What the Lord Has Done For You

Intro: Is 65:1-6

Isaiah 65:1–6 ESV

1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name. 2 I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; 3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; 4 who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places; who eat pig’s flesh, and broth of tainted meat is in their vessels; 5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. 6 Behold, it is written before me: “I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their lap

The Bible never makes any apology or holds back when it shows us truth. We come another text of Scripture, directly after Jesus who conquers the chaos of the sea that so incredibly showed his power of creation. This text shows us another scene of chaos, but rather than the physical sea, the chaos of a broken man lost in great evil, in desperate need of deliverance that no one can give him.

That picture is not far from our own. As we consider the text today, we want to ask ourselves and consider “what has the Lord done for us?”

READ THE TEXT

CTS: Consider how much Jesus has done for you and live his commission to tell of his mercy.

I. Reaching the “Other” Side (1-5)

The definition of “outcast”

A. Gentile (1)

B. Unclean spirit (2)

C. Lived among the dead (3)

Numbers 19:11–14 ESV

11 “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him. 14 “This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent and everyone who is in the tent shall be unclean seven days.

D. Shackled, broken, suffering, and alone with no hope (4-5)

Application:

First, we must remember that the spiritual realm is very real and there is very real evil that is happening, even on a supernatural level. We must be careful in our balance in approaching this subject. We must not throw away the possibility of the supernatural. The devil and his demons are real and are working.

2 Corinthians 4:3–4 ESV

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

1 John 5:19 ESV

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

But we must also remember that we can’t say “the devil made me do it” either. Evil is real, but we are also the culprit of our own evil. So let us be real about evil being a result of both ourselves and also the work of Satan in our society and culture as well. An illustration might be like the person addicted to drugs and the drug dealer.

Second, we must remember our own state. Just like the demoniac here, we too were hopeless with no one able to release us from our bonds. Before we can be the church that God has called us to be, we must be willing to remember that we too were once on the “other” side ourselves.

It should also drive us as the church to remember that Jesus specifically went to the hard places. Where others refuse to go because they are outcast is never to be the practice of God’s people. When it comes to us here at Cross Church, individually and corporately, are we willing to go to the hard places, the “other” side if you will, and go with Jesus? We should, because even if we didn’t live or grow up in the hard places, we come from the same place spiritually, no better than anyone else. The gospel must go to the other side, because we were once as Ephesians 2:2 says

Ephesians 2:2 ESV

2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

II. Conquering the Demonic (6-13)

A. Jesus drives the demonic (6)

The demons cannot help but recognize and bow before Jesus, for His power as God overpowers theirs. They were created by him, yet fallen in rebellion, and yet have no choice to bow before him. There are some that would say that there is a struggle between these demons and Jesus, but as you will see, there is nothing here that causes Jesus to struggle as though the demons can win in their fight against him.

B. Jesus strikes fear in the demonic (7-8)

Not only are they driven prostrate, they are fearful of their end. They know that they will be destroyed by his power, and they beg to be to not be tormented by Jesus as he eradicates their evil. This may be a ploy in naming Jesus to control him, but to no avail. Rather, it actually reminds the readers of his identity. Highest above all, the one true God! This is especially pertinent in this pagan and Gentile area.

C. Jesus controls the demonic (9-13a)

Jesus hears their request, but not because of his compassion, but rather, to help this man and what he knows will be their eventual end. From the man to that which is seen as unclean, these demons are given permission to go. Because of the name that Jesus draws out of demon, Legion, he is possessed in full, under great power. They are driven out to the pigs, where they may think they’ll have control. Instead, it only drives the minds of the pigs mad to the point of death.

D. Jesus conquers the demonic (13b)

Where we began this series at the sea, where the disciples faced the chaos of the sea, is where these demons go is to the sea to face their demise. Jesus delivers his disciples. Jesus conquers evil.

