Recovered Faith

April 17, 2016 Background Scripture: Luke 8:26 – 39 Lesson Passage: Luke 8:26 – 39 Some narratives in the gospel accounts make it clear that Jesus went to some extremes to reach one person in the midst of many. Some crowds had hundreds and others had thousands where Jesus visited to change the life of one soul. This apparent attitude of Jesus of going all out to reach one soul gives perspective to the value of a soul. The narrative of today’s lesson is such a case. Jesus’ trip to the country of the Gadarenes appears to have been for the express purpose of recovering one soul. Some of the circumstances surrounding the recovery caused the multitude of people in that country to express their displeasure with Jesus’ presence. The man who was delivered by Jesus seems to have been the worse person in that country. The man was possessed by many demonic spirits that caused him to be suicidal and deranged. He lived naked among the tombs and cut himself and cried night and day. Attempts had been made to constrain the man with ropes and chains but he had broken them. When Jesus arrived in that country, the man met him and the demons called Jesus by name and begged him to not torment them. At this point, Jesus’ entire ministry in that country would revolve around the deliverance of this man. Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man. After the man was free of demons, his mental state was back to normal and he put some clothes on. The demons that were cast out were allowed to enter and subsequently destroy a herd of swine. I mention this because it might have triggered the angry response from the people of that country. When the watchers of the herd saw what happened, they went into town and reported it and the multitude came to Jesus and asked him to leave their country. Although they saw the extreme makeover the previously possessed man had undergone, they insisted that Jesus leave their country. And Jesus left. This is a sad commentary because it is a reminder that if we insist that Jesus stay out of our lives, he is likely to oblige us. Salvation had come so close to the many but only this one man received deliverance from Jesus that day. Jesus went into the country of the multitude but only one man there was recovered and his faith in Jesus confirmed. When Jesus was expelled from the Gadarenes, this man desired to go with him but Jesus would not permit him to come. Rather, Jesus instructed the recovered man to go back home and show them what great things God had done for him. The gospel record is that the man went throughout the Decapolis and proclaimed the great things Jesus had done for him. Decapolis was used to refer to a region of ten cities in the country of the Gadarenes. The man demonstrated his faith through his works. Although the multitude rejected Jesus, the man whose faith was recovered continued to publish the works of Jesus after he departed. It is remarkable that the one who was possessed by a legion of demons was the only one of a multitude of people who received Jesus and had his life turned around and faith recovered. Robert C. Hudson March 31, 2016