn’t come to the earth to die in a boat - No fear - AND… Jesus created the wind and the waves… No fear… Just peace.

What disciples failed to realize… The ONE who is PERFECT PEACE was in the boat with them.

Jesus gets up from His nap, sizes up the situation and simply speaks to the wind and waves. (Peace be still! - Mark 4:39) Everything stops… Jesus’ Word is powerful. He has power over what He created.

Two logical questions… Jesus’ question to disciples - “Where is your faith?” They had been with Jesus for some time. They had seen the miracles. They had heard His claims that He was God. Where was their faith. Disciples question: “Who is this?” You would have asked that too… What the disciples witnessed wasn’t natural… We know who this is - God in the flesh.

Jesus’ lessons to His disciples same lesson for us… He is with us - even in the storms. You’re going to go through storms, but when you do, you have:

His presence - Jesus is always in the boat with you. You will never face any storm alone.

His promise - “We’re going to the other side...” No storm lasts forever. Jesus knows what He is doing in your life in the storms.

His power - With His power Jesus may not choose to stop your storm, but in His power He will keep you close in every storm. In His power, He will grow you in the storm. He will teach you to persevere. He will strengthen your faith.

If true… Stop panicking! Panic is default, but what does it accomplish? Poor decisions. Start trusting! Trust and obedience in the storms always leads to growth.

Braves game - going to watch Acuna vs. playing with Acuna - We don’t simply watch Jesus from the sidelines - He’s called us to be with Him - and He’s called us to rely on HIS power.

You don’t have to fear evil because Jesus is for you.

This storm reminder of Jonah’s story - Jonah slept through a storm - running from God and running from Nineveh - the people that God wanted Jonah to run to with a message of grace.

When the sailors woke Jonah up they said, “Pray to your God.” Jonah said, “Throw me in the waters...” Jonah rather die than go to Nineveh.

Jesus is the OPPOSITE of Jonah - Jonah ran from God and ran from the people God wanted to extend grace to. Jesus never runs from the will of the Father, and Jesus runs to the people that His Father wants to extend grace to. Jesus does what Jonah failed to do - Jesus does what Israel failed to do. Jesus does what we’re supposed to do and shows us what to do.

On the other side of the Sea of Galilee was a GREATER STORM than what the disciples experienced on the Sea - a storm of the demonic taking possession of a man. Gerasenes OFF LIMITS to the Jews - a gentile area on the east side of the Sea of Galilee - Jesus didn’t come just for Jews. He came for all people.

If Jesus can speak to the wind and waves and cause them to cease, certainly He is powerful enough to handle what awaits Him in the Gerasenes. The disciples have a new sense of confidence in Jesus.

Jesus will send His disciples into similar situation for the sake of the Gospel (Luk 9:1-6). Jesus will send us into the storms to help people see the ONE who brings peace in the midst of every storm.

In a city that Jews would consider unclean, Jesus goes to the most unclean place - a cemetery - to encounter the most unclean man you can think of - a man demonized by numerous demons.

How did this happen? Is this real? Is this possible today? If you are in Christ, you are possessed by Christ NOT demons, but outside of Christ, you open yourself up to the enemy who will demonize you. This man must have lived a deeply sinful life opening himself up to being demonized. (Don’t think it can’t happen… Think of molesters, murderers, school shootings - these things are demonic.)

The demonic had taken hold in his life - He was insane - they bound him by chains and shackles… No one could control this demonized man.

Jesus arrives - the demons who tormented this man knew exactly who Jesus was… (Luke 8:28) (Mark tells us it was the demon speaking through the man… Mk. 5:7-8)

The demons who had tormented this man and left people in fear at the sight of this man feared that Jesus would torment them.

Demonized man = Legion. Legion was 6,000 Roman soldiers - many demons tortured this man.

With HIS powerful word Jesus cast the demons out and sent them into pigs. Pigs jump in a lake and drown. Why? We don’t know… Maybe: 1. He wants everyone to physically see that this man has been delivered. Think about the mess - pigs floating in the water - a visual reminder for weeks of what Jesus had done. 2. A visual of what would ultimately happen - at the 2nd coming demons will be cast in the lake of fire.

