We beg you leave us alone. Pigs or Jesus?

Matthew 8:28- 9:8 We beg you leave us alone. Pigs or Jesus?

Jesus and the disciples get to the other side, Jesus had calmed the storm and the disciples are asking who is this man. They get the right answer from an unlikely place.

“What have you come here to do with us O son of God?” The demons are not in doubt of who Jesus is. They know Jesus is the son of God. They are believers in Jesus they have no doubt, they will not serve him but will be tormented as judgment of the rebellion against God in the final Judgment.

On pastor said pay attention to what the demons say about Jesus, their Christology is much better that most of the other people. The Knew who Jesus was. Jesus has spiritual authority over them all.

What are the demos afraid of? Have you come here to torment us before time? The demons know what I stated above that Jesus will judge dem, at this point they are asking if Jesus have come earlier to torment them? They beg, pray that he would not). The demons perceive that Jesus is going to ask them to leave the people and they ask to be sent in to the pigs. Jesus only said Go, - and they go out of the men. – In to the pigs that run and drown them self. The men are healed, restored to life. They can come out of the tombs and live again, not oppressed by many demons, everyone thinking they are insane, the can stop shouting and screaming and cutting them self with stones. (Short note und self-damage it is inspired by evil, - the only bloodshed for salvation was Jesus not others). By the men are free do live again… to serve to share what Jesus has done for them. But the pig owners are not going to be happy. (This is a gentile region we can know that by all the pigs. – Do evil spirts live in unclean animals?).

The herdsmen run flee in to town and tell everyone, with focus on the men that was free of the demons. All the city came out to meet Jesus,

That is great they will rejoice and what to get to know Jesus that have deliver them from the two demon posssed men, and they can now they can pass by the place in peace. Well, that is not their response. Instead, they are afraid and ask Jesus to leave their region, they begged him to leave. They could be mad about the pigs the lost income, they are afraid, it might be of the Jesus power, to cast out the demons, where no other people could help. Is could be Jesus’ holiness that exposes their darkness. And Jesus interrupted them in their life, he made them afraid, they chose to ask Jesus to leave. (Do we do the same when Jesus interrupts us? Pray, talk, befriend or what Jesus’ lead and asks us to do? Jesus, I don’t have time I am serving you, can you see that, or my family my Church, or just doing my thing I did not come to share, I just wanted to sit and be quiet).

What about you? About me? What happened when Jesus exposes us? Do we run away ask Jesus to leave? Or do we pray? I don’t understand help me understand, help me give up what I trust in instead of you, help me trust and have faith in you, also when I don’t know what you are doing?

A note on pigs - Controversial? Radical animal rights are a sign of brokenness. (One I don’t find good). The imago dei? – Humas are made in the image of God, with a soul, and moral abilities and responsibilities. Animal are not, the are acting on instinct, they don’t have a problem killing other animals eating them. They don’t have a team of crises coulsers when other animals are killed. (We do if there terror, war, all kinds of brokenness, people get counseling and help to get true the trauma). Animals are not the same they are also not morally and spiritually responsible like humans are.

Therefore, many pigs are not the same as 2 people in value. It seems that in some places in the world are losing an understanding of that, some are more concerned about animal that people. We are never abuse or treat animals bad, but we are not called to treat them like human’s ether, it is a sign of brokenness and sin, when we replace animals with people or when people say killing and eating an animal it is the same as killing people and eating them, it is not the same. And we can see it in the story as well.

Jesus came to the region for rest and cast out demons, he had mercy on the 2 men and free them from suffering and pain, he traveled and showed mercy, to the men. Not the pigs, the demons made the pigs kill them self destruction is a plan of evil. Jesus did not come to save the animals from their sin, to restore them to God, no Jesus came for people made in the image of God. (Creation is groaning to be made new. And in Jonah God speaks about animals).

Jesus was asked to leave by the people, what response do we have to Jesus?

Jesus does not fight with them, but leaves in the boat again, sail back to Capernaum, his city as Matthew said Jesus moved there after his baptizem in chapter 4.13. Jesus has not been there long, some people bring a paralytic to Jesus, - You might have heard this before: Jesus saw their faith, the faith of the friends. And Jesus said, “Take heart my son: your sins are forgiven”. (Term of endearment, Jesus shows great mercy on this man). But what grabbed Jesus’ attention was the friend’s faith. And forgives the man’s sins. Boom. Wow… What about us we are again confronted with our faith or lack of it, what does this mean, that if we act in faith and Jesus sees our faith people will meet Jesus and have their sins forgiven. That would be the plain reading. (Revelation) And is that not also the way you got to know Jesus? And have your sins forgiven? That other people gave you a bible shared Jesus, took you to church, prayed for you? You dreamt and someone could help you understand who Jesus is. I think we can be encouraged and not scared, or both, that when we live out our faithother people may get forgiven and meet Jesus the Lord of all. (In other words, some of us, was brought in to faith by someone else’s faith). Then it would indicate we should do the same.

Jesus’ statement of forgives of sins. It gets: a promote response, from the scribes because they know the scriptures and only God can forgive sins. Therefore, Jesus must be blaspheming, calming to be God, and having God’s authority and power. (Paus a moment). What a contrast to the demons. They knew and feared Jesus… they did not doubt… They did not call Jesus a blasphemer. But son of God.

The scribes the don’t know who Jesus is and conduce that Jesus is blaspheming. They only do it in their own mind, but Jesus knows what is going on in their hearts and mind.

Jesus confronts them in their thinking with his statement. Why do you think evil in your hearts?

Jesus responds to their thinking - oh that might be a scarry moment, what about you?

Do we in our daily life, live like Jesus knows our thinking? Or do we in our thinking entertain, evil, slander, malice, etc. One of the great things about Jesus, is that, he knows our mind and heart, and we are exposed at all times. That can be scarry to think about, but I do believe it is meant to lead us to freedom and a mind like Christ. Because all the evil, and selfish things we entertain will not lead us to life and or of growth in Jesus. It is way better to have our minds changed, again and again. By Jesus correcting our thinking. There is no place to entertain evil that Jesus does not see therefore let not think evil, instead when we do repent and be renewed in our minds.

Jesus continues: What is easier to say: “your sins are forgiven” or to say get up and walk? … (how do you view Jesus in this moment?) I think I have been and sill tend to see Jesus as I am going to rebuke them and set them in their place, even more aggressive, boom I am God deal with it. I was thinking Jesus might have been full og grace and showed them love in showing them who he was. He again calls his self the son of man… it this an invitation as much as it is a rebuke?

But Jesus makes it clear to the scribes; that I the son of man, have authority on earth to forgive sins, (and yes only God has that power to forgive sins. Then Jesus in his statement says I am God, because the son of man has authority to forgive sins. Then the scribes were right, expect Jesus is God, and that is why he has the power to forgive sin), Jesus said Rise and pick up your bed and go home.

And he did… WOW… Jesus just proved what he said. He is God.

What happened to the people that saw this man’s healing? Like the people arose the lack, they were afraid, we don’t hear they ask Jesus to leave – But they did give glory to God, who had given Jesus this authority.