Jesus' Authority over Danger & Demons

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens;

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens;

Brown Paper packages tied up with strings;

How many of you can sing the next line?

These are a few of my favorite things.

Our lives are full of many blessings.

But, as made famous by Forest Gump’s mother, sometimes “Life is like a box of chocolates; You never know what you’re gonna get.”

For all of us, the last 10 months has been a journey into the unknown. There have been times when we were overwhelmed with the kindness of our neighbors. There have been situations that left us raw and bare.

The chorus of Maria’s song addresses some of these unpleasant and unexpected moments.

When the dog bites;

When the bee stings;

When I’m feeling sad:

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don’t feel so bad.

When I experience unpleasant surprises I like to remember the dialogue by C.S. Lewis in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is one example where the book and the movie differ. In the Disney movie the dialogue happens between Mr. Tumnus and Lucy.

In the book Mr. Beaver says, “Aslan is a lion—THE Lion, the GREAT Lion.”

“Ooh,” said Susan, “I’’d thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

…”Safe?” said Mr. Beaver…”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

This room is full of people who could tell you stories about a walk with Christ that at times felt frightening and unsafe. But it is equally full of people who could tell you that in the end we always discover that Jesus is good.

Transition: Today’s text contains 2 stories where we are reminded that Jesus is good, He can be trusted, and He is worthy of our devotion.

Divine Jesus Overwhelms Danger (vv.22-25)

An Awkward Predicament (v.22)

1. This is a separate event from Jesus walking on the water. In the Matthew 14, Mark 6 and John 6 event the boat is headed NW and Jesus comes to the Boat.

2. In the Matthew 8 and Luke 8 storm, Jesus is sleeping in the boat.

3. Squalls on the Sea of Galilee were not unheard of, but they also were not expected.

4. We encounter situations that bring us danger and we may describe them as “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

5. But this verse says the disciples were doing exactly what Jesus instructed and they were going exactly where he directed.

6. Calamity can happen when we are perfectly in the center of God’s will.

7. Remember the man born blind in John 9 where people assumed somebody had to have sinned to cause this situation. But Jesus said,

John 9:3 (ESV) — “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

8. Many times danger becomes the opportunity for us to increase our faith and trust in God.

Disciples’ Prediction (vv.23-24)

1. V. 23 is an accurate and factual telling of the events.

2. V.24a is a human prediction based upon human evaluation.

3. The disciples’ conclusion is that the water is going to end in their destruction

Jesus’ Proclamation (v.24b)

· Jesus awoke, rebuked and waves ceased

Disciples’ Praise (vv.24c-25)

1. Notice after the waves cease there is one more phrase, and there was a calm (serenity).

2. I think the ceasing of the waves happened OUTSIDE the boat, but the calm happened INSIDE the boat.

3. The very real danger (last word of v.23) is replaced with a calm (last word of v.24).

Application (v.25)

1. After everything and everyone calmed down, Jesus asks a simple question, “Where is your Faith?”

2. This is not an exam of their doctrine, it is a question about trust.

3. Did they trust the construction of the boat? Did they trust their experience as fishermen to handle a boat? Did their ability to do what Christ asked reside in their strength or his?

4. Their response is described as fear and marvel. Fear can mean apprehension or profound measure of respect. Without getting lost in a grammar lesson, let me just say that their amazement/marvel is the main response that is based upon having proper respect.

5. Similarly, when we see His hand of deliverance from the dangers we face, our response should be respect and worship.

Transition: The lesson has been learned in the middle of the Sea, but they can’t stay there. The boat continues sailing SW until it hits landfall and…

Divine Jesus Overhauls Distress (vv.26-39)

Jesus briefly enters Gentile country to establish His authority beyond Judaism (other side, Gadara & pig farmers are all Gentile indicators).

The Other Side (v.26)1. Not Jewish

a. SE shore of Galilee was the Greek settlement of 10 cities – Decapolis

b. Commentators try to get precise and create conflict with Matthew’s version. But, notice, the text says “country of” or “region of”

c. It is like saying, “I went to Kansas City” when it could have been Independence, Grandview, Lenexa, or Shawnee.

d. This is a Gentile place where people visit tombs (unclean to Jews) and raise pigs (similar to our view of cockroaches)

2. Not a Physical enemy (v.27)

a. As soon as Jesus steps on land He is encountered by a man in great distress.

b. Some realities cannot be accurately diagnosed by the empirical categories. Nothing that the townspeople had been able to do in the physical realm made any difference.

c. “Had demons” - there is Power beyond the physical

i. Naked, Homeless & “weird”

ii. Perhaps today would be considered Bi-polar, Schizophrenic, or PTSD.