What we do know: Jesus in charge. The demons beg for mercy and ask permission to go into the pigs. Jesus is in complete control of the situation. He has POWER.

When the pig herders see what happen they run to town - people rush back to see what had happened. A sight they didn’t expect to see: this demonized man no longer demonized - sitting dressed and in his right mind hanging out with Jesus and the sight of pigs floating in the lake.

vs. 35 “And they were afraid.” Afraid of Jesus… Fear keeps them from celebrating what Jesus has done. vs. 37 - They ask Jesus to leave… (Parable of soils - What Jesus found in Gerasenes, with the exception of the demonized man, was hard soil.)

BUT the formerly demonized man NOT AFRAID. Delivered from the demonic - Jesus was for him. He wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus had a mission for him - after delivering him from the storm of the demonic that demonized his heart - “Go and tell others what God has done for you.” Sent out as a missionary.

Formerly demonized man doesn’t ask, “Who is this?” Doesn’t lack faith - but int faith - goes and proclaims what Jesus had done for him. (vs. 39).

This miracle for the demonized man BUT also for the disciples - Jesus would send them into an evil world (Luke 9) - they needed to know they had nothing to fear. Jesus was with them and for them. They could engage a lost world with confidence.

You don’t have to fear: the storms or the evilness of this world. Jesus is with you and for you.

Instead of fearing the evil of this world - engage with the full armor of Christ (Eph. 6) knowing that Jesus wants you to bring light into dark places.

You have choices this morning:

In fear, you can retreat, or in faith, you can engage. We complain about evil influences - and we complain loudly. Reality - we’re all talk and little action. We complain about the direction of our country, or how evil, non-biblical worldviews are taking control. We complain loudly on social media about how evil lifestyles are that are opposed to God’s Word, but we retreat to the safety of our churches or our phone screens and talk all the problems but we never do anything. We don’t take the time to disciple our children in a biblical worldview, to ground them in the Gospel, we don’t take to be equipped in our own walk with the Lord so we know how to respond to the culture. God has not called us to retreat from the enemy - He’s called us to engage - to engage with the hope of the Gospel. Jesus knew the storm on the other side of the Sea of Galilee - but He didn’t retreat. He engaged - and He showed His disciples what it looked like to engage. (You engage when you deal with your own sin… You engage when you bear the fruit of the Spirit, etc.)

In fear, you can run from people, or in faith, you can run to people. Jesus is NOT Jonah. Jesus does not run from people, He runs to people. We are far more like Jonah than Jesus running from the very people God has called us to run to. Truth: every person who is stuck in sin is deeply hurting and you have the solution for their hurt. Running to people means tough conversations, showing love when it’s hard, extending grace, forgiving… Who are you running from that you need to run to?

In fear, you can push Jesus away or pull close to Jesus. In Gerasenes, the power of Jesus is on display - and people push Jesus away. Only one pulls close… For some of you - it’s not evil you fear - you eagerly embrace evil - you fear Jesus - you fear Him changing your life because it will mean you have to turn from sin. For some, you push away from Jesus and pull close to sin instead of pulling close to the One who gives life.

Jesus gives life by taking the ultimate storm. Because of His love for us, Jesus went to a cross and endured the storm of God’s wrath. God’s wrath was headed for us. We deserved the storm because of our rebellion, but on the cross, Jesus took our punishment. He took the storm so that we could enjoy the peace of God, the calming assurance of His presence and love. Three days later, He came through to the other side of the storm as He rose from the dead victoriously paving the way for us to have eternal life. In Christ, we have found shelter from the storm of eternal death. Have you found shelter in Christ? If not, repent and turn to Him.

If Jesus can endure the greatest storm, He is more than able to handle any storm you might go through. Any storm you might experience is like a light sprinkle compared to the storm Jesus endured on the cross. In storms this morning? Run to the ONE who is your shelter.

Who’s storm is Jesus asking you to run to? Who does Jesus want you to go to show them that there is a shelter for their storm?