Sermon for 1/29/2006
Introduction:
Seinfeld episode where George breaks up with his girlfriend "It’s not you, it’s me." ~George. Before George can say his line, his girlfriend beats him to the line. "If it’s anybody, it’s me." I get this in our text. They don’t threaten Jesus with His life. They break up!
WBTU:
A. WE see in our passage that Jesus has power of the demons. From Matthew 8 we see that Jesus has power over diseases: the leper, the centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother in law. He has power over the winds and waves. He rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
B. Matthew mentions two but Mark and Luke only mention one. Mark and Luke do not say there is only one. It is obvious there was two--one being the main figure.
C. When a demon inhabits a person, the New Testament gives three areas where it can be seen
1. Physical problems
2. Mental
a. Insanity- Definitely the case here.
1) These two lived in the graveyard.
2) They were violent. Superhuman strength- (Mark 5:3 NIV) this man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain. (Mark 5:4 NIV) For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
3) Police see this from time to time. Mind shuts off pain and gives superhuman strength.
b. Suicidal mania
c. Hurt their bodies. (Mark 5:5 NIV) Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
3. Spiritual
a. Corruption of the truth through false religion
b. Immorality- addictions to immorality that one cannot explain.
D. Can people be demon possessed today? From what we have just mentioned, do people who have these symptoms suffer from demon possession? The Bible makes it clear that these issues are spiritual in nature. We cannot be delivered from these problems without Jesus Christ.
E. However, to label people as demon possessed is not wise. When people in our society act insane, we lock them up in an institution for the insane and try to ignore them. Demons are wiser than that and they want people who are under the influence of evil to be out in society. Less sophisticated societies have some individuals that could be labeled as demon possessed, but in more sophisticated societies like ours it is not common.
F. Also, to understand the ins and outs of demon possession is not good. We don’t know a lot because this is related to the spiritual world.
G. No one could pass that way, vs. 28. No one dared go on that road from the seashore. Best way to get to this area was from the sea. I am sure these two hurt the local economy.
H. Much we could talk about but let’s start with the pigs. Around Galilee there were communities of Jews and communities of Gentiles. Obviously this is a community of Gentiles. Jewish people do not eat pork and they would never have anything to do with pig farming. Pigs were unclean.
I. Also, Mark 5:13 tells us that there were 2,000 pigs. Even in our day this is a large herd of hogs. Probably several people in town went together and owned this large of a herd. It was the town business!
J. Why did the demons want to go into the hogs? WE are not sure. Maybe they liked deviled hams. Demons hate all of God’s creation and if they can’t be in the humans at least they can be in the hogs and destroy them.
K. Why did Jesus allow them to go into the hogs and kill these hogs? One theory is that Jesus being a faithful Jewish man did not like hogs and was happy to see them die. This is silly! More reasonable is that Jesus was fine with them going into the hogs; at least they would no longer but in humans! But why let them kill all of the hogs! I think it was to point out something to us about mankind.
L. Matthew 8:34- What? Why did they want Jesus to leave?
Thesis: Let’s consider several reasons why the people of that city wanted Jesus to leave.
For instances:
1. What else will this Jesus destroy?
A. I am sure the owners, the tenders of these pigs were not happy. Lots of money gone!
B. But he had healed two crazy people! No way, it hit them in the pocketbook!
C. (Acts 16:16) Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. (Acts 16:17) This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved."(Acts 16:18) She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her. (Acts 16:19) When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities.
E. (Mat 13:45 NIV) “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. (Mat 13:46 NIV) When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
2. We have to change our lifestyle.
A. To the Jewish mind a pig, hog was dirty, vile and a symbol of sin.
B. This town did not like losing their hogs because it meant losing their lifestyle.
C. Many do not want to follow Jesus because they are afraid he might change their lifestyle too much, or ask too much of them.
D. (John 8:11 NIV) “No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
E. Repentance is acknowledging the sins in our life and that we want to make a change and not do them anymore. Many people love their sins and they would rather live in their sins than leave them.
F. Tim McGraw- ‘Cause I like it, I love it, I want some more of it. I try so hard
I can’t rise about it. The reason that they can’t rise above it is because they love their sins more than they love Jesus Christ.
H. Doctor comes in and says, “You need to change your lifestyle.” Many people ignore this because they like their lifestyle.
I. (Rom 6:23 NIV) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
3. We are scared of you.
A. If you can tame these two guys, you must be a man of great power.
B. (Mark 5:15 NIV) When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
C. The supernatural power of Jesus caused the townspeople to panic because they observed the One who not only controlled the demons, but also took the souls of two men and gave them back to them. Supernatural things make men uncomfortable. The people from the city were absolutely panicked by the presence of Jesus in their midst. Instead of falling at His feet in worship, they said, "Go away; we don’t want you!"
D. People think that if everybody could see miracles, they would believe. Unfortunately, many of the people who saw the miracles of Christ didn’t believe--they nailed Him to a cross instead. Some people, when exposed to the awesomeness of a holy God, want nothing to do with Him
E. (Luke 5:8 NIV) When Simon Peter saw this; he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
4. Peer Pressure
A. I am sure there were some who didn’t have an opinion either way. They might have said, “Well, isn’t it good that those raving lunatics are no longer a problem.”
B. Don’t want to go against the grain! Those connected with the pigs, those who were scared are all saying that Jesus Christ needs to go, so who am I to say otherwise.
C. It says that the whole city came out and I am sure there were some in this crowd who thought that it would be better for Jesus to go away because he is causing so much trouble to others!
D. Without investigating Jesus Christ, they have already made up their minds because of others opinions of Jesus.
E. (Acts 16:22 NIV) The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. Most had nothing to do with this!
G. May we be like Nicodemus who came to Jesus to see for himself what Jesus was all about. Nicodemus just didn’t listen and accept the opinions of others; he went and investigated for himself.
H. (John 4:42 NIV) They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
I. Christianity is not accepted as a group but individually. (John 20:31 NIV) But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
5. Jesus Christ is inconvenient
B. (Jude 1:19 NIV) These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
C. The things that Jesus is saying are not natural; they go against the sinful nature of man. Maybe some were there at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.
D. What Jesus said about adultery in the heart, forbidding divorce, hatred in the heart, loving your enemies, turning the other cheek; these things are too hard, if not impossible.
E. (Mat 7:13 NIV) “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Mat 7:14 NIV) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it.
F. It is easier to be natural and do what comes naturally. Yes, it is but the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ helps us. With God all things are possible.
G. I took the road less traveled by and it has made all the difference.
6. They don’t care about the demon possessed men at all!
A. If Jesus healed a nice kindly person, there would have been much rejoicing, Jesus would have been welcomed, and many disciples would have been made. However, these two demoniacs have caused much trouble.
B. We should have had them killed a long time ago! They are a nuisance to the whole community. They might be healed for the time being but what about later.
C. If Jesus is associated with them, then we don’t want to have anything to do with this Jesus!
D. (1 John 3:15 NIV) Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.
E. That person goes to your church; I don’t want to have anything to do with church! Not rejoicing that someone has been changed, been saved, but fussing that they received any attention at all! How dare anyone spend time with these low lives!
So what?
Jesus is a gentleman and when asked he goes away. (Rev 3:20 NIV) Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
