Demon Pigs

Gospel of Matthew  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Now of course, we aren't talking about really mean pigs or a motorcycle gang. We are talking about intelligent, malevolent, supernatural beings leaving a person and inhabiting a herd of swine. Lets read our text.
Matthew 8:28–34 “ When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29 And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. 33 Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.”
When we think of demons and demonic possession, we remember that there is a supernatural realm around us that Jesus here exhibits here an incredible knowledge of and authority over the creatures of this realm. Lets watch Jesus as He reveals these demonic pigs. Now thats the instrument, but thats not really what this is about, it is again establishing that Jesus is the Son of God and has authority over all.
Matthew 8:28 “ When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.”
Gergesenes - Gadarenes - is in the area on the gentile side of Israel often referred to as the Decapolis (10 cities).
Demon-possessed is demonizomenoi - controlled by a supernatural power. The word and the thought of demons in many cultures were compared with gods (Thor, Zeus, etc) and Paul even said, (turn) 1 Corinthians 10:18–22 “ Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” Worship of anyone or anything but yahweh is the worship of demons. We don’t worship one God, there is only one God. And it is Him we serve.
Now both Mark and Luke only mention one person but it doesn't mean there couldn't have been two. It could have been two separate occasions.
We also see in both Mark & Luke that they tried to chain them, but they had so much power they broke the chains, running from the mountains to the tombs crying and cutting themselves with stones terrifying the countryside with their screams and violence.
Most that are afflicted with or by demons have similar experiences, especially when in the presence of the Holy Spirit or times of spiritual movements (i.e. the messiah coming to town). Like these guys, the epileptic boy in Matt 17, and because they constantly revealed His alter-ego, He often shushed them up Mark 1:34 “ Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.”
they totally freak out because they have run roughshod over everything and now, they are being run-down.
Matthew 8:29 “ And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?””
Now we spent a lot of time talking about Jesus being not A son of god but The Son of God. Not just a title but an absolute truth. We are as Christians required to acknowledge this as fact.
turn with me to: Mark 5:6–10 “ When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. 7 And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” 8 For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” 9 Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” 10 Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.” thats a spiritual intelligence, a powerful one, whose power fails utterly in the presence of the Son of God, the one who would holds the keys of hell and death.
Time of torment - hell. Revelation 20:7–10 “ Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Hell is not for men but for those that reject God - Matthew 25:41 “ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:” 2 Peter 2:4 “ For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;” Jude 6 “ And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;”
And this hell is not a greek myth or gentile projection transferred over. In Luke 16, the rich man knew absolutely was real 5 seconds after he was there. If Jesus said there is a hell, there is a hell. And this legion (3-6k) in these men, know it as well.
Hell however is not the dividing line that determines where we are saved or not, but our faith in Christ. Not that you can earn it, but if you trust its already earned.
“Any man who hears the gospel and persistently refuses to believe and receive it shall be damned. All anyone needs to do to be saved, saved to the uttermost, is to believe on the Lord Jesus. It is not necessary in order to be damned that one be what the world calls a wicked person … Refusing to believe on Jesus Christ is in itself a damnable sin, and reveals a damnable state of heart.” —R. A. Torrey
Hell is not just a morality tale, but a final place for Hell and Death to be forever dealt with. And it isn't just a dark closet far away from everything good. This recounting is not about helping the homeless or sick. This is about Jesus authority over all.
And Jesus can drop every single one of these creatures there in a second. So they beg.
Matthew 8:30–32 “ Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. 31 So the demons begged Him, saying, “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine.” 32 And He said to them, “Go.” So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water.”
Decapolis was as many as 10 gentile cities so its not surprising that they would have herds of pigs. Remember this is an area where they would herd and feed the pigs so it was somewhat away from the main towns
it could've been miles away.
Now a crazy thing for me, is that demons could posses animals - even if for a a moment in this instance, it seems their possession results in violence /death but much of the same happens with people but is it not in the job description of the enemy and his minions? steal/kill/destroy? (John 10:10)
Jesus brought the disciples through a deadly storm, for these gentiles - to heal them to face down an enemy only He could. And He won.
now he chunked them into pigs which jews weren't totally happy with, and I don’t think jesus came over for bacon sammy. Its just pigs walking by because we need to see His care for all. Even Gentiles who hang with pork.
Matthew 8:33–34 “ Then those who kept them fled; and they went away into the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.”
Whatever the closest city is, the leaders come and ask Jesus to leave. Depart the region because they are outside the city.
We know he isn't a jew because of what Jesus now in Mark and Luke we read Mark 5:18–20 “ And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you.” 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
No sacrifices, no temple, no law. There is only one “work” you can do to be saved,
like the woman at the well in John 4 these men discovered complete release, being freed from eternal death, being given, eternal life, why? because he proclaimed all that jesus had done.
In closing: we too having experienced his care and forgiveness can tell others of the same, loving them as we have been loved, showing the grace that we have experienced in Christ. You and I can know that our eternity is secure in the one that commands the eternal damned and will eventually judge all. Because Jesus has conquered sin and death.
Isaiah 25:8–9 “ He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.””
1 Corinthians 15:54–58 “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
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