SERMON: MY CHAINS FELL OFF JUNE 24, 2007
BFUMC LUKE 8:26-39
THE TEXT
26They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[a] which is across the lake from
"Legion," he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
32A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. 33When 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.
34When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35and 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. 36Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37Then 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.
38The 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.
SETTING THE STAGE
It is hard not to be skeptical of a story like this. It is easy to approach it as something of a legendary story of Jesus defeating Satan. I urge you not to do this. As CS Lewis said, Satan’s most effective tactic is to get us to not take him seriously. I read a book by psychiatrist M. Scott Peck many years ago named The People of the Lie. He analyzes human evil and demon possession and finds it all very believable. He called deliverance ministries Psychotherapy by massive assault. I’ve been a part of this sort of thing just enough to take it seriously. Missionaries especially have stories that help you take the reality of Satan seriously.
So I interpret this story as if it were an actual historical event. It may be it has legendary components. I’m not fundamentally opposed to that especially since the story almost seems like it is a combination of two different stories. But I assume the basic reality that lies behind this story; that there is a satanic presence in the world that binds the heart and soul. I’ve had some personal experience with deliverance ministry and have heard many credible stories. So, all said, I take this story seriously as a real event. I also interpret it metaphorically – that it speaks to all of us and the destructive forces of evil in this world. There are four features of this story I find instructive.
A DIFFICULT CASE
The writer emphasizes in several ways that this is a particularly difficult case. This isn’t just a person whose had some difficulties the last few weeks. This is a man whose life has been hell, and who has been completely overwhelmed by a host of destructive devils. In vs. 27 it says that he had been in this condition for a long time. This isn’t something that just began. He has had problems for a very long time. As it is with most problems, time makes things even more difficult to change. Long standing habits are the hardest to break.
Vs. 27 also speaks about him not wearing clothes or living in a house but out among the tombs. This is, to my knowledge, the only time a demon possessed man in scripture behaved in such a way. Vs. 29 says that that many times these demons had seized him and even when he was chained, he was able to break free and wander in solitary places. The repetition of the chronic nature, and the severe nature of this man’s demon possession is clearly being emphasized.
I take this as a reminder that God has power to break even long-standing difficulties and problems. Jesus could face the worst that the devil and this world could throw at him. Often, when we see someone who has been bound, say by alcohol for a long time, we assume they can never change. When someone has been manipulative and deceptive for a long time, they can never change. When someone has been taking drugs for a long time, they are unable to find freedom and victory.
But this text would have us believe otherwise. Jesus met this man who had been demon possessed, a severe case, for many years, a real problem to his community. Jesus had the ability to speak directly to the need and set the man free. Don’t ever believe that chronic problems are harder to solve. Sometimes they are the easiest because the person is ready to let go.
WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
Jesus asked the demon, “What is your name?” If you think closely about the chronology of this story, it appears that Jesus had already cast the demon out. In vs. 29, Luke tells us that Jesus cast out the demon before the man even fell to his feet crying out, “What do you want with me, Jesus Son of the Most High God?” Jesus cast the demon out, and the demon(s) seem to be struggling with Jesus – almost like a battle of the wills.
This brings us to another interesting point. Not only did Jesus name the demon (or demand a name from the demon), the demon-possessed man also named Jesus. The naming went both ways. He cried out at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” What is interesting here is that, after Jesus cast the demon out of the man, the demon immediately recognized Jesus. But Jesus had to ask the demon’s name. I’m really not sure what to make of this. Jesus’ spiritual reputation certainly preceded him, but the demon recognized the truest sense of who Jesus was; the Son of the Most High God! In fact, if a human made this confession of Jesus’ we would say, “This person is now a true believer!” The demons, in high irony, seem to be the most spiritually perceptive agents around!
But naming is a key to understanding this story. When the demon named Jesus, the demon trembled with fear knowing the power of his opponent. Jesus asked the demon what its name was. What was the point? Naming has a certain spiritual power about it. But perhaps, this was ultimately for the possessed man himself. It was something of a confession of the severity of his problem. But the naming of Jesus, and the naming of the problem, preceded its cure.
