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LUKE - Christ, the Savior of the World
A Bible Study Course on the Gospel of Christ according to Luke
PART 3 - JESUS' MINISTRY IN GALILEE (Luke 4:14 - 9:50)
15. Christ's Power Over the Storm, Demons and Death (Luke 8:22-56)
LUKE 8:26-39
26 They arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, a certain man out of the city who had demons for a long time met him. He wore no clothes, and didn’t live in a house, but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, “What do I have to do with you, Jesus, you Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torment me!” 29 For Jesus was commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For the unclean spirit had often seized the man. He was kept under guard, and bound with chains and fetters. Breaking the bands apart, he was driven by the demon into the desert. 30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him. 31 They begged him that he would not command them to go into the abyss. 32 Now there was there a herd of many pigs feeding on the mountain, and they begged him that he would allow them to enter into those. He allowed them. 33 The demons came out from the man, and entered into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled, and told it in the city and in the country. 35 People went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who saw it told them how he who had been possessed by demons was healed. 37 All the people of the surrounding country of the Gadarenes asked him to depart from them, for they were very much afraid. He entered into the boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons had gone out begged him that he might go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house, and declare what great things God has done for you.” He went his way, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.
Jesus is the incarnate Spirit of God in whom the fullness of the power of the Creator dwells. The holiness of the Holy Spirit appeared in him, and the love of the Holy Trinity moved him.
When Jesus arrived at the eastern shore of Lake Tiberias, a pagan region, he wished to find rest and pray there with his disciples, away from the multitudes, but a man possessed with unclean spirits hurried to him, attracted to Christ as a piece of iron is attracted to a magnet. This man was possessed by demons and had troubled the region, besides causing endless trouble to himself. He had found refuge, not in a house, but among the tombs with the dead, running without clothes in the fields, and cutting the chains with which people had bound him. The evil spirits in that tormented man knew Jesus immediately, and cried out fearfully, “Woe to us! You have come before the due time. You are the Son of God. Begotten, not created. Filled with the holiness of God. You are the Power of the Highest. We perish. You have the power and the right to torment us.”
Would that the scales of blindness might fall from the eyes of foolish men, deaf might hear, and stony hearts break, that they would realize that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God, and not a mere prophet. The devil has infected millions with his antichristian spirit, and filled their minds with hatred and denial and that repudiation that they might refuse to acknowledge Jesus’ divinity. Through this deceitful spirit, the father of lies purposely deceives multitudes. Jesus called him the ruler of this world. Yet where Christ comes in person, and when apostles of his Holy Spirit pray in loving humility, and preach gladly with fasting, there the devil’s authority fades away, and his power is defeated, for Christ is the Savior of the world, and his name drives out all demons without delay. Come to the divine Victor and you will be secure forever.
Hosts of demons resided in that poor man, calling themselves “Legion”, which signifies in the language of the Roman army a division of 3,000-6,000 soldiers. These unclean spirits cried out vehemently fest the eternal Judge drive them out immediately into the deep chasm, having known of the gnashing of hell, and the place of everlasting punishment. Dear brother, in these satanic confessions, you may see the future of the reprobate. So repent, as long as there is time, that you may not be cast together with the followers of Satan into the lake of fire prepared for the enemy of God and his angels. Christ loves you, and is willing to save you. Believe in your Lord and abide in the gospel of salvation that you may become sanctified. Flee from the spirit of Satan, and stand safe under the sprinkling of the blood of Christ.
Disturbed unclean spirits seek shelter in human bodies, but they destroy their shelter, for they are, destructive. Christ cast them out of the man, and allowed them to enter into a herd of swine. The rushing of the herd into the lake is a token of the final judgment. Do you belong to such as these, or do you sit at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in your right mind?
What a beautiful depiction of the event: He out of whom the devils were departed, sat at the feet of Jesus peaceful, calm, and rational, as a consequence of Christ’s triumph. Today, you can see groups of disordered, restless, furious, and wicked young people. You know that they are driven by unclean spirits. On the other hand, you can see others properly clothed, in their right minds rejoicing, favored with Jesus’ blessing. They receive power from the Holy Spirit, and are made secure in Christ. Do you belong to them?
Then Jesus sends you, as a token and witness of his work of salvation, to testify to the people of your country that Christ has driven all unclean spirits out of you by his holy word. You should be a witness of the Savior even if the people of your country reject Christ. The Lord goes wherever people reject him. Yet he loves those who reject him, in spite of their ignorance, and sends his witnesses to them. Are you a witness of the great God in your own surroundings?
PRAYER: O Lord, you are my Savior. Thank you for saving me from the power of all evil spirits. Your Holy Spirit resides in me. Forgive my sins, and help me to become properly clothed for you, clean in all my behavior, a faithful witness of your word, and a light in my idolatrous neighborhood.
QUESTION 64: How did the demon-possessed live before and after meeting Christ?