“When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me! For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness” (vs28-29).
Here's a demoniac, possessed with many demons, and of all the conversion stories in scripture, this one most clearly is my own. This man was possessed, under the power of sin, and no man could tame him - “he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house, but in tombs” (vs27). We are born this way. The confines of the law, conscience, and society cannot tame the heart. It is still wild, rebellious, selfish, and ungodly. Sin controls us, and unless Jesus breaks the power of Satan and casts him out, we cannot be saved. We will never trust Christ.
First, This man ran to Christ in false worship saying, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me”, so that false worship is without forgiveness, without pardon, and void of acceptance (vs28). These demons feared hell and had no knowledge of mercy, and this evil spirit must be removed from us.
I spoke to someone that I've spoken to many times on the gospel, and it seems to be getting clearer to them. We cannot earn God's favor. We cannot make up for what we've done or pay for it by tears and resolutions. What we've done to each other, the sin that we commit continually, must be paid for in hell or by the blood of Christ. When Christ is TRUSTED, the sinner is free, reconciled to God, and all that is needed to obey is freely given. You are on God's side now, the past is gone, and the future is secure with Him.
Secondly, we see that Jesus has power over Satan and his minions. This man was bound, but the Lord commands the demons, and they obey Him. They fear Him, fall before Him, and do His bidding. He said, “What is your name? And he said, Legion, because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss”.
When Jesus casts Satan out by His word - because He has power and authority - the sinner is now able to trust Christ. Until then, the man speaks, but it is demons who control his response, “And he said Legion, because many demons had entered him”. But, when Jesus casts out Satan, this new creation is now, “sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind” (vs35). He is free from sin, delivered from lies, and enabled to serve God in love and peace. He is delivered from power too great for him by power too great for demons.
Thirdly, know that Christ is the hope of the sinful, and if rejected, He shall cast you into hell.
The demons left the man Jesus healed and were permitted to go into 2000 swine. This pictures unbelieving, demon filled sinners, who shall perish WITH demons forever under God's wrath. He says in the End, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt 25:41).
These people heard what happened and asked Jesus to leave. They couldn't see mercy and grace in Him, only rules, judgment, and condemnation. But, this man saw mercy and desired to be with the Savior. He was told, “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you. And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for Him” (vs39).
Finally, we have our commission (vs39). We are to go to the same people who reject the Son and make them know what Jesus has done for us, having compassion on us, delivering us from sin's dominion. We have Him with us, as we do this, and He will give us a hearing.
Just as power overcame the demoniac, power will overcome others who are naturally opposed. As the gospel is preached, the Spirit saves for Christ's sake, having compassion on sin-possessed humans.
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