A Whipped Enemy (vv.28-33)

1. The demons know Jesus’ name and his authority (v.28)

2. The demons know they must submit to Jesus’ command (vv.29-33)

a. As Son of the Most High God, Jesus had authority to cast them into Abyss - the pit that is described in Revelation 9 as a bottomless pit, this would in essence end their existence and influence.

b. The demons’ proposal could play out 1 of 2 ways.

i. Demons enter pigs, pigs die, demons are released to possess and destroy others.

ii. Demons enter pigs, pigs die, destroy the local economy, herdsmen get so angry that THEY kill Jesus (since the demons couldn’t do it).

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend” existed in a similar form in Sanskrit (the ancient language of India) from as early at 4th century BC. By the early 18th century is can be found in literature from throughout Europe in Italian, German, Spanish, and French. This is the strategy preferred by the pigs.

Pigs vs. People (v.32c)

1. At the risk of irritating the herdsmen, Jesus valued this man more than those pigs.

Luke 12:7 ESV:2016

7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Matthew 12:12 ESV:2016

12 Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

Proverbs 31:10 ESV:2016

10 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

2. So Jesus delivered this man from the destruction of the demons so that he was sane, dressed and calm. (v.35)

Application (vv.34-39)

1. When we experience something unexpected, psychologists say that we will fight or flight. But maybe there’s a third option—faith! Do we draw near (disciples in v.25 wanted to know more), or flee? (v.34)

Last week Lynnea did an experiment that had both the children and adults wanting more understanding of how it worked. When God does the miraculous, many will want to draw near and express awe. While others will run away, frightened by that which cannot be explained.

2. Contrary to the myth that it appears 365 times (once for every day of the year), The command to “fear not” or “be not afraid” does appear some 100 times and is reported to be Jesus’ most common command.

3. When we don’t understand, we have opportunity to “press in”, to “draw near”, to “be filled with awe”.

4. When confronted by the power of God that didn’t fit into their logical boxes, the herdsmen fled and the townspeople asked Him to depart.

5. But the demoniac wanted to join Jesus’ group.

a. Jesus knew that a gentile in the group would not be well received when he returned to the other side of the lake.

b. Jesus gave him 2 commands instead.

i. Return to your home – rebuild the bridges to your people.

ii. Declare how much God has done for you! – This is an instruction that ought to be easy for each of us to follow.

Transition: Sometimes life looks like whiskers on kittens. Sometimes it feels like when the bee stings. But when we feel sad there are 3 things for us to remember…

Conclusion:

· Because Jesus has authority over danger, He can transform your panic into praise. Many of us enter 2021 with a very different perspective than we started 2020. The pandemic has changed the way we perceive health and interact with others. The response to the pandemic has altered the livelihood of millions. Totally removed from pandemic or politics, several people we love find themselves in various health crises. I don’t know what triggers your panic, but I know whose triumph brings praise!

· Because Jesus has authority over demons, He can convert your past into profession. The man delivered by Jesus had earned a reputation that severed most of his relationships. His behaviors led people to shackle or avoid him. I don’t know what influences or decisions of your past have burned bridges to relationships, but I know Jesus can heal your torment and give you a testimony!

· Because Jesus values people far more than pigs, He deserves your devotion. To Jesus’ Jewish audience the loss of a herd of pigs was grieved about as much as we grieve the ants killed by an exterminator in spring. To the herdsmen those pigs were as valuable as any year’s worth of livestock are to a rancher in Chase County. Yet when Jesus looks at you, He sees more value than a whole auction. I don’t know what you value most in this life, but I know the one who values you so much that while we were still sinners (Rom 5:10 says we were enemies), He died for you so that He could offer you eternity with Him.

Where is Your Faith? Are you trusting in your own good works to get you out of the danger of your sin? Jesus died on Calvary to rescue you from certain death if you would only call on the name of the Lord.

For those of us who have already placed our faith in Christ for salvation, as we journey toward Heaven there will be many times that we encounter panic. Let us determine here and now to turn our panic into praise, because He deserves our devotion.