|
|
They Asked Jesus To Leave (Matthew 8.28-9.1; Mark 5.1-20; Luke 8.26-39)
Introduction: In His travels Jesus went through numerous regions and cities. The Samaritans were receptive to His teachings while Capernaum was not. Jesus performed miracles, taught and explained the Law of Moses, revealed the will of God. Why would some not receive Him while others did? Let us look at our text as we want to see what happened, and the reaction of the people I) The Various Accounts A) Why are they different? 1. Our description of a ballgame, car accident, or any other event would be different because we will concentrate on different things. 2. There are reasons we have 4 Gospels and not one. Each writer is addressing a difference audience. B) The differences 1. Gergesenes is used in Matthew but Gardarenes in Mark and Luke. The difference is due to the fact the miracle itself did not happen in a city but in a country. There were two cities nearby Gadara was the bigger and better known whereas Gergesa was smaller. 2. Matthew records two men possessed with demons where Mark and Luke speaks of one man. Mark and Luke concentrates on the most vocal of the two. It there were two men then there was one man speaking to Jesus. II) Facts A) Two men possessed by demons 1. How did the people know the men were demon possessed? Great strength, they were fierce, broke chains, no one could bind them, they could not be tamed. 2. No one doubted the fact these men were demon possessed. B) The demons confessed Jesus as the Son of God 1. This was not the first time nor would it be the last. 2. Earlier a man with an unclean spirit in a synagogue confessed Jesus, Mark 1.23-24 3. The demons that the seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out, Acts 19.15 4. Even the demons believe and tremble, James 2.19 C) Jesus cast the legion of demons into a herd of swine (hogs) 1. This was not after a get big fight in which Jesus barely survived but simply by the power of Jesus' word. 2. Those watching after the swine left and went into the town and told all that happened. D) The reactions of those involved 1. The man was cleansed of the demons no longer hurt himself as he was clothed and in his right mind, Luke 8.35b; he appeared to be grateful and wanted to follow after Jesus, Luke 8.38-39 2. The town people investigated and found the man, Luke 8.35. a. Although it does not say so they would also found the dead swine. b. They asked Jesus to leave 3. Jesus told the man what to do, v. 39; He then departed, Mark 5.21; Matthew 9.1. Jesus did not stay where He was not wanted. This did not stop Jesus from teaching, it only changed the audience. III) Why did they ask Jesus to leave? A) The power and authority of Jesus 1. Critics tried to question Jesus' authority as a way to get around His teaching, Matthew 12.22-25 2. They could not question His miracle only the source of His power. John 7.44-46 3. They could not question His teachings only the people He taught 4. They could not answer His questions. Matthew 22.41-46 5. Jesus commands us; not request us. He commands us to obey His word, accept Him as the Son of God, to confess Him, turn from our sins, be baptized. (Why do so many talk about the birth of Jesus and nothing more? Because the baby did not tell the people what to do, yet.) B) Jesus being the Son of God 1. This is of course linked to the earlier point of Jesus' power but there is a difference in a prophet and the Son of God. 2. Jesus because of His deity could read the minds of people, John 4. 16-19 3. Luke 5.3-8 many of us may be like Peter and be uncomfortable being in the presence of deity. C) The hogs 1. Monetary loss was real with the loss of hogs, Mark 8.34. a. There was a real cost incurred by someone. b. Which was more important, the hogs or the life of this man? 2. Modern day hogs; dishonesty, popularity and family (Matthew 10.34); entertainment/pleasure/worldly lust; riches and covetousness/ Big "I" and little you, etc. Each has a real cost. a. "Everyone wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die" b. Everybody wants to go to heaven but a lot of folks don't want to do anything to get there. IV) Conclusion: Jesus Left A) They could not force Jesus to leave. B) Jesus did not stay where He was not wanted. We have no other record of Him going back to this place. C) They missed out on the blessings He could have given Him. 1. Would they have asked Him to stay if He had fed them? Healed their sick? Raised the dead? 2. They were not impressed enough with the spiritual blessings. John 6.26ff. 3. Surely were will not ask Jesus to leave our lives. We will want Jesus to abide with us. John 15.10 |