Possessed

POSSESSED (LUKE:8:26-33)

Intro: on the sea coming ashore

Use your imagination this morning, We are in a small boat with JESUS. We have set sail from Galilee and are heading across the Sea of Galilee to the other shore. We are unsure where Jesus is leading us, But we trust Him and know he has a reason. We are approaching the other shore an notice how barren it seems, there is no vegetation only barren rocks. Why would JESUS lead us here, It’s a depressing place , a place death and gloom. It’s a place of hopelessness, a place of the dead. As we step out of the boat onto the shore we hear a blood curdling scream the the howling of some demented creature. Almost in front of us we hear moaning from something in great torment ,surly this is not coming from a human, it must be a beast.

Then it appears, it’s standing on two legs like a man, it is completely striped naked. All that is on this creature are small fragments of chain. The body is full of bruises and cuts , blood is dripping from the many wounds.

All of a sudden a voice speaks “JESUS, JESUS, You Son of the most HIGH GOD, are you here to torment us. Please don’t send us to the abyss.

JESUS asks for the creatures name, He replies ”Legion for we are many.

JESUS cast the demons out and the man is standing there in his right mind and totally healed of all sickness..JESUS says bring clothes and cloth him.

TEXT: Luke 8:26-33

26 Jesus and his disciples sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.[e] 27 As Jesus was getting out of the boat, he was met by a man from that town. The man had demons in him. He had gone naked for a long time and no longer lived in a house, but in the graveyard.[f]

28 The man saw Jesus and screamed. He knelt down in front of him and shouted, “Jesus, Son of God in heaven, what do you want with me? I beg you not to torture me!” 29 He said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to go out of him.

The man had often been attacked by the demon. And even though he had been bound with chains and leg irons and kept under guard, he smashed whatever bound him. Then the demon would force him out into lonely places.

30 Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”

He answered, “My name is Lots.” He said this because there were ‘lots' of demons in him. 31 They begged Jesus not to send them to the deep pit,[g] where they would be punished.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. So the demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and Jesus let them go. 33 Then the demons left the man and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

Let’s take a look at this man:

1. HE WAS DEMON-POSSESSED.

2. HE WAS STRIPED NAKED.

3. HE WAS HARMFUL TO OTHERS.

4. HE WAS HARMFUL TO SELF

5. HE WAS DOWN AND OUT.

6. HE WAS SEPARATED .

7. HE WAS ANGRY and MAD AT GOD.

8. HE WAS SICK.

A. He was ill mentally.

B. He was ill physically.

C. He was ill spiritually.

JESUS COMPLETELY HEALS HIM

Conclusion: NO MATER HOW BAD OFF YOU ARE YOU’RE NOT AS BAD AS THIS MAN JESUS FIXED HIM ; HE CAN FIX EVERY PROBLEM YOU HAVE