1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a Psalm 42 and 43 Galatians 3:23-29 Luke 8:26-39
Summary: The Gerasene demoniac is a true story and not a parable with much to encourage us; there are even some funny features within, somewhere between a political cartoon and a graphic novel. Read on … and you will see the bizarre from beginning to end.
This sermon was delivered to the congregation in St Oswald’s in Maybole, Ayrshire, Scotland on the 20th June 2010: by Gordon McCulloch (A Scottish Episcopal Church in the Dioceses of Glasgow and Dumfries).
Please join me in my prayer: In the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit, let these be your words and not mine. Amen.
Our Gospel reading this morning comes from Luke chapter 8 verses 26 to 39: “Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me" -- for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.
Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.
When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed.
Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him”.
[Gerasene is pronounced “JER-uh-seen”]
1. Introduction:
Let’s look this morning to the story of the Gerasene (JER-uh-seen) demoniac. It is a true story and not a parable. The story doesn’t get a lot of attention in preaching these days, and that is a shame, because there is some really good “stuff” in here, and although it is a very sad story, it has some pretty funny features if you look at it from the right angle.
Before we start, let us look at the issue that seems to get in the way of engaging with this story and that is the mention of the demonic. People now-a-days tend to say that they do not believe in the demonic: but the demons believed in Jesus, (and Paul too); and we know that Jesus and Paul believed in the demonic realm; the realm of spiritual darkness.
Somehow people think they know better and dismiss the demonic, but then go on to use words like: “what possessed you”. What possessed that man in Cumbria to go out with a gun and shoot so many people? Do you thing it was for a reason logically thought through and then enacted, or do you think he was somehow demonically possessed, and totally out control with himself?
These days, we do not do demons, at least not very much. We just do not have a category for them, but they are there, and they must be taken seriously in order to be controlled; as they are frightening and destructive.
A demon or demons can take control of a person, and make them do things outside their character. I think the closest I could get to giving you an analogy, (a very weak analogy), is to recall the saying, “get a good nights sleep, as it will look better in the morning”. The situation in the morning does not change but the persons perspective of the situation changes; allowing them to deal with it in a totally different and controlled way.
Someone who is possessed sees things that no one else sees, hears and feels things that no one else can. There is no logic, but they are suddenly overwhelmed with feelings of fear, terror, and anxiety and shear panic; that are basically uncontrollable and unreachable.
The man in our story, the Gerasene demoniac, is an extreme and sad example, but I now have to lighten up; to let you see what is going on in this story; and where our gospel fits.
So to change the tone, I must now say that on one important level, this story can be seen as a hoot; somewhere between a political cartoon and a graphic novel. Read the passage again and you will see that the whole scene is bizarre from start to end.
You have tombs: a naked crazy man living in them; talkative demons; charging pigs doing swan dives over cliffs; chains and shackles; freaked-out locals, and a small riot. All in a gentile territory called Gerasene, where as far Luke was concerned; Jesus had no business being there in the first place, as Jesus was a Jew.
Now, the people who heard this story first must have loved it. In addition to the great action and dialogue, there was that ancient regional rivalry between the Jews, the Gentile and the Romans.
Firstly: what could be more fun for the good Jews of Galilee than to hear a story about how the un-kosher, unlucky, and generally weird gentiles on the other side of the lake really were; and how all those unclean pigs came to a well-deserved and hilarious end?
Secondly: there is the political subtext towards the Romans. Everybody knew instantly that it was no accident that the demons called themselves “Legion”; the term legion coming from the famous and feared Roman legions.
And thirdly: the pigs were also topical in this story, as they were part of the staple diet of both the Gentiles and the Romans; they even had a part in the Roman economy.
Now this is where the hilarity stops as there is a serious message here. This story is much more than a mild comic interlude in Jesus’ Galilean ministry. Caesar’s legions and Caesar’s rations were being used as a metaphor for Jesus displaying real power in destroying them both.
