SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS,
BUT DON'T MESS WITH OUR PIGS By Mark D. Brumels
LUKE 8:26-39 (also found in Mark 5:1-20; Matthew 8:28-34) NIV
26They sailed to
the region of the Gerasenes, which is across the lake from Galilee. 27When 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. 28When 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!" 29For 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. 30Jesus asked him, "What is your
name?" "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.
1.0 The Problem: The demon possessed man. (27-30)
Lived in the tombs
Tombs were by the sea. Most likely bothered, scared, hindered others
who tried to come this way. This probably kept people from coming to their town by sea and
may have limited their business. The people were afraid of this man. That's why they had
tried to put him in chains and place guards. They were afraid of what he might do to them.
But what could they do? The chains and guards hadn't worked. At least he stayed out of
town now. But he was still a nuisance and it was just a matter of time before he hurt
somebody.
The man had problems of his own. He was not free. The demon
controlled him and caused him many problems. He was naked, alone, and probably sore from
where the chains had been on him and he tore them off. His life was miserable. But what
was he to do? He couldn't control himself anymore let alone think for himself. The demons
had complete control.
Maybe you can relate to the towns people or to the demon possessed
man. Do you have problems that appear unsolvable? Do you feel at your wits end and not
sure what to do? If you do you're not alone we all face problems at one time or another.
The good news is that when you do have problems there is someone who
can help you face those problems. His name is Jesus!
2.0 The Solution: Jesus (31-33)
Jesus had power over the demons, they were afraid of his power over
them
They were afraid of being thrown into the Abyss.
These demons who had shown their power over man and chains, that had
made him miserable, when they were in the presence of the Son of God, they had to cringe,
grovel and beg.
We have a Lord who is all-powerful and mighty! What an AWESOME GOD!
We don't need to fear Satan or his demons; God has power over them.
There were many others who had problems that Jesus dealt with.
Mary & Martha when Lazarus was dead. (John 11:1-45)
Disciples in the boat during the storm (Matthew 8:23-27)
Jairus when his daughter was sick (Mark 5:21-23, 35-43)
The centurion whose servant was paralyzed (Matthew 8:5-13)
The paralytic whose friends lowered him through the roof. (Matthew
9:1-8)
The woman with the issue of blood. (Mark 5:24-34)
Jesus freed the demon possessed man of his problems. Jesus is the
great Liberator - The great freedom giver! The prophet Isaiah prophesied that the Lord was
"sent to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release
from darkness for the prisoners..."
Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the
LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the
brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the
prisoners,
At this time of year when we celebrate the freedom we have in this
country and those who have given that we might have this freedom, we can also celebrate
the freedom we have through Jesus Christ our Lord! Freedom from sin!
Jesus is the great liberator! The great problems solver!
Jesus is more than capable of dealing with any problem you have.
Problems in your marriage
Problems in your home life
Physical Problems
Financial Problems
Spiritual Problems
Emotional Problems
Problems at Work
- No matter what your problem is God can take care of it or help you
face it.
- God is more than capable of dealing with each of these problems
- God is the great problem solver!
Phillipians 4:19 "And my God will meet all your needs according
to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
Matthew 6:26 "Look at
the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they are?"
3.0 The Reaction (34-39)
3.1 The reaction of the towns people
Afraid!! Who is this guy! What kind of man can control demons?!
Upset!! Look what he did to our pigs!
Leave!!
Get out of town!!
The fact that they raised pigs was against the Mosaic Law. Jews were
not to have pork. Jesus' intervention in their livelihood probably spoke to their
conscience.
Often God's work causes many to realize their own guilt. While some
praise God for his work others mock because of their own conscience.
Paul said it this way:
1Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The towns people wanted Jesus to solve their problem, the demon
possessed man, but they didn't like him messing with their pigs, i.e. their source of
income.
