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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 6th November 2005 AM
TRANSFORMED
BY JESUS Those
who use
the Radio Bible Class booklets will have read this week about a conversation
between a noted psychiatrist and William Barclay. The psychiatrist said, “All
that a psychiatrist can do is strip a man naked until you get to the essential
man; and if the essential man is bad stuff, there’s nothing you can do about
it. That’s where you come in.” Barclay later commented, “I think he
meant that this is where Jesus comes in.” [ODB 2-11-05]. The
Bible passage
we are looking at today shows us what Jesus can do. In
Luke 8:26-39 we
see Him utterly transform a demon-possessed man. Here
is an incident that reminds us.. Luke
tells us that
Jesus and His disciples sailed across the Luke
8:27-30..
When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town.
For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived
in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at
the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High
God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” For
Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had
seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had
broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places. Jesus
asked him, “What is your name?” “Legion,” he replied, because many
demons had gone into him. The
people were nonplussed by this man. The
best they could do was chain him and keep him under guard. The poor man was
demon-possessed – under the control of evil spirits who did Satan’s dirty
work. The evil spirits recognized Jesus. They recognized Him.. and shuddered. Just
as James says they do. In James 1:19 he writes.. You
believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
Here
the battle between Jesus and the powers of evil is obvious.. and
some may say.. this is an extreme case.. and cases like this are rare. That may be so, but the shocking truth is that every human being is to some degree under the control of Satan. The
Apostle tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that..
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they
cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of
God. And
when the Risen Jesus commissioned Paul as a preacher of the good news.. He said
to him.. Acts
26:17,18..
I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness
of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ To
open their eyes.. to turn them from the power of Satan to God. Do you ever wonder why it is so difficult to convince a person to believe in Jesus? This is the reason. Satan. The battle is a cosmic battle.. a spiritual battle. And it cannot be won by clever argument, or brilliant salesmanship. How
did Paul win it? A
few verses in 1 Thessalonians show us how..
1
Thessalonians 1:2,4,5..
We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.. our
gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy
Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. He
won the battle by
prayer.. by preaching the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit.. and by
practicing what he preached! That is still what it takes. This
incident reminds us we are involved in a spiritual battle.. and that.. o
JESUS
IS LORD! Luke
tells us that
the evil spirits begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them into the Abyss.. the
bottomless pit.. and then writes.. Luke
8:32,33..
A large herd of pigs
was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into
them, and he gave them per-mission. When the demons came out of the man, they
went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and
was drowned. Do
you hear what is being said? These evil spirits beg permission from Jesus.. and
Jesus permits them! Many read this and are blinded by pity for the pigs or their
owners.. Don’t be blinded.. see Jesus. He is LORD.. and the evil spirits run
at His command. Last
week we
looked at Jesus stilling the storm. The disciples cried out in despair.. Master,
Master.. epistata, epistata. He is more than master! He is LORD.. of
nature.. and LORD over the powers of evil. Not
long before He was crucified and rose again.. Jesus said.. John
12:31..
Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will
be driven out. And
that is just what happened when Jesus died and rose again.
He won the victory over Satan. He is Christ the Victor! If
Satan was defeated..
why does he still cause trouble? The
Bible describes him as
a defeated enemy having his last vicious fling. The
day will come
when he and all who belong to him will be thrown into hell.. for all eternity. And
right now.. we can call on Jesus the LORD.. to send him on his way whenever
he attacks us. Want
to know more.. Read.. Neil Anderson’s books.. Victory over the darkness…
Bondage Breaker. This
incident reminds us that.. spiritual battle.. Jesus is LORD.. and that.. o
JESUS
TRANSFORMS PEOPLE. This
man had
not worn clothes or lived in a house. He had been totally out of control. Jesus
commanded the evil spirits to leave him. They did.
Then we read.. Luke
8:34,35..
When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported
this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had
happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had
gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were
afraid. This
uncontrollable man.. who would break his chains and run wild.. was now sitting
at the feet of Jesus.. dressed.. and in his right mind. What
a change! There is only one word for it – transformation! That
is what Jesus can do.. and only Jesus! Does He do it for just a few people in extreme need.
No. He does it for all who believe. Paul writes.. Ephesians
2:10..
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which
God prepared in advance for us to do. This is true of all who have been
born again.. all who have been raised with
Jesus as Paul puts it.. They are God’s workmanship.. God’s work of art..
God’s poem! This
is what the church needs to see today. We
can help people in practical ways.. help them to a better life.. but Jesus can
do far more than that! He can transform them. Don’t be satisfied with anything
less! This
incident reminds.. spiritual battle.. Jesus is Lord.. Jesus transforms.. and
that.. o
WE
ARE TO GO AND TELL WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US. Luke continues.. Luke
8:36-39..
Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been
cured. Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave
them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.
The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent
him away, saying, “Return
home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told
all over town how much Jesus had done for him. The
people wanted Jesus out of there. He
obliged. He does not force Himself on anyone.. but He did not leave these people
– mainly gentile people - without a witness. He sent this man back.. to tell
how much Jesus - God - had done for him. Hard hearted people like these would
not have listened to the gospel.. but they will have listened to this man’s
story. It is the same today. Before you preach.. let people know what great
things God has done for you. And
Jesus wants all of us to do this. Peter writes.. 1
Peter 2:9..
You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people
belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light. We
are not all evangelists..
Paul says that the Risen Christ gave some to be evangelists.. but
we are all witnesses..
we can all declare the praise of our LORD.. tell what great things He has done
for us.. Let’s do it!
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