Lesson 21
A Man Set Free
Luke 8:26-39
There is one thing that I have learned over the years. It is that things will not always turn out as I expected. I have often tried to put myself in a position to get a particular job only to have it fall through or someone would get it. Even in spiritual walk my plans have not always turned out the way I thought they would. This is not to say there have not been special things take place. They were usually however unexpected.
One of those is the privilege of writing the Bible study material for the church. If someone had told me even five years ago that I would be sitting down right now putting words into the computer that would be used by the youth and adults, I would have thought they were joking. For many years I have been writing, but never considered it going beyond being put in a desk drawer at home for my children to read someday. God has done many things in my life that I would have never expected. There is neither time nor space here to share them.
We in the church can make plans but sometimes God has other ideas. Some new people come into the congregation which changes the dynamics of the way we do ministry. They may well bring new ideas that will help us to get out of the status quo. We need to be ready for change to come. We need to be ready for the culture of the church to change. With the changing of our community we can either expect the makeup of the church to change or we may find ourselves watching the church slowly die. Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to get some rest. Along the way He ran into a storm. He landed on the other side not expecting to be confronted by a demon possessed man and a group of people who had hardened hearts who did not want Him there. Probably we will not face challenges even close to those for drama, but there will opportunities thrust upon us. We must learn to deal with the unexpected.
Luke 8:26-28
Having weathered the storm they sailed on until they arrived at their destination in the country of Gerasenes. The exact location of the city is not known today. Upon their arrival they encountered a man possessed by many demons. There are a number of things that Luke wrote about the man.
- The possession had been for a long period of time.
- He ran around without clothing
- He lived among the tombs and not in a house
All of these would indicate the depth to which this man had fallen. He had no shame, obviously no job and no one with whom he could relate socially. Those who knew him would have been terrified to come out to where he was therefore he would have been totally isolated.
- How bad was the condition of the man?
- Why does Luke give us such a full description of him? (He wanted to let us know the affects of his possession.)
- What would be the reaction of men towards someone like him?
- How does his condition describe the state of a man without Christ? (We are just as lost unless we have been healed of sin which leads to death.)
Unlike his fellow countrymen, Jesus had no reason to fear of the man or the demons. Just the opposite was true. The fear in that the demons had of Jesus was evident. This could be seen in their words as He approached the man. Upon seeing Jesus the man, which meant the demons who had taken over his life, fell before Him in obedience. They wanted to know what He planned to do to them. Notice their recognition of Him as the “Son of the Most High God.” The disciples had just asked “Who then is this?” The demons knew without a doubt that they were in the presence of God. Their second question related to their ultimate judgment. They pleaded with Him, wanting to know if it was going to occur immediately or would He wait until the end times when the devil and all his minions would be cast into the lake of fire. It appears they wanted to delay the time as long as possible.
- In what way was Jesus different from the people who lived in the area? (They wanted no part of the demon possessed man. They were as afraid of him as the demons were of Jesus.)
- What was the initial reaction of the demon possessed man?
- What did the words of the demons indicate about them?
- Why did they find it necessary to beg Jesus
- How is it that the demons could recognize the identity of Christ when so many have such difficulty doing so?
- What was the significance of the title?
- What brought fear into the voices of the demons?
- In what ways are their actions like those of mankind today? (They want to delay making a decision to give up their secular lifestyles as long as they can?
Luke 8:29-31
Jesus had already begun to command the demons to leave the man. Luke further describes the condition of the man. He said
- The man had been seized many times by the demon.
- The people had tried to keep him chained up for protection.
- While possessed he had the strength to break the chains.
- The demons would drive him into the desert.
Since the demon refused to leave Jesus asked his name. The demon, rather than the man, spoke telling Jesus his name was legion. In the Roman army a legion would be six thousand men. From that description the man was totally dominated by the demons. Jesus now knew the enemy He faced. Even in that large number they became cowards before Him. They were still begging Him not to send them into the abyss, the place of eternal punishment.
- Why was Jesus not able to cast the demon out of the man, immediately? (He did not realize the extent to which the man was possessed.)
- Why did He ask the man his name?
- Why did the demon speak rather than the man? (Indicates that the demons had taken complete control of the man.)
- What did it mean for the answer to come back to Jesus that his name was legion?
- What type of term was it? (A military term meaning six thousand troops.)
- Even with that number of demons why were they still begging Jesus not to send them to their final judgment?
