Luke 8:26-39: The God Who Changes Lives
Luke • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction:
Introduction:
What kind of person is too far from God?
What person is so far away that God couldn’t reach him?
What person has fallen so low that God couldn’t raise them up?
What type of person has damaged their life to the extent that God couldn’t use them?
In this passage we learn that Jesus has authority and is almighty over the spiritual world as well
No one has authority over demons and the lives of people except Jesus
Thank God we can know that no one is out of God’s reach
1. There Is No One God Cannot Reach v. 22
1. There Is No One God Cannot Reach v. 22
This story begins right after Jesus and His disciples had passed through a storm
But we could actually start the story in v. 22
We could ask why did Jesus cross the Sea of Galilee?
It’s interesting that Jesus immediately left after the people of the city asked Him to leave
His stay in that city was extremely short
I believe that Jesus specifically went to the city for these two demon possessed men
The gospel of Matthew tells us there were two men
The reason I believe this is because it’s always jesus who takes the initiative to start a relationship with us
It is God who gave His Son for us John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus came to serve and give His life for us Mark 10:45
45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus gave His life on a cross for us John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus is the one that sat to eat with sinners in chapter 5
Jesus is the one who seeks after Levi and calls him to follow Him
Jesus is the one who calls the disciples to follow Him
Jesus is the one who goes to a small town in Nain to raise a widows son from the dead
Jesus is the one who heals the man with the withered hand
Jesus came and dwelt among us John 1:14
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
It’s always Jesus that shows His love for us
He always takes the initiative
And this passage is no different
Jesus goes to the unclean
Jesus goes to the unclean
Jesus goes to a completely “unclean” place
They are gentiles and pagans for the most part
He runs into demon possessed men
The scene is in a cemetery
There are unclean pigs
Everything in this passage screams unclean but Jesus makes His way to this man
If in the past Jesus had done some “scandalous” things, this one is over the top
This exceeds all expectations of what Jesus would do for someone
No one should ever feel too unclean to come to Jesus Christ.
William Barclay
Jesus is an expert at doing this and He does it with us
It is His mercy that pursues us Romans 2:4
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Jesus is the one that gives His life for us Romans 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
2. There Is No One Got Cannot Save v. 27-34
2. There Is No One Got Cannot Save v. 27-34
Here we not only see that Jesus initiates a relationship with this man, but we also see his desperate condition
There isn’t a worse case than what this man is in
Every description of this man is desperate
He had had devils “for a long time”
He wore no clothes
He did not abide at home
He dwelt in tombs
His description is one full of shame, scandal, separation and chaos
Further along in v. 29 it gives us a further description
Again it repeats that he had “oftentimes” been demon possessed
He was “caught” or a prisoner of these demons
No one could help him
He has been tied with fetters and chains but he has surprisingly been able to break them
The devil had driven him out to the wilderness
Wherever Satan, his demos or sin are there will always be separation. There will always be chaos
You will always be taken to the “desert” and separated from others
He will take you to the desert to let you starve and die of thirst
He causes division between you and the ones you love
It destroys you for a very long time
That’s why Satan came John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
There is nothing that sin can offer you that makes it worth it
But Jesus has the power to save
Jesus has authority v. 30-34
Jesus has authority v. 30-34
This is the only time you ever see Jesus have a conversation with demons in the gospels
And it turns out that these are many demons
His name is Legion
A roman legion was known to have over 6000 soldiers
No one has been able to help this man, but Jesus can
It’s interesting that from the first moment they recognized Jesus they knew His name and knew He had authority
They beg Him not to judge them or punish them for the time being
They beg Him to send them into a heard of pigs
The book of Mark tells us that there were around 2000 pigs
And Jesus gives them permission
It is clearly evident to everyone around that this man has been rescued from great evil
The demons go into the heard of pigs and they desperately jump to their death from the cliff
The people shepherding the pigs saw what had happened and they went to tell the whole city of what had just happened
I wonder if they went to tell them that the demon possessed man had been healed or that their pigs had died
