Out Of Control (Father’s Day 2010)

OUT OF CONTROL

Text: Luke 8:26 – 39

Today is Father’s Day. Probably one of the most common texts that is used for Father’s Day is Luke 15 in the parable of the prodigal son. Although today’s text is a miracle story about a man with many demons we can still address Father’s Day.

There is the story about a missionary, Dick Hillis who was interrupted while he was preaching at a Chinese village. The missionary’s assistant, Mr. Kong went to see what the commotion was about. When he returned he whispered to Hillis about a local man that was demon-possessed. Hillis was ready to dismiss the information as a heathen superstition. Then a woman pushed through the crowd and begged for help saying, “An evil spirit has possessed the father of my children and is trying to kill him”.

Hillis and his assistant went to the location of the demon possessed man. Kong stepped over a filthy dog as they entered the room. They could sense the presence of evil. They explained to the onlookers that they could help. They said “Our God, the ‘Nothing-He-Cannot-Do One’ is more powerful than any spirit, and He can deliver this man. First, you must promise that you will burn your idols and trust in Jesus, son of the Supreme Emperor”.

The onlookers agreed. Kong asked Hillis to sing “There Is Power In The Blood.” Hillis seemed to be stunned and hesitant, but finally he began to sing, “Would you be free from your burden of sin ….” Kong began to say “Now, in the name of Jesus we will command the evil spirit to leave this man.” Kong began praying fervently as the dog “vaulted in the air, screeching, yelping, whirling in circles snapping wildly at its tail. As Kong was still praying the dog abruptly dropped over dead.

Hillis recalled a similar story in Luke 8 where the demons left the possessed man and went into a herd of swine. As Kong finished praying, Farmer Ho, the man who was possessed was delivered. When the demon-possessed man Farmer Ho got strong enough he burned his idols. Shortly after his baptism, Farmer Ho testified saying, “I was possessed by an evil spirit who boasted he had already killed five people and was going to kill me. But God sent Mr. Kong at just the right moment, and in Jesus I am free”. (Robert J. Morgan. Nelson’s Complete Book Of Stories, Illustrations, & Quotes. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Pubilshers, 2000, p. 198). How many are there in the world today who doubt or are in denial about the existence of evil spirits and their destructive forces?

Today, we are going to talk about demonic forces and deliverance from those forces.

DEMONIC FORCES

Where do demonic forces dwell?

1) Someone (Elaine A. Heath) made the point that “Every city has its Gerasenes.” (David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor. eds. Elaine A. Heath. “Theological Perspective”. Feasting On The Word. Year C. Volume 3. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2010, p. 170).

2) William Barclay noted that how the Jews and people of the ancient world “believed strongly in demons and devils”. They believed that “demons filled the atmosphere in every phase and form of life”. They also believed that the demons who filled the atmosphere “ruled” in every phase and form. They believed that demons “sat on thrones and hovered around cradles”. The earth [to them] was literally a hell." (William Barclay. The Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Mark. Revised Edition. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1975, p. 33). 3) Some might argue that demonic forces are nothing more than figments of our imagination. However, if we look around, there is no doubt that we can see the work of their destructive forces.

Demonic forces have an agenda. 1) It is obvious that the agenda of demonic forces is always about deception, dividing, devouring and destroying God’s people. 2) We were created in the image of God. Satan’s agenda is to distort and destroy that image.

3) If Satan cannot possess you, then he wants the next best thing and that is to oppress you.

Who is in control?

1) There is not an explanation as to why this man with many demons (a.k.a the demoniac) was possessed. We just know that he was without clothes, homeless, helpless, hell-bent and obviously “out of control”. (David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor. eds. Richard J. Shaffer, Jr.. “Pastoral Perspective”. Feasting On The Word. Year C. Volume 3. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2010, p. 168).

2) We like to think that we are in complete “control” of our lives. We look at the man in this passage of scripture and see a man that is “out of control”. We see what happens as a result of his possession. He became unclothed, unfit, unclean and as we mentioned before “out of control”.