TRANSFORMED BY JESUS
LUKE 8:26-39
There are some things I forget and there are some things that I cannot forget.. things that have stayed with me for many years.
One of those unforgettable incidents was a request from a lady and the events that followed.
She came to me after a church service and asked me to visit her and her husband. ‘Please come,’ she said, ‘my husband is asking questions about the Christian Faith.’ I went and it was my privilege to tell that man about Jesus and to lead him in prayer as he put his faith in Jesus.
The following Sunday he came to the church service and excitedly told me, ‘It’s alive! Alive!’
That was his way of saying that Jesus had transformed his life, that he was now alive in a way he had never been alive before.
Today we have read about a man who would have said much the same.
In Luke 8:26-39 we see him utterly transformed by Jesus.
Let’s try to picture the scene..
Jesus stepped ashore.. met by this man.. unclothed.. possibly with chains dangling from his wrists and ankles.. agitated.
Jesus ordered the evil spirit to leave him..
The man fell at the feet of Jesus.. cried out in a loud voice....
What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me.
Jesus: What is your name?
Legion. Please don’t send us into the abyss.. let us go into the pigs..
Jesus granted their request.. the pigs ran down the cliff.. into the lake..
The pig owners reported this in the village.. people came out of the village.. gathered around the man.. and found him.. sitting at the feet of Jesus.. dressed.. and in his right mind..
Here is an incident that reminds us of four very important truths, truths we need to remember and live by.
First of all we are reminded that..
o WE ARE INVOLVED IN A SPIRITUAL BATTLE.
Luke tells us that Jesus and His disciples sailed across the Sea of Galilee to the south eastern side..
Then we read..
Luke 8:27-30..
When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him.
The people were nonplussed by this man. The best they could do was chain him and keep him under guard. The poor man was demon-possessed – under the control of evil spirits who did Satan’s dirty work.
The evil spirits recognized Jesus. They recognized Him.. and shuddered.
Just as James says they do.
In James 1:19 he writes..
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Here the battle between Jesus and the powers of evil is obvious.. and some may say.. this is an extreme case.. and cases like this are rare.
That may be so, but the shocking truth is that every human being is to some degree under the control of Satan.
The Apostle tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4..
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
And when the Risen Jesus commissioned Paul as a preacher of the good news.. He said to him..
Acts 26:17,18..
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
To open their eyes.. to turn them from the power of Satan to God.
Do you ever wonder why it is so difficult to convince a person to believe in Jesus? This is the reason. Satan.
The battle is a cosmic battle.. a spiritual battle. And it cannot be won by clever argument, or brilliant salesmanship.
How did Paul win it?
A few verses in 1 Thessalonians show us how..
1 Thessalonians 1:2,4,5.. We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.. our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
He won the battle by prayer.. by preaching the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit.. and by practicing what he preached! That is still what it takes.
This incident reminds us we are involved in a spiritual battle.. and that..
o JESUS IS LORD!
Luke tells us that the evil spirits begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them into the Abyss.. the bottomless pit.. and then writes..
Luke 8:32,33..
A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them per-mission. When 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.
Do you hear what is being said? These evil spirits beg permission from Jesus.. and Jesus permits them! Many read this and are blinded by pity for the pigs or their owners.. Don’t be blinded.. see Jesus. He is LORD.. and the evil spirits run at His command.
Just before He met this man, Jesus had demonstrated His power over nature.
He and His friends had been in a small fishing boat out on the Sea of Galilee. A violent storm had hit the lake and threatened to sink the boat. His friends roused Him from his sleep.. He commanded the winds and waves to be quiet.. and they were.
He demonstrated that He is Lord over nature.. and now.. He demonstrates He is Lord also over the evil powers at work in our world.
He demonstrated it even more emphatically when He was crucified and buried.. and rose from the dead!
Not long before He was crucified.. Jesus said..
John 12:31..
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out.
And that is just what happened when Jesus died and rose again. He won the victory over Satan. He is Christ the Victor! That is why we can now believe in Jesus and turn from the power of Satan.. to God!
But Satan still causes trouble for believers.. and hangs on to those who do not yet believe. If he was defeated.. how can he still cause trouble?
The Bible describes him as a defeated enemy having his last vicious fling.
The day will come when he and all who belong to him will be thrown into hell.. for all eternity.
And right now.. we can call on Jesus the LORD.. to send him on his way whenever he attacks us.
Some people speak of the glass as half empty. Others see it as half full. Believe this truth and live by it.. that Satan is defeated.. and Jesus is Lord.. and come what may.. we can be positive people.. who always see the glass as half full!
This incident reminds us that.. spiritual battle.. Jesus is LORD.. and that..
o JESUS TRANSFORMS PEOPLE.
This man had not worn clothes or lived in a house. He had been totally out of control. Jesus commanded the evil spirits to leave him. They did. Then we read..
Luke 8:34,35..
When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and 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.
This uncontrollable man.. who would break his chains and run wild.. was now sitting at the feet of Jesus.. dressed.. and in his right mind.
What a change! There is only one word for it – transformation!
That is what Jesus can do.. and only Jesus! Does He do it for just a few people in extreme need. No. He does it for all who believe.
Paul writes..
Ephesians 2:1-6..
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus..
And then says..
Ephesians 2:10..
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. God’s workmanship.. God’s work of art.. God’s poem!
This is what the church needs to see today. We can help people in practical ways.. help them to a better life.. but Jesus can do far more than that! He can transform them. Don’t be satisfied with anything less!
This incident reminds.. spiritual battle.. Jesus is Lord.. Jesus transforms.. and that..
o JESUS WANTS US TO GO AND TELL OTHERS WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US.
Luke 8:36-39..
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. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “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.
The people wanted Jesus out of there. He obliged. He does not force Himself on anyone.. but He did not leave these people – mainly gentile people - without a witness.
He sent this man back.. to tell how much Jesus - God - had done for him. Hard hearted people like these would not have listened to the gospel.. but they will have listened to this man’s story.
It is the same today.
The world needs to see transformed people.. and hear their story.
Jesus wants all of us to do what he told this man to do.
Peter writes..
1 Peter 2:9..
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Declare the praises of God.. make known the wonderful things He has done.. and not just with words..
In 1 Peter 2:12 Peter says.. Live such good lives.. that they may see you good deeds and glorify God..
Show and tell the wonderful things God has done!
We are not all evangelists.. Paul says that the Risen Christ gave some to be evangelists..
but we are all witnesses.. we can all declare the praise of our LORD.. show and tell what great things He has done for us..
Let’s do it!
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