Jesus’ authority was clearly visible through the event with the pigs
God’s grace is more
God’s grace is more
There is no one who has sinned past the grace of God
Where sin abounds grace does much more abound Romans 5:20
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Paul says this about himself 1 Timothy 1:15
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
3. There Is No One God Cannot Transform v. 35-36
3. There Is No One God Cannot Transform v. 35-36
The people run out to see a completely transformed man
Because when Jesus saves He also transforms
it is impossible for Jesus to save a person and for that person to stay completely the same
The change in this man’s life is a radical one
He had many demons v. 27 - the devils had departed v. 35
He didn’t wear clothes v. 27 - he was clothed v. 35
He didn’t live at home, he lived in tombs v. 27 - Jesus sent him to his house v. 39
He fell at the feet of Jesus screaming v. 28 - he was seated at the feet of Jesus v. 35
He was uncontrollable v. 29 - He was in his right mind v. 35
This man is now at the feet of Jesus just like any other disciple
He’s learning at the feet of Jesus
Before he was naked and alienated
Now he is dressed and accepted at the feet of Jesus
This is the change that Jesus makes in the life of those He saves
He does not save in order for us to stay the same
The change in this man was complete, undeniable, unexplainable and radical from a human perspective
This man wasn’t necessarily worse than the rest of the people because the emphasis isn’t placed on how bad this man was but how powerful Jesus is
Jesus is the one who changes our lives and not us 2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Jesus calls us to continue being transformed into His image Romans 12:2
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Christ began a good work in us and He will complete it Philippians 1:6
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
The new man is renewed daily Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
It doesn’t matter where you’re from or what your past is, God can transform your life if you’ll allow Him to
4. There Is No One God Cannot Use v. 38-39
4. There Is No One God Cannot Use v. 38-39
Now that the man has been saved and transformed he wants to be part of the group of disciples
There are many people that have been following Jesus, including formerly demon possessed people
the man wants to follow Jesus and learn more from Him
But, surprisingly, Jesus stops him
Jesus tells him he can’t come
He actually commissions him as a missionary
It’s interesting, isn’t it?
That the first missionary to the gentile world is an ex demon possessed man
The man didn’t know much
He knew enough to be saved so he knew enough to be a missionary
the man was sent by Jesus to tell of “how great things God hath done unto thee.”
And the man went and told the whole city “how great things Jesus had done with him.”
he had been commissioned by God and knew what Jesus had done for him
Many people struggle with their past
They believe that their past is their greatest obstacle to serve God, be used by God, to impact other’s lives
They think that God could never use them
But here we see that what many think is their greatest obstacle is actually God’s greatest opportunity
When Jesus saved us and transformed us He gave us the opportunity to serve Him and be used by Him in His great commission 2 Corinthians 5:20
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This passage should give each of us great hope
It gives us hope that God can save any person and that no one is outside his reach
It should give us hope that God has use us
It should encourage us that we can share the gospel with anyone because anyone can be saved
But we can easily be like the residents of the city
These citizens never thanked Jesus
Instead of being filled with joy they ended up being filled with great fear
It’s not a fearful worship rather they are fearful that they don’t understand what’s happening
They prefer to be uncomfortable with a demon than to be uncomfortable with Jesus
They prefer their pigs over the life of two men
they prefer their financial stability rather than their spiritual peace
They prefer a demon possessed man over the Son of God
They prefer to be terrorized by Satan than to offer reverence to God
David Gooding writes: What a sad comment on man’s fallen and unregenerate state it is, that man should feel more at home with demons, than with the Christ who has power to cast out demons. Yet it is often so. Men who would try to help a criminal or a drunkard, or, if they should prove incorrigible, would want the one imprisoned and the other put into hospital, find it embarrassing and somewhat frightening if the criminal is saved by Christ and turned into a sane, wholesome, regenerate disciple.
Don’t reject what God wants to do in your life or your city
Put your faith in Him
Allow your life to be made radically uncomfortable by the truth of the gospel
No one is outside of Jesus reach
Jesus can save
Jesus can transform
Jesus can use