Luke 8:32-34
The demons saw an alternative right before them. There was a large herd pigs eating on the mountain side being tended by herdsmen. The demons asked Jesus permission to enter the swine rather than being cast out into the abyss. Notice that the demons had no power over the situation. Jesus was in complete control. He granted their request and allowed them to enter into the pigs. Immediately, the swine became wild and ran down the hill and plunged into the water and drowned. Someone wrote that the pigs would rather be dead than demon possessed.
The herdsmen who had witnessed the event went into town and surrounding country side to report the incident, most likely to the owners of the herd.
- What was the alternative that the demons saw before them?
- What does this show about their desperation to keep from entering the abyss?
- If the demons feared the place what actions should we take to avoid going there?
- Why did Jesus allow the demons to enter the swine?
Luke 8:35-37a
Upon hearing the news many of the people came out to see what had occurred. The scene they found was much different than had previously been the case. One thing there were no herds of swine, they had all drowned. That one fact would have made the people angry because they had suffered a great economic loss. What they found was Jesus, his disciples and the man. Evidence of his healing was obvious. He was
- Sitting at the feet of feet of Jesus.
- Clothed
- In his right mind.
The scene frightened the men of the city and rightfully so. They were in the presence of One who had power over demons. Their occupation would indicate they themselves had no regard for the ways of God. To raise swine would have been an example of breaking the Mosaic Law. What had been reported to them was an accurate account. The response of the people to the healing was a strange one. Rather than rejoicing that a man had been made whole again they were upset that the swine had been lost. They wanted Jesus to go. They had no desire to hear anything He might have said to them. Like so many today they would rather live a life paralyzed by fear than to hear the message that could have brought freedom to them.
- Why did the people come out to where Jesus was? (To see if what they had heard was true.)
- What did they find?
- What picture did Luke paint for us to show the complete healing of the man? (Everything about him was different. He had been transformed.)
- Why were the people frightened?
- What did their request for Jesus to leave show about their priorities in life?
- In what ways are we sometimes like those people?
- What are the important things in our lives that might take precedent over the work of God?
- Why does being confronted by God bring paralyzing fear into a person’s life?
Luke 8:37b
Seeing that He would not be able to bring spiritual of physical healing to them, He accommodated them. The people had closed their minds and hearts to what God would have done for them. Jesus will not stay where He is not wanted. He and His disciples got right back into the boat to return back across the Sea of Galilee. It would appear that Jesus had gone through the storm to touch one man’s life.
- Why did Jesus agree to leave?
- What did He not attempt to heal any of the people?
- In what ways do we show that Jesus through the Holy Spirit is welcome in our midst?
- What are some of the things we might do that would say to Him you are not welcome?
- How does Jesus respond to those two scenarios?
- Given the circumstances shared above why did Jesus go to the land of Gerasenes?
- How much effort will He expend to bring about the spiritual healing of one person?
Luke 8:38-39
There was one individual out of all the people who was glad that Jesus had come. His life had been totally changed from the inside out. As Jesus was preparing to leave the man begged Him for the opportunity to go with Him. Jesus however had another plan for the man’s life. The task he was given was a difficult one. He was to go to the people who were very familiar with his former life. Jesus had him return home and tell everyone the great things that God had done for him. The man obeyed Jesus and went throughout the city and gave testimony to his new life in Christ.
- Why would the man want to go with Jesus?
- What plan did Jesus have for the man?
- Why would the command of Jesus possibly be difficult for the man?
- Who are the most difficult people to whom you are called to witness?
- What action showed that the man’s life had been completely changed by Jesus?
- Where is the one place you would not want to be sent to witness for Jesus? Why?
- Be willing to reach out to the unlovely.
- Care more about God’s children than anything else on this earth.
- Be willing to obey Christ even when the thing you are being asked to do is difficult.
Sometimes God is going to bring into our presence those who are unlovely. They may have faced the ravages of their own storms and are angry or hurt. Jesus’ words to the man beyond the Sea of Galilee in Gerasenes still speak to us today. In all the calmness of His own spirit because of His confidence of the Father, He freed the man from the prison in which he found himself. Jesus stopped the wind and waves and then cast out the demons possessing the man. Let us work to do the same to those who are in our midst. We do not know what their past may have been but we can surely point them to a brighter tomorrow. The man was given the difficult task of witnessing to those who knew him best and was willing to go and tell. We as the church are not to allow any circumstance to keep us from doing the same. Remember in Christ there is victory.