This for us is really good news, and it is good news about power; in fact all sorts of powers. The Gerasene demoniac appears just after the more familiar account of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee. In fact, the storm was on the very same trip that took Jesus and the disciples to Gerasene. Both of these accounts are part of Luke’s run-up to the big question that Jesus asks his disciples in the next chapter: “Who do you say that I am?”
In fact, all of these stories are hints about what the right answer is; so they are not so much stories about what Jesus did, but about whom Jesus is; and the power associated with Him in relation to all the powers in the universe, regardless of what categories we use to talk about them.
The bible is very clear about this, the power which has the last word is found in the name of Jesus. Jesus is the name above all names. From Philippians 2:9-11 we read “God bestowed on Him (Jesus) the greatest title that could be given. He highly exalted Him and gave Him the name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father”
Do you realize what that means? It means Jesus has been given every name by which God has been known throughout the ages. His Name represents the Champion of champions! Jesus of Nazareth; Wonderful Counselor; Mighty God; Prince of Peace; Lamb of God; and the Messiah, to mention a but a few.
The world is desperately attempting to turn our attention and credibility away from Jesus, but the Bible points directly too Him. This is the crux of the tremendous battle raging all around us in the invisible, yet very real spiritual realm.
You see, there are a lot of powers out there that we cannot see, powers that can and do harm; powers that isolate, torment and destroy in all sorts of ways.
The categories we use to describe these powers don’t really matter: whether we live in a world full of demons or schizophrenics; of storm-gods or indifferent natural laws of illness or of possession. Regardless of the categories we use, we live in a dangerous world, a frightening world; a world that seems to be pretty much against us. We all know too well, that we live in a world that doesn’t seem to care much about us, or our pain.
The story of the Gerasene demoniac, like the story of the calming of the sea, like so many other stories of Jesus; are ways of saying that all of those powers out “there”, regardless of how we name them, regardless of how real they appear to be or are, and regardless of how awful they are; none of them is ultimately powerful. None of them has or will have the last word, and none of them will prevail, regardless of how we feel at this present time.
In the end, when all is said and done, we are safe in the power that Jesus brings, the power of love, the power we see most clearly on the cross; the true power that will prevail to the end; and this victory is ours by gift of the cross.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what is lined up against us. The Gerasene demoniac had more to worry about than his demons. He was also a pariah; he was cut off from his family, his friends, and the whole community.
Still, by the time Jesus got through with him, our demoniac was on the other side of those as well. He was not only in his right mind, but he was, as they say, dressed appropriately; and Jesus told him to go to his home, a home he didn’t have when our story began. This man was given the fullness of his life back and a wonderful testimony of Jesus to the gentiles, that Jesus is truly Lord of all.
This is part of what Paul was talking about when he insists that, “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, and heirs according to the promise”; which basically means you are a son or daughter of God himself. Can you image that, a son or daughter of God himself? I have problems with that verse, but that is what the bible says.
Our text this morning stopped there, but if you read on you will see that as a joint heir with Christ himself you are subject to no one; and a slave to no one.
Paul is saying that you have no need to be afraid of powers that you do not understand or powers that are in control over you; as all these powers will ultimately fall before the name of Jesus.
Even social, economic, ecclesiastical, and political structures; as ancient, as hallowed, as destructive, and as potent they may appear to be; these powers do not have the strongest voices, and they will not have the last word. It is therefore by God’s grace that you should not let these powers separate, isolate, define, nor destroy you.
We are protected by the love of what Jesus is, and the love that Jesus brings is stronger than anything the world, or things not of this world can throw at us. In fact when you see the demonic being expelled in meetings of spiritual warfare; the principle and primary weapon used, is simply the name of Jesus spoken with authority.
Jesus is Lord, and what ever negative power that is against you at this present moment: rest assured that it will never sustain itself in the presence of Jesus; and that is good news, that is the gospel message this morning.
Amen.
PS. My thanks to the Rev. James Liggett of the St. Nicholas’ Episcopal Church in Midland, Texas for his help and inspiration in preparing this sermon and I hope he approves of its success.
