Jesus Casts Out Demons
Notes
Transcript
One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”
Quick observations
In genesis the Fall of Man affects 2 main areas
The condition of the physical world
The condition of man
Jesus commands power and authority over the physical world here that was affected by sin.
The disciples respond with “Who is this, that he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him?”
That is the question that has not been answered and will be addressed here and we will see Jesus start to address the condition of man.
1. The demons recognize the Son of God’s authority
1. The demons recognize the Son of God’s authority
Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
Q: Initial observations?
About the demon-possessed man:
lived in constant shame, marked by his nakedness,
lived in isolation, among the tombs so around the dead rather than living (ceremonially unclean which the law prevented the Jews to be around this man)
had supernatural strength to break many chains they used to restrain him
He’s a naked man in a cemetery bending iron and acting nuts. This is pretty crazy stuff.
How does he do?
1st - As soon as Jesus arrives He fell down at Jesus feet. take a note here because we will talk about this later.
2nd - He acknowledges Jesus as “Son of the Most High God”
We often ask people if they believe in God. If the answer is yes then usually we get a sense that they are one of us.
You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Asking people if they believe in God doesn't mean anything. Its like asking a demon if they believe in God. They all do, this one did and all the other demons that Jesus interacts with do too.
We need to serve Jesus and follow his commandments
Believing is not enough.
Q: How does Jesus respond?
Jesus asks him his name in return.
Legion a Roman military group of soldiers up to 5,600 men.
This man is tortured and possessed by many demons at one time.
Introductions are done.
And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.
The demon acknowledges Jesus can command them to go into the abyss. They have this knowledge already, as if they have been told beforehand.
What is the abyss though?
The place where Satan and his angels will be cast out for eternal torment.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
People often ask how can God can send people to hell for all eternity.
Assumption behind the question is that people in hell actually want to be saved.
In every situation where demons interact with Jesus, they know who Jesus is, his power and his authority but never do they want to follow him, they don't ask to be saved. They do not want The Abybss but even more that that they want to leave Jesus presence immediately.
This is a very strong indication that those who will be sent to hell will not ask for salvation either, they want to flee from Jesus presence in the same way they have refused God their entire earthly life.
What happened next.....
Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.
They asked for permission to enter a herd of pigs. We see Jesus’ authority, the demons needed His permission, they could not do anything except what Jesus allowed them to even though they are enemies of Jesus.
Observation: The demons threw themselves off the cliff when they were in the pigs but they didn't do that when they possessed the man.
Q: Why do you suppose that is?
Reminds me of the passage in Job where God allows Satan to afflict Job but He specifically restricts him from taking His life.
But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”
There are several passages where the demonic are left to torment and cause chaos which also state that they are not allowed to take peoples lives. This shows that the evil forces in this world cannot do absolutely everything they want in this world, they have certain restraints.
2. The people fear the Son of God’s authority
2. The people fear the Son of God’s authority
The interaction is interrupted letting us know how the people observing reacted to these events.
When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.
Q: What are your observations?
As the people arrived, the man is sitting at Jesus feet.
Before he fell at Jesus feet because of fear when he was possessed. Like a person does when they are asking for mercy
Now he is sitting a Jesus feet in a form of reverence and submission to Jesus authority. Usually students would sit at the feet of their Rabbi’s (teachers) as they taught.
The people when they saw this were afraid, why?
Q: The fear of tjhe Lord is the beggining of wisdom, Were they not doing what the bible commands?
The fear they had was similar to the fear the apostles had when Jesus calmed the storm.
They were more afraid of Jesus then they seemed to be of the demon possessed man himself.
According to the Gospel of Mark the pig numbered approximately 2,000 pigs. Thats a whole lot of bacon. Maybe they were afraid that Jesus would cost them more livestock.
Pivot slightly
We haven't talked about an obvious glaring thing here yet.
Q: Why do you think that Jesus allowed the demons to enter the pigs? He knew that they were going to throw themselves off the cliff. Even if they didnt, 2,000 demonic pigs would be a giant pain to deal with.
I think it points to a clear way that we think as sinful human beings. I cannot think of another example where just by performing a miracle the general crowd asks him to leave except here, the difference, there was a personal cost to them.
The people instead of celebrating that a person has been healed from a terrible state they were instead more worried about the personal cost to them and they did not want to pay it.
They associated Jesus miracles with great personal sacrifice and didnt want any more.
This shows out hearts as people and how much we value life.
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
The eternal value of a human life is greater than we can imagine.
The cost of 2,000 pigs would be a gigantic sum of money but there is no money on earth that can match the price of a persons made in the image of God
3. The man obeys the Son of God’s authority
3. The man obeys the Son of God’s authority
The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.
Q: What are your observations?
Q: Does Jesus not always command to leave everything behind and to follow him? Why the difference now?
It could be because he was a gentile and that would make things even more difficult but the command is to provide the answer that the disciples asked in the boat.
Jesus commanded - Go as declare what GOD has done for you
Response - He went away and proclaimed in the entire city how much Jesus had done for Him.
Who is it that has power over the condition of the broken physical world?
Who has the power over the condition of the state of sinful man?
Jesus Son of the Most High God
The first individual to recognize this was a demon possessed man,
Before any human person,
Before his disciples.
Having the right answer only is not the end of it though. Knowing who Jesus is and believing it isnt enough
Following Jesus, wanting to be with Jesus and obeying Jesus
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Having the answer did not save the demons because they are not there to obey out of love for God, they obey because they are forced to.
What have we learned?
Often we as people deal with the symptoms of sin. The people of the city put steel chains on a man in order to prevent him from causing harm to himself or others but this was a symptom of the issue, Jesus deals with the root.
We deal with the symptoms of
gluttony
lust
greed
mental illness
Jesus has the power to be able to deal with all of these in your personal life, the question is are you willing to potentially pay a price. He has freedom available for those who seek it but it will require you to deny yourself and your treasures on earth, to face your demons and to let Him take hold of your life and drive it where he wants it to go.
Is that scary? Yes
Will He be there every step of the way? Absolutely.