Matthew 8: 28 – 34 NLT
Jesus Heals Two Demon-Possessed Men
“When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.
29 They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?”
30 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31 So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.”
32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.
33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.”
We can see that people wondered who Jesus was. Even his disciples wondered that – “The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!” (v. 27). But Satan had no trouble knowing who Jesus is. The demons identified Jesus immediately. “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” (v. 29) Do you find the last part of that verse strange? What appointed time were they talking about? Satan knows his days are numbered, and when Jesus comes the second time, that will happen. These demons seem to know all about it. They are not happy that Jesus has shown up early in their point of view.
When Jesus sends the demons into the herd of pigs, the pigs are destroyed. That really bothered the townspeople. Their livelihood was ruined. They would prefer to have 2 demon-possessed men living nearby where they couldn’t venture, than to lose their livestock. Are we sometimes like that? We’d prefer to keep our possessions and a good job, over following God and getting involved in what he is asking us to do? Mathew is continually challenging us about our priorities. Frankly, it’s not comfortable.
But this whole idea of demons is also rather frightening. Are there demons in our world, in Canada? What does the Bible say about that in Ephesians 6: 10 – 12:
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”
Yes, there are demons and evil spirits, but God has the ultimate control. Notice that when Jesus talks to the demons, all he has to say to get rid of them is “Go!”. Mark also tells this story, and gives more detail about the end of the situation.
“People rushed out to see what had happened. 15 A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid. … 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.” (Mark 5: 14 – 20)
We should be aware that Satan is at work in our world, so we shouldn’t slough off any notions of evil and think it’s not really there. But we should also not concentrate on it so that it makes us fearful and takes away from our peace with God. Ephesians 6 goes on to tell us how to deal with evil. Ephesians 6: 13 – 18:
“Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
Our song for today is A Mighty Fortress is Our God.