Proper 7 C
The Relevance of Demon Possession
St. Luke 8:26-39
19 June 2016 – Redeemer
What would you consider a relevant sermon today, on this Sunday? A sermon on God’s gift of fathers would be relevant. A sermon on Islam or tragedy or evil would be relevant this week. How about a sermon on demon possession? Have you had any troubles with that this week? Probably not, but let us not cast the text aside so quickly, as if the Holy Spirit doesn’t know what we need from Jesus.
Demons exist and demon possession is real. If you don’t believe that then the Devil not only has his foot in the door, but likely has his foot on your neck and hopes to squeeze the faith right out of you. How do I know demon possession is real? Because Jesus dealt with a demon possessed man in today’s Gospel reading. If it wasn’t a demon then Jesus was either ignorant or playing games with the people of his day and Jesus doesn’t play games. He knows the enemy and He fights Satan and He beats the demons for you.
Some people like to speculate that the folks back in Biblical times weren’t wise enough to recognize mental illness so they just attributed it to demon possession. Such thinking is a disservice and dangerous to those who suffer from mental illness. It also diminishes the reality of the Devil’s power and work among us. Finally, If Jesus, who claimed to be God in the flesh, couldn’t tell the difference between demon possession and some manic behavior He isn’t much of a god. So even though I have never seen a demon possessed person I believe there are demons (fallen angels) and I believe they can and do possess people, because that’s what Jesus Himself faced in Gerasene. In the same way I have never met a person resurrected from the dead. My lifelong experience has been once you’re dead you’re dead, but I believe in the resurrection of the dead, because Jesus rose from the dead and there were enough witnesses to fill a courtroom and convince any reasonable jury that resurrections happen and one did happen when Jesus Christ walked out of His garden tomb.
So, long introduction, now onto demon possession. When Jesus landed in the area of Gerasene a demon possessed man ran to meet him. Why? Wouldn’t a demon run from Jesus? Well, here we already see the power of Jesus at work. He is true God. Demons, including that chief demon the Devil, are only angels, rotten angels, spiritual beings who have fallen from heaven through their pride and rebellion. They are creatures and that’s important to remember – creatures answer to the Creator, the demons must answer to Jesus.
The demon knows this as he cowers before Jesus. He pleads for mercy. The demon knows who Jesus is (the holy one of God) and that He has come to unseat the devil’s rule over the lives of sinners. That is why the demon begs, “Do not torment me” and when it’s time to leave the man, the demon once again asks Jesus not to send him and his legion of cohorts off into the abyss for all eternity.
That demon possessed man ran around without any clothes. He had no sense of decency. He lived among the tombs – an unclean place where unclean spirits would be right at home. When women went down to Gerasene public beach to wash their clothes or let their children splash in the water and saw this man they called 911 to protect their children. The Gerasene County Constabulary came out, finally pinned the man down and put their best cuffs on him and locked him up under guard. But their chains could not hold him, the guard could not contain him.
Like that man and those people you are no match for the devil, or for anything that holds you in bondage. You are in bondage to sin – try to set yourself free from that. Try to make it to the end of the sermon without daydreaming or planning your afternoon activity. You are in bondage to death – you will try with all your might to avoid the cemetery. You’ll willingly spend whatever money is necessary for life, but your body will end up under a gravestone. St. Paul summarizes all of this in Galatians when he says we were held captive under God’s Law. God’s Law demands perfection and we cannot satisfy that demand. God’s Law requires the death of sinners and we are bound to die. Even Satan, whose name means accuser, uses God’s Law against us to claim us as his own. He holds our sins before God, accusing us and saying, “Look at this man’s sins. His children think he is a great father, but you and I know this man. He’s a sinner, convicted by your own Law and that makes him mine.”
On the shore of the Sea of Galilee, in the country of the Gerasenes, Jesus of Nazareth freed that demon possessed man. At the Word of Jesus, those demons left the man, went into a herd of pigs and plunged those pigs to their death. After the herdsmen ran around the countryside, trying to convince everyone it wasn’t their fault that they had lost the whole herd, everyone came out to see what happened. They saw the man who wouldn’t wear any clothes, who couldn’t be contained by chains, clothed and calmly sitting with Jesus. He was free, free to go to the Fourth of July picnic up at the lake, free to head back to work at his Uncle’s olive grove, free to get married and be a husband and father.
You’re no match for your sin – but Jesus was born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem you from your sin. He, and He alone, paid the price of your freedom by sacrificing His body and blood on the tree of the cross for your sins. You’re no match for death – but since Jesus has taken away your sin death has lost its grip – first on Him – He rose, and also on all who believe in His sin-forgiving death. No more sin, no more death. You are free to live and rise again. You’re no match for Satan – but Jesus is. You’re forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. Satan has nothing on you. If he brings up your sins or tries to hold you captive with his threats – tell him to jump in the lake with Legion, or better yet, remind him that you are baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. He hates that water of baptism most of all, so douse him with your baptism at every opportunity.
The man was free, but he didn’t want to be free of Jesus. “The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away.” (38) The Gerasene people didn’t want Jesus, but they needed Jesus so he left this man there in his new found freedom to declare the wonders of God. “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.” (39) Jesus left, but He did not leave the bound and dying sinners of Gerasene without a witness, without a disciple to confess Jesus to them.
There is much in our world that is too much for me – Islamic terrorists, the murder of LGBT people, the death of a two year child at Disney. Evil is too much for me. Sin is too much for me. Death is too much for me. For you too! But it is not too much for Jesus. In the country of the Gerasenes Jesus stood toe to toe with a legion of demons and they lost. At the cross He carried the sin of the world in His flesh and our sin was lost. On Easter morning He rose from the dead and death lost. He did this for you, to set you free. You know what God has done for you – there’s nothing you’re facing that’s too much for Jesus. The world needs Jesus, your friends and neighbors need Jesus. You have been set free this morning by the gifts of Jesus. Now return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Pr. Bruce Timm
18 June 2016