This thought is the 3rd point in this Sunday’s sermon.
There is a strange thought presented here in scripture: The town was moved to gather and ask Jesus to leave after they saw the man who was demon possessed now sitting there clothed and in his right mind.
They gather and ask Jesus to leave! Why? healing the demoniac man freaked the people out so badly they organize and demand Jesus leave their shores. They seem unmoved by the demon possessed man in the tombs naked and cutting himself, or even the demonic herd of pigs running into the sea to drown. Could there be something in human nature that feels better because someone else is far worse than you are? Does the reputation of “bad people” play a role in your life to make you feel ok with your own lifestyle and behavior?
Almost as if they felt like they were ok with themselves as long as they were nowhere near as bad as this demoniac. Now that he is no longer the worst man in town are the people afraid to look at themselves? I wonder if this is part of the message Jesus is conveying to you and I today: I want to save the best of you and also the worst of you, and everyone in between!
This is the core message- the love of God and the authority of Jesus has the ability to deliver anyone at all who is willing to bow down before Jesus and get real with Him. Kinda makes everybody who has no plans of repenting right now nervous.
Luk 8:35-40 . (35) The people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. (36) Those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well.
If you get ahold of Jesus and let Him change your life… it will freak many people out! (you don’ t steal or use drugs or alcohol anymore? you are free from pain pills and perscription psychotropic meds and you are actually happy!!?? I am trying to get happy, but nothing is working, it is just getting worse, but here you are living for God? and you are living clean now? for real and not just in front of church folks, you are really free from hate, rage, lust, fear, jealousy, gossip, deception and you are not just empty inside?? I can see it on your face that now you are filled with peace, joy, love, patience, gratitude all just from Jesus?!
I don’t know if most folks know how to process this kind of goodness; it didn’t cost you anything? Jesus just changed you?
The man’s healing freaked them out so bad they asked Jesus to leave.
(37) And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat and returned.
The Power of the spoken testimony of your changed life:
(38) But the man from whom the demons had gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, (39) “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. (40) And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting for Him.
Your changed life can reach your city and your family and your nation. You can help people understand how good Jesus really is. They may change from sending Jesus away to begin expectantly waiting for His return.
The Potters House Christian Fellowship Church, Reading, PA Our vision is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Reading and the world. Our mission: The Christian Fellowship Ministries take seriously Christ’s commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Therefore, our mission as a fellowship has always been to fufill Christ’s Great Commission through discipleship, church planting, and world evangelism. It was Christ Himself who commanded His followers to “make disciples of all the nations,” and the simple obedience to this command by our founding Pastor Wayman Mitchell that has been imparted as our fellowship’s vision. With this focus, we are constantly endeavoring to reach unsaved and unchurched people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to spread the good news of God’s love and saving grace throughout the world. Whether we use Christian bands, movies, dramas, street preaching, or door-to-door evangelism, our focus and mission is to help lead people into their own personal relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ. The Potter’s House Church membership is composed of those persons who have accepted Christ Jesus as their personal savior and have voluntarily associated themselves together, for the purpose of serving God, according to the doctrines and policies of the church.
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