Jesus heals a demon-possessed man

Luke 8:26-38

I’ve read this passage before, but I saw something new in it when I read it recently.  Please click on the link above to read the story in its entirety.

Jesus had performed a miracle. The result was that a man was set free from demons which had ruined his life.

So why, then, were people afraid of Jesus after witnessing this miraculous event?

Shouldn’t they have wanted to know Him and follow and believe in Him?

Were they hiding demons of their own? Why wouldn’t they want a miracle from Jesus?

Maybe they were keeping their demons around because they were profiting from them.

The demons that Jesus rid the man of had destroyed his life and tortured him in many ways.

But did you know that some demons “help” some to achieve wealth and fame? So although they are still demons out to ultimately destroy anyone who lets them in, there are those demons which masquerade as angels of light “promising” wealth and notoriety, if only temporarily.

Perhaps those types of people were the ones who were afraid of Jesus. The demons that they had given into knew that Christ’s power was absolute and could easily have sent said demons back to hell where they belong.

But that would have messed with their livelihoods.

Why else would they be so afraid of Jesus? If they were in torment, like the man Jesus healed, they would have flocked to Jesus, not wanted to get rid of Him.

Jesus messes with people’s gods and they resent Him for it.

Here is an account from the book of Acts about this type of thing:

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

When we really want to know Jesus and receive His healing power, we seek Him, not turn away from Him.

Does Christ’s power scare you?  If so, why?

People don't like when you mess with their money-making gods, which are, in some situations, actually demons from the pit of hell.

Wherever the real Jesus is, healing happens.  Deliverance happens.  And these can be scary stuff to the onlooker who has, without God's help, a pretty good thing going on in the world’s eyes.

There is good power and there is bad power.  Jesus' power is all goodness.  But it is still power.  And it is absolute.

For those who prefer to be in control of their lives, Jesus' power is a threat.  Spoiler alert: this is true of some who call themselves Christians.  Remember, the Pharisees were the religious leaders of their day, and they hated and resented the power that Jesus possessed.  

So when Jesus healed the man possessed by demons and put him in his right mind, the man was made whole, clean.  People barely recognized him, the change in him was so profound.

Who else but Almighty God could perform such a miracle?  

Do you believe in miracles?  Do you want one for yourself or a loved one?  

Do you scoff at the idea that miracles still happen?

Do you, like those in this story, want to get rid of the real Jesus, run Him out of town, your life?  

Jesus did a good thing!  He changed that man's life for the better (understatement) and the people's reaction, instead of being one of awe, was fear!  

Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured.  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. Luke 8:36-37

Some people fear power even when it is for their good!  

Jesus has the power to set you free and give you all you really need. Himself.

Dear Lord. Praise Your awesome Name. For there is healing and deliverance and soundness in Your Name. Thank You that wherever You went, You healed and delivered people. Thank You that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever, dear Lord. Amen.