This is a principle that is often repeated by those who work in 12 step programs. “I am an alcoholic.” There is a certain importance here. Naming is the first step towards a cure. It is a difficult step because we all avoid naming ourselves when we’re embarrassed of what we’ve become. But once it is named, you know what to do. It was this way with Kitty’s cancer. Once it was named, there was almost some relief to be had in knowing what we were dealing with. Perhaps Jesus knew all along what he was dealing with, but the demonized man did not. In any case, you need to know the importance of naming evil or addiction or possession – it is stage number one.
THE PIGS AND THE ABYSS?
What do we do with the element of the pigs and the abyss? First the demons plead with Jesus not to send them into the abyss. Whatever this meant (the abode of demons – even demons didn’t want to go there – even demons don’t like demons for company), Jesus cooperates with this demonic request, and allows them to go into a herd of pigs. I picture almost as an, “Oh, go on then!” kind of response. “Anything to get you gone!” The pigs rush over the cliff (an abyss of sorts) and drown in the lake.
Why did the demons cause the pigs to drown themselves? Again, this is hard to understand and raises a moral question. Perhaps Jesus’ didn’t intend this, but he seems at least indirectly responsible for the destruction of this herd. Someone lost a lot of wealth that day.
Some have suggested that this is Jesus’ condemnation on gentiles raising unclean animals in holy land. The story does not emphasize this point at all, and it seems out-of-sync with the spirit of the New Testament. Jesus never makes an issue of dietary cleanliness and seems to challenge dietary laws at points.
Two brief comments can be made. It does illustrate the destructive power of evil. These demons immediately brought about the destruction of these pigs. They had been trying to destroy the possessed man for many years. It certainly was only the strength of his will over the years, and his will to survive, that kept him alive. The impulse to self-destruct can be overwhelmingly difficult to avoid at times.
But more importantly, we can look at this from the perspective of the demon possessed man. Perhaps he needed to see these swine being drowned in the sea. It must have made a remarkable impact. He saw a clear physical expression of the destruction of the powers that had held his soul enthralled for many years. It was a powerful, liberating sight. “I really am free! I really am a new man! Those spirits are gone! Everything is now different!”
FEAR OF IMPROVING THE STATUS QUO
The text also emphasizes that the people from the nearby town were increasingly concerned and frightened by these events. The herders ran into town and told its inhabitants what had just occurred. People went out to see, and saw the possessed man sitting in his right mind, they were afraid. When they heard the story again onsite with the formerly demon-possessed man sitting there, in his right mind, at Jesus feet, the text says, “they were overcome with fear.” So Luke emphasizes that the more they learned, the more frightened of Jesus they became. Here is where things get interesting.
Why were they overcome with fear? You could easily imagine them welcoming Jesus into this city with open arms! He had solved a long-term problem for them. He had set the prisoner free! He had healed a man of years of personal agony and despair! But the opposite happened. They were frightened by these events and asked Jesus to leave town! All the while the man who formerly had been a problem was sitting in his right mind ready to tell all what God had done for him.
This is very telling. There is something in each of us that is frightened by change, even if the change is apparently for the better. It is a very difficult thing to embrace a strange new reality. We cling to our old ways. Sometimes it is because we’ve refused to name the problem we have. But it takes collective courage to say, “Jesus stay and change everything about us.” I think they may have all realized that they had demons they were cherishing and didn’t want to be rid of. And the remarkable thing is, Jesus went away. Jesus left them alone. He got into the boat and left. And told the man who had been possessed to go tell others what God had done for him that day.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
Have you had difficulty naming your issues, your demons? Many times, others could say, “yes, he is an alcoholic. She is a liar. They are addicted to violence.” But it is hard for any of us to name our demons ourselves. Can you name your demons?
Are you willing to embrace this Christ who is ready to rock your world? Don’t send him away. He’ll go if you ask him to. He won’t force his redemption on you. But if you will name the demons, he’ll set you free.