August 4, 2016
WE ALL ARE THE "GERASENE DEMONIAC." WHAT'S YOUR STORY?
Luke 8:26–39
Ryan Nixon
Central Truth
All followers of Christ have been set free from their own destructive habits and addictions. Christ's command to us is no different than His command in this text to be free "and declare how much God has done for you" (Luke 8:39a). Have you shared your story today?
Key Verse | Luke 8:35, 39
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 he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. (Luke 8:35a, 39b)
Luke 8:26–39
Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon
26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, 1 8:26 Some manuscripts Gadarenes; others Gergesenes; also verse 37 which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus 2 8:27 Greek he; also verses 38, 42 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. 28 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.” 29 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.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 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. 33 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.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 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. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed 3 8:36 Greek daimonizomai (demonized); elsewhere rendered oppressed by demons man had been healed. 37 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. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “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.
Dive Deeper | Luke 8:26–39
This is one of those texts that you finish reading and think, "If Jesus would do something like this today, then I would totally follow Him wholeheartedly," or "I would absolutely share what I saw with everyone I knew." But the reality is that this is exactly what Christ has done and continues to do ever since He engaged with the man possessed by a demon 2,000 years ago.
Let's talk about what happened:
This man’s life was destructive toward himself and others because he was controlled/under the influence of a demonic (unclean) spirit.
He meets this man named Jesus and is rescued and transformed by the truth of WHO Jesus is.
He responds by wanting to be in the presence of Christ and by telling everyone else how much God had done for him.
This is exactly what Jesus continues to do today. You and I are just like the Gerasene Demoniac:
We live in ways that are destructive toward ourselves and others because we are “controlled”/influenced by an “unclean spirit” (whether that unclean/ungodly spirit is our flesh, the world, or the demonic).
Then we meet this man named Jesus who rescues us and transforms us by the TRUTH of the gospel.
Then Christ gives us a new Spirit to be controlled/influenced by, along with God’s Word and God’s people.
Our response is to desire to be in the presence of Christ and go and tell everyone how much God has done for us.
To hear more about my own Gerasene Demoniac story and how God's grace intervened, click here: http://www.watermark.org/message/3674
So take some time to reflect on the story of redemption in your own life, thank God for His miraculous rescue, continue to spend time in His presence, and declare to everyone how much God has done for you through Jesus Christ!
Discussion Questions
1. Has your life been rescued and transformed by this man named Jesus? If yes, thank God for His rescue. If not, respond to me (rnixon@watermark.org) or in the comment section, so we can tell you more about this good news.
2. Have you shared your story of redemption this week? If yes, share that in the comment section; if not, go out and share it with someone today!
3. What “unclean” spirit have you been listening to/been tempted by lately? Share that with your community group.
4. Challenge: Write your “before/after” or “because of Jesus" story in 100 words or less. A great framework for clarity is to narrow it to three "before" and three "after" words like in my bio. Share those six words in the comment section and declare them throughout your city.