Jesus and the Demons
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
Dramatic change movie
Two Opponents
Two Opponents
The Sufferer
The Sufferer
Demon Possessed Man
Demon Possessed Man
Four experiences
Oppression
“Demon possessed”
Humiliation
“had not worn clothes”
Isolation
“or lived in a house”
Contamination
“but had lived in the tombs”
Application
Application
Jesus meets this man in his despair not with platitudes or acceptance but with transformation
I’m assuming that I’m not talking to anyone in this exact situation, but I’m also confident none of you are in a worse situation
The Demons
The Demons
The Perversity of Satan
The Perversity of Satan
A perverse incarnation
Most prevalent during Jesus’s incarnation
Divided person
Smeagol/Gollum
For our salvation v. to cause suffering
Demons rather than satan himself
Satan is far more limited than we realize
Satan is not the opposite of God
A perverse faith
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”
19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
A perverse power
29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
A perverse end
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
Why did Jesus do this?
All we have is speculation
Evidence of cleansing
Demonstrate the value of a soul over an animal
Demonstration of the uncleanness of the demons
Application
Application
The prince and power of the air has no real power when he faces off against Jesus
He and his servants are a cheap imitation
He and his servants have to consider killing a herd of unclean animals a moral victory
The Lord
The Lord
Accepts the claims of the man that he is the Son of the Most High God
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”
Offers painful grace
28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”
Demonstrates his authority
29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
Application
Application
Change is hard and painful
Jesus brings the demon possessed man through the pain to restoration
Two Responses
Two Responses
The Crowd
The Crowd
The crowd’s response mirrors the demon-possessed man’s original response
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
The crowd is afraid not because of the pigs but when they see the man
They respond to Jesus’s authority over evil with fear instead of belief
The Man
The Man
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.
From begging to be left alone to begging to go with him
From isolated to speaking “all over town”
From opposition to support
Conclusion
Conclusion
Christ has power to conquer all opposition and redeem his people
Christ does not leave you as you were
