Demons Cannot Swim

For Those not familiar with an Anglican Service. There are Four Readings before the Sermon is given. Today's Readings were: Job 38:1-18; Psalm 107:1-32; 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 and Mark 5:1-20

A man often walked through the cemetery on his way home from work.

One night, ...... unaware that a new grave had been dug in his path, ... he tumbled in.

For some time, he struggled to get out of the 7-foot hole, ... but .... finally, he gave up ... and settled down for the night.

About An hour later, ... a farmer out possum hunting ... came walking through the cemetery and he too ... fell into the grave.

And the farmer began a desperate attempt to get out ... unaware ... that there was anyone else in the grave.

The first man ... listened to him ... for about 5 minutes ... as he frantically tried to get out of the grave.

Then reached over in the pitch darkness ... laid a hand on his shoulder and said: "You can't get out of the Grave."

Well ... that farmer ... proved him wrong. (Long Pause)

To the Jews at that time, ... even to touch a grave .... was to be unclean for 7 days. (Numbers 19:16)

The demoniac of the (Ger-a-senes) did not just wake up one morning and say: "Hey, ... I'm demon possessed."

This was not something ... he was born with.

It was not something ... that he just came down with ... like the flu ... or a cold.

Somewhere ... Sometime ... in this man's life, ... he made a conscious decision .... that he wanted to be free.

He wanted to be free ... of God's influence.

He wanted to be free ....... from life's restrictions and responsibilities.

He wanted to be free (Slow) to do what ... he wanted to do.

And now, as a demoniac, he .... Becomes in a strange way ... free.

For ... No shackle could bind him, ... no chain could hold him.

He was no longer bound by social conventions ...that would tell him .... what to do ... or how to behave.

He has no responsibilities to society ... and in turn society after a time ... no longer wants him.

He has become ... Free...

But his freedom cost him ... more than he could have ever ... imagined. (Long Pause)

While A Gallup poll indicated ... that 9 in 10 Americans ... 90% still believe in some sort of ... God,

Yet A survey by the Barna Group found that only about half that number ... 43% of Americans believe the devil ... to be ...... a "living entity,".

Among the educated elite today, ...... talking publicly about one's belief ... in the existence of a devil ... and Satan's influence on the culture .... could be social suicide.

The same was no less true in 1947, ... when the Theologian ... C.S. Lewis addressed this subject in an interview ... with Time magazine.

Time reported: Quote "Lewis (like T. S. Eliot, & W. H. Auden) is one of ...... a growing band of heretics among modern intellectuals: ... an intellectual ... who believes in God,"

The Time's story went on: ... "It is not a mild and vague belief, .... for he (Lewis) ... accepts 'all the articles of the Christian faith'--which means that he also believes in sin ... and in the Devil." Un-Quote.

When asked about "his belief in the Devil," Lewis addressed the question in a thought-provoking way:

Lewis stated: ... "Now, if by 'the Devil' you mean a power opposite to God ....and, like God, ... self-existent from all eternity, ... the answer is certainly No."

As C. S. Lewis explained, "There is no uncreated being .... except God.

God has no opposite ... The proper question you should be asking ... is whether I believe in devils? .... And I do.

That is to say, ... I believe in angels, ... and I believe that some of these, ... by the abuse of their will, ... have become enemies to God.

And Satan, ... the leader or dictator of devils, ... is the opposite, ... not of God,...." for Lucifer also known as Satan ... was an Angel ... a created Being.

Beloved ... there are two equal and opposite fallacies or errors ... into which we as human beings can fall into ......concerning the devil and his demons."

One error "is to disbelieve in their existence.

The other is to believe in ... and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest .... in them.

Be assured ... Satan is equally pleased ... if we follow one ... or both errors." (Long Pause)

Beloved ... We that are born of God are kept safe.