1 John 3:8 ESV

8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Application: This one is simple. We must remember that the people that tried everything to bind and control this man with earthly means meant nothing. He needed a spiritual release. That is only found in Jesus himself. Only Jesus can conquer the enemy, crush the serpent, and deliver mankind from the Enemy. For us as the church, we must remember that Jesus is the one who delivers. We must be willing to go to the hard places, ministering and showing the compassion of Christ, but we must also remember that it is only the work of Jesus that saves and delivers. Only he can conquer evil in our communities. Jesus transforms. Jesus saves. Jesus makes the sinner disciples.

It is what the Lord does in others, not us! He chooses us as vessels to deliver this good news, but it is only Him that conquers evil and sin!

III. Responding to Jesus (14-20)

A. Begging Jesus to leave (fear) (14-17)

The man is completely changed: in his right mind and clothed. No longer lost in chaos, treated like an animal, and clothed. The picture is staggering, and one that we too have. Redeemed on every level, the Christian now has a right mind toward God, no longer suffering, clothed in righteousness of Christ.

The news spread. The herdsman who lost two thousand pigs, which is an enormous amount of livestock. Let’s not diminish that fact and how much was lost. But two things we must remember: The demons caused the destruction. Second, what is the worth of one man’s soul?

There could a couple of different reasons why they ask Jesus to leave, but I think it’s a combination, and ultimately, it comes down to the fact of that they are fearful of what it will cost if Jesus stays in their region. They weren’t afraid of the man no longer possessed. They were afraid of the implications of Jesus. If he can do this, what else can he do? What else will we lose? Will more livestock and our livelihoods be sacrificed in his ministry?

Fear rather than faith in this Jesus. Fear of losing. Fear of losing control.

B. Begging Jesus to be near (faith) (18)

The contrast is a man that has been redeemed and delivered from the bondage. The chains are gone. The madness and voices are gone. And rather than beg this Jesus who powerfully by His word cast out the demons that tormented him, he desires to be closer, to be a disciple.

When Jesus intervenes and saves, the natural response is to give our lives to be with Him, to know Him, to worship Him, to live for Him.

Faith rather than fear. He understood what he had been delivered from. There is no one else that he would trust. Everyone left him. Jesus came to him and saved him.

C. Commission to proclaim (19-20)

Jesus doesn’t let him follow Him. This may seem a little odd. A rejection even? No. Rather, remember where Jesus is. He is in a Gentile region, and he obliged the crowd. They wanted him gone. But he wasn’t going to leave them without the gospel.

Jesus told him to go home and tell your friends about all that the Lord has done for you. Here is a Christological statement by Jesus himself. Who cast the demons out? He did. All that the Lord did for him. All the mercy that was shown him. Over and over again the Bible tells us about the Lord’s grace and mercy.

Exodus 34:6 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

He had all that he needed. He had a story to tell. A story of redemption. Later we will find that this missionary would pave the way, prepare the soil for the gospel to come. Another miracle would come in a Gentile region. And he went further than just his home. He went to all the cities, the Ten Cities that made up that region with the gospel. Jesus is fulfilling His person by sending this man to share Him with the nations.

Application:

Jesus will turn over our lives. He is not a side-character whom we give a couple hours a week to. His power and His call demands our lives.

How much is one soul worth to us? Are we willing to lose it all for the sake of the gospel?

Do we beg to be with Jesus, or beg him to leave us alone? Do we like to section off Jesus away from certain parts of our lives, afraid he’ll change something that we hold dear?

Go and tell of the great things the Lord has done for us, how he showed us mercy. You have the greatest story to tell. Lost in chaos, now sitting in your right mind, clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Conclusion

What has the Lord done for you? Be thankful he came to the other side to come get you. Exalt Jesus for His great power to redeem you and others in your life. May that also humble you, to remind you that mercy was shone to you. And the simplest and greatest way we can show our gratitude and worship to Jesus is to do what he calls us to do. Go and tell your friends. Your neighbors. Edenton, Rocky Hock, Tyner, Hertford, Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the nation, the world. Where God put is, be faithful to spread how great the Lord is!