Jesus met a hopeless man. This demoniac, hated by all, greeted Jesus and His guys as they disembarked from their boat. He was uncontrollable and had beaten every restraint designed to help. His life and behaviors caused him to be driven from polite society. He now lived among the tombs completely controlled by the demons that plagued him. When he approached Jesus, the man fell on his face and begged for the lives of the demons that possessed him. Jesus had no sympathy for the demons, but he did have compassion for the man the demons had possessed.
Jesus exercised the demons. They ended up in a herd of pigs and the once hopeless man was now free and sane. The event startled all in the area. The hopeless man was now a man saved from the chains of sin and death. The people wanted Jesus out–He scared them. So, Jesus and His followers prepared to leave. As they did the once hopeless man begged to join Jesus. Jesus had a better plan. Jesus asked the man to go back and tell his estranged family and community. The now free and sane gentleman did as Jesus asked.
In our lives, we all have our demons that we battle. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He deals with our demons. We are free to live a life out of the tombs of the world and into the community and family that have seen us at our worst. With God’s influence, we can draw those that know us to the Lord that freed us. That needs to be our mission, as that is what Jesus calls us to do. He desires that we enjoy freedom here and eternity with Him. If a few pigs drown in the process, SO BE IT!
God Bless You
They sailed to the region of the Gerasene,[b] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time, this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times, it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So, he got into the boat and left.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So, the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him
Walking With God 