Solve our problems, but don't mess with our pigs! It was all right as
long as he just solved the problem, but when he started to mess with their way of life, He
had gone to far!
God wants to deal with our problems, but He wants to do so much more!
As our Heavenly Father He loves us and wants the very best for us. As our creator, He
designed us and He knows how we should be and what's best for us. Therefore He wants to
deal with all of us! He wants to deal with our jobs, our home life, our school life, our
love life; He wants everything.
3.2 The reaction of Jesus
He left.
When we tell God hands off! He leaves His hands off. But he also
turns and leaves us alone to our own problems.
We often remember God as a loving God who is always there for us. And
he is a loving God and He is long suffering and patient. However, there comes a time when
he no longer waits. So don't press your luck by telling God not today, leave me alone.
3.3 The reaction of the formerly demon possessed man
He wanted to follow Jesus
He wanted to show his love for the one that had changed his life by
following him, by giving his life to him.
But Jesus told him "Return
home and tell how much God has done for you."
Jesus didn't reject his offer of his love or his willingness to
follow him. He just had a different plan than the man had. He had a better way! It wasn't
that the man's idea was bad or wrong. It was just that Jesus knew it was better for the
Kingdom of God and for the man to return home and witness there.
Notice that the man obeyed. While he was probably sad to see Jesus
go, he obeyed.
This is the attitude that God desires. God wants us to give ourselves
to him out of love. God wants us to obey.
4.0 So what does this say to me?
From this passage I see that:
God intimately understands my problems
God is more than adequate to deal with my problems.
But God wants to do more than solve my problems; He wants to work in
all of my life and to do that He needs my permission. He wants all of me.
House Illustration:
My life can be compared to a house with many rooms and closets, each
of which represents various aspects of my life.
There was a time when the house was a mess and everything was fallen
apart it didn't look at all like the designer had planned it to be.
Then there came a time when I realized that I needed the help of the
designer if I was ever to do anything with my house. So I called the designer to come and
live with me. He came and cleaned up the house making several changes in many of the
rooms.
However, the designer soon pointed out that some of the rooms and
closets were locked and he asked me for the keys to these rooms. I told him "But
those are my special rooms and I have some private things in those closets."
The designer insisted that He knew what was best for me and pointed
out all the good things he had done in the rooms he'd cleaned up so far.
Slowly I started letting him into some of these locked rooms and
closets.
One day though the designer told me that it would work out so much
better if I would just give him all of the keys to the entire house. That way he could
clean up the entire house, rather than keep coming to me each time he needed to get into
another room.
Again I hesitated. But I came to the realization that He did have the
best interest of the house in mind and as the designer He did know what he was doing. So I
let him have all of the keys.
Things are so much better now in this house of mine. The rooms look
great. The closets are all neat and organized. Oh sure things get messed up occasionally,
but with the designer's help it doesn't take long to get things back in shape again.
There were a few times when I took a few keys back from him and then
had to relinquish them to him all over.
On a few other occasions the designer pointed out some locked rooms
that I wasn't even aware of. I had to find the keys to those rooms then and give them to
him.
But for the most part the designer has had free roam of the whole
house. He has made lots of changes but oh does this house look good now.
How is your house? Does the designer reside there? Do you limit his
access only certain parts of the house or have you given him free roam of the whole house?
Is he pointing out any locked rooms or closets that you weren't aware of and maybe you've
been holding back on giving those keys to him?
Perhaps as I've spoken the Lord has pointed out a need in your life
that you would like to pray about. If so you can talk to the Lord in prayer.
Maybe the Lord has shown you that He wants you to give Him the keys
to your house. He wants not only to solve your problems, He wants to mess with your pigs
If so you can talk to the Lord in prayer.
But don't be like the people of the town who said, "Solve our
problems, but don't mess with our pigs!"
Be like the man who had been demon possessed. He wanted to follow
Jesus and was willing to obey His commands. He was willing to give Jesus all of his life.
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